Hello, everyone! This is the second chapter of my first every story! Hope you enjoy.
P.S. The chapters will get longer and more dramatic as I go along, so don't worry.
Judge Kay's eyes swept over the courtroom. He didn't stop to look at anyone with pity or disgust, much to Dumon's relief. Finally, he sat back, adjusted his glasses once more, and addressed the prosecution bench.
"Attorney for the prosecution, you may make your opening statement." Anna's fingers started typing like mad as Tori's lawyer; a young man with blue hair styled in a bowl-like cut, got to his feet and approached the jury. Dumon swallowed. This was Caswell Francis, well known already for his achievements. Dumon was very inexperienced at being a criminal lawyer, and when he'd found out he was going up against Caswell, he'd almost resigned. Almost.
The jury that Dumon was going to have to win over consisted mostly of ordinary, average citizens. There were, of course, the exceptions of Trey Arclight, a scientist prodigy, and Nelson Andrews, already a famous actor, but other than that- ordinary people. People that had known Tori to be a sweet girl and Nash to be a notorious bully. The other members of the jury were Flip Turner, Spencer Smith, Lotus Hanazoe, Cat Catherine, Art Stanley, and Carlyle Chesterton. Cat was a friend of Tori's; she'd be hard to convince. Spencer looked entirely too nervous; Flip and Lotus looked bored- what if they zoned out and missed what he was saying?- and Art and Carlyle were much too consumed with being annoyed that they had to sit with each other. This was going to be a long day.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the jury," Caswell started, "It is my job- no, it is my duty, to prove to you today that my client, Miss Tori Meadows, was brutally assaulted, in the most horrific way a young, innocent woman can be assaulted, on the evening of November 6 of the previous year. And, not only will I make it known, without doubt, to you that she was thus assaulted, I will also prove that the offender is the defendant sitting on the opposite of the room from you, Mr. Reginald Kastle!"
"Thank you, Mr. Francis," Judge Kay said, jotting something down on his paper. "Attorney for the defense, you may commence with your opening statement."
Taking a deep breath, Dumon got to his feet. Remember, you're doing this for Nash, he reminded himself. Dumon went and stood in front of the Jury's Bench until every one of them had their eyes on him. "Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I stand before you here today to prove that, not rape, but an assault just as offensive has been made on my own client, Mr. Reginald Kastle, and that is the assault on his honor and reputation. I will bring unquestionable evidence before you today that will convince you not only of Mr. Kastle's innocene, but of Miss Meadow's guilt!"
"Thank you, Mr. Kastle," Judge Kay said. There were quiet murmurs among the public viewers at the sound of his last name. Now they all knew that the accused was more than just his client. Dumon noticed that Judge Kay didn't jot anything down as he returned to his seat. Is that a good sign, or a bad sign? Dumon wondered.
"The court will now hear the testimony of witnesses," Bailiff Kaboom, well, boomed.