It was a very disturbing day for me.

I was sitting in courtroom 2 waiting for my client's trial.

Or maybe perhaps my best friend's trial.

There he was, sitting in the defendant's chair, looking all but nervous. The attorney beside him was trying to calm him down.

I was trying to calm him down.

"The court is now in session for the trial of Mr. Anthony Santos."

I looked up from my seat to see the judge sitting on his chair, the mallet banging on his table. He looked impassive; I was unable to make out any emotions from him.

"The prosecution is ready, Your Honor," said Sam, the prosecutor.

Sam had been working as an attorney for 5 years, winning every case he'd been assigned to. Me? I just graduated from Law School last week. This is my very first trial and I'm extremely nervous about it.

"The defense is ready, Your Honor," I finally spoke.

I looked around the room, seeing so many familiar faces. I came in eye contact with my trainer and he gave me an encouraging smile. I gave one in return.

"Your opening statement, Mr. Zy," the judge had commended.

"At once, Your Honor. The victim is Theodore Garcia, a twenty-one-year-old businessman of Bandido Company. He was found dead on the streets of Bucal, Calamba City (This is a real place) on the 24th of November at 10:45 in the evening. We have concluded, based on the autopsy results and the state of the scene, that he was stabbed twice at his back using this very specific pocket knife." He handed the pocket knife using his gloved hand to the judge. "I present this pocket knife to the court as evidence."

"Evidence accepted. You may continue."

"As you can see, we found the defendant's fingerprints on the murder weapon," Sam continued.

"I would like to call on the first witness to present his testimony."

"Very well." The judge banged the mallet into the table. "Please escort the key witness to the court." He banged the mallet again.

The guards had escorted a small, good-looking girl into the courtroom. They lead her to the witness' stand and moved away.

"Please state your name," Sam spoke.

"Beatrice Oliveros."

"What is your relation to the victim?" Sam asked.

"Theo was my best friend since high school," she said.

"Please proceed to your testimony," Sam concluded.

"Theo and I were walking through the streets of Bucal, having just finished eating barbecues from the other street. I'm having an overnight sleep in his place, that's why I'm not at home. We were heading home at that time. We were talking about the defendant..." Anthony huffed at the mention of him but didn't say anything. "...talking about his attitudes when we were still high school students. But then he remembered that he has to buy something so he asked me to go home alone and not to wait for him. I obeyed but on my way there, a few minutes after he left me, I saw a bald-haired man's shadow hurrying away from where Theo had turned to, a long-haired girl following close behind," Bea stated.

I felt my stomach lurch after the story was told. I glanced at my client to see him giving the witness a look of pure loathing. I nudged him in the ribs and gave him a pay-attention-to-your-surroundings look.

"As much as the testimony is convincing and accurate, we still need to cross-examine it to prove its truthfulness. Is the defense ready for the cross-examination?" The judge asked.

"Yes, Your Honor," I said, not letting any emotions come out.

"First of all, why are you having an overnight in his house?" I asked curiously.

"We've been business partners for months, 5 months specifically. What we're going to do on that day is part of the business partnership," she stated dully.

"And as far as I'm aware, he's been your boyfriend a month prior to the start of the partnership," I stated in equally dull voice.

"Objection, Your Honor! The information isn't relevant to the case!" Sam exclaimed.

"Objection sustained. Please continue," The judge said, shaking his head in disappointment.

"Okay then, but why of all people would you talk about my client?" I asked, letting a hint of anger drip in my voice.

"Because, Ms. Lawyer, your client has an obvious loathing on my best friend, judging by the looks he was giving me right now," she said in a matter-of-fact voice.

I glared at Anthony and he cowered under my gaze.

"You mentioned a long-haired girl following the bald-haired shadow. Do you recognize her?" I asked.

"I think so. Unlike the man, I saw her appearance when she passed through the light momentarily. She has long, rusty red hair and gleaming emerald green eyes. She had a tall, elegant posture and slim body," she said, lost in thought.

"Are you, by any chance, talking about the defendant's attorney?" Sam asked impassively. I held my breath.

Bea turned to face me. She studied me like she never met me for a long time and nodded. The crowd went chaotic.

"Order! Order in the court!" The judge had said. When the noise finally died, he nodded for Sam to continue.

Sam, on the other hand, looked stiff but he steadied himself up. "The prosecution would like to call the defendant for witness."

"Request accepted. Please escort the defendant to the stand," the judge said.

The guards lead him to the witness' stand.

"State your name," Sam spat.

"Anthony Santos."

"Please proceed," he said firmly.

"I was walking along the streets of Bucal, on the way to your house. I was with Athena. I came to take her home after a tiring day of talking about her work. We came to pass by a store, where we saw the victim buying something. When I told this to Athena, she perked up."

"I asked her what was wrong and she just said stay back. I then saw her pull a knife from her pocket and ran after him as he exited the store. I followed her into a dark hallway where he cornered the victim and stabbed him twice on the back. She then dropped the knife then dragged me away from the crime scene."

"So are you saying this time that it was your attorney who committed the murder?" Sam blatantly asked.

"I wouldn't be saying this if I don't," said Anthony.

"Objection, your honor. He is obviously lying," I stated, aware that I was openly contradicting my client's statement.

"Actually, there is a proof of what he was saying." Sam handed a piece of paper to the judge. "In this report that the investigators have received earlier, there were unknown fingerprints that dominated the weapon more than the defendant's. Seeing that the defense was the only one being with the suspect at that time, it is possible that the fingerprints belong to her."

I was breathing heavily by the time Sam stopped speaking. I looked at my client who was smirking at me. 'Traitor,' I thought. 'Damn traitor. There's no getting out of here now.'

"Well, that certainly is more interesting. What can the defense say about this?" asked the judge.

"Objection! The evidence strongly points to the defense as the suspect! And there is no other evidence on both sides! There's no need for her to have a say about it!" said the prosecutor.

"Defense?" asked the judge once again.

I thought long and hard on deciding what to do next.

"I confess," I finally said.

The crowd became dead silent. I sighed.

"I, Athena Zy, was the one who murdered Theodore Garcia on the 24th of November at exactly 10:45 in the evening. It was a revenge for the hatred he showed towards my best friend."

Everyone was stunned. Even the judge took a long time (for me, anyway) to speak.

"I thereby hand down the verdict on Anthony Santos not guilty. His attorney, however, will be spending three years in jail as a consequence for the murder of the victim. The court is adjourned." He banged the mallet.

I didn't even look at anyone as the guards let me out of the court to the jail. I just put my head down and mulled over what happened. I will do this, I thought. I will do anything for him.

With no warning, the murder flashed back into my mind.

~~~

"Why of all did you choose to be an attorney, Athena?"

I didn't respond. He sighed. He's been recently trying so hard to convince me to quit law.

"It is because of Theodore, isn't it?"

I stopped dead in my tracks.

"I knew it! I should have known! It was your dream together as best friends before he betrayed you! He betrayed you, Athena! Why couldn't you forget him, huh?!"

I turned to face him. "Because I was hoping that he would realize his mistake and come back."

Anthony screamed in anger and frustration. "Fine! I will show you who he really is then!"

He ran to the store we just passed when he saw the particular boy we were just talking about exiting the store.

"So, happy with that b*tch?" she heard Theo ask.

"How dare you!" He then proceeded to drag him to a dark hallway with me hot on his heels as I try to plead to him to spare my ex-best friend's life.

"This is what you get, Athena, for still sticking up for him." Anthony then proceeded to stab Theo on the back, grunting with every stab. I cried and pleaded for him to stop, but he just ignored me.

After making sure he successfully killed him, Anthony ran away. I, on the other hand, not realizing what I did, pick up the knife, examined it, before dropping it down beside Theo as a peace offering and ran to catch Anthony.

When I looked back to Theo, I saw his girlfriend looking at me. I heavily looked away from her, then ran towards the direction Anthony headed.

~~~

I was pulled back from my thoughts when we arrived at the jail. After stashing me alone in one of the jails, the guards went away.

I was alone for some time until I heard someone clearing his/her throat.

It was my brother.

We looked at each other for a moment before I averted my gaze, looking at my feet instead.

"It wasn't you."

It was not a question.

"No, it wasn't me," I replied quietly, as if afraid to get caught. But then I realized something. "How did you know?"

"I've known you for years, Athena. I know if you're lying or not. But why? Why would you let yourself be punished in this foul place if it wasn't you?" Sam asked.

After a few minutes of silence, I closed my eyes then answered. "It is because I like him, Sam. I love my best friend. And I will do anything for him, even if it means that I will suffer from it."

I turned my back from him and opened my eyes. I walked towards the opposite corner of the room. When I faced the front once again, Sam was no longer there. So I let go of the tears I didn't know I was holding and cried. I cried for my pain. I cried for my brother. I cried for my very first friend. I cried for the loss of Bea. And finally, I cried for my best friend, whom I truly love.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Inspired by the anime/game Phoenix Wright/Ace Attorney.