Ghosted • Laurminah

29

Trigger Warning: mention of sexual assault and physical abuse. Read cautiously.

The following weeks leading up to the trial was pretty intense for Lauren. She felt a lot of emotions about what was going on and why she was going through with this. She knew that she wanted Lucy to get the consequences that she deserved but that didn't less nervous about this whole thing. She knew this trial could go in many different ways and she was hoping that it would go in her favor. She needed something to go right for her.

Sitting in her best outfit Lucy had the smuggest look on her face as she looked at Lauren. Having the tape that Chris gave her weeks ago she knew that once the court saw Lauren engage in sexual activity that it would be enough proof to find her innocent of sexual assault. She knew that with that tape alone she could win the case.

Seeing the girl's face made Lauren even more nervous than she was before she came to court. Feeling two hands in her own she relaxed as she looks at her girlfriends. Taking her seat she could feel Lucy's eyes on her but she decided to ignore her because she needs to keep her composer, she had to stay calm so she could get through this. It was important to her to remain calm and she was not about to let Lucy ruin this. Not this time.

"Can you please tell the court what happened while you were on tour with Ms Vives?" Ms Monáe asked.

Lauren gulped as she played with her fingers. "While I was on tour with Ms Vives she would physically and sexual assault throughout the tour." She says.

"And how often would that happen?"

Tears filled her eyes as she thought back to the abuse she suffered. "It would happen at least three times a week for the physically abused. The other however happened every other week." Lauren explains.

"Thank you. I have no further questions." Her lawyer says.

Lauren nodded and watched as Lucy's lawyer came up. "Ms Jauregui did you ever consent to my client?" Ms Edwards asked. Lauren shakes her head. "No I would always beg for her to stop but she would ignore me and continue." She says. "It got so bad one time that I passed out due to the pain she was causing me."

"My client tells me that it was always consensual. That she always asked and you never once said no."

Lauren could feel herself becoming anxious but she slowly relaxed herself. "I never told her yes. I was often times silent because I knew that if I didn't do what she asked that her or Ms Grande would come to my room or bunk and beat me." She says. "I was basically forced to say yes if I didn't want to get beat up."

-

Stepping down from the stand Lauren felt a chill run up her spine when Lucy smirked at her. She knew that Lucy had something up her sleeve and she was absolutely terrified to find out what she had planned.

"Ms Vives can you please tell me what tour was like with Ms Jauregui?" Lucy lawyer asked.

Lucy clears her throat as she sat up straight. "Your with Ms Jauregui was fine. We always had fun and she seemed so happy to be with us." She responses.

"Did she ever tell you that anything was wrong with what you guys were doing?"

Lucy shakes her head. "No she always seemed fine with everything. She loved partying with us and we thought everything was fine up until now." She says. "We didn't know that she was struggling."

"Thank you that's all for now."

Lucy relaxed as her smirk returned as she eyes Lauren. She could see that the girl was nervous and she was planning on using that in her advantage. She knew Lauren's weaknesses and she couldn't wait to use them.

"You say that you didn't know that my client was struggling but she never once hid how upset she was." Ms Monáe says.

Lucy shrugs "well I can't read the girl! She hides her emotions like robot, you can never tell with her." She argues. "Yes but the pictures you have show us how upset she is." Lucy rolled her eyes. "Well she never verbally told me that!"

"But in the tape that you released you can hear less then a minute in my client scream no and not again. Meaning that none of it was consensual like you claim."

Lucy was now getting frustrated but she couldn't break. "So!? That doesn't mean anything! This was one time all the other time she never said no!" She argues.

"But she never said yes! Silence is not consent!"

Lucy exploded "well if she said yes then I wouldn't have needed to focus her to have sex!" She yells. "She brought this on herself!"