SEASON TWO,
CHAPTER 13:
INNOCENT OR GUILTY?
"He's got all of you fooled."
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A COURTROOM IS a hall in which courts of law are held in front of a judge. Members of the public are able to sit down and watch as someone that's been arrested is announced guilty with the sentence that they will serve. Civilians are able to have their own input on the outcome as it's their personal opinion, which can sometimes conflict against the judge's views.
Currently, on the island of Outer Banks, people are seated inside of a courtroom as they listen to what a teenage boy has convicted. John B is standing at the very front of the room with an orange jumpsuit on, a purple bruise resting on his eye after he received a punch from one of the deputies when being arrested. He does nothing apart from remain silent, listening to what the judge has to say. JB can't plead innocent because no one believes that it wasn't him and only chooses to take the word of a Kook.
Delilah can be found sitting amongst the crowd that have turned up to watch the moment that they've all been waiting for. JJ and Pope are seated either side of her, wheres Kie and Sarah are in the row in front of the three. JJ's hand is intertwined with Delilah's as it's stretched over to rest in her lap. His thumb is gently brushing against the smooth skin on the back of the girls hand, trying to provide some reassurance after catching sight of her leg nervously bouncing up and down on the spot.
"John Booker Routledge, pursuant to the North Carolina statute section 14." Judge Johnson begins, voice filling the room. "You are charged with murder in the first degree with aggravated circumstances. If convinced, the maximum sentence would be the death penalty."
The gavel is stuck and loud murmurs immediately break out amongst the crowd, their own opinions being shared to one another. The teenagers that are friends with John B just glance around the room as a mixture of emotions swirl around in the stomachs; anger that he's being framed, sadness that he may face death, frustration that no one believes their side of the story (the truth), and betrayal that the system is against them.
"Death penalty?" Delilah repeats in disbelief, voice raised. "What kind of cruel joke is this?"
"Your Honor, he's 17!" JJ reminds.
"JJ, stop." Pope warns.
"John B!" Sarah shouts.
With tears blurring her vision, the blonde girl pushes her way through the crowd in a desperate attempt to make her way over to John B. All she wants to do is hold her boyfriend and ensure him that everything will be okay, that they'll figure it all out together. But the deputies just guide John B out of the room and away from the public. A tight grip is held onto the young boy to make sure that he doesn't try to escape.
The two other girls of the group quickly catch sight of a deputy trying to hold Sarah back from sprinting after John B, making them push through the crowd as well. Delilah and Kiara pull the girl away from the man where they then direct her out of the building as JJ and Pope follow closely behind the three. Sarah doesn't fight back against her friends, knowing that they're only doing what's best for her.
Exiting the courtroom, many individuals can now be heard voicing their thoughts more loudly as they are now able to talk with other people who share similar opinions. The group of friends stick close together in fear of losing someone to the crowd, understanding that emotions are running high and someone may want to try act upon that. But being surrounded by a bunch of Kooks is the exact place that they shouldn't be, especially with how they are all known to want to defend their one another.
"Sorry what you have gone through." A man tells the Cameron's. "Thank god the system works."
"Can you shut up?" Kie demands, stepping forwards the group. "Of course you think the system works because it was made to protect and people like you."
"He'll have his day in court. A jury will decide." The same man states.
"He shouldn't even be in court!" Kie exclaims.
"You should, Ward." Delilah adds as she moves next to the brunette. "You're a fucking murderer! And you have a lot of nerve showing up to court."
"He's got you fooled." Ward informs. "He's got all of you fooled."
"No, you do!" Delilah corrects. "I was there on the day that Peterkin was shot, therefore I'm a witness."
"You weren't there." Ward fires back. "Look, I know you're upset. I understand that, okay? But making up a lie won't help your friend."
"Upset?" Kie repeats, scoffing in disbelief.
"I'll fucking show you upset." Delilah snaps.
The redhead attempts to move forwards from her place and tackle the adult down to the hard ground beneath. She wants nothing more than to give Ward a terrible beating after everything that he's decided to put them through; all of the loss, the chaos, and the strife was because of him. And the girl wants to make him pay for all of that, but she would never choose to stoop low enough to murder him.
However, the action was an attempt. Many police officers sprint towards the scene that's unfolding in front of the public. Arms reach out and grab ahold of Delilah where she's yanked away from Ward in order to stop the fight from commencing. But the group of teenagers are also quick to pull their friend back to where they are standing, not wanting Delilah to be anywhere near the police officers. JJ pushes the girl behind him in a protective manner as his hand slips into hers, intertwining them together.
"Why don't you take the Kooks down for a change, Shoupe?" JJ asks, voice laced in anger.
"You wanna get arrested?" Shoupe fires back. "You all need to go. Get out!"
"This is bullshit." Kie mutters.
"Come on." Sarah tells the ginger girl. "This isn't worth it. Lets go."
"I'm sorry, Mr Cameron." Plumb apologises. "You shouldn't have to be going through this."
"It's not a coincidence that your daughter's sitting with us." Kie states.
Police officers begin to demand for everyone to go back to their homes, trying to prevent the possibility of other fights from breaking out. Pope and Sarah direct their friends back over to the car and far away from the rest of the public, making sure that none of them slip away to cause another argument. Anger is something that is frequently acted upon and they all have too much of it flowing through their blood.
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Heavy rain showers onto the island that usually has the sun's heat beaming down onto it. Giant puddles are being created upon the earthy ground and only threatens to turn into a flood. Thunder cracks loudly from within the dark stormy clouds that are drifting over the usual blue sky. Not a single bolt of lightning can be seen just yet, and people only hope that they don't as that will mean the storm is worsening.
Inside of the Château, five teenagers are taking cover from the storm brewing outside as they listen to the water droplets hit the glass windows. All of them are lounging around on the furniture, a silence filling the air. The group are all unsure of what to do now that their best friend has the possibility of a sentence that will lead him facing he death penalty. But what they do know is that they refuse to lose John B, especially after already experiencing the immense amount of pain if that were to happen.
"I'm gonna testify under oath." Sarah informs. "I was there."
"I don't know if there's any point." Delilah replies with a sigh. "I tried so many times and they didn't listen even listen to me."
"But this is my dad and brother we're talking about here." Sarah reminds. "If I speak out against them, maybe they'll listen to me."
"What if your dad just told them another lie? I mean, that's what he did with me." Delilah suggests.
"Wheezie is the only other person that knows Rafe wasn't home that day." Sarah states.
"Wheezie?" JJ questions, a brow raised.
"Look, I got us into this mess, so I'm gonna do my best to get us out." Sarah tells them.
Kie sighs before hanging her phone over to the girl, allowing her to use the device to contact her younger sister for help. Sarah quietly thanks the brunette as she walks away from the rest of the Pogues, entering another room for privacy.
"Well, she's right about one thing. We've got to do something." JJ states. "Our boy is a PO-dub right now, okay? He's held captive by the enemy, maybe even scheduled for execution."
"Okay, then what's the plan? We start by kidnapping Shoupe?" Kie questions, voice raised.
"Maybe." JJ replies. "Like, that's not the worst idea actually."
"That is actually the worst idea I've ever heard in my life." Pope fires back.
"It's pretty bad." Delilah agrees.
"Look, Pope, we've been doing everything your way and how has that been working out?" JJ asks.
"Okay, so what's your big old plan? You gonna storm a jail, guns a-blazing?" Pope questions.
"All I'm trying to get you guys to understand is that they've got our boy. Are we gonna sit here and do nothing? No! We're gonna go get his ass, and we're gonna do something about it." JJ exclaims.
"JJ, we're not storming a jail." Pope refuses. "It's not happening."
"Fine, man." JJ gives in. "Sit in your comfy chair then. Do nothing. But I'm gonna see what I can do. Make something happen, even if I have to do it by myself."
"JJ—" Delilah begins.
"Are you joining me or not, Ly?" JJ asks.
The girl hesitates, unsure of what she should say in response. Delilah just doesn't want him to be thrown into jail too because she doesn't know what she'd do without JJ around. As well as that, it would also be double the amount of effort the friends are putting in to break him and John B out. Kiara notices the pause and shifts closer so that she's standing next to her.
"Go with him." Kie whispers, only audible for the redhead. "Just make sure he doesn't do something stupid, Lila. I trust you. And I know you know what's right and what's wrong for him in this situation."