"Adam Greene, you are put on trial of the vandalism of Blue County High School. Please rise." I've never watched an episode of Judge Judy, and never imagined I'd be in a court room on trial at age 17. I'm a little out of my element.
Before I know it, the Judge is asking me questions.
"Mr. Greene, Ms. York tells me you had previously vandalized the school on account of vengeance. This time, there was a busted out window and a wall that had graffiti. What motivated you to trash the school this time?"
I sigh, "I didn't do it the first time, and I didn't do it the second time, either. I refuse to admit lies until she shows proof. Tell us, Ms. York, that you have proof." I hide my smirk very conveniently when her eyes grow with worry.
"I...I went to take a picture of the damage this morning, but it was scrubbed off and the window was replaced." I see the judge hold back a laugh. "So you have no proof that this boy did it?" She looks from me to him. "Well I don't know of any other students who would've done it. It was there. I call Ryan Greene to be my witness." I roll my eyes and I see mom try to mentally scold me.
"Ryan, is it true that you and your brother are close?" Why is she asking the questions? Did the school board not hire a lawyer? Cheap.
"Sure, we live under the same roof." He sits in the chair and the judge makes him go through an oath to tell the truth and only the truth.
"You may further your questions, Ms. York."
She looks to Ryan to answer her question. "Yeah, we're pretty close."
She nods. "Would you say Adam has had some behavior issues in the past?" He shrugs, "Yeah, but he's changed." She snorts.
"Where was Adam the day of the first vandalism?"
Ryan racks his brain to recall. "He was still at home. Mom wouldn't let him ride to school with me because he couldn't get his grades up and he was walking to school to be punished."
She nods, remembering me telling her that. "So he didn't...sneak off in the night to vandalize the school?" He laughs, "Why would he? He didn't have a car!"
She nods with a smirk. "But now he has his car..." Ryan looks to me, I just shrug.
"Ms. York, do you have any real proof?" She slowly backs away, "Not material-like, no sir." The Judge looks to me. I gulp. "Son, tell me the truth when I ask if you committed the crime." I shake my head, "No. I didn't. Whatever happened to 'innocent until proven guilty'?" The Judge laughs in my face, "Son, in my court you're guilty until proven innocent!"
Ms. York huffs. This court thing is getting nowhere and fast.
That's when I decide to pull out the secret weapon. "But I do know who did. Ever heard of a senior prank?" I watch the Judge nearly laugh, "Well of course! So you're saying it was a bunch of seniors? Well, Ms. York, I can assure you that community service will work best for this crime. Can you tell me who, specifically, Adam?"
I take a breath and look to Ryan, who shrugs, seeming okay with the thought of community service because he practically just did it. "My brother and his friends."
I can hear some gasps around the room. "This brother?" Ms. York gasps and laughs. I nod and so does Ryan. She looks to the Judge. "Community service." Before he can bring down his gavel, I interrupt. "You wanna know who cleaned up the mess? My brother and I." Ms. York becomes wide-eyed.
"So you're brother has done his community service. Get me a list of the other vandalists and they will have one week of community service. Case dismissed."
Words can not describe how happy I am to know that my plan went absolutely, without a flaw, perfect.
********
"The Wildcats face off in their final game against the Darley City Bobcats! The Championships have begun with these two great teams! How have they got this far? Let's bring out the magnificent players!"
The announcer begins to list off the players of the bobcats' team first. When it comes to our team, they call us out by number. I'm number 11, and when I hear it called I run out onto the field beside my other teammates. Lastly, and to my surprise, they call out Peyton's name, and she comes running out with a jersey on. Where has she been for the past few games?
The game begins and I'm benched for the first quarter. I wish I weren't, because I get to see Peyton walk out the gate. If I were in the game, I wouldn't have even noticed and it wouldn't have made me crazy wondering where she was going. Since I have 10 more minutes until I'm put in, I sneak out the gate after Peyton.
"Peyton! What's going on? I understand you hate me, but must you leave your team behind on our last and biggest game?" I'm yelling at her, but I didn't intend to. It's okay, though, because she starts yelling too.
"You think that I don't want to be here? Adam, for crying out loud I love football! You know why I haven't been at the last few games? Because of college interviews! And you know why I'm not staying around tonight? Because I'm leaving bright and early tomorrow morning to catch a plane!"
I look at her confused for a second. "Leaving?" She nods and I see her brush away a tear in a fast second. "Gone. Adam, I'm leaving for college tomorrow. Have fun being popular."
Her words sting. "Where are you going?" I don't meet her eyes as she gets into her car. She looks up before she shuts her door. "I'm going to a performing arts school. I guess you never really cared enough to know that I loved performing more than football."
I would've bet she'd say Harvard. Guess I would've been wrong.
"Have fun." I say right as she closes the door. It's a whisper so I doubt she hears me.
I mope back to the field and before I can even think about what happened I'm playing in the same patterns I was last game. Sure, I can win us the game but what did I just lose with Peyton?
******
"Dude! That was amazing! Field goals every 5 minutes, a touchdown every 2 minutes! What kind of energy drink did you drink before the game?!"
Nothing. I was just so upset about Peyton and I play better when I'm mad.
Tyler's hand clasps on my shoulder when we arrive at Mack's. "You okay?" I shrug, "I could be better." He gives me a sympathetic look but it doesn't last long before he catches up with Aaron at the front of the pack. It seems it wasn't just the football team that showed up, but everyone who showed up to the football game is here.
Mack comes up to me after everyone has given their orders. "How you doing, kid?" I shrug, "I'll tell you like I'm telling everyone else; I could be better." This time, I get a real sympathetic look. "Hang in there, kid. You wanna tell me what's bothering you?" Someone shouts to him on the other side of the room and I look to see Aaron yelling across the table. What a jerk.
"I'll stick around after hours. And help you clean." I add after I see Tyler chuck a spoonful of who-knows-what at Aaron and they both laugh. Colleen looks to me for help. I chuckle and she grins.
When everyone cuts out for the night, Colleen comes up to me with a frown on her face. "Is everything okay?" She puts her hand on my arm. I fake a smile, "Perfect." She looks me in the eyes without smiling, "You're lying. What's wrong? Is it that Peyton girl?" Her voice starts to rise and I have to shake my head. "Nothing's wrong." This time I don't fake a smile and it looks like it makes her mad.
"You really have changed." She backs away from me a few steps.
"What do you mean?" She scoffs and rolls her eyes at my question.
"You were barely on the football team and you were amazing. If you didn't go off and lose your focus you would've been fine."
Again, I have to ask, "What do you mean?" She throws her hands up in frustration.
"All you needed was some tutoring from that Peyton girl and you would've been fine! But you had to go and get into A.P classes to show off your new-found smarts! Then you get back on the football team but you pass out and how many games did you actually get to play? Yeah, 4. A total of 4 out of 8. Half the season, Adam. Half the season you were off-focus."
"Off-focus?! I busted my butt to prove I was smarter than anyone gave me credit for and they still didn't let me on the football team! I don't know what the guys told you, but they all voted me off the team! Peyton got me back on!"
"Enough about Peyton!" She screeches at me. She storms out of the restaurant.
Mack puts his hand on my shoulder. "Is this your problem?" I laugh, "Not really." He nods then continues sweeping. I grab a chair that has already been placed on top of the table. "Can I ask you something?"
He stops sweeping. "Sure." I take a really deep breath, not understanding why this needs to be asked. "If you like a girl, and she says she's leaving, should you chase after her before she leaves?"
He looks at me curiously. "Son, just tell me what's going on."
I take another deep breath. "I liked this girl named Peyton but then we got in a fight and we haven't talked in a while. Before I played in the game tonight, she showed up and told me that she was leaving tomorrow morning for college. All along, I knew she wouldn't be staying around, but it was just like a punch in the face. I guess I really do like her."
"You guess? Adam, you need to tell her how you feel. And that Colleen girl? Nothing but trouble and you don't need that. I've met Peyton. Go after her before she's gone." He pats my back then shoves me out the door. I look back and he shoos me off.
For a moment, I think about running down the street and Peyton would be waiting there for me. And I would pick her up and spin her around and tell her how much I don't want her to go, or at least, tell her how I truly feel.
Then I shake my head and go home.
A/N
Such a sad ending......
JUST KIDDING JUST KIDDING IT'S NOT OVER!
But seriously. Now what will Adam do? Hmmm ;)
Well. What are you waiting for? Comment what you think he will do!
Always, Sunny ;)