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Rolling Through the Thunder

               We walk up to the courthouse and I crane my neck, looking at the architecture. Carson puts an arm around my shoulder and guides me in. A security guard is standing there and we show him the cards our lawyer gave us. He nods and turns to show us the way.
           Until now, I thought we'd be in a big courtroom like you see on "Judge Judy" or whatever, but we pass the doorway to that room. The guard kept leading us down a flight of stairs until we reached a set of double doors.
    "Here you are folks. I wish the little lady luck." The guard says.
He must be able to see how nervous I am.
    "You want to go in first, Lexi?" My dad asks. I shake my head.
    "I actually need a minute. You all go ahead of me."
        My parents nod and turn to enter with Liz and Cal. Carson stays put, apparently planning on waiting for me.
       "Go on Carson. I'll be fine. I just need a moment."
      He looks uncertain, then nods and follows our parents in. The doors close and I'm facing them, glad for the moment alone.
       I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Reaching into my back pocket, I pull out my phone and open the selfie camera. After inspecting to make sure no fiery red tendrils are slipping out of the braided crown I made, and making sure my makeup wasn't running, I put it away. I checked to make sure I had tissues and sighed. There was no way else to prepare.
         I paused one more moment, my hand on the door. Then I push it open and step in.
       The room was much like a large courtroom but considerably smaller. At maximum it would hold maybe 100 people, if they were thin.
      I step cautiously forward down the aisle way, jumping as the doors clang shut behind me with an ominous sound. I glance around the room and find the Trayco's and my parents. I stride over to them, faking a confidence I didn't feel.
      My mother hands me a water bottle and I sip it gratefully, my mouth dry as cotton. I'm already wondering how I will get through the day. I sit and a few more people file in, mostly reporters, sworn to a promise that the names of the victims would not be released. If they were, the punishment was jail. I was thankful for that.
          Carson slips his hand through mine as the jury walk in, the lawyers, and the judge. He squeezes my hand when the police enter, holding Syd, Boss and Smalls. I feel my face get alternately hot and cold, my palms clammy.
       Syd looks up, scanning the room and his eyes lock in on a woman in the corner. His mom. I close my eyes in pain, my heart hurting for her. I know the words I say today will either make or break her life. And I know which it will be.
        I slowly open my eyes and see Syd looking at me. Our eyes meet and I hold his gaze, before he turns red and averts his eyes. He's pushed into his seat, and the session begins.
        I zone out during all the legal rigmarole. I don't understand half of what they're saying, and I don't really care. The minutes tick by, and my hands get clammier. Next thing I know, they're calling me to the witness stand.
   "Would Alexia Nahorm please step forward to the witness stand."
     I rise slowly, a rushing sound in my ears. I ease my way down the stairs to the aisle and start slowly up it.
Alexia Nahorm.
     My name. A name I wish I didn't have. A name I want to change.
Alexia Nahorm.
      I want to erase her. That girl is broken, weak. I don't want the world to remember her.
Alexia Nahorm.
       My name loses meaning as I slowly turn, entering the witness stand. I face the judge, and someone hands me a Bible.
   I raise my right hand and swear that I,
Alexia Nahorm.
Will say the truth,
Alexia Nahorm.
  The whole truth,
Alexia Chance Nahorm.
  And nothing but the truth.
      The judge asks questions, and I answer. Then I'm given the floor and it's just me. I can say what I want. I can ruin these men's life.
    I close my eyes, the room is spinning. I'm hot, but so very, very cold. I open my eyes take a deep breath and speak. "They had us for three months, two weeks and four days, exactly."
    I don't exaggerate. I don't stretch the truth. But neither do I downplay it. I tell them about the hell I went through. And I did, I went through hell. I tear up, much to my embarrassment.
       I change one little thing about my testimony. Syd. I refuse to make him sound bad. I want his punishment to be light. I hope boss gets justly punished. And Smalls, well I have mixed feelings about him. He was cruel, yet kind. I hope he gets what he deserved, yet a little on the light side.
      When I finish, I take a deep breath and wipe my face with a tissue. The room is silent. The judge is conferring. He asks me a couple questions and I answer them in a monotone. He nods, letting me leave the stand.
      I walk with my head down, like a chastised child. I do look up once though and my green eyes meet a pair of blue and brown ones. In that brief look, I am hit with more hatred than I've ever experienced in my life.
       It feels like a wall has slammed me and I gasp for air when I sit down. I lean forward, my head in my hands. The room is stifling, the walls caving in on me. I don't know if I can take it. The jury call for a break and I rush out of the room, just needing space. Carson darts after me and I lean against a wall in the hallway, facing him.
        "How did I do?" I ask wearily.
His gaze holds mine and he says, "You did fine, just fine. You told it like it happened, no adding or making up. In fact I think you could have elaborated a little more on his cruelty. You spoke kindly in comparison."
      "Did I talk too long? It seemed like I was up there forever."
    "No, you spoke for maybe 25 minutes." He says. I start to tremble, feeling light headed and almost faint. He wraps his arms around me and I burrow my face in his shoulder.
    "I knew this would be rough but I never imagined I'd be such a mess."
    "You did something extremely difficult. You testified against your friend. Against real men. They have feelings though they hide them."
     "You're not making me feel better Carson." I groan.
    I feel him chuckle and he holds me closer. The jury calls us to re-convene and we turn to head in. Before letting me go, Carson whispers in my ear.
   "I'm proud of you."

And now it's his turn.
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Whew! This chapter was bully to write! I love these characters so much I could feel Lexi's pain. I hope you all enjoy the chapter as much as I enjoy writing it. Please, please, PLEASE don't forget to vote! Love you all!

-M.R.