A/N: You know, as a writer, it takes a tremendous amount of effort to improve on something they wrote. It just doesn't happen in a day, but over time. As I look back on my previous stories that I wrote, I can't help but just think to myself, "I made some major or minor grammar mistakes here, and I could've reworded this sentence…or this sentence was passive and should be active instead," You see, no one is perfect. A good writer, is someone who looks back on his or her writing and try to improve instead of just continuing on just writing. There will be grammar mistakes, and there will also be some sentences that I will write passively and not actively. If you're wondering what a passive sentence is, let me show you.
Example: The dog was kicked by me.
Instead, it should be, "I kicked the dog," and that is in active voice.
On the SAT, you should choose the active sentence…
Just something I thought you all would like to know, because maybe some of you ARE taking the SAT and some of you ARE about to take the SAT in a few x amount of years.
And so basically, my first few chapters in Dangerously Sixteen, What a Girl Really Wants, and Come Come Paradise NEED improvement. That's why I'm trying to improve my writing right now. I apologize for any grammar mistakes and if my writing seems so elementary.
I am a high school student that is learning, after all.
Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter, I have absolutely no idea what goes on in a court hearing, but from what I've seen in court movies such as Legally Blonde, A Few Good Men, and the Kobe Bryant case, I have a fair grasp at what goes on. So, with that said, if there is anything in the court hearing that is not supposed to happen, I apologize. Happy Reading!
Previously on Dangerously Sixteen: Before Kaiya pulls the trigger, Sasuke comes into the rescue and struggles with Kaiya. The two fight and in the midst of their struggle, unbeknownst to Kaiya and Sasuke, Sakura gets up and pulls the trigger on Kaiya. Right then, the police come and arrest Sakura due to the fact that the moment they got there, they saw Sakura with the weapon in her hand. Sasuke and Kaiya were sent to the emergency room under critical condition. In jail, Sakura gets mocked by her inmates and gets a lawyer from her parents. Sasuke's friends visit him in the hospital and Neji gets visiting privileges to see Sakura. The court hearing set place the next week, and the judge announces Sakura to be the first to testify on the witness stand.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the copyrighted characters from Naruto, and am the owner of the characters you have never seen or heard of before, until you read this story.
Title: Chapter 23
Everyone gathered around in the court hearing that Tuesday afternoon.
The bailiff greeted the bystanders.
"All rise as Judge Toko arrives into the courthouse," he introduced the Judge. Everyone stood up and when the Judge sat down, everyone else did.
"This is case 5197. The defendant is Haruno Sakura with her lawyer Georgio Heero, and the prosecutor is Yamamoto Kaiya with her lawyer Silvio Mamoru," the bailiff read off the introduction.
"All right, let's start this hearing," the judge pointed at Sakura to make her the first to testify.
Dressed in a polished pink suit dress with shimmering pearls wrapped around her neck, Sakura gradually walked up to the witness stand while murmurs echoed among the audience.
Sakura stood by the stand with her left hand on the Bible. She held up her right hand as the bailiff read off the beginning of the witness session.
"Do you swear to tell the truth, the only truth, and nothing but the truth?" the bailiff asked.
With a sincere answer, Sakura said, "I do,"
The bailiff went back to his seat beside Judge Toko. Sakura sat in a lady-like position and fixed her long pink hair, which was in waves that bounced off from her shoulders.
"The witness' testimony shall commence at this hour," Judge Toko slammed the gavel on the podium.
Sakura cleared her throat and looked around the room. She noticed that all of the pews were filled up by people she knew, and those she had never seen before; they were probably supporting Kaiya.
The room was quiet and all that could be audible was the ticking of the clock behind the audience. Sakura couldn't bear to look at the audience, nor her friends and family. Her freedom was on the line, charges of attempted homicide piled up against her reputation.
The teenage girl glanced at her parents who were right in front of her, near the right side of the room. Mrs. Haruno held her husband's hand as she looked at her daughter. For once, Sakura felt ashamed. Here she was, the daughter of a well-respected CEO of a company, testifying for her freedom because she became the number one suspect of who may have been the murderer, if the police have not come.
"Miss Haruno, shall you begin your testimony?" Judge Toko looked to his left side at Sakura.
"I still remember the day that this incident happened," Sakura immediately locked eyes with the prosecutor, Kaiya, who glared an evil look at her. She sat next to her lawyer, who was studying his papers.
"I didn't go to school that day so I told my mom to call the school attendance to say that I was sick. So, I stayed up in my room all day, but sometimes I would go out to my backyard to take a swim or just look at the flowers to take my mind off of things," Sakura testified as she looked at her friends.
Ino grinned at her and mouthed to Sakura, "You can do it."
Sakura then continued, "It wasn't until some time during that day that I was alone in my bedroom watching some television."
The girl took a peek at her parents, "My parents were off to go to a business dinner and so my mom told me that she baked me my favorite cookies and told me that if I was hungry, my dinner will be downstairs, and so my parents left."
Her heart was pounding and Sakura wiped a few beads of sweat from her neck. Sakura felt uncomfortable up on the stand. She felt as if she was vulnerable, and naked, in front of the audience. It's unpredictable of what will happen to her next.
"A few minutes later, I was flipping through some channels and at that time, there weren't any good shows left on except the latest breaking news. So, I turned off the television and just relaxed in my chair. I didn't notice anything until I looked at the television's reflection and saw someone behind me," Sakura paused shortly and Kaiya looked up at Sakura.
"The person was in my room for quite a long time and I didn't notice. I didn't know who it was, and the person was dressed in black with a hood over its face, so I didn't get a clear view of whom it might be. I started toward my balcony and that was when…" Sakura's voice was trailed off when she looked at Kaiya.
Kaiya had a deceiving look on her face, as if she was waiting for Sakura to say her next few words. She did.
"…when the person made the first shot at me with the gun," Sakura said, "luckily, the bullet didn't hit me but the window. I started to make my way downstairs but I heard the phone ring," Sakura testified.
In front of the witness stand, Ino shivered under her clothes. Shikamaru leaned closer to her and put his arms around her, to comfort her. Ino remembered when she called Sakura on her cell phone and no one picked it up.
"By then, the person showed me who it was. It was Kaiya," Sakura pointed at the prosecutor, the audience momentarily looked at Kaiya, and then back at the witness.
"I went over to pick it up the phone but she knocked it out of my hand, so I ran down the stairs into the kitchen. I got out a knife and when she came close, I jabbed her in the side for defense and ran out. Sooner or later I found myself in my backyard and hid from her. And then I finally found myself falling into the pool. I felt…bullets bombing into the pool and I pulled myself together and got out of the pool. I was exhausted, and couldn't breathe. I couldn't think…I couldn't even speak," Sakura tried to push back her tears into her eyes.
The emotional testimony moved the audience, and some of the women pulled out some tissues.
"I started to run for the gate but all of a sudden, I felt everything go back. And when I woke up, I saw my friend Sasuke on the ground with Kaiya over him. She was about to choke him but I got up. I walked over to the gun that Kaiya dropped," Sakura could feel the tension in the room build up.
The clock was ticking softly in the distance, and the Judge and the audience listened attentively to what Sakura was saying.
Her lawyer was dressed in a sleek black suit with a white dress shirt and a navy blue tie. He had his suitcase out and placed his hands on the table and listened to his client's words. His hair was held back in a suave way and he had on his square rimmed glasses.
"When I went over to the gun, I picked it up. I was shaking all over my body…and then I shot Kaiya, to save Sasuke, I only did it in defense, and then from what I remembered, the police came and then arrested me, reading me my rights," Sakura concluded.
Sakura wiped a few tears from her eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm her self down.
"The prosecutor's lawyer may begin the questioning to the witness," Judge Toko proclaimed to the spectators.
Kaiya's lawyer got up from his seat and walked over to Sakura. He was garnished with a dark shade of brown suit with a gray tie that matched with his white shirt underneath. Sakura could notice some distinct vestiges of stubbles on his chin. He had his hair brushed back and he casually walked up to the witness stand in a gentleman-like manner.
He rested his arm on Sakura's podium and looked into her emerald green eyes to see if she was hiding anything.
"Miss Haruno, from what I have heard from you on the witness stand…I couldn't help but wonder, were you an enemy of the prosecutor?" Kaiya's lawyer questioned her.
Sakura's lawyer, Georgio Heero, shot up from his desk and called out to the Judge, "Objection, your honor. The question calls for inadmissible character evidence."
Judge Toko looked at Kaiya's lawyer, Silvio Mamoru.
"I apologize your Honor. I shall reword the clause," Mr. Mamoru continued to Sakura and asked her again, "Is it true that the relationship between the prosecutor and you was not pleasant at all?"
"She was my friend, and I respected her," Sakura leaned in to speak into the microphone that was before her.
"So, are you suggesting that since you respect her and you are a good friend of her, you would actually pull the trigger on my client?" Mr. Mamoru interrogated Sakura.
"Objection, Your Honor. The question is predisposed toward my client," Sakura's lawyer, Georgio Heero stated.
"Mr. Mamoru, will you proceed without any objections?" Judge Toko was getting irritated.
"I apologize. I will restate my question," Mr. Mamoru walked away from the stand trying to recollect his thoughts. He rubbed his chin and then rotated his body halfway to look at the witness.
"You say that you are a friend of my client," Mr. Mamoru walked over to her.
"Yes, I've known her for quite awhile," Sakura replied.
"Well, it seems to me that you have not mentioned my client's relationship with the man you tried to defend that night in your backyard," Mr. Mamoru hit a vein.
Sakura was confused at what Mr. Mamoru was aiming at. She looked at the prosecutor, and Kaiya leaned back smiling at her.
"Well…I felt that it was irrelevant to the matter of my testimony," Sakura defended.
"How is it not related? My client courted that young man over there over the summer of 2004 and from my records, you had a solid friendship with this young man, correct?" Mr. Mamoru pointed at Sakura in the audience and placed his arm over the podium.
His dark eyes were darting at Sakura, trying to squeeze any lies from her.
"Yes, that is true. But I…" Sakura was cut off by the interrogating lawyer.
"And since you have that friendship with the boy, there is a likely possibility that you may have feelings for this young man, is that accurate?" Mr. Mamoru asked Sakura the most embarrassing question, she had ever answered in public, in front of Sasuke, too.
Among the spectators, they whispered to each other. Sasuke, sitting near Sakura, blushed slightly and waited for her answer.
Sakura wished she could fast forward time. She did not want to answer the question, it was too humiliating. And the worst thing, was that she had to answer it in front of SASUKE.
"My feelings for Sasuke are personal, thank you very much," Sakura tried to dodge the question.
"All right, your 'personal' feelings. You had that type of feelings for Sasuke over the summer when you have full knowledge that he was courting with another girl. And is it true, that one afternoon, my client came over and rang on your doorbell, and then tried converse with you about the matter of your relationship with Sasuke?" Sakura realized what he was getting at.
"That is correct, but…" Sakura, again, was cut off by Mr. Mamoru.
"And so you two had a small talk and all of a sudden, you punched my client right in the face! Now, are you saying that you respect my client so much and are in a friendship with her, that you would dare to lay a hand on her? Please, Miss Haruno, tell me…is that what you define of a friendship?" Kaiya's lawyer questioned her.
"I…I…I did, but it was completely different because…"
"So, you CONFESS that you punched my client. Then from what I am comprehending from your statement, that punch was not out of a friendship, but merely from an outburst of jealousy because my client was dating the young man you had 'personal' feelings for," Mr. Mamoru replied.
Sakura tried to speak, but he continued, cutting her off, "And from that jealousy, are you addressing to me and the audience that from that jealousy, it grew into a dark hatred and soon it drove you to pull the trigger on my client that night in your backyard when you saw my client over the body of that young man you so have 'personal' feelings for?" Mr. Mamoru pushed Sakura into a corner.
"No! I did it for self-defense! Kaiya was about to kill Sasuke!" Sakura defended herself.
"Miss Haruno, did you or did you not pull the trigger to Kaiya knowing that it will result to her death?" Mr. Mamoru targeted her.
Sakura balled up her fists on her lap.
"Yes, but only for…"
"Then you confess that you shot my client, not to save yourself, but because of your jealousy when you found my client over Sasuke? That you committed a charge of attempted murder?" Mr. Mamoru satisfied Kaiya, as she calmly sat in her seat watching Sakura squirm in her seat.
"OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR. Mr. Mamoru is badgering the witness," Mr. Heero opposed Mr. Mamoru's questions.
Among the bystanders, one of Sakura's friends retrieved from her seats and shouted at the Judge, "SAKURA IS INNOCENT! KAIYA IS INSANE AND TRIED TO SHOOT AT HER!"
"YEAH! SAKURA IS INNOCENT, IT'S THAT FUCKING KAIYA WHO TRIED TO KILL HER," Naruto stood up for his friend.
"SAKURA SHOT AT HER FOR DEFENSE, ONLY FOR DEFENSE," Shikamaru pointed out the facts.
"I AGREE! KAIYA TRIED TO KILL HER, SHE IS GUILTY!" Ino answered in acquiesce.
"ORDER! ORDER! ORDER! I DEMAND ORDER!" Judge Toko pounded the gavel on his podium.
The crowd settled down as the Judge pounded the gavel.
"Objection is dismissed, Mr. Mamoru has a fine point to his questions, you may continue Mr. Mamoru," Judge Toko ignored Sakura's lawyer's pleas.
"Thank you, your Honor," Mr. Mamoru smiled and then focused his gaze on Sakura, "did you or did you not shoot at my client?"
Sakura was speechless and didn't want to answer.
"OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR. I call for a recess for my client," Mr. Heero got up from his seat, "It clearly states under the Second Amendment that my client, Miss Haruno Sakura has the right to bear arms!" He defended his client.
Mr. Mamoru grinned with an ominous tone. He continued to badger Sakura, "However, Mr. Heero, the Second Amendment DOES state the citizen can bear arms, HOWEVER, the weapon was not under Miss. Haruno's custody. She used the firearm of my client's and deliberately shot at her, when she had full acknowledgement that it would result in my client's death and that will send her to the charges of murder!"
"OBJECTION, YOUR HONOR!" Mr. Heero called out to the Judge.
Judge Toko ignored Sakura's lawyer, "Your objection is dismissed. Mr. Mamoru, conclude your questionings,"
Sakura knew she shot Kaiya, but she shot it for her own defense and to save Sasuke.
"SHE WAS GOING TO KILL SASUKE! WHAT WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO? LET HER KILL HIM?" Sakura burst out in tears.
"Did you confess that you shot my client?" Mr. Mamoru sternly asked her.
"YES, BUT I ONLY DID IT IN…" Sakura was interrupted.
"No further questionings your Honor," Mr. Mamoru walked off to his table where Kaiya was sitting.
"NO WAIT, YOU DIDN'T HEAR WHAT I JUST SAID!" Sakura got up from her seat.
"Miss Haruno, you are not allowed to speak to Mr. Mamoru, the questioning is terminated. You may go back to your seat beside Mr. Heero," Judge Toko said to Sakura.
Feeling helpless, Sakura got up and went back to her seat. Tears streamed down. Sakura knew she lost the case.
"Due to what has happened for the past half hour, this court is adjourned for a quick recess. The hearing will resume at 3:30 in the afternoon," Judge Toko announced as everyone got up for a break.
Sakura retrieved from her seat and got up and walked out of the courtroom. She went to the restroom to clear her mind and wipe off her trailing black marks from her mascara.
She went over to the bathroom sink and twisted the faucet to let the cold water spill from the spout. Sakura cupped her hands and filled her hands with water and rinsed her face. She washed her face a few times and wiped away her smudged mascara and gazed at the mirror.
She was a mess in the face. Her face was blotchy from her weeping, and her waves were falling into a straight line.
Sakura placed her arms on the counter and wet orbs fell from her face and dripped into the sink.
A few minutes later, Sakura heard a toilet flush in one of the stalls near her. Sakura looked at the mirror and saw Kaiya emerging from the bathroom stall, gazing at Sakura.
She turned around and turned the water off.
Kaiya, dressed in a purple blouse and black sequin skirt, smiled at Sakura. Her hair was straightened and her black heels clicked on the tile floor as she walked toward Sakura.
"It's a shame your lawyer couldn't help you," Kaiya purposely frowned.
Sakura stared at Kaiya, "What do you want with me?"
"We'll see," Kaiya headed toward the door, "by the way, you look like a total wreck, you might want to lighten up on the mascara and eyeliner, it makes you more of a slut than you are right now," her voice echoed as Kaiya went out of the restroom.
Sasuke saw Sakura come out of the restroom and went over to talk with her.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Sasuke noticed Sakura's eyes were puffy.
"I'm fine," Sakura lied.
"Hey…" Sasuke leaned his head toward Sakura, "come here," Sasuke opened his arms wide and Sakura inclined her body to receive a warm embrace from him.
She buried her face within his hug and held him tight.
"I'm innocent, Sasuke," she whispered within his hold of her.
"I know, I know," Sasuke ran his hands through her hair and kissed the top of her head, to comfort her.
Sakura closed her eyes and felt time pause. She felt safe in Sasuke's arms and didn't want to let go. It felt right.
"All rise as Judge Toko approaches the court room," the bailiff repeated his introduction to the bystanders.
Judge Toko arrived at his seat and the viewers sat down in unison.
"The court shall resume right now, may the next witness come up to the stand to testify," Judge Toko motioned Sasuke to go up to the witness stand.
Everyone except Sakura's supporters talked among each other referencing Sasuke as the one Sakura tried to defend.
Sasuke made his way up to the stand, and Kaiya's eyes followed him up to the seat next to the Judge.
"The witness Sasuke shall commence his testimony," the bailiff proclaimed.
Sasuke stood by the bailiff and listened to him as he read off his rights, "Do you swear to tell the truth, the only truth, and nothing but the truth?"
"I do," Sasuke answered.
The young man sat down and leaned toward the microphone, focusing his gaze on Sakura.
"To make my case short, I'll just say that I ran to Sakura's house and when I got to the front gate, I heard some screams and splashes in her backyard. I knew that instant that Kaiya got to her. So, I ran over and when I arrived, I saw Kaiya with the gun over Sakura. She was unconscious at the time, and was defenseless. When Kaiya pulled the trigger, I lunged toward her to aim it away from Sakura," Sasuke testified.
"And then we struggled for the gun. I didn't know that she was that strong. Sooner or later, I found her on top of me, and she bound my neck with her cold hands and tried to choke me, but then I felt her grip go lose on my neck. That was when I found out that Sakura was up and shot Kaiya, to save me," Sasuke concluded.
Sasuke gazed at Sakura, and smiled at her. Sakura smiled back at him.
"Mr. Heero, you may begin your questioning," Judge Toko allowed Sakura's lawyer.
Clearing his throat, Mr. Heero approached the witness stand.
"Mr. Uchiha, when you said that you were at my client's front gate, you heard some splashes and noises in the background, did you hear any bullets shoot in the background?" Mr. Heero questioned Sasuke.
"Yes, I heard five or maybe more. I didn't pay attention to the shots, all I was thinking was that I had to get to Sakura before she was killed by Kaiya," Sasuke replied calmly.
Mr. Heero adjusted himself and smiled, "Are you saying that when you were running to help…" he was cut off by Sasuke.
"I wasn't helping, I was rescuing my friend Sakura," Sasuke corrected him, hoping it would change the jury's mind.
"All right, when you arrived at my client's backyard, did you see her unconscious?" Mr. Heero asked.
"Yes," Sasuke answered.
"Where?"
Sasuke tilted his head toward the microphone, "She was on the ground,"
"And where was Miss Yamamoto Kaiya when my client was on the ground, unconscious?"
"She stood before her with the gun in her hand," Sasuke said.
"Now, let me clarify this. You actually saw, in your own eyes, Kaiya had a gun in her hands, and she was aiming it at Sakura, am I correct?" Mr. Heero smiled.
"Yes, Kaiya was going to shoot Sakura, that's why I went after her," Sasuke nodded his head in agreement.
"Now tell me this, Mr. Uchiha, when you were standing there watching Miss Yamamoto about to shoot Sakura, did you think to yourself what caused her to cause such an outbreak that would lead her to attempt to shoot at my client?"
"She's insane," Sasuke grinned at Kaiya, who shot him a glaring look.
"Objection, you honor. Mr. Heero's question lacks of foundation, there is no evidence of my client's supposed insanity," Mr. Mamoru stood up in defense of his client.
"Mr. Heero, do you have a point to his answer?" Judge Toko asked Sakura's lawyer.
"Yes, I do, your Honor," Mr. Heero bobbed his head in accord.
"Carry on, then," Judge Toko dismissed Mr. Mamoru's objection.
"And what makes you jump to the fact that Miss Yamamoto is insane?" Mr. Heero asked Sasuke.
"Well, I could tell by the way she's been acting. Whenever I would talk to her, she would seem to daydream and disconnect from our conversation, and other times, she would be missing at night, and one time came knocking at my friend Hinata's house. From what I've heard, Kaiya was biting her fingers, letting them bleed, and sir, I think that is insanity, PLUS, she tried to kill my friend," Sasuke expressed his words.
"Interesting, if you were a bystander from this situation and looking at everything in an objective lens, would you claim Miss Yamamoto insane?" Mr. Heero asked.
"Objection, your Honor. Counsel's question calls for irrelevant testimony," Mr. Mamoru stood up.
"Sit down, Mr. Mamoru," Judge Toko ordered him.
"Hell, yes," Sasuke answered.
"I have no more questions, your Honor," Mr. Heero walked back to his seat beside Sakura.
An hour passed by and the Judge dismissed the court hearing for a quick recess for the jury to decide the final verdict of Sakura and Kaiya.
Half an hour later passed by, and everyone sat down in their pews and listened as the Judge addressed to the viewers.
"The final verdict is," the Judge received a paper from the jury, "for the case 5197, the defendant Haruno Sakura is declared…"
Sakura sat in her seat closing her eyes. She kept her fingers crossed and prayed that she had won the case. All of her supporters were behind her holding each other's hands hoping the case will be overturned for Sakura's victory.
"…innocent, and the prosecutor Kaiya Yamamoto is claimed as insane and will be charged with attempt of murder," as the Judge announced the fate of the court, Sakura and everyone on her side shot up in joy and praise.
"WE DID IT! YOU DID IT SAKURA! YOU DID IT! YOU REALLY DID!" Sakura was showered with congratulations and applause from her friends.
"This case is dismissed," the Judge stroke his gavel onto the podium. The man stood up and pushed his chair and got off the podium. The bailiff followed him through the door.
Sakura was gleaming with relief. She was finally declared innocent above all the charges that were placed against her.
She turned to find Kaiya and try to see the look on her face.
Kaiya got up from her seat and shot a glaring look at Sakura who was among her throng of supporters and friends.
Sakura went from the crowd and walked over to Kaiya, fixing her gaze on the lavender-haired girl.
"This isn't over," Kaiya murmured as three police officers headed over to where the girls were and handcuffed Kaiya's hands, and then led her out of the court.
Sakura's emerald green eyes trailed Kaiya as she disappeared from the room. Ino and the rest of gang approached Sakura and joined her fixing their gaze on Kaiya. From behind her, Sasuke walked up beside the defendant and placed his hand on her left shoulder.
Feeling a weird sensation up her left arm, Sakura slowly turned her head to Sasuke.
Sasuke grinned at her and his black orbs shone with honesty and relief.
"It's over, Sakura," he whispered to her as he lifted his head to gaze at the doors.
Placing her hand over Sasuke's on her left shoulder, Sakura leaned into Sasuke and closed her eyes.
"It's finally over," she whispered.
A/N: That was a long and difficult chapter for me to write, it took me awhile. Anyway, I just came home from Forever 21 and you know those cute yellow bags that they give you to put your clothes in? They look like caution tape…anyway, I was bored and I was playing with the bag (don't ask) and guess what I saw on the bottom of the bag? It said John 3:16. Is Forever 21 secretly Christian? Well, In-n-Out has the verse John 3:16 on the bottom rim of their soda cups. Anyway, I, myself, am a Christian and by the looks of the store, I don't think Jesus would recommend girls wearing tube tops and up the ride pleated skirts. For me, even though I shop there, I tend to go to the modest section. Anyway, enough of my nonsense…please review!