Here's the chapter! It's not one of my best, and I hope I don't disappoint anyone. After this chapter, I think I will go into Harvard years
Oh! And I was going to do this thing with Ted and Nancy where Sara had to go to another foster family because of what happened, but I decided against it. Here's the chapter:
September 1, 1986- Courtroom
Standing at the counsel table, Sara held Josh's hand tightly behind her. She was fidgeting nervously as she looked around the room. Today was the day the jury would finally make their decision. Sara was surprised at how little time it took them to finally make their choice, but it was in a way understandable considering the evidence that had been presented. Sara was just hoping that the jury was on her side.
Ted and Nancy stood by Josh as they kept their eyes locked on Sara. Sara turned around every now and then and gave them a weak smile which they returned. They knew this day was nerve-wracking for her, heck it was nerve-wracking for everyone. They didn't know what they would do if Matthew was found not guilty.
No, they couldn't find him guilty...
...could they?
Sara tried to shake the thought out her mind. No, he would be found guilty. He had to. She kept her fingers crossed and gave Josh's hand a tight squeeze which he returned whenever she felt she needed some reassurance.
A door opened in the courtroom and the familiar figure of the female judge from before walked into the room. She went straight to her stand and took a seat, brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face as she sat down. She cleared her throat and took a sip of water from a glass in front of her and set it back down. She took her sweet time getting to what everyone was waiting for.
Come on, come on... Sara thought. Your makeup looks fine, just get on with it...
The judge finally cleared her throat once more and looked around the room. Her gaze moved from Matthew and his lawyer to Sara and her lawyer to finally the jurors in the room. She let out a deep sigh before she spoke.
"People of the jury, have you reached a verdict?"
A single juror stood up. He was a short man wearing a white button-up dress shirt and a red tie. He was going bald and he had big black glasses. "We have, your Honor."
This was it.
The man slowly ripped at the envelope, as if purposely postponing the final results of this fierce, tense trial. Sara was shaking a bit, biting the inside of her lower lip. Josh, still standing behind her, squeezed her hand so tightly his knuckles were turning white.
"We find the defendant, Matthew Dillan..."
Sara closed her eyes, breaths quickening as Josh had now put both hands on her shoulders.
"...Guilty of statutory rape."
Sara sighed in relief as she turned around and Josh caught her in a hug. He rubbed her back softly as tears ran down her face.
"Shh...shh, it's okay, Sara, it's all over now."
Sara just nodded and Ted and Nancy put a hand on her shoulder. To her left Matthew and his lawyer were exchanging glances with one another.
"Your Honor--" Matthew's lawyer started.
"Very well. Matthew Dillan, I hereby sentence you to four years in a juvenile detention center," the judge spoke and pounded the gammel. Matthew looked at his lawyer, looking angry and surprised at the same time.
"What the hell? I thought you said we had this case!" Matthew yelled to his lawyer.
The blonde woman was finally showing her true colors and she looked just as shocked and horrified as he did. "I know! I didn't--"
"No excuses!" Matthew yelled. Sara was watching this from the other corner of the room. It looked as though Matthew would've lunged at anyone who dared make eye contact with him if he was given the chance.
The lawyer and Matthew went back-and-forth for what seemed like minutes after the sentence until a security guard finally walked over to him and grabbed his right arm. "Please come with me.."
Matthew shook his arm out of his grasp. "I'm not going anywhere!" He looked around the room, his eyes racing, until he finally saw Sara. His eyes narrowed and his hands were balled into fists. "I'm going to get you, bitch!" he yelled pushing past his lawyer. The blonde blinked and watched in horror as her client made his way across the room to the other counsel table. Sara's lawyer had stood up and turned to face Matthew now, holding a thick file in his hands. His eyes widened when he saw Matthew coming towards him. Matthew quickly shoved him out of the way and lunged at Sara.
Before he could reach her, another security guard had jumped in front of her. Matthew slammed into him and the guard grabbed both of his arms. Matthew thrashed against the security guard as another made its way to them and helped the other guard get him away from Sara.
"YOU BITCH! YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE BITCH!" Matthew yelled at the top of his lungs as the guards literally dragged him out of the room. "YOU FU-" And then the door slammed and the three figures disappeared behind the door. The room grew silent, everyone staring at each other, each wondering the same thing- what the hell had just happened?
Josh looked around at everyone- the blonde lawyer was now sitting on the ground, her tiny black glasses crooked on her nose and a loose strand of hair now lying in front of her face. Sara's lawyer was almost lying on the table from the force of Matthew's shove and he looked around at everyone as he got back firmly onto the ground. Finally, Josh turned to Sara. She was sitting down on the floor holding herself, her face buried in her knees. He slowly kneeled down beside her.
"Sara?" he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. He got no answer, she remained still and quiet. "Sara?" he asked again, shaking her a little. He still got no answer. "Sara," he said, raising his voice a little. Finally Sara's head popped up and she slowly turned to face him, tears running down her cheeks. "Sara..." Josh said.
"I..is he gone?" Sara whispered.
Josh wrapped and arm around her, sitting down next to her. "Yeah, he's gone."
"Good..." Sara whispered, burying herself in his arms. "The creep..."
"It's okay, it's over now, Sara. Everything's going to be fine."
Sara tried her best to believe him. She knew it wasn't over for her, yet. She would never forget the day it all happened- that was a sure fact. But...maybe...maybe now she could try her best to finally move on. Try her best to move on and not let this rule her life. She got through it- she was alive.
She had survived. Maybe she was stronger than she thought she was.
"Can I just go home?" Sara asked, looking up at Josh, Ted, and Nancy.
"Of course, Sara," Nancy said. She turned to Ted. "Ted, go get the car."
Ted nodded and walked off after putting a kind hand on Sara's shoulder. Sara finally stood up and looked around the room again before turning back to Josh. Frankie and George walked up behind him and each put a hand on his shoulder. "How are you doing now, Sara?" Josh asked.
Sara wiped the tears away from her face, she shot him a smile. "Good..." Her smile slowly grew bigger. "Good." She turned to Nancy when they all heard a car horn honk from outside. "Let's go home," she said with a toothy grin and they all walked out of the building.
She was strong.
She had survived.
