Thirteen

The whispers followed Jessie round school the whole of the next day.

"I heard she was burnt in a house fire."

"No it was definitely an iron that's caused the burns on her arms."

"I heard her mum died and that's when they found out she'd been abused."

"no I heard her mum was going on trial for GBH towards her."

"it was her brother. I mean why else would he not be at school."

Jessie glared at the five girls who she'd just walked past and were clearly talking about her. Rick was by her side and Elektra was rolling up her blazer ready to beat them up. Jessie rested her hands on her arms. "leave them. Let them stew it over. Maybe then they will come up with the real reason," Jessie mumbled.

Elektra raised her eyebrows. "yeah like the real truth is so easy to work out," she said sarcastically. Rick and Jessie laughed. There was a sudden hush on the playground. Rick, Elektra and Jessie all spun round to see what had happened. A police car had appeared at the school gates. Jessie suddenly felt Rick and Elektra holding her arms very tightly. They had spotted what Jessie hadn't. Josh being escorted across the playground with a policeman. Jessie finally spotted it. She thought about running towards him but stopped herself. Rick and Elektra were both quite a bit stronger than her and it might affect Josh's case if she ran at him.

Josh was refusing to look at them. He'd spotted them and wanted to talk to them but he was only at school to pick up his school work and then he was off to a temporary holding prison before his trial. He'd noticed the looks he'd caught too. He had wondered why he couldn't just stay in the car but then it had occurred to him there was only one policeman escorting him to the temporary prison so he'd had to get out with them. He walked into his form room, surprising himself that he remembered the way. Mr Crowhurst looked up as he entered. "oh yes Josh. You need work don't you?" he said. 11J started filing into the classroom as he was searching in his drawers for the work his teacher had set him. Jessie, Frank and Rick walked in last. Frank clapped a hand on Josh's shoulder.

"alright mate?" he asked, knowing full well he wasn't. Rick smiled at him while Jessie dithered behind him. The policeman was tensed to pounce but Jessie decided to throw caution to the wind and jumped on her brother and gave him a hug.

"I love you," she managed to breath in his ear before the policeman had wrestled her off him. Josh mouthed 'I love you too' towards her. She was shoved towards her desk but she didn't care. She'd seen him again and he was still ok. She slumped in her chair next to Sophie and stuck her legs on to the top of her desk and just watched Mr Crowhurst stumble around trying to find Josh's work. Rick, who was sat behind Jessie, leaned towards her.

"nice one Jessie," Rick whispered. Jessie turned and smiled at him and Frank. Josh had finally been given his work and both were leaving the class. Mr Crowhurst turned back to the class.

"Ok then, let's do the register," Mr Crowhurst started as about a dozen hands shot into the air. He sighed. "And no you can't know why Josh has been arrested." Sophie kept her arm up.

"In that case Sir, I won't ask you. Jessie, why has your brother been arrested and Rick and Frank why has Josh been arrested?" Sophie asked cheekily. Jessie laughed loudly and shook her head. Rick just shook his head while Frank just smirked.

"No chance Sophie but good attempt," Jessie said laughing. The door of their form room opened again.

"Sorry Mr Crowhurst can I borrow Jessica please?" Mrs Jane, the receptionist said. "The headmaster wants to see her." Mr Crowhurst nodded and Jessie paled. She hadn't yet met the school's headmaster but it can't be for any good reason why she was being told to meet him now. She dropped her legs off the table, grabbed her bag and followed Mrs Jane towards the headteacher's office. Mrs Jane was talking to herself.

"Are you alright Mrs Jane?" Jessie asked when the muttering got more violent. Mrs Jane nodded and indicated that Jessie should sit on one of the blue chairs they had reached. Jessie glanced at the door she was stood in front of. 'Mr Daniel Morgan, Headteacher' a gold plaque on the front read. Jessie swallowed hard and sat down while Mrs Jane entered the room. Jessie stared hard at the wall opposite hoping it would move and swallow her up. She double checked her school uniform. As usual it was immaculate which was a relief to her. Mrs Jane tottered out and down the corridor. Jessie waited for the words she was dreading.

"Jessica can you come in please?" a kind voice called out. Jessie stood up and walked through the door. Sat behind a mahogany desk was a young man around 25 years of age, with floppy blonde hair. Her headteacher. Jessie was shocked that their headteacher was so young. "Please sit down," he said indicating the chair in front of his desk. Jessie sat down and waited for him to continue. "firstly welcome to Lakemead school. I hope you are settling in alright," he started. Jessie nodded. "good. Pleased to hear it. Now the police came in today as you probably saw. They came and had a bit of a discussion with me about your brother's trial. Now you are a witness for the defence of your brother but also could be called up by the prosecution to witness against him. We have to prepare you for this as it may happen. The date of the trial has been set for two days from now and you will have the whole day off school to attend it. If the prosecution do call you as a witness, you have no choice but to stand trial and answer their questions truthfully. As a witness for the prosecution you do run the risk of having your words twisted but when you are a defence witness you will be able to tell your side. We can't make any promises about what will happen to Josh, I'm afraid." Mr Morgan leaned forward. "I'm really sorry Jessica. I wish there was more we could do but there isn't." Jessie nodded. "ok, you may go. It was lovely to meet you," he said. Jessie shook his hand and smiled as she left the room. So she was going to have to stand up in court. Well maybe she could save her brother.

A/N: The next chapter will be the trial. I'm still deciding what to do about the next chapter. I'm hoping it will be accurate so will have to do some research. Indigo :)