The Rainbow Patch

Chapter 10

Emily and I went on several more dates on the weekends, since it was the only time we could actually be alone.

“One more week until May!” Emily sighed, lying next to me on a picnic blanket we had set up by the river.

I nodded. “I can’t wait for all the stuff to be over. The trial, the bodyguards, high school in general…”

“Have you gotten any acceptance letters yet?” Emily asked.

I shook my head. “The general deadline for letters was the end of May, so I still have a ways to go. What about you?”

Emily shook her head. “Not yet. But I’m not really worried.”

I gave her a quick kiss. “What university wouldn’t want your pretty face on their campus?”

She smiled, and gave me a friendly poke. “Shut up, you.”

As we were packing up, I asked her what universities she had applied for. She rattled off a list, and I grimaced.

“What?” Emily looked concerned.

“Nothing really, just that I just realized that we’ll be pretty much on opposite sides of the country.” Emily shrugged. “We’ll still call and stuff. Besides,” she threw an arm around me. “you should learn to actually socialize, and not just meet people through me.”

I sighed. “My worst fear. Interacting with other humans.”

Emily smiled grimly, scrolling through her phone. “You’ve gotta face that fear, because pretty soon you’ll be interacting with a whole bunch of humans.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“The trial, of course.” Emily showed me her phone screen. On it was an email from Jeffrey. I read it, then looked at Emily.

“The trial starts next week.”

Emily nodded. “And we’ve gotta be there to testify.”

*

Jeffrey and Adrian met us at the courtroom doors. Jeffrey began talking almost instantly. “The seven people are already in there. For security reasons, I’ve had you be as far away as possible from them, as well as had a few officers stationed nearby at all times.” Emily and I nodded tensely. I could barely concentrate, I was so nervous.

“They’ll present their case first, and then the Crown Attorney will present yours, asking each of you to testify. Can you do that?” Adrian asked, their unruly hair greased down. We both nodded again, and Arian led the way into the courtroom. After a few minutes, the judge entered, and we rose. She called the other lawyer forward, and he began speaking.

What followed was a whirlwind of arguments and evidence. Somewhere in that, Emily and I testified, and I somehow didn’t have a panic attack. Before I knew it, we were exiting the courtroom, and it was dark outside. Emily looked about as shell-shocked as I felt. Adrian adjusted their bowtie. “I think that went very well. We should be able to wrap this up in one or two more sessions.”

“We have to go back?” Emily was appalled. Adrian nodded, and she groaned. “Does that mean I have to dress up again? This collar is strangling me.” She tugged at the collar of her dress shirt.

Adrian laid a hand on her shoulder.“You don’t have to come next week. If you want them to get off scot free, don’t come.”

Emily swatted their hand off. “You know I’ll come, Adrian. I want to see those people get punished.”

“Good. Meet us here tomorrow at 7:45. Don’t be late.”

“But tomorrow’s Saturday!” Emily protested, but shrunk under Jeffrey and Adrian’s piercing stares. “Alright, alright. I’ll be here. I won’t be happy about it, but I’ll be here.”