"We find the defendant not guilty."
"Not guilty."
The words echoed in her head. He was getting away scott-free. There was nothing she could do. There was nothing anybody could do. She felt a hand on her back, and when she turned around, it was Smith. A sleazy, perverted grin that sent chills down her spine. She wanted to cry and hide, to block herself from the world, but she couldn't do that. No tears would come.
She felt Austin wrap his arms around her, and her dad set a hand on her shoulder. Steven packed up his paperwork in his briefcase, walking over to the family. He seemed distressed. She doesn't know why, because he really only did this for the money. Jo followed him, pushing her hair behind her ears.
Jo sighed and slammed her fist on the table. "I wanted this pedo to rot in jail."
"I tried the best I could. He has really expensive lawyers," Steven said. "I'm sorry."
It was quiet, and Austin tried to notion Ally to leave, but she gritted her teeth and stayed seated.
"Like he said, it's my word against his. He's Greyson Smith, he could buy out my life. I'm just some dumb, idiot slut he made his mark on."
"No, you're not. We are going to make sure he pays for this," Austin said under his breath.
"If we acquire new evidence, we could push for a new trial," Steven said.
Ally bit her lip. "What new evidence? I have no proof. He won. Can we just go?"
She stood up and marched out the court. Austin gave a sympathetic sigh and chased after her.
"Ally, wait," he called, but she kept running. Eventually, he caught up to her and grabbed onto her hand.
"Ally, we'll get this guy. It'll just take some time," Austin said through his teeth.
"Austin, don't you get it? This was it. It's over, I lost," Ally said, tears streaming down her face. It was true. He had the best lawyers money could buy, and it wouldn't surprise anyone if he had bribed the jury. She sank down against the courthouse wall, pressing her knees to her chest. Austin sat down beside her, pulling her closer to him. She cried. Cried harder than any other time these past weeks. He did this to her, he did this to two other innocent girls, and he's getting away with it. She muffled herself into Austin's shirt, and he wrapped the edge of his jacket around her.
"I hate him," she said, face buried into Austin's shirt. He was warm. She almost smiled at the fact that he was still here, and that he hadn't left her. Almost, because really, how long would that last? She was pathetic. Another cold case to be televised forty years later.
"We all do, Ally. That's why even if this trial was a bust, we're still not going to give up, even if it means I have to beat him up myself," Austin said.
She gave a slight giggle at this, and he gaped at her.
"What? You don't think I could do it?" Austin said, in astonishment.
"You seem like too nice of a guy to do that," Ally replied.
"It would surprise you the things I'd do for you," he said into her hair, running a hand through it.
"What'd you say?" Ally asked quietly.
"Nothing," he murmured.
She wanted to walk to work alone. Unfortunately for her, Austin wouldn't let her. He had to walk into the building with her until she sat in her office. Then, and only then, would he leave her alone. It was a silent walk, but not awkward. The comfortable type of silence. As Ally showed the guard her ID and they walked in, Austin gripped her hand.
"You're still coming to Starr Records, right? I have a surprise for you," Austin said.
She stopped in her tracks. "Oh god, what fresh nightmare is this?"
He laughed. "It's not bad."
He kissed her forehead and took off, passing the guard on the exit. She rolled her eyes and set her stuff down. If she came and the place was destroyed, it was all on him.
She was in the board room close to ten minutes before anyone else, but that was fine. It gave her time to clear out her head and think. And to decide if this job was really worth everything. Her thoughts were interrupted because a certain short blonde came in and sat beside her, seeming to drag in the rest of the team, including Mr. Smith. He gave her a heinous grin and winked. She breathed out, gripping onto the rail of the chair.
"Morning. Progress report, composers?" he said, drawing out the last word.
Her lips felt dry and they wouldn't open. Jo opened her mouth.
"Eight new songs finished with both music and lyrics. Go move onto your next victim," she said, smacking her lips.
He scowled at Jo, turning to the video producers and rambling on about "budget cuts". Ally rolled her eyes. He was drunk. That was blatantly obvious. The meeting was dismissed and she was the last to leave, struggling to fasten her tote bag strap. She got up last, and before she left, he locked the door. Crap.
"You thought you could take me down? Funny," he said, and pushed her back against the wall.
"You're sick, and I'm not giving up," she said, ignoring the fact his forearm was cutting into her neck. He slapped her, leaving a resounding sting on her cheeks. She put a hand up to her face, and he threw her from the wall to the ground.
"I own you. I control you. You can't stop me," he said, pinning her down on the floor. She screamed, and he wrapped a rag around her mouth. He lifted his arm up slightly and she used this as an opportunity, punching him square in the jaw and jumping up. She desperately fiddled with the door, but he grabbed her and threw her back against the wall, directly hitting her head and sinking down. He picked her up by the collar of her blazer, throwing her against the table, the corner of it hitting her eye. She yelped and ducked under the table. He grabbed her from under there, and she ran to the door again. She felt something cold and hard hit the back of her head, and she fell.
He had thrown his canteen at her. She got up, trying to get to her phone, but he threw the vase on the board room table straight at her, breaking directly on her head. She fumbled, trying to grasp her cell phone, feeling a trick of blood run down her face. He stepped on her phone, smashing it between his loafers. Picking her up and propping her back against the wall, he traced over her neck and stomach with his fingers.
"Don't forget who you're dealing with, Miss Dawson," he said, biting at the collar of her shirt. She tried to scream, but the rag just muffled the sound even worse, and she kneed him. He fell, and she was starting to get dizzy. She ran to the door, picking the lock as fast as she could, and running outside. The corridors were spinning, so she kept running, straight out the gates and into the streets. She heard him chase after her, yelling her name, but she kept running. The cars were coming fast, and she was dodging desperately trying to get to the sidewalk.
She made it to a small coffee shop, and upon entering the door, staggered to get on her feet. The young attendant walked over to her, and Ally thinks she was talking, but she couldn't hear her, just a distinct ringing. She fell to her knees, and the world went black.
A/N: I really do hate myself for this chapter, but oh well. Also, just to say, if you favorite/follow this story, could you pleaseee take some time to review it? Just a request from moi. Thank you to all my faves and reviewers, though!
Much love,
~Rebel