Charlie meets up with Franklin and Violet Sunday afternoon at the park.
"Aye Chuck, whassup," Franklin greeted.
"You tell me."
"Charlie, how've you been?"
"Once Schroeder gets here, we'll explain it, bruh."
"I signed us up for the talent show, but nah, how are you, Violet… how's things going?"
"It's not really all that great, my mom is drinking more," she played with her hair, "if that's even possible. I just… I can't even stay in my room most of the time. Our business is tanking…"
A car horn blew, cutting violet off.
"There they are."
"Hey whassup, Franklin," Schroeder greeted.
"Bro, you signed us up, you think we're ready?"
"Of course."
"Charlie… yeah, allow me to apologize about last night," Linus grieved.
"Lucy ripped you a new one, didn't she," Charlie laughed.
"It was actually nice listening to somebody else's drama for once. Sorry Charlie."
"I wasn't bothered , not as much as she was."
"What are yall talking about," Franklin raised an eyebrow.
"Last night, Lucy lost her shit," Violet started.
"Because I pushed Rerun off on them, so me and Patty could have our… conjugal."
"Man, just say yall was fuckin!"
"She was so mad!"
"Yeah, she was, but it worked out. We just dragged Rerun with us on a date."
"Where the three of yall ran in to Trish and Marcie, and beat two bitches up," Violet laughed.
"Wait… what," Linus blurted.
"Who beat up two bitches?"
"Oh, uh, those cheerleaders," Charlie snapped his fingers, "Brittany and Heather… what?"
The guys just stare.
"I warned her, but did she listen; no."
"How come you didn't tell me any of this, Babe?"
"Probably because I… ah dunno… slept in my car, and woke up to meth heads or something trying to get in my car."
"That's harsh, Violet, was it because of your mom?"
"Yeah, everything is going to shit, investors are pulling out, we're losing contracts, Linus. My mom is like a complete drunk, I'm kinda tired of trying to be some virtue signaling hero, or whatever. I have been making some money off YouTube."
"I'm sorry it's been so hard for you and Franklin, there has to be some sort of silver lining."
"That's just like you, bruh."
"Yep, that's our good 'ol Charlie Brown," Schroeder added.
"The court date is tomorrow, Franklin, me, and Trish's dad are witnesses. My mom is going to be there."
"So you seem to be more concerned about Gray Industries, than I would've thought."
"I didn't think I would care, even if me and my mom are set, I don't know why it bothers me… all of this, Schroeder."
"It's all setting in, Violet, all coming to realized acceptance," Linus theorized.
"I know, and I be worrying about her going in to panic attacks, when I'm not around," he hugged her.
"Hey, be strong, you can't fall apart, if she does, gotta try and keep a cool head," Charlie placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I know, man, I just worry when we aren't together, since it ain't really safe for her at home."
"Hopefully after the trial tomorrow, it'll get better. What you can do, is try and go file to be emancipated, since you're old enough, and you have enough money, all you'd need is a job to supplement your income," Schroeder mused.
"That's brilliant, Schroeder," Linus blurted.
"Actually I think I might try that," she calmed down.
"We all got your back, help how we can."
"Thanks Charlie," she hugged him.
"So I gotta ask, Charlie; was my choices last night really cock-blocking?"
"Really, Linus… it wasn't even like that. We're taking our time, baby steps. We kinda did what we sat out to do."
"She didn't try to jump your bones after you and Molly were flirting?"
"What. The. Hell, Charlie, you know how jealous my sister is?!"
"Dude, you forget her obsession with me?!"
"I didn't flirt with Molly!"
"I know, but I heard she flirted with you being so sweet, and tipping her a twenty," she teased matter-of-factly.
"She seemed to be having it rough, that's all."
"Don't tell Frieda I said this, but Molly is kinda cute, if you can catch her smiling. I love my Frieda, though."
"Nice save, ninja," Franklin rolled his eyes.
"I'm not the one buying her attention."
Linus snorted.
"You guys are so goofy together," she laughed.
"All rise for the judge," ordered the Bailiff, "be seated."
"We're here today in the case of James Gray versus Franklin Johnson and the city. James Gray has been charged with hate crimes, assault, and destruction of property. We'll start with you; Mr. Clark.
"Thank you, your honor," he stood, "people of the court… jury; we've compiled evidence via social media, security footage, and eye witness accounts. Now before I show exhibit a, I must conclude that we went through cell phone footage by time stamps compared to the security footage, to expedite the process without going through several videos."
James fumed in his chair, embarrassed to be seen shackled in a jail uniform.
The prosecutor played the collection of cell phone footage, James watched himself intently with his lawyer, feeling the occasional glances at him, a few faint gasp could be heard while they watch the scene unfold in several angles.
"There's nothing wrong here, he did what he had to do to rescue our daughter," Heather blurted.
"Mrs. Gray, please be quiet," the judge ordered.
"As you can see; Franklin did not put up a fight, nor impede James, you can hear Franklin plead with him. The next footage is the CCTV from the gas station; exhibit b."
Everyone watched Franklin get chased to the gas station by James, they watched him step out of his car and pull Franklin from his, as patrons start paying attention.
"I'll stop here where the earliest cell phone footage began recording."
Mr. Gray, this is heinous, it doesn't bode well for you," the judge spoke.
"At this time, I would like to call the Principle to the stand, to talk us through this next piece of evidence, as he was witness to James behavior prior to, and what lead up to the gas station altercation."
The principle takes the stand explaining the camera footage, how shortly after the news reporters left, James stormed in the school, demanding to pick up Violet how he didn't think it was safe to release her with his angered state, arguing with him, before answering his phone, to whom he found out through later footage was Heather. He and Mr. Clark went through a play-by-play of Violet and her friends running to the parking lot, to their cars.
Franklin replaced the principle, explaining in better detail how they found out her dad was at the school, in a manic state, freaking out, his classmates described, looking for Violet, angry about the news interview. How Violet crawled in to Charlie's car from his, how his friends slowed traffic, impeding James, how her mother tried to run him off the road, that they feared for her safety because of prior altercations with her father.
"If I may present my next evidence, Violets voice recordings that lead up to this moment?"
"You may proceed."
Clark plays what Violet recorded after their first date, and subsequent recordings involving James, that anyone not under a rock is probably familiar with.
"This isn't some localized issue, this has been building up."
"She's blowing this out of proportion, Judge; all she had to do was not date that criminal. It's not that serious!"
"Heather; your not helping," James snapped.
"Mrs. Gray! Keep your mouth shut, or you'll be held in contempt!"
"Mr. Johnson, what kind of student are you?"
"A good one. I got decent grades, turn in my homework, never cheated on a test."
"What about outside of academics?"
"Like what?"
"Socializing with students and teachers, behavior… those things."
"I try to be cool with everybody, never had a fight, got more friends than I could probably ask for. I don't cause teachers undo stress, try not to be late to classes, this is the first time I've ever missed school, other than being sick."
"What is your relationship with Violet and how did that come to be?"
"She's my girlfriend. We weren't really close at first given her feelings towards a close friend of mine, being not so kind. But I think she helped my friend get with her friend that was also unsavory to him, but he forgave her. A friend of hers asked me to get to know her better, saying she isn't like she appears, that being a front pushed on her, by her parents, thinking she was lonely since breaking up with her boyfriend. So out of reluctance and pressure gave it a shot, found out who she really was, pushed her to be herself more, and not this… advertisement for her parents. The first time we met at her parents, we were having fun in the theater, and-"
"By having fun, what do you mean," Clark interrupted.
