Love Makes You Do Crazy Things

Chapter 1. Painful Memories

Author: j_rock873

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Jessie recalls the night that led her up to being tried for murder.

Disclaimer: I only own the man who's the victim mentioned in the above summary. I will give him a name in the following chapter.

Reviews: Yes, I would like them.

Author's notes: They're pretty obvious but I thought I'd mention them anyway.

Words in italics are personal thoughts of the character at that moment. Words in all capital letters are just words I felt required more emphasis than the other words.

Present

I still remember the day when my life changed forever. We were celebrating our one year anniversary.

Flashback

"Jessie, you know I love you, right?"

"Of course, I love you too."

"No, I mean I REALLY love you. I can't even picture my life without you. What I am trying to say here is that I don't want to be without you. That's why I wanted to get you this."

I stared at her as she handed me a small, black box. The excitement on my face was obvious to everyone at the restaurant. I slowly opened it to see a beautiful, but inexpensive ring. Katie smiled as she saw my reaction. I saw she was going to speak again, but I interrupted her.

"It's beautiful, Katie, but you really didn't need to do this. This night has been wonderful already."

"No, I wanted to, and that's not all. This is a promise ring. I know you're already wearing my class ring, which is tradition with couples, but I wanted to do more. I thought it would do until I was able to buy you this."

Then Katie shocked me again. She showed me an ad from a jewelry store describing many styles of engagement rings.

"I know we're both still in high school; but by the time we both graduate. I will be able to afford to buy one of these for you."

To say I was surprised would be an understatement. I almost broke down right there. We quickly made our way out of the restaurant hand in hand. I was on cloud nine. As we got in the car, I was finally able to talk.

"Can we go some place private and talk about this some more?"

"Sure," Katie replied as we headed to a secluded spot, where you could look at the stars on a clear night.

Fortunately, the night was clear as we looked out at all of the star formations. We got out and lay on the hood of her car to get a better look. Then I began the conversation we both needed to have.

"Katie, we're too young to even talk about getting engaged. Let's not rush it. If it's meant to be, then it will happen in good time."

"Are you saying that you don't like the idea?" she asked, sounding a little crushed.

"No, that's not it all. I'm just saying I don't want us doing anything that we'll regret later."

Back to the present

If we had known then that we were being followed since leaving the restaurant, we never would have gone to that spot. After we finished talking, we saw a set of headlights, and a car pulled up along beside us. We just assumed it was another couple looking for some time alone like we were. Oh, how wrong we were.

It wasn't a couple after all. It was a man who was obviously drunk. We started to get nervous. It was pretty clear he wasn't happy with what he saw. As he got closer, we could see the look of pure hate in his eyes. There was no doubt that he was planning on seriously hurting us, if not worse. Katie was able to start the car, and we quickly headed back into town. Yet, he managed to get back in his car and catch up with us.

We were almost in town when we felt a jolt from behind us. He then decided to use his car as a battering ram. Her car had been hit twice already; but like the saying goes, the third time's the charm. It was that time that sent the car out of control. She tried avoiding it, but we ended up crashing into a light pole. I felt ok and looked over to Katie to see if she was ok, but she clearly wasn't. I could barely feel a pulse as she called out my name.

Flashback

"Jessie, are you ok?"

"Yes, just relax. I'm going to get help. You have a pretty big cut on that head, and what looks like some broken bones."

I then called 911 and told them to send an ambulance quick. As I got out of the car, I saw the same man standing outside his car.

"I hope your poor girlfriend will be alright," he said with a sinister laugh.

"What the hell is your problem?" I screamed at him.

"Just doing my best to rid the world of sick people like you."

"You don't even know us."

"I don't have know you to know what you're doing is wrong. If it takes something like this to rid the world of a few more gays, then so be it."

It was around this time that the ambulance showed up along with a police car, but it was already too late because I had already snapped and used everything I knew from my tae-kwon-do classes. The last thing I remembered before completely losing it was launching into the attack with a strong kick to the stomach. When I came back to reality, I realized that I was in the back of a police car in handcuffs. I looked out the window to see the man lying on the ground and being covered by a sheet. I then saw a small dent on the hood of his car splattered with blood.

Back to the present

That all lead up to this moment where I'm now sitting in a court of law awaiting my fate as I plead temporary insanity for the murder of the man who's responsible for this whole mess. I never thought I'd be capable of doing something this drastic. Then again nobody had ruined my life like this before. I'll never forget the looks on my family's faces when they saw me behind bars. It's probably the same look I gave when they told me Katie hadn't made it. I had apparently overlooked some injuries while seeking my revenge. As they rolled the stretcher into the hospital from the ambulance, Katie had started bleeding internally. In a matter of two minutes after reaching the emergency room, she was gone.

Flashback

"How is she?" I asked and heard my mother say the tragic words.

"I'm sorry, Jessie. She didn't make it."

"What about the guy who hit us?"

"He's dead too, Jessie. You killed him."

"I'm so sorry, Mom and Dad. I ruined everything."

"Why did you do it, Jessie?" they all asked me.

"He was trying to kill both of us, and it looks like he succeeded in killing Katie."

"Why didn't you let the cops handle it?" my father asked as he stared at me in confusion.

"Because I had already lost it by the time the cops got there. It wasn't looking good for Katie before the ambulance got there. I wanted revenge immediately."

Back to the present again

The courtroom is full of family, friends, the organization PFLAG, and news reporters for a case that is becoming high publicized.

"Miss Sammler, you are charged with first degree murder. How do you plead?"

"My client pleads not guilty by reason of temporary insanity, your honor."

"Are you Miss Sammler's attorney, Miss?"

"Karen Sammler. Yes, she is my client, your honor."

"Objection, your honor."

"On what grounds, counselor?"

"Being related to the defendant will cause a biased opinion."

"Miss Sammler, do you think you can defend your client to the best of your ability without bias?"

"Yes, I can, your honor."

"I still object, your honor."

"Overruled."

Then the D.A. calls his first witness.

"I would like to call my first witness."

"Proceed."

"I call Sarah Grasser to the stand."