Notes: For anyone that might have been confused by that chapter I had to write Cranston that way. He's trying to keep the jury from finding Josh guilty. And I haven't figured out who gave the photocopies of Jesse's journal to the defense yet. It wasn't Guy is all I have decided. Maybe one story I'll be nice to Adam. How do you be nice to Adam anyway? I'm still figuring that one out. The writers for the movies were never nice to him. Would you believe last chapter I thought was going to be a short one and it was almost 2000 words? That jury thing last chapter was something I remember from being on jury duty. I made note of when the judge said to ignore that. It's hard though. I'm playing with the idea that I'll be a lot nicer to Banksie next fic. Someone wants to pick up a certain story.
No Comment Go Away
I went home and went straight to bed. I wanted to forget about what happened in the courtroom. Why did he bring that up? What importance was it anyway? I was twelve years old! And Jesse's dead but it had nothing to do with this at all.
Josh didn't know Jesse. Terry may have talked to them about all of this. But would Terry have photocopied that journal entry? I don't know. I don't want to think right now. Maybe after a few hours of sleep I'll try to think.
The phone ringing awaked me. It was my phone, which meant I had to answer it. "Hello?" I asked.
"This is KSTP..." I hung up. I was not dealing with news reporters. I looked at my clock. It was a bit after 5:00. I slept for about six hours. Missed lunch. Guess they decided I needed sleep more then food.
The phone rang again. "This is Don Shelby with WCCO..."
I didn't hang up on him but I stopped him. "How did you get my number? This is an unlisted number."
"Um..."
"Don't call here again. I have no comment." I said and hung up. That was unlike me but I did not want to deal with news channels. If I talked to one then I would end up talking to them all. That and I have a splitting headache.
The phone rang. "Look if you are calling from a newspaper or TV network I have nothing to say."
'Wait! It's Charlie.'
"Oh sorry. What happened after I left?" There was a long pause. "Please don't tell me that they let Josh off without anything."
'Oh no. That's not it. The jury won't decide until tomorrow. They decided to come back tomorrow to decide. The trial it went okay I guess. Connie said that Josh had intended to shoot you. But Cranston really played the fact that you were suicidal four years ago. Then tried to put in the fact that Jesse jumped off a cliff. Not in the same words because he had already been overruled. There were many objections made by Huddy during that. All of them were sustained. The judge had enough and talked to the lawyers. Things started settling down a bit until Rick Riley was called up. Too bad, we couldn't prove that he was lying. Though it was obvious to us. Huddy tried to prove it but was unsuccessful. Riley's a good liar. Hard to tell what the jury will decide though.'
"The news stations have been calling me already. Won't talk to them though. Huddy suggested it. Told me to hang up on them."
'Probably a good thing. They are vultures about it. Oh crap. Turn the TV to CNN.'
"What? Don't tell me that they picked this up. I mean it's not that note worthy is it?" I turned my TV on and put it on CNN.
"Today in Minneapolis Minnesota a trial started." CNN anchor person said. "An attempted shooting at a private school called Eden Hall." A picture of me flashed on the TV along with a picture of Josh. "Friday night in the parking lot by the ice rink Josh Walker fired a gun. Whether he had intended to shoot Adam Banks is up to the jury to decide. They will do that tomorrow." They moved to the next story.
"I can't believe CNN is covering this! I'm going to disconnect my phone. Tell the others I did that for me. They can reach me on my cellphone number."
'Will do. I had better go. Coach decided to have practice at six. I'll call you later.'
I picked up the phone and dialed Marcy. "Hello?" Her roommate, Sierra Isaacson, said.
"Hi Sierra it's Adam. Is Marcy there?"
There was a pause and then Marcy's voice. 'Hey Adam. You hear how the trial went?'
"Just got off the phone with Charlie. He said it sounds like it could go either way. CNN even did a story on it."
'They did? I didn't think it was national news worthy. I bet you have been getting a lot of phone calls.'
"That's why I'm calling. I've decided to disconnect my phone for a couple of days. If you need me, you can call my cell number: 555-2393." I covered the phone as I was hit by a coughing fit.
'I better go so you can get some rest. Bye Adam.'
I took the phone cord out of the telephone. I walked downstairs. My father was on the phone in his den. My mother wasn't home and neither was Kiley. She probably took her on an errand. I went into the kitchen and found Martha preparing dinner.
"Hello Adam. You missed lunch but dinner will be ready at seven. Would you like a snack?"
I shook my head and grabbed an apple. I took my medicine and cough medicine. Why did that stuff have to taste so terrible? "Could someone tell me when it's dinner? I'm going back to bed."
"Of course Adam." She said turning back to the fish, she was preparing. There was a pot of soup simmering, which I guess was for me.
***
The rest of the day passed quickly. The next morning I had a doctor's appointment. I insisted on bringing my cellphone in. I wanted to know the verdict after it was announced.
The doctor at first wouldn't let me bring my cellphone in. But I told him why and he changed his mind. He listened to my breathing and took x-rays of my chest. I was quite relieved when he told me I could still go back to school Monday. I was happy to hear that because it seemed I spend more time out of school then I do in it.
My mother, who insisted on driving me there, took me to Schlotzkys for lunch. The cellphone came in with us. We both ordered pizzas. She said she wished she had my metabolism. Just as I was about to return our 'plates', my cellphone rang. I put them down. "Hello?"
'Banks its Guy.'
"What did the jury decide?"
'Are you sitting down?'
"Please tell me he didn't get off with just illegal possession of a handgun with a fine and community service."
'Well the jury did find him guilty of illegal possession of a handgun.' He paused. I couldn't believe that Josh got off so easily! Now what? 'Oh and he was found guilty of attempted murder.' I almost thought I hadn't heard him right. Then I grinned. Thank goodness. 'So he'll be in Juvenile Hall until he's eighteen and serve the rest of the three years in a regular prison.'
"He got five years?" I asked. My mother gave me a thumbs up.
"Yeah well it was attempted murder. He didn't actually kill you, you know. One other thing. Connie told me that before Terry left for New York last year he handed her those photocopied pages of the journal and she gave them to Josh. That's how Cranston got them. What Charlie? Banks I have to call you back. There's a board meeting at Eden Hall to decide what to do with the others involved. Someone will call you after it.' He hung up.
I told my mother everything Guy said on the way home. She said she was happy everything ended this way. Of course, when I got home, I was ordered to go back to bed.
***
"Shh! Mrs. Banks said he was sleeping!" A voice said from the other side of the door. I opened my eyes and watched the door open. My room was suddenly crowded with people. I saw almost everyone on both hockey teams, Marcy, Lenny, Clara, Eric, and even Bombay.
"What's going on?" I asked sitting up.
"We thought we'd come tell you in person what the board decided." Charlie said. "Eden Hall is now missing a Varsity football team. Everyone that had been in last years ignored has been expelled. Actually, everyone that is in the ignored has been expelled. The board said last year was a warning."
"Sam was pissed!" Eric said. "You should have seen Fulton and Portman walk up to them."
"We just wanted to make sure they didn't go after you. We let them know we'd break every bone in their body if they even looked at you funny." Fulton said.
"They were scared shitless." Portman grinned.
"Wait what about Connie? Was she expelled," I asked.
"Well yeah Adam." Marcy said. "Even if she got the gun away from Josh, she still participated in some of those activities. She confessed to rigging the paper mache fish to fall when it did. She didn't deny what she did."
We laughed, joked, watched movies on my DVD player and had a good time. The hell that I went through since freshmen year was finally over.
The end.
***
Notes: Yes I really am ending it there. Sometimes you just reach a spot that just feels like the end of the story. I've already started its sequel: Best Year of Your Life, which should be up also tonight. First chapter anyway. I have many ideas for that one.
Dana
Writing's life. Everything else is a hobby.
No Comment Go Away
I went home and went straight to bed. I wanted to forget about what happened in the courtroom. Why did he bring that up? What importance was it anyway? I was twelve years old! And Jesse's dead but it had nothing to do with this at all.
Josh didn't know Jesse. Terry may have talked to them about all of this. But would Terry have photocopied that journal entry? I don't know. I don't want to think right now. Maybe after a few hours of sleep I'll try to think.
The phone ringing awaked me. It was my phone, which meant I had to answer it. "Hello?" I asked.
"This is KSTP..." I hung up. I was not dealing with news reporters. I looked at my clock. It was a bit after 5:00. I slept for about six hours. Missed lunch. Guess they decided I needed sleep more then food.
The phone rang again. "This is Don Shelby with WCCO..."
I didn't hang up on him but I stopped him. "How did you get my number? This is an unlisted number."
"Um..."
"Don't call here again. I have no comment." I said and hung up. That was unlike me but I did not want to deal with news channels. If I talked to one then I would end up talking to them all. That and I have a splitting headache.
The phone rang. "Look if you are calling from a newspaper or TV network I have nothing to say."
'Wait! It's Charlie.'
"Oh sorry. What happened after I left?" There was a long pause. "Please don't tell me that they let Josh off without anything."
'Oh no. That's not it. The jury won't decide until tomorrow. They decided to come back tomorrow to decide. The trial it went okay I guess. Connie said that Josh had intended to shoot you. But Cranston really played the fact that you were suicidal four years ago. Then tried to put in the fact that Jesse jumped off a cliff. Not in the same words because he had already been overruled. There were many objections made by Huddy during that. All of them were sustained. The judge had enough and talked to the lawyers. Things started settling down a bit until Rick Riley was called up. Too bad, we couldn't prove that he was lying. Though it was obvious to us. Huddy tried to prove it but was unsuccessful. Riley's a good liar. Hard to tell what the jury will decide though.'
"The news stations have been calling me already. Won't talk to them though. Huddy suggested it. Told me to hang up on them."
'Probably a good thing. They are vultures about it. Oh crap. Turn the TV to CNN.'
"What? Don't tell me that they picked this up. I mean it's not that note worthy is it?" I turned my TV on and put it on CNN.
"Today in Minneapolis Minnesota a trial started." CNN anchor person said. "An attempted shooting at a private school called Eden Hall." A picture of me flashed on the TV along with a picture of Josh. "Friday night in the parking lot by the ice rink Josh Walker fired a gun. Whether he had intended to shoot Adam Banks is up to the jury to decide. They will do that tomorrow." They moved to the next story.
"I can't believe CNN is covering this! I'm going to disconnect my phone. Tell the others I did that for me. They can reach me on my cellphone number."
'Will do. I had better go. Coach decided to have practice at six. I'll call you later.'
I picked up the phone and dialed Marcy. "Hello?" Her roommate, Sierra Isaacson, said.
"Hi Sierra it's Adam. Is Marcy there?"
There was a pause and then Marcy's voice. 'Hey Adam. You hear how the trial went?'
"Just got off the phone with Charlie. He said it sounds like it could go either way. CNN even did a story on it."
'They did? I didn't think it was national news worthy. I bet you have been getting a lot of phone calls.'
"That's why I'm calling. I've decided to disconnect my phone for a couple of days. If you need me, you can call my cell number: 555-2393." I covered the phone as I was hit by a coughing fit.
'I better go so you can get some rest. Bye Adam.'
I took the phone cord out of the telephone. I walked downstairs. My father was on the phone in his den. My mother wasn't home and neither was Kiley. She probably took her on an errand. I went into the kitchen and found Martha preparing dinner.
"Hello Adam. You missed lunch but dinner will be ready at seven. Would you like a snack?"
I shook my head and grabbed an apple. I took my medicine and cough medicine. Why did that stuff have to taste so terrible? "Could someone tell me when it's dinner? I'm going back to bed."
"Of course Adam." She said turning back to the fish, she was preparing. There was a pot of soup simmering, which I guess was for me.
***
The rest of the day passed quickly. The next morning I had a doctor's appointment. I insisted on bringing my cellphone in. I wanted to know the verdict after it was announced.
The doctor at first wouldn't let me bring my cellphone in. But I told him why and he changed his mind. He listened to my breathing and took x-rays of my chest. I was quite relieved when he told me I could still go back to school Monday. I was happy to hear that because it seemed I spend more time out of school then I do in it.
My mother, who insisted on driving me there, took me to Schlotzkys for lunch. The cellphone came in with us. We both ordered pizzas. She said she wished she had my metabolism. Just as I was about to return our 'plates', my cellphone rang. I put them down. "Hello?"
'Banks its Guy.'
"What did the jury decide?"
'Are you sitting down?'
"Please tell me he didn't get off with just illegal possession of a handgun with a fine and community service."
'Well the jury did find him guilty of illegal possession of a handgun.' He paused. I couldn't believe that Josh got off so easily! Now what? 'Oh and he was found guilty of attempted murder.' I almost thought I hadn't heard him right. Then I grinned. Thank goodness. 'So he'll be in Juvenile Hall until he's eighteen and serve the rest of the three years in a regular prison.'
"He got five years?" I asked. My mother gave me a thumbs up.
"Yeah well it was attempted murder. He didn't actually kill you, you know. One other thing. Connie told me that before Terry left for New York last year he handed her those photocopied pages of the journal and she gave them to Josh. That's how Cranston got them. What Charlie? Banks I have to call you back. There's a board meeting at Eden Hall to decide what to do with the others involved. Someone will call you after it.' He hung up.
I told my mother everything Guy said on the way home. She said she was happy everything ended this way. Of course, when I got home, I was ordered to go back to bed.
***
"Shh! Mrs. Banks said he was sleeping!" A voice said from the other side of the door. I opened my eyes and watched the door open. My room was suddenly crowded with people. I saw almost everyone on both hockey teams, Marcy, Lenny, Clara, Eric, and even Bombay.
"What's going on?" I asked sitting up.
"We thought we'd come tell you in person what the board decided." Charlie said. "Eden Hall is now missing a Varsity football team. Everyone that had been in last years ignored has been expelled. Actually, everyone that is in the ignored has been expelled. The board said last year was a warning."
"Sam was pissed!" Eric said. "You should have seen Fulton and Portman walk up to them."
"We just wanted to make sure they didn't go after you. We let them know we'd break every bone in their body if they even looked at you funny." Fulton said.
"They were scared shitless." Portman grinned.
"Wait what about Connie? Was she expelled," I asked.
"Well yeah Adam." Marcy said. "Even if she got the gun away from Josh, she still participated in some of those activities. She confessed to rigging the paper mache fish to fall when it did. She didn't deny what she did."
We laughed, joked, watched movies on my DVD player and had a good time. The hell that I went through since freshmen year was finally over.
The end.
***
Notes: Yes I really am ending it there. Sometimes you just reach a spot that just feels like the end of the story. I've already started its sequel: Best Year of Your Life, which should be up also tonight. First chapter anyway. I have many ideas for that one.
Dana
Writing's life. Everything else is a hobby.