It was the day of mr. bolton's trial, I was really hesitated about whether I should go or not, but this time it involved me, I was the victim, and troy… maybe he would be there? I really hoped so! I just needed to see him, nothing more.
I called monica and told her I was going to court, she said 'are you sure?' I said 'yeah monica..' she said 'okay.. I will go with you..' I said 'thank you monica.. so much!' she said 'we are sisters gabby!' I said 'I love you!' she said 'I love you too..' then we hung up. I got dressed and got ready, then I kissed both my parents and left with monica. The whole way I didn't talk much, and when she did I would just force a smile, she knew how hurt I was, and how hard it would be to face mr. Bolton, and troy too…
When we finally got to court, I took a deep breath, then I went down from the car and walked slowly towards the court room, chad was waiting for us, he kissed monica and hugged me then the three of us entered the court room. We sat in the first seat we found, chad went to tell troy he was there, but then I found troy looking my way, I couldn't breathe, I almost drowned in his beautiful blue eyes, I missed him, I missed his touch, I missed his kiss, I missed the sense of safety he gave me!
I turned around a while later and faced the judge, but then I saw mr. Bolton behind the bars, I immediately looked away, I was still not ready to face him, because all I could remember was how cruel he was, how he never stopped hitting me even after I stopped fighting!
Suddenly I heard someone calling my name 'gabriella montez' I looked up and it was the judge calling me to the stand to testify! I looked at monica while panicing! I didn't want to do that! I didn't want to face mr. Bolton, or be the reason to put troy's father behind the bars, but I had to, it was the law. So I stood up and walked slowly towards the stand, barely breathing, I passed by troy and didn't even look his way, then I sat next to the judge. The lawyer came towards me and said 'how are you ms. Montez?' I said 'I am.. okay..' he said 'so what happened to your head?' I looked down trying to regain strength, but he repeated 'ms. Montez, please answer the question, what happened to your head?' I said 'I.. um.. my head was… hit against the street..' the lawyer said 'wow.. and your arm?' I took a deep breath and looked at the judge and said 'do I have to do this?' the judge said 'I am sorry ms. Montez, but yes you have to' I said ' I was beaten..' the lawyer said 'by who?' I was silent for a while, then he said 'ms. Montez!' I said 'by.. I was beaten by.. by mr. bolton' at that point I started crying. But the lawyer didn't stop, he said 'how?' I said 'I told you..' he said 'you told me about your head, but I need to know EXACTLY what happened..' I said barely managing to speak '2 months ago or more, I was taking a walk.. and i.. I passed by a bar..' the lawyer interrupted me and said 'a bar? Why?' I said 'it was on the way, I didn't go there on purpose!' he said 'okay.. then what?' I said 'as I was walking.. I found… I found mr. Bolton walking behind me.. I could see that… that he was drunk.. then.. then.. oh please don't make me do this! Please!' and I was crying hysterically! So the judge called for recess and monica ran towards me and hugged me while I was shaking!
I kept crying and crying, I just couldn't stop, then troy came and looked at me with such a tender look, then he told monica that he'd stay with me, he sat infront of me and said 'are you okay?' I nodded in refusal. He came closer to me and hugged me, I hugged him back but then I pulled back. He said 'gabriella.. just say the truth.. it's okay!' I said 'troy.. I can't.. I just can't' he said 'gabriella what if he goes out and does this again? To me? Or to monica?' I stared at him, whipped my tears and said 'okay troy.. I need to be alone please..' he said 'are you sure?' I nodded and he left. I cried for a little while but then the judge returned and the jury and the lawyer and we had to proceed.
The lawyer said 'okay ms. Montez, now tell me, after you found him walking behind you, what happened?' I said 'he.. he grabbed me from my hair, and pulled me back.. he.. he said bad words, and yelled at me a lot… then I tried to.. I tried to run but.. he was still holding my hair.. he slapped.. he slapped me twice.. then..' I took a deep breath and said 'then.. he pushed me to the ground.. and he kept kicking me and kicking me.. I screamed.. I even.. I begged him to let me go.. but he.. he wasn't listening to me! Then he sat over me.. and.. hit my head against the street.. and after that I don't know.. I don't know..' the lawyer said in a voice full of compassion 'ms. Montez, one last question.. what was he saying while he was hitting you?' I looked at troy, that would crush him! But he said 'it's okay..' I looked at monica who gave me a weak smile as if trying to give me strength, so I looked back at the floor and said 'he was blaming me for everything that has happened with him.. for putting him in jail.. for.. for the fact that.. the fact that troy hoped he would stay there.. for everything.. he blamed me for everything!' the lawyer said 'that is enough your honour, I am done with the witness' so I stood up, tried to walk but I was so dizzy and I was shaken up so I almost fell, but the lawyer caught me and told an officer to take me outside to rest.
Monica and chad came with me, monica sat next to me and kept talking to me but I wasn't answering, I was just shaking, she kept saying 'gabriella don't do this to me! Come on! Talk to me!' I still didn't answer. Chad ran back inside to call troy who came running, he bent on his knees infront of me, moved his hand along my face and said 'gabriella.. come on! Talk to me gabby! I am right here! I hear you gabby.. talk to me..' I looked at his eyes, and he stared at me and smiled, then I said 'you don't hear me.. not anymore..' then I told monica I wanted to go home, she helped me walk until we got to the car. Then she kissed chad and drove me home, I wasn't talking, but out of nowhere I started weeping! She said 'gabby.. come on girl! Stay strong!' I just kept crying so she pulled over and hugged me until I let it all out.