Chapter Three

Kono was putting earrings in when there was a energetic sounding knock at the door. Kono jumped at the sudden sound missing her piercing and stabbing herself with the earring.

"Every fucking time." Kono mumbled.

She walked to the door and opened it to find one of the girls from her Criminal law class, Mia.

"Hey!" Kono greeted and let the petite girl in.

"He… Woah. Where are you going so fancy?" Mia asked.

"Party."

"On a Wednesday!"

"Yeah, I don't have a choice though. Cath said I have to go,"

"Sometimes I think all you talk about is Cath,"

"Do not." Kono huffed.

"Okay what did you do this morning?"

"I had a conversation about drawing," Kono said triumphantly.

"With…"

"Cath…" Kono sighed.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you have a crush on her." Mia taunted.

"As if," Kono huffed a little too quickly, as she returned to putting in her earrings.

"Wait…" Mia elongated the word. "Do you?"

"What? No! Why would you say that?" Kono panicked.

"Kono chill," Mia giggled, "but I guess that answers that then,"

"Oh shut up," Kono grumbled

"I mean I had a feeling, so I would've figured it out anyway." Mia sat on the edge of Kono's bed.

"Hey, do you want to come to this party?" Kono changed the subject.

"Me. At a party. On a Wednesday. When there's homework to do! I don't think so."

"Jeez it was just a suggestion. These parties are boring by myself."

"You have Cath," Mia tauntingly elongated the "a" sound in "Cath".

"She doesn't tend to stick around very long at these parties."

After an hour of back and forth banter Kono finally convinced Mia to go to the party, reluctantly of course.

"Okay, so maybe you were right. That is the third time I've turned around and Cath has either disappeared or reappeared." Mia half whispered half yelled.

"I told you, it's weird." Kono replied and tried handing Mia a drink.

"Oh no. No, no, no. I did not come here to drink alcohol, I'm only here because you're manipulative and dragged me here." Mia huffed.

"Hey, you agreed. I did not drag you anywhere."

"Fine but if I don't finish my homework I'm blaming you."

"If it's that important to you we'll leave in an hour."

"Hey Kono," Cath said as she approached the pair, "Who's your friend?"

"Oh yeah, this is Mia she's in my law class, Mia this is Cath."

"It's nice to meet you," Mia said.

"Likewise," Cath said, "Can I get you a glass of wine?"

"Oh no thank you, I try not to drink during the week," Mia said.

"She's worried about homework," Kono teased.

"Of course," Cath laughed.

"It's a valid concern," Mia defended.

"Yes but this is a party, Mia," Cath said.

"I was manipulated into coming here I will not be manipulated into drinking anything," Mia countered.

"Suit yourself." Cath said

Staying true to her word, after an hour Kono and Mia left the party. As they were walking back to the dorms Mia said "You know if you wanted alone time with Cath I could've walked back alone."

"I don't… why would I… I give up," Kono stammered then groaned.

Mia chuckled at Kono's stammering, "You know the two of you would make a cute couple."

"From here on out I'm ignoring anything you say on the topic,"

"You're no fun,"

"And you're tormenting me," Kono countered.

"No! Okay… maybe just a little." Kono rolled her eyes at the statement. "In my own defense it's really fun to watch you squirm."

"You're so mean,"

"Yeah but you still love me,"

"Sure, sure, whatever you say." Kono said as they stopped in front of Mia's dorm room door.

"Alohomora," Mia said waving an imaginary wand at the door.

"You know that's never gonna work," Kono laughed

"Shhhhh, let me dream," Mia said as she dug her key out of her purse.

"Okay Hermione, good night." Kono said as she walked away.

"Good night."

Kono walked further down the hall to her own dorm, laughing and shaking her head at the excited mess that is her friend. Once in her dorm Kono sat at her desk and opened her laptop to start on her homework. She was assigned a court case and had to have a two-page theory of the case by tomorrow.

Upon opening the folder of information she found a few things the first being a photo of the defendant, crime scene photos, info on the defendant, info on the claimant (in this case it was the state of Hawaii), and a discovery list of evidence. The first page said:

Side - Defense

Client - Irene Henye

Crime - Murder, 1st degree

Along with a short description of the crime and victim.

"Uggghhh, this is not going to be easy," Kono mumbled to herself.

"What's not going to be easy." Cath said closing the door behind her, Kono jumped in her seat. "Oh sorry, did I scare you?" Cath giggled.

"Uh, no I don't know what you're talking about. I nat was scared," Kono defended.

"Whatever you say," Cath sat on her bed. "Anyways what's not going to be easy?"

"This homework assignment, I have to come up with a way to defend this client, but all the evidence points directly at her, there's no way she's innocent."

"The assignment is to defend the client not believe them when say they're innocent,"

"I guess you're right,"

"Why don't you plead self-defense,"

"Victim was unarmed,"

"Well does, did, the victim have four well working appendages,"

"Yeah, what does that…"

"Defending yourself against a punch or a kick is still self defense,"

"But the victim was shot, the, or should I say my, client had a gun the victim had nothing. I don't know about you but I wouldn't attempt to hit someone I knew had a firearm,"

"I mean I might but that's a different situation. I guess you're right then, but what if the weapon was concealed, only taken out after the client was threatened?"

"Plausible,"

"See that wasn't that hard,"

"I guess not. Thanks Cat," Kono said and after a beat added the "th" sound to the end after getting a death stare from Cath.

After a couple minutes of silence, Kono asked, "Can I ask you something?"

"You always have a question to ask,"

"Well, I know nothing about you, and we live together so I should at least know something,"

"You do know something. You know my name, my major, that I like to draw, and that I'm the president of a sorority."

"Okay, okay, maybe I do know something. But this is about life or what have you,"

"Okay whatever,"

"Really! Okay so you tend to disappear a lot at parties, why is that?"

"Oh, Um… well… I… do I have to answer that?" Cath stuttered.

"You agreed to,"

"No, I agreed to you asking me a question, not answering it,"

"Maybe you should be the one studying law,"

"Maybe,"

"Will you just answer the damn question."

"It's not that simple,"

"I'm not asking you to explain quantum physics, I'm asking why you disappear at parties,"

"It's not easy to explain,"

"At least try,"

"Kono…"

"Cath…" Kono mimicked, "Okay if you answer this I won't ask any more questions,"

"Can I opt for you asking me more questions?"

"Ugh, you frustrate me,"

"Is that a yes,"

"I'd rather you just answer the question,"

"Ugh. Fine but this might take awhile."