Benevolence

Chapter 6

No one notices how reassuring the small gifts in life are until they're gone, yet the comforting silence that kept him sane had yet to abandon him as he walked to the car, ignoring the wide stares of his siblings and the cool gaze of his mother's.

He sat at the front with her, keeping his head down. So used to the solitude and the sweet silence was he that the loud whisperings of his siblings trying to be sneakily quiet were extremely annoying. His head already worn out with Dad and Louis's talks, throbbed wearily against his temple making him sigh exhaustedly which caused mum to look a bit pissed off.

He guessed every action does have an equal and opposite reaction. Damn it, why was he so nerdy in the most inappropriate situations? He guessed he was just incredibly nervous about how the session was going to go.

He decided to make himself busy by looking out. Everything was so familiar that it made him laugh softly because everything had changed yet at the same time nothing had. The fresh verdant green trees swayed gently in rhythm with the tickling wind teasing his hair.

The cracked grey tarmac footpaths gleamed with clear puddles that had yet to be jumped into but the sweetest sounds he heard were the voices of children echoing from behind a canopy of trees with a symphony of shrieks and laughter, which made him feel ever so nostalgic all of a sudden.

He closed his eyes and prayed that the tears pushing at his lids didn't escape. He would never get to bike round that park with R and Theo. He'd never race Theo up every escalator in Westfield for fun and he'd never be able to love the way they burst into laughter after outrunning the guards before grabbing a shake to celebrate on the way home. Ever since reception they had been inseparable.

He couldn't believe that R hadn't even called to get his point of view on the whole thing. It wasn't like her to try not to get all the facts about the matter unless she thought she had. He hoped there was another reason.

Looking out again his face paled seeing the grand castle-like courthouse looming over them with its imposing turrets standing poised to attention cruelly. The stark grey and white contrasting walls of the building were complimented in their harsh glare with glinting opaque elongated windows. He steeled himself up so that he would make a good first impression- what a joke- and inhaled deeply to calm his fraying nerves.

Ignoring the drums pounding in his chest he got out of the car and made his way to the courthouse with his family. The domed doors were pushed open by the expressionless guards, dressed in red and it was finally happening.

The place was bustling with clamour and bodies. He jumped back as a reporter came in his way and flashed her camera. Suddenly he was swarmed by flashing cameras blinding him until he felt a hand grip tightly to his arm and pull him out of the bundle of women harassing him. A smile crept onto his face because Theo would have laughed at his phrasing and called it dirty.

The smile dropped rapidly from his face when he spotted three people talking next to the courtroom door. He felt his heart constrict painfully in his chest as though someone squeezed it like it were wet clothing.

Because there in the doorway were Theo's parents and R talking and he felt trapped as they stopped mid conversation to stare at him. The animosity he saw in the people he'd called mom and dad since the age of five and the distressed look in R's eyes burned into him even though he had been steeling himself for this confrontation well, except for the fact that he hadn't expected R to be here too.

That hurt more than he'd expected. Not only had she never asked about his point of view but she also chose to completely hate him too.

R who had always stood by him and knew the best of him. Even through his darkest phases she had helped him and never lost faith in him.

He couldn't do this anymore. Not if R had given up on him.

If their aim was to shatter his confidence then they had done it extremely well. Theo's mum upon seeing him looked at him disbelievingly angry and his dad turned an alarming shade of crimson after which he proceeded to glare at him with venom pooling in his eyes.

“How could you... he was-he was your best friend! He had no-nothing b-but praise for you! All the-these years I saw you as-as my son but I s-see now that all y-you ever had was contempt and envy for my son who h-had the ability to m-make fri-friends and b-be adored. How can you even show up here knowing in that blackened heart of yours what you've done? Had I known what a bitter and cruel boy you were I would have never let my Theodore near you,” she sobbed wretchedly clasping her hands over her face.

He felt his face burn up and the words he'd yearned to say got clogged in his throat because, what could he say? Theo's mother had seen plainly that he was by Theo's side and she had seen her son in an unspeakable condition. Which reminded him about how he needed to know about Theo's state right now.

“Miss Bond I am awfully sorry about what happened to your son and I know you wouldn’t believe me if I told you I didn't do it,” he said calmly looking over at R who had gone as white as a ghost, “but I do care about your son very much and I want to know how he is doing right now.”

His concern was met with a deathly silence and thus he was startled when a bellowing voice spoke out from Mr Bond's mouth, “HOW DARE YOU EVEN ASK FOR OUR SON'S STABILITY WHEN YOU CAUSED HIS INJURIES. HOW DARE YOU TRY TO ACT INNOCENT WHEN IT'S CLEAR IT WAS ALL YOU!!! DON'T EVEN TRY TO WORM YOUR WAY OUT OF THIS BOY YOU WERE ROTTEN GREEN BECAUSE MY SON HAD MORE THAN YOU' LL EVER HAVE!”

Will was shaking uncontrollably as the words continued to ring in his ears as loud as the bells of the Notre dame that he went to last year with Theo and R. He was pushed back roughly by R who sharply told him he'd done enough and she then turned her back to him- the flip of her hair stinging his cheeks- to walk Theo's parents away.

Louis found him after apparently having searched the earth and sky for him to tell him that the session was in five minutes.

A session he deserved to be condemned in.

His mum and dad were flagging him from both sides whilst mouthing a final rehearsal of their speeches. He wished they had just given up on him like everyone else had but they wouldn't. He knew he wasn't getting off the hook that easily because his father's tone had told him that they would do something after this meeting depending on how it went. He was going to get hell here regardless of whatever happened so it ought to save them the tedious efforts of allocating his punishment.

Upon entering the circular room he turned his gaze upwards to the densely populated columns of people jeering and swearing at him. He was glad they were doing so because he needed to be locked up. Someone had used him to hurt his friend and he could hurt someone else.

He was very confused because he simply couldn't have done it. He couldn't have! He would remember something like that even a snippet of it. But nothing came to mind whenever he tried to recall that fateful afternoon in the locker rooms.

Rubbing his head roughly he allowed a smartly dressed woman to lead him to the suspect's podium. He stared around at the sneering and glaring crowd, ducking his head down in ignominy as the judge yells for silence banging his burdensome hammer against his ears- well almost.

“Now if I have all of your attention,” he began in a low soporific voice, “We are here today to discuss the charge placed upon Mr William Clarkson. The accused was found at one thirty p.m in the locker room of Oakwood High Secondary School covered in blood stains and kneeling by the injured body of Mr Theodore Bond. The date was the 6th of December 2013 and with this I open the session. Can we have the opposition present their case now, please?”

He raised his head dully to see Mr Bond stand from his chair before the judge and butcher him with his pre written speech- by R obviously- in a smooth baritone voice laced with anguish.

“It shocked me to get a call from Oakwood high that afternoon telling me my son was in critical condition but it shocked me further to see Mr Clarkson walking into the school as well. I never thought that the Will I had known since he was a wee little boy would have attacked my Theodore. I just thought he had been the one to find him and alert the authorities yet alas he was the guilty one caught red handed. It was evident that he had been the one to cause my son such extensive injuries which has put him in intensive care at St Mary's hospital. The alarmed look he greeted us with was enough to confirm his guilt along with his fingerprints we analyzed.”

His heart sank to his stomach like an anchor hitting the sandy sea floor. There was no way his parents could get him out of this mess now. He was in neck deep because who could argue with legit scanned finger prints. He watched with bated breath as mum got up from her seat elegantly and began her defence with a fire sparking in her eyes.

“Mr Bond I can see how all of this would indefinitely point to my son Will here however I know him and it's not in his nature to be aggressive or violent. He has always been a shy boy who would never even think to harm animals let alone his best friend. No Mr Bond, if you are looking for your son's assaulter you're looking at the wrong boy. Now I know you'll pay no heed to my words as your evidence thoroughly investigated is slap bang in front of you but hear me when I say I have further evidence into the matter of Theodore's striker.”

Mum sounded so confident and sure of her words that he had hope for himself. That was until she mentioned his name. Hell broke loose with that uttered word as Mrs Bond burst into tears angrily glaring at mum. Dad patted mum's hand gently and she sat down quietly.

“What I'd like to know is what evidence you are talking about? I'm pretty sure you're making it up to save your wretched son here but enlighten us if you have it so surely.”

Demands and shouts broke out across the hall starting his pounding headache again. The little hope he had clung to slithered out of his grasp as the judge boomed for silence. The air in the room was suffocating him with hostile words and silenced poison. He gulped and looked back at dad who seemed to be visibly shaking in anxiety and at mum who had an even more determined look on her face- which was amazing after what she just went through.

She was made of tougher stuff than he ever was which made sense. She rose again, quick as lightening and turned her predatory gaze to Mr Bond. He could read her eyes cutting through him as she was suddenly back in her element. Typical mum getting her shot of adrenaline when things were impossibly tight for her. The thrill and the precarious outcome excited her and got her to think better which made her remarkable except she ought to be a little less happy seeing as it was her son's trial that was going on.

Thankfully he was a minor so nothing too terrifying would happen but there went any future prospects he could have. Bye job. Bye family. He shook his head and berated himself for his selfish thoughts. Theo was in intensive care and here he was pitying himself for having no future.

He wished somehow he'd get out of this mess whatever the cost or way. But what was the use of wishing? There was no way he was getting out of here with any ridiculous excuse though his mother would finally lose a case, which satisfied him a teeny bit.

“We found a set of fingerprints on Will's hands where the blood was a bit rubbed that I'm surprised you missed in your search for forensic evidence. Belonging to a Mr Randall McCoy that I see none of you are familiar with. No matter, the police can track him down within the reminder of the day I hope and we can clear this case. Is that suited to your timings sir?” She concluded turning swiftly from Mr Bond to the judge.

Mr Bond turned to the judge and told him that in no certain way was this ridiculous evidence to be trusted. And that he was sure as day and night occurred one after the other that Will was the attacker. The judge looked at the jury who were huddled together in a serious conversation. He was lost in thought wondering what sort of punishment he would be given. Definitely juvie, he thought with a shudder recalling the types of kids who were sent there from his school project research, he'd be skinned alive and ripped apart no doubt.

With wide eyes he fearfully awaited the jury's verdict which was completely unexpected. He stared, as the judge furrowed his thick bushy eyebrows as if in deep thought before bringing down the hammer.

He blinked disbelievingly as he was herded away by James and Louis to the car out the back. He ducked his head down stealthily to avoid the bright cameras flashing around them and saw R climbing into the car behind a fuming Mr Bond as well as a paralyzed Mrs Bond before they drove off down the road.

A tear slid down his face as he saw his former best friend drive far far away from him. Probably never to talk to him again. He couldn't hear what his dad was telling him, though it sounded horrible and serious, because he didn't care.

He had been let go at his trail free of all charges because they had found a Randall McCoy who matched the fingerprints and who had drunkenly confessed to the crimes laid before him. Stunning the judge and everyone else present!

The weird thing was that the jury when giving their verdict had that same spaced out, sad and confused look with a tinge of anger that Bella had. Like they couldn't believe what they were doing but had to do it anyway.

Which was very strange but he shook his head free of trivial thoughts like that as the house came into view. He now had to deal with the percussions of his act with whatever his parents hurled at him. He also needed to find out if they were right about Randall- because if so that would be a burden off his chest- or if dad got inspired by his excuse and lied.

The assault on Theo had shaken him to the core especially since he'd blacked out and couldn't remember anything. Unless his regret, jealousy and denial was hooked into him so deep that his subconscious made him forget

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