You & Me

Chapter Twenty Nine

Joey's Point of View

Stone and I walk up to the steps of the courthouse. Georgie, her mom, Colt, and Wendy are standing there.

"Hey Joey, Stone," Colt says.

"Hey man," Stone says.

I take Georgie's hand in mine. "How you feeling baby?" I ask her.

"Like I wanna vomit," she says. "Where's everyone else?"

"On the way," Wendy assures her. "Don't worry."

"Everything is gonna be fine honey," her mom tells her. "Just tell the truth, and it'll all work out."

"I hope you're right mama," she says,

We're sitting in the front row, as promised, when they finally call Georgie up to the stand to testify. Let me tell you my blood is already boiling. The defense's opening argument was that Georgie was making up the rape, and that the sexual encounter was consensual because she didn't stop him, and she was drunk. Then Clay is sitting there with a smug ass smile on his face.

"Please state your name," the prosecutor tells Georgie.

"My name is Georgia Rae Collins," she says.

"Miss Collins please tell the jury what happened that night," the prosecution says.

Georgie looks at me, and I give her a nod of encouragement. You can do this baby.

"Well I broke up with my boyfriend, Joey, and I was walking when Clay, uh Mister Tyler, stopped me. He offered to take me out, and I agreed. We went to a club in Tallahassee. He bought us drinks with a fake I.D., and I remember the drink tasting funny. After, we were finished at the club we walked back to his car, and got in just to sit. I said he could kiss me, but when he tried to initiate sex I said no, and when he kept going I was too messed up to protest," Georgie explains. Tears are falling from her beautiful eyes, and I wish more than anything that I could go open there, and wipe them away.

"Do you believe you were drugged Miss Collins?" The lawyer asks.

"Yes," Georgie answers.

"The prosecution rests your honor," she says sitting down.

Clay's sleazy defense lawyer stands up. "Hello Miss Collins my name is Carter Hucksly," he says.

"Hi Mister Hucksly," Georgie says.

"Now you said that you told my client, Mister Tyler, no correct?" He asks.

"Yes," she answers.

"Please explain to us how you can remember that so vividly, but was too, as you put it, messed up to protest his advances," he says.

"Well Mister Hucksly when you get raped you don't forget it. I was falling into a void and I only remember bits and pieces, but I remember. I couldn't protest because that's when the drug and alcohol went into full effect. If I tried to lift my arms it felt like I was trying to lift a tank off of me. Everything was dizzy. Like I said, I only remember bits and pieces of the rape when it was happening, but I remember saying no, and I remember how dirty I felt afterwards, and how I blamed myself when the only to blame for what happened to me. For raping me is your client, Mister Tyler," Georgie says through tears. If I could clap I would.