Okay so it's 1:46 right now and i have to get up at 6 tomorrow. I love you all that much. Haha ok well here it is, THE LONGEST CHAPTER YET. And probably the most boring
Tori's POV
Court has been in session for a little over 15 minutes. They haven't had to use me yet. Mr. Rallys has just been making his case this whole time. If you ask me what about I couldn't even tell you the first letter of the word he spoke not even 5 seconds ago. All this stress is getting to me, Jade has been her the whole time holding my hand. She's been so sweet ever since this started. She's still Jade though, nothing will ever change her. That's what I love about her, she's so strong willed. She's better than me in so many ways.
"So we do have the evidence against detective Vega. Even as you look at Ms. Vega's face, there are still hints of the abuse there and it has only been a week, I'm sure she is still fairly bruised on her left side where she was kicked repeatedly in the ribs. That is all." Mr. Rallys says and goes to take his seat.
"How does the defendant plea?" Judge Jefferson says.
"He pleas guilty." My dad's lawyer says.
"I would like to talk to Ms. Vega in private for a moment." The judge says. Oh crap, he didn't say the judge would want to talk to me alone. I stand and look to Rallys for help. He just shrugs and motions me to go. Shit what the hell does he need to talk to me about?
"Ms. Vega, your father, detective Vega, is a really good friend of mine. I've never seen any indication that he has ever been violent with family or work mates. Although I do not live with you, I need for you to explain exactly what happened. Not just the abuse of that day. I will need to know everything that led up to cause this sort of abuse to happen. I know it is nearly unheard of to have this done, but I need the information. It seems like it goes a lot deeper than him just getting mad at you and assaulting you, so just tell me anything that may have caused this. Even if you think the detail is so minute it's not even worth saying. I need to know everything." I just nod.
"Well a couple months back I came home from school and I came out to my parents. They got so upset. My father h-he just looked so mad, and he…"
"Take your time." He said gently as I wipe my eyes. Its still hard to talk about.
"He slapped me, really, really hard. And he told me to leave his house and don't come back until I was over my 'little phase'. I got as many clothes that could fit in my car and left. I stayed with a friend for a while, but he has a mentally ill grandmother so I left after about two weeks. I lived out of my car for a week before my sister found out and begged my parents to let me come back. They finally did but they wouldn't even talk to me. Everything had been ok from then until I brought my friend Cat over to work on a project. After she left he slapped me so hard I felt dizzy, and told me not to bring any more of my whores into his house. That was about three months ago. The last few times have been minor. Just pushes and bumping into me hard enough to make me fall. I was fine with it until last week when it happened. I came home late from dropping my friend, the one that let me stay with him, off at LAX. It was about 10:15 when I walked in, I called for my sister but got no answer. The family car was gone so I just assumed that they all were gone on an audition for my sister or out to eat, but when I ran up the stairs I literally ran into my dad. He told me to watch where I was going and called me a dyke. I called him an ignorant dumbass. He asked me to say it louder and called me a bitch and grabs me by the shirt, so I did. Louder and slower. Then he lets me go and slaps me with the back of his hand, his ring doing this to my lip. I had to get 6 stitches in it. But he kept going, he threw me to the floor and kicked my ribs twice and punched me in the face once. I felt my eye swelling and blood dripping from my slit eyebrow. I had to get 3 stitches there. He said "Get out of my house you fucking faggot I want all your stuff gone by the time I get home from work tomorrow." He forces me to stand up hurting my ribs more in the process and proceeded to tell me living is a waste of my time and to stop wasting his. And he shoves me so I almost fall down the stairs but I caught myself and left right away. I was so scared, I had nowhere to go but my girlfriends and I did not want to bother her, so I kept driving for about two hours before I finally got too dizzy and had to go somewhere. I've been living with her ever since." I finish off in a sad tone.
"Alright Ms. Vega. I think I have enough information, are you sure that's it?"
"Well I mean he wouldn't buy me any food or anything. He took about two thousand dollars out of my inheritance from my grandma and gave it to me to take care of all my needs. The only thing he didn't make me pay for was rent, I don't even think he thought about it or else he would have."
"Okay thank you, you may go back to your seat now." He says walking back in the room holding the door for me.
"Well Mr. Vega, here it goes. You will be relieved of your duty as an officer of the law, you are charged with physical child abuse and neglect. You are charged with a 3 acts of Hate crimes and I should charge you for more but I'm not. You are on probation for 5 years for the count of child abuse and neglect. You will have a fine of 15,000 dollars for the three acts of hate crimes, if you are not able to pay this you will be sentenced to three years in prison. You will pay all of Ms. Vega's medical bills, and you will pay for the therapy that she will be going to. Refusal to do such things will result in a 500 dollar fine." He says and slams his gavel down.
"You cant do that! I'm a cop, come on this is my first offence. You cant charge me like that." Dad says
"You used to be a cop. You were relieved of your duties about 3 minutes ago. And I am the judge I may sentence whatever I please. As for first offence, it was your first time being caught not doing it. Therefore you will either pay with money of your time. Now take him out of my court room." The judge tells the bailiff. Jade kisses me on the forehead while I cry. I never wanted my dad to hate me, I never wanted him to have to pay all this or serve time in prison. I just wanted him to love me.
After I finally stopped crying Jade drove me up the street to Freezy Queen and we got an ice cream to shear. She's been so amazing throughout this whole ordeal. Telling me that she's there for me and that it's okay to cry and all this really supporting stuff, I don't think I could go through this without her.
It's almost time. We have 5 minutes before the program starts and he's the last to go. Jade seems to know a lot of the parents and they get along quite nice.
"Oh Jade, how nice to see you again." A woman that looks to be in her early thirty's greets Jade.
"Amanda, Oh my gosh it's been forever. How is Brandon? It's been way too long. We'll have to meet up and have dinner." Jade says with a genuine smile.
"Yes, yes of course. I think Brandon would love that. Toby still a musical genius? And who is this?"
"Oh you know how dedicated he is to it so he has gotten a lot better. But what about Brandon? Does he still make those amazing horror stories we used to work on together? And this Amanda, is my stunning girlfriend, Tori. Tori this is Amanda, her son Brandon and Toby used to play together all throughout elementary school. Her son writes really amazing horror stories for an 11 year old." Jade says turning to me for the last part.
"Oops, I think it's starting. We'll catch up after the show." Amanda says walking away. We head to the auditorium and get seats near the middle. Most of the kids are really talented but I'm getting kind of bored and I'm falling asleep. I didn't sleep well last night because of court today. Maybe if I just drift off for a little while Jade wont notice and I'll wake up before Toby goes on. I just need a few minutes of slee-
"Now introducing Toby West." They announce. How long was I out for? It felt like a couple of seconds.
"Hi Everyone. I wanted to sing this song harmonizing with someone but I guess I'll have to do it alone" he says and the lights dim. There's a spot light on him sitting at a grand piano.
"A drop in the ocean
A change in the weather
I was praying that you and me might end up together
It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert
But I'm holding you closer than most 'cause you are my heaven
I don't wanna waste the weekend
If you don't love me pretend
A few more hours then it's time to go
As my train rolls down the east coast I wonder how you keep warm
It's too late to cry
Too broken to move on
And still I can't let you be
Most nights I hardly sleep
Don't take what you don't need from me
It's just a drop in the ocean
A change in the weather
I was praying that you and me might end up together
It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert
But I'm holding you closer than most 'cause you are my heaven
Misplaced trust in old friends
Never counting regrets
By the grace of God I do not rest at all
And New England as the leaves change
The last excuse that I'll claim
I was a boy who loved a woman like a little girl
And still I can't let you be
Most nights I hardly sleep
Don't take what you don't need from me
It's just a drop in the ocean
A change in the weather
I was praying that you and me might end up together
It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert
But I'm holding you closer than most 'cause you are my...
Heaven doesn't seem far away anymore
No, no
Heaven doesn't seem far away
Heaven doesn't seem far away anymore
No, no
Heaven doesn't seem far away
Oh, oh
It's just a drop in the ocean
A change in the weather
I was praying that you and me might end up together
It's like wishing for rain as I stand in the desert
But I'm holding you closer than most 'cause you are my heaven
You are my heaven."
That literally gave me goose bumps. This kid is freaking amazing and he just made my day. The crowd erupts into applause giving him a standing ovation. I have to make sure I tell him just how amazing he is.
"So what'd you think babe?" Jade asked me with a smirk.
"T-That was a-amazing." I stutter.
"Glad you liked it Porcupine" I hear his voice behind me. Jade high fives him and gives him a hug.
"Wow, Toby you are really good, great even, phenomenal." I say giving him a hug.
"Thanks Tor. Can we go, I'm really tired." He asks Jade just nods. On the way out Toby got so much praise for his performance. Right as we reach the doors Amanda runs up to us with a kid around Toby's age and another woman.
"Hey, Cori, Brandon buddy where've you been? I need to read some of those new stories I know you have." Jade smiles.
"Sure do Jade, they're more scary than any of my old ones. My moms cant even read them." He says. Oh so Amanda and Cori are wives, and Brandon is their son. They seem really nice as a family.
"Cori, this is Tori, Jades girlfriend. Tori this is Cori, my wife." Amanda says. Aha I was right.
"Nice to meet you." I say.
"Yes, same here." She smiles. And Toby looks like he's about to pass out from exhaustion.
"Jadey, can we go?" he asks sleepily.
"I'll take him to the car while you finish talking okay babe?" I ask and she nods and hands me the keys. About 10 minutes later I feel Jade get in the car. She leans over and kisses my cheek.
"Wanna go to dinner with Amanda and Cori one night?" she asks.
"Yeah sure." I reply.
"Okay, go back to sleep we'll be home in a minute okay?" I just hum in reply and I'm back in dream land.
So the song if you don't know is 'a drop in the water' by Ron Pope. I don't own it. So what i was thinking when I think of Toby's voice, I hear Greyson Chance. yeah uhh i sleep now. BYEEEEEEEE