"Court is now in session for the case of The People v. Chris Archer. Are the prosecution and defense ready?"

He heard those words a dozen times over, and yet each time it managed to invoke a bit of nerves in his stomach. Every time he somehow smoothed his voice over so he managed to say, "The defense is ready, Your Honor!" without stuttering or crying. Pretrial jitters never seem to go away, no matter how experienced he may be at this point.

Phoenix wasn't really sure how exactly he had gotten the case. Apparently the defendant had heard of Wright's presence in the courtroom and called the office from the detention center. It was one of the few times Phoenix or Maya didn't push for the case from hearing about it on the news. It was a bit strange, but rent didn't pay itself. He needed this case.

"The prosecution is ready as well, Your Honor." The wimpish prosecutor, Winston Payne, said in a shrill voice.

"Then let's begin with prosecution's opening statement." The judge said, "Mr. Payne, if you will."

Payne had a sly grin scribbled across his lips, and he stared Phoenix down as he spoke, "The defendant, Chris Archer, has been accused of hazing and murdering a prospective member of his college sorority, the victim Milan Jackson. The prosecution is prepared to present a decisive witness who places the defendant at the scene of the murder, and gives motive for the defendant to kill Ms. Jackson."

"I see. Call your first witness to the stand." The judge responded.

Payne nodded, "The prosecution calls Jessie Robinson to the stand!"

As the young woman made her way to the witness's stand, Maya nudged Phoenix's side, "Do you think we can even win this trial? We barely have any evidence!"

"Shh! Keep your voice down! We can't let them know that!" Phoenix shot back in a stage whisper, "...Besides. I'm perfectly fine in pretending that isn't the case."

"I'm not feeling too good about this…" Maya crossed her arms and huffed, pouting, "I think our guy's guilty. He's a jerk. And he looks funny."

"Maya! You can't say that!"

Maya only muttered something under her breath at that, and then she tuned back into the trial at hand. The judge, Payne, and the witness were all staring at Phoenix and Maya, shooting them a look like, 'Are you finished yet?' Phoenix and Maya just straightened themselves out, and then the judge instructed Jessie to give her testimony regarding her and the victim's background.

Jessie fiddled with her glasses and let out a long, shaky breath, trying to steady herself before she began. "Me and Milan go way back...all the way to third grade! We were best friends all the way through school, and then in high school, we got accepted into the same colleges! We decided on Columbus University, and once we got here, we decided to join a frat. We picked Phi Gamma to pledge to."

The judge nodded and stroked his beard in thought, "Very important background to the case…" He said, opening his eyes and focusing on Phoenix, "Defense, your cross."

Phoenix was sweating bullets at that point. There's literally nothing wrong with that testimony… There's barely anything in it to begin with! He thought to himself. Eventually he swallowed his nerves and started with his cross.

"So, Ms. Robinson…" Phoenix cleared his throat, "What made you decide to join Phi Gamma of all the sororities on campus?"

"Milan's parents were both Gammas. That's how they met. Milan wanted nothing more than to be a Gamma, and wherever she goes, I go." Jessie responded, seeming to get into the hang of things more.

Phoenix nodded idly, "Right… Um…" He tapped his chin, "And Phi Gamma is the sorority in which Chris Archer is the president of, correct?"

"Yes." Jessie nodded, "That he is."

Things fell silent over the courtroom for a moment. Phoenix let out a sigh, "...No further questions at this time, Your Honor." He said, quiet and defeated.

The judge turned to Jessie, "Witness, please testify regarding the pledging process for Phi Gamma."

"Ooookay…" Jessie breathed uneasily. "The pledging process was horrible. We were forced to do horrible things. They made us strip to our underwear, eat dirt, drink way too much alcohol, and that wasn't even the worst of it. When things got real bad was during Hell Week, the last week before the sorority announces which pledges made it. At the start of the week, Chris tried to get Milan to sleep with his friend Brian, and if she did that, Chris ensured that she'd get in without a doubt. But she refused, and Chris held a grudge ever since."

"Your Honor," Payne was smirking when he butted in after Jessie's testimony, "This goes to establish the defendant's motive for the crime. Rejection."

But he wasn't even the one getting rejected… Phoenix thought to himself, drops of sweat rolling down his grimacing face.

"I see… Well, the Defense may try their hands at a cross examination." The judge instructed.

Right as Phoenix hesitantly opened his mouth to speak, he heard a rather obnoxious "Pssst!" that stopped him. He turned to Maya.

"Try not to seem so nervous, would you?! You're making the both of us look bad!" Maya scolded.

We are in a pretty bad spot right now… It's not like I can help it! Phoenix shook his head, brushing Maya off and instead trying for a cross again, "Could you go more in depth for as to this 'grudge' Chris Archer allegedly held?"

Jessie sighed, shaking her head, "Everyone has the hots for Milan. They all had since high school. You see, she used to be really ugly as a kid, but suddenly she turned drop-dead gorgeous by freshman year. Men can't get enough of her. Brian had the hots for Milan, that I know. Brian thought that Chris's position as president could get him a booty call, easy-peasy. Milan saying 'no' not only pissed off Brian, who was Chris's best friend, but it also made Chris look weak for not being able to fully control a pledge. That would make anyone angry."

This looks so bad… Phoenix held his tongue, and he only hung his head. The judge took that as permission to move on.

"Alright, I think that's enough background. Let's get to the day of the murder and move things along. Witness, if you'd please…"

"It makes me sad just thinking about it… It was the last night of Hell Week, and the pledges were all required to put blindfolds on- myself and Milan included. But Chris had something different in mind. I heard him say to Milan that he 'had something special in mind for her and her alone,' and I heard Milan's heels against the cobblestone as they left. Before I knew it, I heard shouts, and despite the rules, I took my blindfold off. That's when I saw it: Milan on the ledge of the huge clock tower near the frat house! I couldn't believe it, because she had always been afraid of heights, but then I saw Chris come up from behind and grab her shoulder, pushing her off the ledge! The next thing I knew, Milan's body was splattered against the ground, and there was blood everywhere…" Jessie's voice trailed off and she sniffled. Phoenix's eyebrows furrowed in sympathy.

"The victim's autopsy confirms that the cause of death was falling from an extreme height. I submit this into evidence." Payne said, placing an envelope on the table in the front of the courtroom, "I would also like to submit this crime scene analysis of where the victim landed. She could have only reached the spot she did if she were pushed from off the top of the tower."

Yikes… Phoenix thought, That rules out any accidents…

"The court accepts this evidence. The defense may begin its cross."

Phoenix then jumped directly into the cross examination, "If the victim was so afraid of heights, what was she doing on top of the clock tower?"

"She had a flag in her hands. Chris's plan for her was to have her string it up at the top of the tower. She couldn't refuse." Jessie explained.

Phoenix grinned, and he could feel his blood pumping. There was his break!

"OBJECTION!"

Payne seemed startled, and the judge's eyes were wide, "Y-Yes, Mr. Wright?" The judge asked.

"There's a blatant contradiction in the witness's testimony!" Phoenix exclaimed proudly, fists resting against his hips.

"Whaaaat?!" Jessie spat, hugging herself in surprise, "I did what now?!"

"Explain, Mr. Wright!" The judge ordered.

"Ms. Robinson, did you not testify earlier that the victim once refused another request from the defendant, the one on the subject of sleeping with his friend?" Phoenix asked, confidence brimming.

"Y-Yes…" Jessie stammered.

Reeling back his arm, Phoenix threw his hand forward to point at the witness, "So why is it that the victim 'couldn't refuse' that day on the clock tower, but she had earlier in the week?!"

"I-It was the last day of Hell Week! That's when things really mattered! No one in the right mind would refuse something on the final day!" Jessie said, balling her fists.

"Fine, let's say that's true. There's still an issue, however." Phoenix said vaguely, dropping his hand.

"Well?!" The judge jumped in, "I'm on the edge of my seat! What is it?!"

"You also testified that both of the victim's parents were Gammas. That would mean…" Phoenix slammed his hands on his desk before pointing at Jessie again, "...that Milan Jackson was a legacy! Chris Archer could have in no way hazed her, because Milan was guaranteed acceptance in the Gammas no matter what!"

Payne reeled back, letting out a shriek. The entire courtroom erupted into chatter, and three strikes from the judge's gavel brought the room back into order.

"The defense has a point! Mr. Payne, what do you say to that?" The judge said, looking over at the prosecution's bench.

For someone who let out the girliest shriek earlier, Payne seemed to have recovered fully, and was actually smirking, "We request the witness be relieved from the stand."

Why is he so confident… Phoenix was grimacing yet again. Payne had an ace up his sleeve.

"Ms. Robinson, you are dismissed." The judge said.

Jessie sighed and was escorted off the stand by the bailiff. The judge looked back to Payne, "Does the prosecution have any further motions?"

Payne nodded, "I was hoping to not need to use this one, but I should know better by now that Wright's stupid luck would force my hand… The prosecution calls Tyler Maxwell to the stand!"

Maya tilted her head and narrowed her eyes, "Huh?! Who's that guy?"

Payne was fanning himself in a gloat, eyes closed and a smirk still on his expression, "The man who was with the defendant and the victim on top of the clock tower… An eyewitness to the very crime itself!"

"...We are so screwed." Maya said.

"I know, Maya…" Phoenix hung his head with a sigh, "I know."