A/N: I think everyone is a little behind since for the past two days I have
updated four chapters. The reviews are little behind. I'm not sure if
everyone is realizing that are more chapters or not. Oh well. This is the
last Kate chapter. I was looking it over and I realized that there was so
much more I wanted to do, but I just don't want to make this episode never
ending. I probably should have made this its own story. I think that Parker
is next just because they are concurrent with each other. Parker's is going
to go past this because her little situation doesn't arise until after. I'd
like to reiterate that I don't know common sentencing for such a thing.
And, I didn't really mention it, but Kate is definitely going to therapy
and groups to help get over it.
Chapter 7: Getting Past
( Friday )
~Kate~
"Officer Stevens called me last night and said that Ronnie pled guilty to all charges. Do you know what that means?" I told Ethan excitedly the next morning.
"He goes to jail."
"Well, yeah. But, there's no trial. Just sentencing. I don't have to testify. Everyone doesn't have to find out that it was me." Sometimes bad situations bring good outcomes.
"Kate, that's great!" Ethan wrapped me into a hug.
I almost hesitated, I haven't been very much into anyone touching me as of late. I may not remember him touching me, but I know it happened. And for some reason, I've lost all trust in guys. In pretty much anyone. Although, I felt completely safe in Ethan's arms. Comforted almost. Somehow, I knew that he'd never hurt me. That I could trust him. That he just wanted to help me. I want him to help me.
"Ethan," I started to pull back, "I have something to ask you."
He could tell that I was serious.
"I'm listening."
"The sentencing for Ronnie is next Monday. I was wondering if you'd come with me. For support or whatever."
"I'll be there."
"Good, because I really wanted someone to be there and well, you know." How to word it?
"No, I don't. Why don't you tell me?" Oh, he totally knows.
"You're the only one I want to be there." Yeah, that sounds right.
"I'm honored. Walk you to class?"
"Of course."
= Saturday =
~Kate~
"Kate, can we talk?" Claire was standing in my doorway the following afternoon.
"Yeah. Come in." I moved away from the door, allowing her entrance. We went over to a couch in my living room. "What's on your mind?"
"You."
"Why me?"
"Because I'm trying to figure out what I did."
"What you did?"
"Yeah. Why all of a sudden I'm not good enough to know what's going on in your life. But Parker and Ethan can."
"What did they tell you?" They wouldn't, would they?
"Nothing. I just figured they knew whatever it was because you've been talking to them a lot more than anyone else. I guess I was right." Good. Well, not exactly.
"Claire, we've been friends for like years, right?"
"Right."
"And that means we should be able to tell each other anything. With no judgment or whatever."
"Kate, I'm lost."
"Have you heard anything about the girl Ronnie raped?"
"This is no time for subject changing." She's obviously not catching on.
"I'm not subject changing."
"No." She gasped. "Was it Parker?" Close, but no cigar.
"Not exactly."
"Oh, shit. I feel so horrible." She put her head in her hands.
"Why? What did you do?"
"If I hadn't left the party early, I would have had to leave with you and..."
"Don't even think of blaming yourself. The only person at fault is Ronnie."
:Oh, what a dick. I'll kick his ass."
"Ethan already did."
"Ethan did that?" I nodded. "Wow. Are you okay?"
"I'm getting there." And I am.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"To tell you the truth, I honestly have no idea."
"You had me so worried. I had no idea what to think. I honestly thought I had done something horrible." We hugged. "I am officially calling a Girl's Day. Well, for the most part. I'm thinking big group dinner later."
"Sounds perfect."
{ Later }
Girl's Day was tons of fun, but nothing compared to having a huge group dinner.
"I need to talk to you." Ethan whispered into my ear at the table.
I nodded and we excused ourselves. We walked outside and I into the parking lot.
"What did you want to tell me?"
Ethan started pacing around. "I probably shouldn't say this, but I just have to."
"Stop pacing" He did. Cute. "Come over here and talk."
"I like you. And I know you don't want a boyfriend or anything after everything that happened, but I just I wanted you to know that. I'm not expecting out of this confession, but WHAT?" I just couldn't help myself. He'd started pacing again and I giggled.
"You're just so.." Word, word, word. "adorable." Perfect.
"You think I'm adorable?"
"Very."
He contemplated this. "Alright."
"Just alright?" I bit my lip a little.
"What was I supposed to say?"
"You could have asked me out."
"Do you want me to?"
"I think you'll just have to take that risk."
"So, will you? Go out with me."
"With pleasure."
+ Monday +
~Kate~
Ethan picked me up a little bit before the sentencing would start at 10 AM. And we headed to the courthouse. We would be the only people from Hillridge High, except Ronnie because it was going to be a closed court. I was obviously allowed and Officer Stevens said I could have someone there.
When we got there, we took a seat towards the back of the room and waited for everything to start. Ronnie was brought in. He looked really tired. He was wearing a nice suit and he gazed around the room and stopped when he saw Ethan and myself. Ethan wasn't paying attention to him, but my eyes locked with Ronnie's and he nodded with a scoff.
It took a couple minutes for anything to happen after that. Ronnie was seated and he was whispering with his lawyer. His family was there, praying that their little boy didn't get taken away forever. Officer Stevens and his partner Officer Goodman were also there. And a few other people scattered around. But, as promised, no one I knew.
The judge walked in. She was an older woman with gray hair. The bailiff called out, "All rise for your honorable Judge Hawkins."
And we rose. Judge Hawkins climbed up to her chair and said, "You may be seated." We sat down and so did she.
She took a few minutes looking at some last second files. Most likely something with Ronnie. "Mr. Jacobs, please stand."
Ronnie and his lawyer stood. "You have pled guilty, correct?"
"Yes, m'am."
"Is anything you would like to say for yourself?"
"Well, I'd just like to say, I'm sorry and it was a huge mistake to make."
"I'd like to believe you, Mr. Jacobs. But, you were in possession of more than one pill, giving me the indication that you intended using it more than once. For all I know, this wasn't the only time."
"I understand."
"Now, do you understand that the standard term for such a crime if 3-5 years in prison?"
"Yes."
"Good." She looked back at her files. "Mr. Jacobs, I am giving that sentence."
Mrs. Jacobs let out a cry and fell into her husband. I smiled.
Judge Hawkins ignored the outburst. "And I suggest that you take that time and reevaluate the decisions you have made. Hopefully, you will able to redeem yourself in time. Bailiff, take him."
The bailiff came and took Ronnie through a set of doors.
A/N: I don't have much to say.
Chapter 7: Getting Past
( Friday )
~Kate~
"Officer Stevens called me last night and said that Ronnie pled guilty to all charges. Do you know what that means?" I told Ethan excitedly the next morning.
"He goes to jail."
"Well, yeah. But, there's no trial. Just sentencing. I don't have to testify. Everyone doesn't have to find out that it was me." Sometimes bad situations bring good outcomes.
"Kate, that's great!" Ethan wrapped me into a hug.
I almost hesitated, I haven't been very much into anyone touching me as of late. I may not remember him touching me, but I know it happened. And for some reason, I've lost all trust in guys. In pretty much anyone. Although, I felt completely safe in Ethan's arms. Comforted almost. Somehow, I knew that he'd never hurt me. That I could trust him. That he just wanted to help me. I want him to help me.
"Ethan," I started to pull back, "I have something to ask you."
He could tell that I was serious.
"I'm listening."
"The sentencing for Ronnie is next Monday. I was wondering if you'd come with me. For support or whatever."
"I'll be there."
"Good, because I really wanted someone to be there and well, you know." How to word it?
"No, I don't. Why don't you tell me?" Oh, he totally knows.
"You're the only one I want to be there." Yeah, that sounds right.
"I'm honored. Walk you to class?"
"Of course."
= Saturday =
~Kate~
"Kate, can we talk?" Claire was standing in my doorway the following afternoon.
"Yeah. Come in." I moved away from the door, allowing her entrance. We went over to a couch in my living room. "What's on your mind?"
"You."
"Why me?"
"Because I'm trying to figure out what I did."
"What you did?"
"Yeah. Why all of a sudden I'm not good enough to know what's going on in your life. But Parker and Ethan can."
"What did they tell you?" They wouldn't, would they?
"Nothing. I just figured they knew whatever it was because you've been talking to them a lot more than anyone else. I guess I was right." Good. Well, not exactly.
"Claire, we've been friends for like years, right?"
"Right."
"And that means we should be able to tell each other anything. With no judgment or whatever."
"Kate, I'm lost."
"Have you heard anything about the girl Ronnie raped?"
"This is no time for subject changing." She's obviously not catching on.
"I'm not subject changing."
"No." She gasped. "Was it Parker?" Close, but no cigar.
"Not exactly."
"Oh, shit. I feel so horrible." She put her head in her hands.
"Why? What did you do?"
"If I hadn't left the party early, I would have had to leave with you and..."
"Don't even think of blaming yourself. The only person at fault is Ronnie."
:Oh, what a dick. I'll kick his ass."
"Ethan already did."
"Ethan did that?" I nodded. "Wow. Are you okay?"
"I'm getting there." And I am.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"To tell you the truth, I honestly have no idea."
"You had me so worried. I had no idea what to think. I honestly thought I had done something horrible." We hugged. "I am officially calling a Girl's Day. Well, for the most part. I'm thinking big group dinner later."
"Sounds perfect."
{ Later }
Girl's Day was tons of fun, but nothing compared to having a huge group dinner.
"I need to talk to you." Ethan whispered into my ear at the table.
I nodded and we excused ourselves. We walked outside and I into the parking lot.
"What did you want to tell me?"
Ethan started pacing around. "I probably shouldn't say this, but I just have to."
"Stop pacing" He did. Cute. "Come over here and talk."
"I like you. And I know you don't want a boyfriend or anything after everything that happened, but I just I wanted you to know that. I'm not expecting out of this confession, but WHAT?" I just couldn't help myself. He'd started pacing again and I giggled.
"You're just so.." Word, word, word. "adorable." Perfect.
"You think I'm adorable?"
"Very."
He contemplated this. "Alright."
"Just alright?" I bit my lip a little.
"What was I supposed to say?"
"You could have asked me out."
"Do you want me to?"
"I think you'll just have to take that risk."
"So, will you? Go out with me."
"With pleasure."
+ Monday +
~Kate~
Ethan picked me up a little bit before the sentencing would start at 10 AM. And we headed to the courthouse. We would be the only people from Hillridge High, except Ronnie because it was going to be a closed court. I was obviously allowed and Officer Stevens said I could have someone there.
When we got there, we took a seat towards the back of the room and waited for everything to start. Ronnie was brought in. He looked really tired. He was wearing a nice suit and he gazed around the room and stopped when he saw Ethan and myself. Ethan wasn't paying attention to him, but my eyes locked with Ronnie's and he nodded with a scoff.
It took a couple minutes for anything to happen after that. Ronnie was seated and he was whispering with his lawyer. His family was there, praying that their little boy didn't get taken away forever. Officer Stevens and his partner Officer Goodman were also there. And a few other people scattered around. But, as promised, no one I knew.
The judge walked in. She was an older woman with gray hair. The bailiff called out, "All rise for your honorable Judge Hawkins."
And we rose. Judge Hawkins climbed up to her chair and said, "You may be seated." We sat down and so did she.
She took a few minutes looking at some last second files. Most likely something with Ronnie. "Mr. Jacobs, please stand."
Ronnie and his lawyer stood. "You have pled guilty, correct?"
"Yes, m'am."
"Is anything you would like to say for yourself?"
"Well, I'd just like to say, I'm sorry and it was a huge mistake to make."
"I'd like to believe you, Mr. Jacobs. But, you were in possession of more than one pill, giving me the indication that you intended using it more than once. For all I know, this wasn't the only time."
"I understand."
"Now, do you understand that the standard term for such a crime if 3-5 years in prison?"
"Yes."
"Good." She looked back at her files. "Mr. Jacobs, I am giving that sentence."
Mrs. Jacobs let out a cry and fell into her husband. I smiled.
Judge Hawkins ignored the outburst. "And I suggest that you take that time and reevaluate the decisions you have made. Hopefully, you will able to redeem yourself in time. Bailiff, take him."
The bailiff came and took Ronnie through a set of doors.
A/N: I don't have much to say.
