As/n: Okay, I am SOOOO sorry for the long update period! I've had much of a writer's block plus the fact I've had a couple of family/friend problems lately that I needed to sort out! Still sorry! I'm writing a super long chapter to make it up to you guys! Look for the poll at the end of the chapter!
Chapter 7
Take A Stand
The distance between the friends only grew worse as the days wore on. Owen felt his heart break every time he saw Lizzie strolling down the hall hand-in-hand with Todd. He could only watch hopelessly as his best friend was being taken around by the devil and it only drove her brother into a fit of insanity.
Matthew stayed up wide-awake every night the two had a date just to make sure she made it home okay. Sure enough, every night, she would. Safe and sound, just the way he wanted but for some reason this bugged him to death. He knew Todd Anthony was a bad guy so why was he being such a gentleman? What drove him to be so kind to his sister? Not that he was complaining but he knew deep down that Todd was going to do something to crush her and he would have to be there to pick up the pieces.
He hoped the time was soon.
Heather and Katherine could only watch as their best friend decided to ditch them to hang out with that loser she called a boyfriend. They couldn't take it anymore and they had cracked. They wanted their friend back and they wanted her back now.
Owen was finally almost completely driven into insanity by the subtlety of Todd's actions and decided to take matters in his own hands. He was going to have to sit down and talk to Lizzie even if it would kill her… more importantly, even if she was going to kill him.
Lizzie made her way down the hall of East High, humming an unknown tune. She opened her blue locker happily and smiled as she saw Todd's picture come into view. She lazily dumped books into her locker and grabbed out new ones, hugging them happily. Lizzie shut her locker down and let out a scream, for Owen was right there.
"Go away," She said acidly as Owen opened his mouth to speak.
Lizzie quickly stomped away and traveled down the hall, trying her best to avoid Owen for as long as possible. This proved to be impossible and she gave up, turning to face him. Then she shouted, "What?"
"Liz, I really need to talk to you," Owen said earnestly, balancing on his crutches delicately. Lizzie huffed and said, "Too bad."
Lizzie turned and started down the hall again, a frown creasing her mouth. It was so like Owen to be over-protective; she didn't mind that. But Todd was a good guy and Owen would soon have to realize that she wasn't a little girl anymore and she could defiantly pick a boyfriend for herself.
Owen stood defeated at the end of the hall and watched Lizzie disappear from his sight. He sighed and hobbled to fifth period with none other than the Todd Anthony himself.
…
After school, Owen stood next to a stone bench in front of the school and waited for Lizzie to show up. He waited for as long as he could and finally, he saw her sparkly backpack (which she herself had adorned with purple rhinestones) flicker in the afternoon sun. Lizzie noticed Owen but threw her head up high, ignoring his mere presence.
"He beat me, Liz," Owen called.
She stopped dead in her tracks. Lizzie quickly whipped around, her black hair slapping her cheeks. She walked closer to Owen and looked directly into his chocolate brown eyes. "What are you talking about?"
Owen let out a long sigh, "It was last year and I was going to class. I don't know- I guess he just didn't like me and he decided to beat me up. I know what you're going to say but I just don't want you to get hurt."
Lizzie's face softened with complete regret and hurt. But as suddenly as the softening came, it went, leaving an expression of pure hatred spread across her face. She poked Owen hard in the chest and said, "That is so low, Owen! Just because you don't like him, doesn't mean that you can make up a bad story about him! Especially one like that!"
"Lizzie, listen to me!" Owen said, trying to regain balance after Lizzie's extremely hard poke. "I wouldn't make that up! It's happened to me before, remember? I just don't want you to get in trouble!"
"You just can't stand the fact that I'm not a little girl anymore!" Lizzie shouted, throwing her hands in the air in absolute disgust. "Well, I'm not and the sooner you realize that, the better!"
"Lizzie, the guy is a total jerk!" Owen shouted. Owen was still taller than Lizzie, even when stooping on crutches but Lizzie -little Lizzie- had the strength of a bear and trust me, she was no coward.
Lizzie pushed out her foot and knocked the crutches out from under Owen's leaning body. He sprawled out into the mud and looked up at Lizzie, his face flecked with brown mud. She clicked her disapprovingly and whispered, "Get away from me, Owen… and don't you dare come back."
Lizzie let out an audible sniffle and stormed away. Owen watched her from his spot in the mud puddle on the ground until she was a nothing on the horizon. A voice snapped Owen out of a nightmarish reverie.
"O?" Matthew asked. "What are you doing in the mud?"
"I'm dancing," Owen said hiding his sarcasm. "Just help me out."
Matthew heaved Owen out of the mud with a squelch. Owen dusted himself off and stood, poised, on his left foot until Matthew had retrieved his crutches. Owen muttered his thanks and grabbed them. Matthew rubbed dirt off of Owen's face and said, "How, dare I ask, did you end up in the mud?"
"I tripped on a rock," Owen said, hoping to dear God that Matthew didn't realize that there were, in fact, zero rocks around. Of course, Matthew had never been very observant.
"Nice," Matthew said, laughing and clapping his friend on the back. "Come on. We need to see how the court session is doing."
"I can't believe they've been debating for two weeks!" Owen said as he hobbled towards the car with Matthew by his side. "You'd think it'd be obvious who would get to keep her considering Emily's past record!"
"For Christ Sake, the woman hasn't been here for like thirteen years!" Matthew said, climbing into the car and slamming the door in frustration. "You know that Ryan is the better parent."
Owen got into the car with some difficulty. Finally, Matthew blasted the radio and sped downtown to the courthouse where the trial was being held. Owen gripped his armrests in fear of a crash but it was amazing how well Matthew maneuvered speeding seventy-seven miles down a road.
………
Ryan was sitting on the stand when the two teens slipped in the door and next to Katherine and Lily and the rest of the gang (parents included) in the bench in the front of the courthouse. Not many people were there, as this case wasn't very large. But Owen did notice a large sign on the right side of the courthouse that said, "Women Deserve the Right! Give Heather to Emily!" which Matthew took very careful care to tread over and completely destroy.
Ryan looked down at Emily with such hatred that Owen almost winced. She paced in front of him, teasing him like you would as if it was a pit bull and a slab of meat. Emily was crying fake tears, which seemed to captivate everyone but the gang and they all started screaming their "Yeah!"s and their "Of course!"s. Lily threw such a dirty look at an older gentleman that he cowered in his seat and hardly dared to breath.
"…Of course, I come up with my last piece of evidence in the fact that Ryan Bradley Evans is an unfit parent," Emily concluded with her sob story that just about made Owen throw up.
She placed a piece of paper on the judge's desk. He pulled his reading glasses on and read, shooting an absolute look of disgust in Ryan's direction. The old judge cleared his throat and said loudly, "Would Owen Bolton please take the stand?"
Owen froze as all of the gang stared in his direction. His face reddened, not of embarrassment, not even anger… just pure shock rushing over him. He slowly hobbled his way up to the stand, pledged his honesty and sat. Emily stepped up and said nastily, "Why, hello, Owen."
"Miss Donavon," Owen replied in a mockingly polite way.
She smiled in a false act of sweetness and went on with her questioning. She paced, as she had with Ryan and began with, "You know my d-daughter Heather, correct, Owen?" She sniffled at the mention of her daughter's name.
"Yes," Owen replied whilst thinking, Die, bitch.
"Are you aware that almost two weeks ago, she was poisoned?"
"Yes."
A gasp rippled through the crowd and Emily let a few more fake tears leak down her cheeks and nodded sadly at the crowd. Heather sunk in her chair and threw a desperate, terrified look at Owen. Owen gave a grim look and stared back down at Emily.
"So?" He asked. "It's not look Ryan poured poison down her throat!"
"My daughter was poisoned in the care of Ryan!" Emily shouted. "Judge Collins, I want my daughter safe! That boy right there, Owen Bolton, has hurt my daughter and Ryan let it happen!"
"What?" Heather screamed at the top of her lungs. She had stood up in her anger and proceeded towards her mother. "What are you talking about?"
"Judge Collins, I have reason to believe that my daughter is being hurt by Owen Bolton!"
"What?" Heather said even louder than before. "First of all, what the hell are you talking about? And second, what does that have to do with this case?"
"I also have reason to believe," Emily went on to the judge, ignoring Heather's outburst. "That Ryan Evans has encouraged it!"
A ripple of chatter swarmed the courthouse as the entire gang sat dumbfounded. Katherine, Lily, and Matthew burst out laughing. Everyone turned to see them wiping tears away from their eyes.
"What?" Katherine asked through her laughter. "Are you talking about?"
"You seriously-" Matthew never got to finish because he fell into another fit of laughter. Lily had to fill in.
"Owen would never Heather and Ryan would never think about hurting her. I think you guys are just plain crazy!"
"Lily!" Zeke and Sharpay exclaimed.
"We'll take a ten minute recess and return," Judge Collins said, banging his gavel. He stood up, as did the crowd, and left. Everyone shot evil looks at Ryan and Owen as they made their way to the gang.
Matthew clapped Ryan on the back and said, "Sorry for laughing."
Ryan just swallowed and nodded gravely, staring straight ahead and out of the windows. Heather came up and Ryan never looked down but pulled her into a long hug, which, once broken, never really broke. Ryan and Heather clasped their hands together, letting their fingers intertwine with each other. Ryan didn't even flinch when Heather's grip tightened. He just squeezed her hand and stared ahead.
Finally Judge Collins, followed by three bailiffs, entered the court. Everyone returned to their seats and waited for the verdict. The judge cleared his throat heartily and said, "By order of myself, the jury, and the court system of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Emily Donovan has gained full-custody over Heather Evans."
Pandemonium broke loose as the gang stood absolutely dumbfounded, their feet rooted to the very ground. People were screaming cheers of joy and laughter as they congratulated Emily and threw very nasty looks at Ryan. Heather headed over to Ryan but was stopped by a bailiff.
"Go to your mom, sweetheart," He said with an odd gentleness for a man his size.
Heather shook her head and let her tears fall down her face. She tried to push past the bailiff but failed miserably as the man grabbed her by the shoulders and tried to steer her to Emily.
"Dad!" Heather screamed, tears flowing like faucets down her face.
"Heather!" Ryan jumped forward to reach his crying daughter but was stopped by two bailiffs. Try as he might, Ryan could not get in-between them. He shouted again but the crowds' noise only took his hoarse words away. Heather beat on the bailiff's wrists with her fist and screamed, "Let me go! Dad!"
"Heather!" Ryan broke through the bailiffs but one grabbed his shoulders and dragged him away from Heather saying gruffly, "Stay away from her."
Finally, Lily stood on the table meant for lawyers and their clients and wolf-whistled. The whole crowd went silent at the piercing noise and stared at Lily who stood perched on the table, angrily staring down at Emily.
"You evil, twisted woman!" Lily shouted at her. Zeke and Sharpay made no objection. "How could you do that to Ryan?"
"Excuse me, she's my daughter, too," Emily objected.
"But you don't care about her!" Katherine shouted at her. "You only care about the child support money you'll get!"
"I'll give you the money!" Matthew said. "Just let Heather stay!"
"I gave birth to her!" Emily shouted. "She is my child! I have every rite to keep her!"
"And you had that rite fourteen years ago when you left her!" Owen screamed.
Ryan was now crying freely, letting the tears fall onto his nicest shirt he owned. He didn't care that everyone was watching. He didn't care that his shirt was probably going to get ruined. He just wanted his daughter.
"Please, Emily, please!" He pleaded her. "Please let me keep Heather! I'll pay child support still! I'll- I'll pay all your bills but please don't take her away!"
Emily shot him a nasty look and grabbed a sobbing Heather by the wrist. She dragged her out of the court by the arm. Just before the door slammed with an echoing clang Heather let out a high-pitched scream, "Dad!"
"Heather!" Ryan shouted letting the reverberations pound through his chest. He brought himself into a chair and put his beautiful blonde head into his hands, letting his shoulders shake with suppressed sobs. Troy laid a hand on Ryan's shaking back as the crowd cleared from the court, murmuring over what just took place in the court's walls.
Ryan sobbed ever harder as the entire place emptied except for the gang. He let his sobs carry through the empty room, echoing loudly and then fading into an unknown ecstasy. Ryan Evans sobbed until he felt he could sob no more.
Ryan took a stand and climbed until he got to the top and when he reached there, he fell so hard, he thought he would never get back up again.
As/n: Was that long enough? I do hope so! Well, I'm going to ask you to fill out a survey… just do it in the review! (If you choose to review of course which, hopefully, you will) Please write the letter AND the words after!
1. Who is your favorite couple?
a.) Owen and Heather
b.) Katherine and Matthew
c.) Heather and Clark
d.) Lizzie and Todd
2. Which is your favorite edition in the series?
a.) In the Blink of an Eye
b.) When an Angel Falls
c.) A Twist of Fate
3. If anyone had to die, who would you choose? (Don't worry! No one is dying!)
a.) Owen
b.) Heather
c.) Troy
d.) Ryan
4. Which talent would you like the best? (Based off of the teens)
a.) Owen- art
b.) Heather- poetry
c.) Lizzie- debate
d.) Matthew- skateboarding
e.) Katherine- hip-hop dance (ha! Bet you didn't know that!)
f.) Lily- horseback riding
Well that's all! Thanks for being so patient! P.S. If you choose Heather and Clark for your favorite couple, I will bite you. LoL jk!!