NEON

66. Five Years

Kaplan.

"Say I, state your name, and repeat after me." The cop said. Everyone was here.

My GrandMother. My aunts and uncles. From both sides. My grandparents. Gay and straight. Macy's parents. Macy. Scott. Cyrus was on the side with a nurse from the center. Booker was even here. My dad was sitting at his post across from me, not being a judge. I looked to the side where Jaxx was sitting with his lawyer. On his side was his mom and dad and Lexie. Someone else was but I think it was just his friends. I looked to my side and saw Tyler. He was cool but he wasn't cool enough to tell me about Jaxx's plan in the first place.

"I, Kaplan Ross, Promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." I repeat. He tells me I can put my hand down and I do so. We all rise when the judge enters.

"Case number 735 in session." She bangs the gavel. "Mr. Ross, the roles are reversed." She smiles. He didn't smile back.

"With all due respect, your honor, I'd like to get this over with please." He says timidly.

"Oh of course. Of course." She says waving away the tension. "Allan what is your plea?" She asks the other lawyer while my dad hands her his evidence.

Allan? Allan Riley? I look up and that's exactly who I see. My heart beats faster and I have trouble catching my breath.

"Not guilty your honor." She doesn't look up at him.

"Fine. Not guilty it is." She still didn't look up, or sound like she cares. "Kaplan Ross I sentence you to five years in prison for claiming sexual assault with a minor." She slams her gavel and I stand from the witness booth.

"What!" I scream but nobody can hear me. The cops rush towards me. I look to my dad and he shrugs.

"Dad!" I scream and he doesn't hear me. "Dad!" I scream louder but it sounds more like a loud whisper.

"Daddy!" I cry and my body shakes. My eyes are open and I'm back in my bedroom. My dad, with tired, wide eyes, and messy hair, hold his hands on my arms.

"Kaplan I'm here." He says breathless. I noticed that he is still dresses in his work clothes. He probably just came home and wanted to go to bed but instead heard me screaming and ran right up.

"What happened." He said. He caught his breath and I have to as well. I wanted to tell him that I was scared of the trial coming up and I was scared that I would be wrong and Jaxx would get away. I wanted to stop pushing him away but it's hard to break that habit and it's hard to do that to people.

I can't stop pushing people away. I get hurt when I let people in. I sound like such a baby.

"I was in the court room and I was guilty. Jaxx got away." I spilled and my dads eyes widened slightly.

"Oh Lani, you know that will never happen." He rubbed my knees.

"I know but I just- I don't know. I am scared? I don't know why. He gets in people's heads and manipulates things to seem- innocent." I look at dads eyes the whole time.

The soft brown tell me that he is tired. "Dad, will you sleep with me? We can talk in the morning. I want you to get some really good sleep. So you can help me get better." He hesitates before nodding. I slide to the left and he takes off his boots. He gets inside the bed and pulls the covers over his body.

His arm draped over my waist and my head falls on his arm. I fall asleep breathing in the smell of French roast coffee and my dads cologne.