Broken Girl (tobyMac)

Chapter 35

Brianna

"No more questions, your honor."

I've never loved any words more in my entire life.

On shaking legs, I walk back to my seat, where Toby wraps an arm around my shoulders, squeezing gently as he whispers in my ear.

"You did amazing."

I don't think I did. As soon as Lincoln's lawyer started questioning me, I know I failed.

But I have a lot of people backing me up, so I can only hope that they'll be enough.

First, Mr. Sadduck calls Lincoln's teacher to the stand.

"Mr. Zasten, your witness, please."

They swear him in, before Sadduck begins.

"So, Mr. Zasten, you are a teacher at Lincoln and Brianna's school, correct?"

"That's right."

"How long have you known Lincoln?"

"I met him at a music camp he attended last summer, but I didn't really get to know him until he was placed in my class, this year."

"Do you know Brianna personally?"

"I do not, but Lincoln and I have developed a fairly close relationship, so he's told me a lot of their history and what's happened between them recently."

"You're fond of Lincoln, then?"

"Yes, I am."

"Do you think he's capable of doing the things he's being accused of?"

"Absolutely not."

"Now, what about the bullying? Have you seen Lincoln doing anything like what Brianna claims he's done to her?"

"Never."

Sadduck nods slowly, like the answer is the deepest revelation ever. "But you spend a fair amount of time with Lincoln?"

"I do."

"So you most likely would have seen something if he was half as horrible to Brianna as she claims that he is?"

"I believe I absolutely would have. But our school has a strong anti-bullying policy. Nothing like what Bri claims has been done to her would ever happen on our campus."

"I see. So... you say that Lincoln and you have talked about his relationship with Brianna. Have you noticed all of this drama effecting Lincoln?"

"Very deeply," Zasten replies gravely. "When he walked into my class on the first day, he was full of energy and life. After that evening when everything happened, that life was diminished. He got it back after a while, until all of this started to blow up in his face again. He really is hurt by Brianna's treatment of him. He's told me many times that all he wants is his best friend back, but he knows she's gone, and he doesn't know where she went or what happened to her."

I squeeze my eyes shut, trying with everything in me to fight the tears, but they begin to slip out anyway. It's just... I just don't understand why he's defending Lincoln like this. I guess he honestly believes his side of the story. But... why? I just don't understand.

Toby pulls me a little closer to him, rubbing my shoulder with the arm wrapped around them both. He doesn't say anything, but I can feel the love and heartbreak in his gaze, and his touch communicates everything that I know he wants to.

Everything inside of me screams at me to pull away from this, but I can't, and, somehow, I feel myself leaning into him, letting him love me. I know it's stupid, but I just... I just can't live without it anymore.