Chapter 14

A/N: A bit rusty, but I promise this time there will be more to come. Thanks for reading.

The crowd in the courtroom continued to clamor with their own comments and opinions upon discovering the relationship between Serah and I – some whispering while others yelled out obscene insults. I even heard a woman scream, "She should be the one put on trial!" Her large and sausage-like index finger pointed accusatorily towards me as if I were some lowball rapist let loose. The disruption lasted for about a minute before a voice rang out louder than all the rest.

"Oi!" A woman cried out over the white noise. It was undeniably, Fang's. "Shut it! This is Snow's trial! In case you all caught amnesia, he's the one who attacked Lightning first! Just let the trial continue already!"

I turned around to see Fang and Vanille seated at the very back of the courtroom near the large entrance where two security guards stood. I didn't know they would come the second day in a row, and was surprised. The two male officers glared at Fang, but were smart enough not to engage in a scuffle with her.

Vanille looked nervously around, but she later wore a resolute expression on her face – a newfound strength infectious from Fang. She and Fang looked ready to back us up to the death – I respected the hell out of them for doing so openly and willingly because the crowd looked ready to pummel anyone on our side. Although, most glared menacingly in my direction, in particular, vilifying me for taking advantage of my little sister. In their own twisted, self-righteous minds, I was the predator and Serah was the prey. Snow, he was just forgotten completely once my relationship with Serah was brought to the light.

A pretty, older woman looked ready to spit in my face from across the aisle, and so did her husband beside her. "Absolutely deplorable," I heard her hiss in her husband's ear.

The husband sniffed and replied, "Your own sister. Monstrous."

I wanted to cry, but my body no longer reacted in such a weak manner. Besides, I knew better than to let vapid words hurt me – accusations untrue no matter how many believed it or willed it so. I turned around to see Fang half-standing, looking ready to beat all the naysayers up, but Vanille held onto her arm pleadingly trying to placate the situation.

I heard a sniffle beside me and Serah's head was hanging low in shame and embarrassment. She sat tense with her arms stuck to her side as if wanting to disappear from everyone's sight. Our lawyer beside us was still wiping his rectangular glasses, thinking deeply about his next move. The plain look on his face did not make me feel safe – most likely, he knew he was defeated. Throughout all this, the video of Serah and I sharing a kiss kept looping on the television screen in front of everyone, egging on their vicious behavior.

Mr. Vane readjusted his tie and made eye contact with me. I don't know what his problem with me was, maybe it wasn't personal and I was just another victim in his long string of victories, but, oh, how I wanted to throttle his neck for playing the devil in this makeshift hell.

"Order! Order!" the Judge banged his gavel repeatedly. The arms of his robe flapping madly as he did so. The security officer stepped forward and everyone immediately hushed.

Snow looked unperturbed by it all, and I was beginning to grow annoyed at how easily it was for him to ignore all the chaos ensuing before him as if it were just another normal day. Mr. Vane sat back down beside him and placed a confident hand on Snow's shoulder. He said something to him and I tried to read his lips. It looked as if he was saying, 'We are going to win this.'

Snow didn't respond. He only looked at Mr. Vane with a blank stare and sighed tiredly.

But a sniffle brought me out of my focus and I realized Serah was trying her best not to burst out in tears. I laid a discreet hand on her knee and she turned her misty eyes towards me.

"I'm sorry, Claire. I hate being so weak," Serah softly said, and wiped a finger wearily under her eye.

I gave her a comforting smile, but was afraid to meet her gaze for too long because we were surrounded by a mob out for our necks, well, for my neck mostly because apparently I had become a sick monster in their eyes.

The tension in the courtroom was thick and heavy with muddled anxiety and unbridled anger. Not only was I feeling the oppressive atmosphere, but the Judge had sensed it also and announced, "The courtroom will take a brief recess and will commence in an hour." He banged his trusty gavel once and just like that, it was a free-for-all.

I was afraid to move, to even move my eyes from their forward positon. Luckily, Fang and Vanille had come up to me and guarded me from vicious stares and basically people cracking their knuckles wanting a piece of me. Of course, I could have taken them all on, but that would only worsen the situation and my already tarnished image.

"Oi, what a shitstorm!" Was, of course, the first sentence out of Fang's mouth. I touched Serah's arm to gesture towards the door. I wanted to get out of the damn room, if even for a moment. Serah understood, and we, as a group, made our way out of the courtroom together. Fang and Vanille escorted us by standing on either side, blocking anyone from any attempted attacks or stares. One bold man called out to us as we exited, "Are we just going to let her walk out with the girl without security? She's been sexually abusing her for Maker's sake!"

I cringed at the comment. Sexually abusing? Is that man off his nut? But it wasn't just the one man. It appeared the whole crowd agreed with his statement. As I made my way down the aisle, I could feel daggers in my back – such palpable hate from total strangers who didn't even give me a chance to tell my side of the story. It was madness, but reality.

Fang shook her fist at the man whom I never looked at. "Sexual abuse? You folks are really clueless!"

Serah turned around and opened her mouth to speak, but I stopped her. There was no need for her to justify anything, for either of us to add fuel to a fire which should have never existed. Even if she did speak up on my behalf, they'd only twist into something ugly again and suggest I had blackmailed her to do so if ever the situation arose.

The problem had gone from bad to worse, and I could think about over and over again was how awful it would be for me to go to jail and leave Serah all alone. To think, Snow might even be set free at this rate. I desperately needed to come up with a plan, but my mind was foggy with bewilderment at how quickly my life turned into a poorly-written soap opera. Once out of earshot and prying eyes, Serah stood close to me and I embraced her in a long hug. It was wrong to feel safe to hold each other only away from others (except for Fang and Vanille) but it was what it was. "I'm sorry, Claire," Serah mumbled into the crook of my neck.

I hushed her gently. "Stop apologizing."

"But," Serah choked. "But everyone is blaming you for something we both wanted. I think I wanted us to be together even more than you did." Serah clung onto me tighter as if afraid I'd be taken away from her.

"Impossible," I reply, with a small smile. "Stop worrying and please, stop crying, I'll find a way to get us out of this ridiculousness." I leaned in about to kiss her, but was stopped by images of malicious stares of disapproval flashing in my mind. I shook my head, trying to forget the awful comments said back in the courtroom. I couldn't be starting to believe all their ilk was I? No, I was no monster. I loved Serah, truly and genuinely. How could something so honest be seen in such a negative light?

But still, I paused, unable to touch my lips upon hers.

Serah closed the gap I left between us, and kissed me, softly but somewhat urgently.
Fang and Vanille turned away, but they spotted my hesitation and looked worried amongst themselves at what the crowd's influence might have had on me.

Surely, I couldn't be so weak?

"Claire, I love you. Please, don't ever doubt that," Serah breathed, and her short, warm breaths tickled my lips.

I gave her a lingering kiss on her forehead and said, "I know," and believed it.