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T h e   H o l l o w s O f
H    I    R    A    E T H
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All I could think about was how she had shamed me on that stage days after my arrival, and I would give anything to go back and kick her in the stomach.

"They're waiting for you guys," She announced to Jameson and Max, her eyes narrowed but her glossed lips poised into the shape of a sickly sweet smile. Max  nodded his head curtly before sneaking successfully past her and into the courtroom.

"Go on then, Jameson, you don't want to be late." Her voice stung my ears; she was putting her best faux kindness act, I realised. Jameson was about to turn back to me when Eden grabbed onto his hand and pushed him through roughly. She spun around to me as I tried to get past and follow Jameson. But no, of course not.

Her size eleven foot, don't quote me on that, stomped onto the tip of mine and I let out a yelp in pain, "If you repeat any of what you just said to the judges, it won't be just your feet that I'll mangle." Eden seethed, her face inches away from mine as she threatened me. The faux kindness left her in seconds, and a cold breeze was all that was left in the void that is her heart.

Jameson was waiting for me, but not right near the door, turns out he had been shoved a few people down, which I guess explains why my feet got elephanted on without any squabbles. I looked very out of place in my prom dress, but at least I didn't look like walking charity shop. Once I reached Jameson, he guided me to where I had to stand and I shrunk down behind him. It was only when he left my side to stand behind me did I feel the burn of a thousand eyes on me.

I wasn't paying attention, but, suddenly, I was nudged forward by Jameson and I saw the Judge eyeing me, as if, in an ironic turn, I was committing a crime.

"Sky Forest, do you confirm that the following allegations against you, committed by Harrison Wilscombe, are true: He struck you in the arm with a knife, correct?" I nodded, sliding a reply in the form of 'correct' before the Judge continued.

"These next allegations are only proved true if you give word for it, not much reliable evidence has been found as of yet. Harrison rigged your room with knives, in which a guardian, Carter Hays was injured from, correct?" My jaw was forty metres into the soil beneath the court room by this point. That was Harry?

"Miss?" The Judge persisted. My mouth opened and closed whilst I found the words to respond with.

"I'm not sure, I never let him into my room." I told her and she nodded, though the stress underneath her eyes seemed to grow with every syllable.

"These allegations don't have much evidence against Harrison, is there much–" The Judge cut Harry's poor choice of a lawyer off with a sharp glare.

The Judge returned to her case notes, "Harry tackled you down and attacked your arm brutally. Correct?"

I nodded. "Correct."

"Harry confirmed that an accomplice of his tackled you down two days ago, you were knocked out. You didn't give in a statement." The room went silent. The walls seemed to close in. Jameson's presence behind me seemed to tower over me; I could feel his anger. I never told him. I didn't want to worry him. What have I done?

"Correct, I don't know who it was, though." I told her honestly, I had thought it was a female. I wrung my clammy hands in front of me as nerves walked my body slowly into a state of severe panic. Jameson's presence behind me turned from red hot angry to cold and distant and my heart started to ache. Why didn't I tell him?

"Again, there is no evidence that Harry did this! Sky, who do–" I switched my attention onto Harry's lawyer just as the Judge interrupted him again.

"You do not get to direct my court, I ask the questions." The Judge told him sternly before turning back to me.

"You never told anyone about this? Why?" She shot the one question I didn't want to be asked at me.

"I–" You what, Sky? The Judge was staring at me, becoming impatient with me by the minute, whilst I repeated the same question over and over again in my head. 'Why?'

"I didn't want to worry anyone.." I broke off with lack of confidence. My excuse, though completely true, was feeble.

The Judge rose her eyebrow, and even though she was so far away, I felt as if she was looking down on me, backing me into a corner with her next question. "But you only made things worse." Was all she said. I nodded, unable to form proper words after my royal screwup.

"Moving on," She pierced the sickening silence with a shuffle of papers and my heart started to beat out of my chest.

"It is believed Harrison is working with an accomplice, do you have any names you would like to put forward?"

"How is she supposed to kno–"

"Be quiet, Bentley, before I have you dismissed." The Judge hissed at Harry's lawyer, yet again.

My breath caught. Eden. "Eden Howell." I put in and the hall room went silent.

"And why do you say this? Do you have any evidence?" The Judge asked curiously and I gulped, feeling the stare of a million on me.

I nodded, "I have it on film. But to summarise, when I first got here, Eden had accused Jameson and I of breaking rules we hadn't broken," I explained, choosing my words carefully. The Judge gestured for me to continue and I bit my lip.

"When that happened, Eden threw a lot of punches," And slaps. I ignored Jameson's hard stare. He would've never believed you. I told myself, trying to reassure myself that it was a good thing that I never told him.

"The cast I had on for nearly two weeks," I gulped, "That injury was caused by her."

The Judge rose an eyebrow, "This is news." She remarked whilst looking down at her notes. I heard a clatter from up in the depths of the stadium and some shouts followed. I looked up and saw that Eden was in the courtroom, and trying to stage an escape. Guards ran after her and contained her whilst she thrashed around.

"Howell!" The Judge shouted and I jumped. "I hope you know that you just confirmed the allegations against you!" She then directed at her.

Calming down, the Judge spoke again, "We will have a trial for you," She told Eden, leaving the formalities behind along with her rage. "Take her away." She ordered the guards.

"Next case," The Judge announced.  "Mr Wilscombe raped you and you are now carrying his baby, correct?" She gave me an uncertain frown, seeming not to believe the script herself as her eyes went wide with shock. Those same eyes searched mine as gasps and whispers were heard throughout the room.

I shook my head fiercely, "No!" I told her and the courtroom became instantly silent. Unable to stop myself, I continued on in my march to a hell built for all the screwups in the world.

"That wasn't me." Gasps erupted once more and I quite literally fell back in alarm when my feet got tangled beneath me. Two pairs of arms caught me but I ignored the scintillating shock that soared through my body and instead buried myself under the screaming whispers in the room. What have I done? I was ready to end this, save myself from embarrassment, now I've made it worse. So much more worse.

I was ready to bury my head in my hands in disappointment when the Judge hit the table, "Enough!" The volume of her voice could most probably be heard from my room, and that's saying something.

"Then who?" She pressed, leaning informally over the table, her eager eyes ready for new information. I gulped. I can't. I can't do it.

I closed my eyes—now. I have to bolt now. Just as I pulled myself away from Jameson, ready to make a beeline for the double doors and somehow escape with four guardians blocking my exit, and many others along the away, a small voice spiked the atmosphere.

"Me." Everyone turned to look at her, an echo of people shifting in their seats was to be heard from all directions. I already know who said it. But I couldn't face her. Too in shock to do much more, I wearily leaned into Jameson who shifted me so that I at least looked alive in his hold.

Dumbstruck, I trusted Jameson in holding me upright, both physically and mentally. Muted and muffled words were spoken as I regained stability. It was like hearing in white noise.

"Name?" The Judge asked. I already knew who it was. I didn't have to cup my ear to hear her or shove the guy next to me who had a constant tapping foot.

"Cassandra Wilson." I even heard the cringe in her voice as she regretfully spoke her full first name. I gulped before turning around to see her standing up, a fierce demeanour and a confident, straight face. I knew it was all an act though, she had a nervous habit, something to keep her from going insane: she was picking at her nails roughly without averting eye contact. Avery and Saph sat beside her, looking up at her with frowns on their faces. Someone shifted at the front and I soon realised, upon looking down, that Kim had stood up also and was glancing around hopelessly.

"What is the story?" The Judge asked, snapping me back into the situation. I looked back up at Cassie to find her eyes already fixed on me. With a blink of hesitation, she responded, her eyes still locked on mine.

"Harry raped me." She told the Judge, but her eyes still held mine. Nothing was passed between us, no worrying frowns or sorrowing smiles. Then, Cassie's eyes narrowed, as if she was trying to read my thoughts just from staring at me from where she stood.

"I'm not pregnant." She almost appeared to tell me, her tough expression fell and she gave me a reassuring smile. It was short and bittersweet, but it happened. Cassie turned back to the Judge who proceeded to ask her when she took the test, if she can take it again, if she's sure it she read it correctly.

"Who else knew about this?" The Judges sharp voice shot like a dagger into my already twisting stomach. My throat went dry and I took my first glance at Jameson. He wasn't looking at me, instead staring out into the distance, anger—but also determination—contorted his face as he clenched his jaw.

I looked away.

We are royally screwed.

"I did."
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#whodunit
#whosedit

THIS WAS A PACKED CHAPTER THOUGHH

THERE WAS SOME EDEN ACTION
THERE WAS AN AWKWARD MAX
THERE WAS BOMBS DROPPED
THERE WAS SOME SKYSON
THERE WAS SOME SQUAD
THERE WAS POLITICS
THERE WAS BEEF

yes I put those in sentence length order
can you tell if I'm OCD yet

damn I need a rest after that chapter bro

-the rest

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Next update: Wednesday
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CHAPTER NINETY-ONE SPOILER:

Who said the last line of the chapter?

Will everyone else who knows about Cassie's rape case own up to it?

Who won't?

When the court is dismissed, things start to heat up.

And not just between people.