After a night at the hotel, and a lot of explaining to Tyler and Josh, they decided to come along with me to find an apartment.
We were in the nearest neighborhood to Worthington with apartments possible, a mile away in a rundown sketchy area.
Helen demanded she come, she felt bad still about the incident.
I walked up to Tyler's driveway as Josh and him sat outside, drinking Capri-suns like kids.
"Hey." Tyler went to his car as I took a seat in the passenger side, Josh grumbling about the backseat.
"Hey." I smiled softly back. "My therapist Helen's meeting us there. She wants to make sure nobody rips us off because we're teenagers." I laughed.
"That's cool." He seemed quiet. Off.
"Yeah."
We got there and parked, the main building painted a dull white. Just as the surrounding pine trees hid the place in a dark color.
Helens Subaru parked outside beside ours, business-like. Professionally dressed in her pantsuit, while in possibly one of the tackiest neighborhoods in Columbus, Ohio.
"Helen. Nice to meet you." She stuck her hands out to Tyler and Josh. We all went inside to talk to the contractors.
"Rowan Jenkins? Hello, we heard of your circumstances... ahh well first month we're offering free rent. We hope you'll stay, let's show you the place." A lady spoke and led me through, I shyly felt guilty, they did a background check on me. And out of pity they gave me free rent for a month.
"Oh the place is nice!" Helen exclaimed a little to enthusiastically. Her being a positive person and therapist made her that way.
The brick walls were crumbling on the outside, but on the inside it wasn't too shabby. There was a tiny kitchen with barely enough space to open the fridge, and a room in back with a broken ceiling fan, a lightbulb flickering below it.
But I had money. And food. I was grateful.
"Yeah it's not bad." I frowned at the tiny living room, my piano stayed at my moms house. If only I could have one here. Music seemed my escape from all of this. I guess my Mozart career was dead. Tyler's place always had one, maybe I could just visit him often.
"Look a balcony!" Josh exclaimed to cheer this whole situation up.
"Yeah. We could hang out here." I lied, this tiny balcony held enough room for two people, standing probably.
"I like the place." Tyler announced kindly. I knew he wasn't used to this kind of living situation. Heck Tyler's house was nice, inside and out. No family troubles or housing problems.
"So you wanna rent it?" The lady asked nicely.
"Yeah. I'll give this place a try." I smiled shyly and held a pen she handed me.
The boys cheered for me as I signed, well here goes new jobs and living a frugal life now.
"Ok welcome, hope you like your new home." The land lord said. I hoped I did too.
------------------
"The court calls David Edwards." A jury spoke as I shivered on my side of the court. As if he'd really come and attack me with all of these people watching, including guards.
"And Rowan Jenkins as the opposing defendant." I stepped forward cautiously, with Tyler and his parents behind me. I guess they had to find out sooner or later.
I wish they hadn't know about me. Maybe they'll think of me differently, and I didn't want that, as I was dating their son.
My fingers gripped the wooden stand in front of me as if it were my will to live.
"We stand here today, as Rowan's side claims David tortured her in domestic violence, and sexual abuse." The lady repeated as I shivered and my throat tightened. She said it nonchalantly, coldly, as if she didn't care.
"Is this correct, Rowan?" She looked me in the eyes coldly as I gulped and nodded. My eyes couldn't stop blinking dumbly, also to push back tears. "It's a yes or no question miss Jenkins!" She slammed the mallet as I forced out a single yes.
"Yes your Honor."
"David, any remarks defending your side?"
"I swear on my life I didn't touch that girl. As my own daughter, Rosie died of Leukemia a couple years ago, my hands would never hurt anything that reminded me of her, Rowan did." He spoke softly.
"That's bullshit!" I called angrily. Lying was one of the most disgusting things, my blood boiled when he lied about me.
"Hey! That's enough!" The judge ordered and glared at me. Maybe I should've been trying to get on her good side, but I wasn't going to pull some sob story and humiliate myself.
"Rowan state your defense."
"Do you know, how hard it is to cover up bruises in front of your cheer team when everyone's dressing down? Or when you wake up with a soreness between your legs, and fingerprints on your thighs?" I shuddered retelling the story. My voice cracked as I felt tears come, pushing them back yet again.
"We call witness Tyler Joseph to the front and Ava Jenkins." The judge glared and sent us away. I took my seat as I felt Mr. And Mrs. Josephs' eyes on my back.
"Ava, as her mother, you had to be home a lot, now be honest, not regarding your marriage to David, did he abuse her?"
What a stupid way to put that. Of course she'd lie to him, because they are together, and she wants him out of jail as soon as possible.
"No ma'am he didn't. As a teenager Rowan seeks attention—"
"—I object!" Tyler shouted surprised my mom would lie to keep her marriage in tact.
"Now, now, do I have to remind you again?" The judge let my mom finish her bullshit story, as Tyler was defending me.
"Tyler, witness."
"Rowan's mother, well she was never home when I went over. Weekends, workdays, you name it. So how could a mother that's never there for her daughter, possibly know about the abuse, when it's happening while she's not home?" Tyler claimed and people started clapping.
"I've been home more than she has, and have witnessed, my own girlfriend and longtime best friend, being beaten to a pulp, as she hid her tears from me." Tyler's voice cracked.
"And it's a shame we don't do death as punishment, because the way he left her so broken afterwards—"
"—That's enough Tyler." The judge reminded as he broke down.
My heart broke after seeing that Tyler cared so much. Of course he did, I didn't doubt it, but he looked so sad, the way he stuck his lip out and gasped for air as he sobbed.
"Well this trial is called to an end." The judge spoke boredly.
"We discussed and agreed to send David Edwards, to county jail, for twelve months." My mouth fell to the floor. County jail? Only a year? "Since he denied the claim." The judge added.
As if him lying deserved more time. If he would've told the truth... I shuddered, he'd be out of there in no time, sixth months.
"And Rowan has legal rights as an adult, she will provide for herself."
Dave looked over at me with a cold look. A look that said "I'll find you one day." And it sent a shiver down my spine the way he stayed so calm, yet his eyes showed that he wasn't through with me.
"Hey." Tyler wiped his nose and came up to me, laying a wet kiss on my lips, the saltiness of it lingering on him.
"Oh my dear, Rowan we had no idea!" Mrs. Joseph cried and held me, while Mr. Joseph patted my back.
"I'm sorry." I muttered out of habit, what was I even apologizing for?
"You're gonna be okay missy." Mrs. Joseph wept into my hair as it felt odd, to have a mother figure care more about me, then my own mother.
"I'm okay." I reassured them.
"Well we have a guest room, you're welcome to stay unless everything is figured out. Anytime you need us we're here dear." She reminded as I nodded.
Even Zack and Madison appeared, Jay, I felt awkward as everyone's eyes were on me, I'm surprised I hadn't broken down and cried yet.
"Come here squirt." Zack brought me into a teary-eyed hug and sighed.
Maddie did the same, Jay following.
"I gotta get home." I sighed as they all nodded, still shocked that I, had gone through that.
"Need help moving in?" Tyler asked kindly. His family behind us.
"I'm good. Everything moved in, just need food." I laughed lightly.
"Well let's go be adults and go grocery shopping." He laughed and grabbed my hand, not before telling his parents goodbye.
They all smiled and looked relieved someone was with me like Tyler. I'm glad Josh wasn't here, he didn't need to hear all of that, and see us cry.
"Let's get food and hang out at your home?" I felt like Tyler asked to be nice.
Obviously I took everything for granted at my old house. A TV, video games, my silly band posters, I missed my books at home, little things like piggy banks and trinkets from vacations.
Just life in general I missed, back when I was having fun, not just. Living.
But I made the best of it, my kitchen table for two, my apartment. This was my new life. It's what I call Home.