I Wish You Never Met Me

21

CHAPTER 21

One of them rose from their seat and headed to the stand in representation of the other. He sat, placed his hand on the bible and swore.

"Now, Mr. Sanders, I believe you knew that this was going on in your school?" she asked him. His face void of emotion.

"Yes."

"Then isn't it against the law for principal to expel a student without you or the super intendent overseeing and approving her expulsion?"

"It is," his reply was dry.

"So, you allowed it to continue and allowed Meghan to be expelled without a trial."

"Ms. Hawkins was never expelled without trial, Mrs. Smith. She had one. It was all over the news, remember?"

She chuckled, "So, if it was your daughter, you'd allowed her to get expelled by the principal and charged for a crime she never committed. If that's the case, then we can agree the Runnels family flaunting their money was more important right? Sure, cut all almost of the art programs to build a new gym. Make Meghan and the rest of the fashion design work like a slave to give you uniforms for your teams. Your honor, if I may, I'd like to show you the records of the school activities in the six months."

"I'd never allowed that, and you know it. It's not our fault that she's in the position she's in right now. If she hadn't hacked the system and blasted the Runnels family none of this would've happened. My family and I would be—" he stopped in the middle; a grumpy huff left his lips.

"You and your family would be what, Mr. Sanders?" Gisele asked.

"Don't worry about it."

"Show me. And answer the question, Mr. Sanders," Gisele approached the podium with a warm smile, a mask that hid the smirk she showed me earlier. The needle that'll move this trial into my favor. She handed the file to the judge and went back to the table.

The silence was deafening. The anticipation grew like a wild vine as we waited. The judge flipped through countless, going through the file. Then the projection followed. Now everyone got to see what that school was really doing in the past six months.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, as you can see, these are the records of past projects that Eagle High School have embarked upon funded by the Runnels family. From the new gym, vending machine, to shutting down the fashion design club to create the football team's weight room. Also, I have video footage of all the encounters that Meghan has had Clarise and her friends, in which all of you have ignored."

Gisele approached the table with a flash drive. From their faces, it was cold. Bitterly cold. Gisele handed the flash drive to the judge. The judge opened his laptop connected to the projector that faced the jury and the audience. The minute he played the first video, it was over.

"Mr. Sanders, my guess you were also paid to shut up right?"

"W-what? N-no. O-our school d—"

"Mr. Sanders spare us all the lies, please." The judge chimed in. "The evidence is right here. Everyone can see it."

It was traumatic reliving it all. My body shuttered at the sight. I was angry. I've been angry. I've been angry since I was released. This was it, the start.

"How much did they pay you?"

"Look for all we know, that could be a skit. You know, kids. They like play games." He tried to play it off even though they were caught.

"How much did they pay you, Mr. Sanders?" Gisele didn't waver at all, she kept pushing. "You do know the world is going to know about this. Before we know it, you two won't have jobs anymore. You're spineless, just like the other institutions around here. Not surprised you got a lawyer from Maverick."