Page 10

CASSIE

I don't know how to feel. I knew this day was coming for at least two weeks now. But I still wasn’t prepared for the storm of emotions April 1st would actually bring me. The air was thick and ice cold, making it feel oppressive. The smell of dark roasted coffee mixed with the sounds of the faint hum coming from the old ventilation system filled the air.

Somehow, this time being here, in this courtroom, felt so much more nerve-wracking. Maybe it was because shit was getting really real or because I had no prior knowledge of what Manon truly had prepared. I mean, of course, I already know without a doubt that she’s the best lawyer there is, but we really haven’t spoken in practically a week.

Besides a quick “good morning,” “hey, how are you?” or “see you later,” we haven’t talked at all. I knew she was working hard, but shit, being left in the dark made me feel vulnerable.

And it didn’t help that the zombie-like men that filled the chairs seated at the plaintiff’s table, looked like they stepped straight out of a suit catalog. They were sharp, eyes dull and passionless as their briefcases sat in front of them like robots.

Blue Wheels didn’t come to play, and I was just hoping Manon didn’t either.

I couldn’t help but focus on one out of the four statues. He was the tallest out of them all and the only one willing to make eye contact. I mean, I wasn't trying to, but when I glanced over his salt and pepper slicked back hair and saw that his eyes were already on mine, I couldn't look away. He looked like a villain, his sadistic smirk sat low and faint in a way that made him look almost scary.

The others looked too busy typing away or flipping through sheets of paper to even care that I was there. But he looked like he was waiting for me to look him in the eye like he was meant to sit there and make me uncomfortable.

If that was his job, then he needed a raise because I was squirming. Manon wasn’t focused on if my knee was bouncing. This time she seemed zoned in, which was hot, but at the same time, only scared me more. Manon never humored my jokes in court, but now she was adamant. I didn’t even try to push my luck. I would just have to avoid his gaze, because every time I caught sight of it I wanted to knee Manon with all my might so that she could see the kind of stare off I was facing.

It had only been about twenty minutes since we arrived, but it felt like it had been hours that passed. The mundane corporate office-style noise from chairs scraping to pages being flipped, couldn't have been any more boring.

But as much as I wanted to get lost and doze off, I couldn't. I was hyper-aware of any and every minuscule movement in the room that there was no space in my mind for daydreaming.

I was present and aware of my surroundings just like the security cameras watching from every angle. I may have felt left out or behind in other aspects, but I was going to be mentally ten steps ahead of everyone else who was here.

I shifted my focus from Slender Man and back to Manon. Her face was being swallowed up by the stack of papers in front of her. She must know something that I don’t, because this was triple the amount of papers we had printed compared to the Reddit comments I brought in. I was losing my mind, nervous, just ready to pull my hair out while she seemed as chill as a cucumber.

Almost as calm as she did when we were playing Truth or Sip . Even when I asked her questions that pushed her boundaries, she didn’t sweat. Manon never even let her skin glisten. Like the men next to her didn’t arise any type of emotions from her. If it wasn’t for her beauty, she could very well blend into the rest of them.

I guess this is why she was the lawyer and not the defendant, because I was suffering. Falling apart even, and that she couldn’t tell. And the possible serial killer that sat feet away from us looked like he was reading me like the back of his hand. Like he had seen many others like me, and he was ready to squash me like he did them.

I was just another meaningless little blimp in the sky that he had his eyes set on. But I could read them too, and I didn't need to hear them speak once to know that they were just a group of mansplaining adult-children. Anyone who had the audacity to talk about what they were planning on eating later right before trying to tear down someone's life, while they’re in the room, was beyond me.

They had a special kind of disconnect that only men like them could relate to. It was the corporate White man logic that mentally allowed them to do some of the foulest things you’d ever see, then go to their kids open house on a school night like it was nothing. I had seen it before plenty of times, from childhood to my riders on Startrips, they were all the same. Whether that meant lying to your wife of ten years about the business convention you were supposed to be at, just so you could clock into your second shift at your other household. Or to the men who worked for huge name-brand companies as if they were the ones who had founded them—they were all the same. Ruthless, egotistical, and self-centered.

Which is exactly what I should’ve expected to see from a company as fucked as Blue Wheels. They were a powerhouse with a team of thousands. I felt foolish for even putting Manon in such a position where she could be destroyed. Although, she didn’t seem like she was affected by their energy. But I was, which was more than enough for the both of us.

“Blue Wheels Incorporated vs. Cassandra Deacon” the courtroom clerk announced. I hardly noticed her standing in the corner. But her deep voice carried across the room.

Just then, the back door opened. Causing a sudden silence to spread across the room. Before, everyone was whispering under their breaths, but now you could hear a pin drop. Even the four robots sitting to my left stopped typing, it was like an unspoken rule that seemed like everyone understood.

Suddenly everyone’s chairs began scraping against the floors in a frantic rush to rise to their feet.

Judge Hickerson walked in.

His black robe flowed in the artificial breeze like some ominous cape, and within seconds the energy in the room shifted. If it was thick and cold before, the pressure was suffocating now.

He looked like it was like any other day at work. Calm but tired, almost a little bit bored. He huffed with each step as if our case was a waste of his time.

I guess it probably was. Judge Hickerson looked as if he was in his early 60s with his nearly all-white but perfectly styled hair. He wasn’t new to this; our case was probably a walk in the park compared to the ones he’s experienced in his career.

Which doesn’t do much for the person who’s at fault, when he’s seen thousands like just like me. The number of cases he’s had to deal with reckless low-life drivers like me versus huge companies was probably countless. I guessed he would zone out halfway through the pre-trial before we even got the chance to speak because he had already mentally decided who he believed. I even wondered how many of the Blue Wheels’ cases he had dealt with in the past— if any.

When we sat back down, the gavel struck. Its loud and abrupt sound demanded attention, and everyone in the room was all ears. My eyes wavered, not being able to focus on a single thing. I was getting the overwhelming feeling of uneasiness, as if everything was up in the air and I had no idea where it was going to land.

I was just holding my arms out blindly, with Manon leading the way.

Judge Hickerson cleared his throat before speaking up.

“This court is now in session.”

My heart thumped, and the feeling echoed like the beat of a drum. My fingers tensed in my lap as I felt my composure become under attack. I was grateful I decided on letting my hair hang loose as my temples were already starting to tighten from stress.

That single sentence sent chills through my body. Everyone in the room suddenly seemed more on edge or focused. Even Manon’s spine straightened as her pen floated, just barely grazing above her paper.

I couldn’t even push myself to look over at Blue Wheels’ team, already feeling the same dark soulless pair of eyes staring back at me. But I didn’t need to move to know that most of their smug expressions had washed away and were replaced with something less nerving and more innocently inviting. I knew they wouldn’t let their true selves show in front of the person who it mattered too.

It was like the bad kid who acted nice when the adults were around, openly, to make you look even crazier.

So, this is where the games started.

Judges' eyes moved slowly like a spotlight shining from above, everyone followed it with ease. Until, for only a few seconds, the invisible light landed on me. He was publicly reading me, during the arraignment he didn’t care much for how anyone looked. He was just rushing through the long list of case numbers he had to get through.

Today, I wasn’t prepared for him to take his time. My hips swiveled, as I readjusted myself under his scrutiny. I was suddenly feeling hyper aware of my outfit choice. Feeling grateful that Manon left one of her black suits laid out on the couch for me to wear. It was a silent and passive way of telling me to not fuck this one up. And for once, I one hundred percent agreed.

It wasn’t personal, but this wasn’t the time to act or look like I belonged on the center stage. That didn’t mean shove my now pastel pink hair into a low tight nit bun to act like someone I wasn't. That just meant I needed to look clean and presentable, which I could manage. At least I hoped my slicked-down middle part with delicate pink curls looked better than last time.

I didn’t need my appearance to be the reason this whole thing went left.

When his eyes finally left mine the silence that followed was almost unbearable. It reminded me of when I spoke to Manon for the first time. The cold, shallow judgement was something they both possessed, for good reason. I was the alleged person at fault and just like before it was time for me to prove myself.

The only thing I had going for me this time was Manon, and even though we were on awkward terms right now—from my own doing, of course. I still had this deep-rooted feeling she was going to come through.

She somehow seemed so calm and composed, like she was unbothered by the same exact things that were tearing me apart. The silence, the stares, it was like none of it existed to her. She sat next to me like she had done this a thousand times before, and she was ready to do it again.

Meanwhile, I felt exposed. Like everyone could see right through me. As if my weaknesses and insecurities were floating above my head on display for everyone in the room to dissect.

The weight of the silence created an ominous way of telling me the game had just begun, and there was no escaping it now.

***

Blue Wheels started out strong.

Their team was great, just as both Manon and I anticipated them to be. They were as dry as a cold cut turkey. Coming in hot, the second they got the chance to speak. The man from earlier that I presumed to be the lead attorney, his name turned out to be Nick Leed. Right after identifying ourselves for the record, he arose from his seat almost immediately, to motion for summary judgment.

He was making the argument that the facts of the case were so crystal clear that there was no need for a trial and that it would be a waste of everyone's time. Especially Judge Hickerson.

It was bullshit.

When Manon explained to me what was happening, via paper, my face scrunched up in disgust. They were dismissing me as if I wasn’t even here.

But Judge Hickerson waved them off while scribbling away at some papers.

“And how would you understand what would be a waste of my time?”

When his gaze glanced up to look him in the eyes as he spoke, I wanted to gasp. But I refrained, clamping my lips shut as I watched every ounce of color drain from Nick’s face. He was sweating.

It felt like instant karma, but I chose to keep a stone-cold face. Because if that was any fare warning, I was going to be next. I didn’t have a quarter of the talent or work ethic of any of the people in this room and the Blue Wheels attorney was immediately being shot down.

Holy shit. I was shit out of luck.

I wanted to smile at the fact that they were almost instantaneously getting what they deserved. But I was also so scared I would be the next target, that I was numbed to the point of silence.

But it was nice to see him shake and watch for a second as his ego falters. Even the rest of their team of associates, and paralegal didn’t seem to expect that type of reaction. They all froze so suddenly, giving each other quick glances of what looked like apprehension.

In fact, they didn’t look like they were prepared for this to go any further at all. They moved like they were expecting this to be over just like that. As if it was their word against nobody else. Because when Judge Hickerson broke the awkward silence by immediately asking them to begin their brief argument, they looked puzzled.

I almost wanted to scream.

Their egos, and privilege were beginning to show. Clearly, they had gotten on Judge’s bad side. There was obvious tension building in the room, and it was starting to unveil everything that I had already known.

When he rose to the stand he stumbled, like I would. Clearing his throat to try and buy himself time, he even readjusted the front of his suit as if it would fix the crack in the glass bubble of his image.

“Your Ho-onor,” his voice cracked.

I would hit Manon’s thigh like a punching bag if I could. He was bombing it before he could even begin. On the outside, I remained emotionless and composed, as if my head wasn’t spinning out of control.

He fidgeted with the corner of his paper before continuing,

“Like I said before, the facts are undisputed. Plain and simple. Black and white. The defendant, Ms. Deacon rented a black Suburban SUV on the date of October 2nd of 2023; with the expectation of the vehicle being returned in the exact condition, just as the contract states. Then, on December 12th of 2023, the defendant was involved in a double ended car accident, causing the front e—”

Judge Hickerson cuts him off, “—I know what double-ended car accident is, now what proof do have to say that Ms. Deacon was even at fault?”

His voice carried across the room, swallowing Nick’s. He bowed his head in response, returning his gaze to the folder in front of him.

Within seconds of flipping through, he paused, and instantly I missed the look of anguish and defeat on his face as his eyes gleamed with mischief.

I swore I saw a small smirk grow.

This time when he spoke his voice was clear as day and as deep and dark as the night. “Your Honor, the defendant has a family history of bad drivers. Just a few years back, in 2017, the defendant’s mother was involved in a fatal—”

My head snapped as my vision went blurry, I could feel Manon tense next to me.

“—Woah! Do you think I’m here to hear about her family's driving record? I need facts about what happened on December 12th, not what happened seven years ago. If you don’t have any evidence that Ms. Deacon is at fault in THIS, then yes , it is a waste of my time.”

His pointer finger jabbed at the stack of papers on his desk as an emphasis on “THIS.”

Judge Hickerson had just bulldozed over Blue Wheels like they were nothing. But I didn’t hear even an ounce of it, my ears were too busy ringing as I floated away into a daze.

This couldn’t be happening.

I could feel the slight pressure of Manon pushing up against me, as if she was trying to snap me out of my head like last time. It wasn’t working. I was too far gone; I had expected anything and everything to come up in this pre-trial today. That’s what Manon had told me to prepare for.

She told me companies like this don’t back down easy, so I expected that. I was ready for them to hit me with their best shot, but what I wasn’t prepared for, was for them to shoot me down and then rip my heart out in the mix of it all.

My trauma was just exposed to complete strangers.

The trauma that I couldn’t even repeat to myself in my head, because of how bad it tortured me. It was suddenly here like it followed me through all those years waiting in my shadows.

By the time I came to, I could feel my nails digging into my palms. My fists clenched so tightly they started to ache. But when I glanced to my left, the seat next to me was empty. A surge of panic coursed through me, but it was quickly deflated when I saw Manon talking at the stand.

Her lips moved like when we were talking the night before, slow and fluid. My ears were still ringing, so I couldn’t hear a word. I could tell she wasn’t nervous. Instead, her face looked determined. Her brows were tight as her head turned with every word. When I saw her point to the plaintiff’s table I knew she had to have been dragging them.

They looked pitiful like they were being called out on all their wrongdoings. And for the first time all morning, Judge Hickerson looked interested.

Even when his eyes dropped, he looked like he was reading through some of the evidence I had helped to print out. His eyes widened with every word, only glancing up to focus his attention back on Manon.

Her voice slowly started to break through my barrier of shame, but it still sounded as if I was swimming underwater. Her steady voice stood out like a siren singing to me in the distance. If I closed my eyes, I probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference. She was tempting in all ways and made me test my boundaries.

How is it that she was the only one who could push me out of my head, without her even trying to? By the time my ears finally cleared, I caught her mid-sentence.

“…So, if the plaintiff’s case is as strong as they claim, Your Honor, I have one simple question: where is their proof? Not irrelevant information that shouldn’t even be considered by the court. This isn’t the tabloids; we need to stick to the facts pertinent to this case—.”

When she paused, I wanted to clap and give her the round of applause she deserved. Her words sliced through the room like a blade and suddenly I could breathe. Was this how it felt to have someone else stick up for you?

I had only ever been the kid who stuck up for others, but no one ever did the same for me. Especially after my parents passed, it became apparent that I was really on my own. But I was finally feeling like someone else had my back other than just myself. The air no longer felt like I was suffocating—it felt victorious.

Even the smug attorney looked like he had bit into something sour. He was feeling outnumbered and unprepared. The way the Judge smiled as he watched her speak, it was obvious he found all of what Manon was saying entertaining.

Her gaze never shifted. To me, she looked like she was just as checked out as I was. All I could see was rage. Her jaw clenched as her hands gripped the stand like she could tear the wood apart piece by piece.

With her eyes still locked on Judge Hickerson, she spoke with firmness. “What we have here is a case of a multi-million-dollar business leveraging its power and money, because it is obvious they didn’t come prepared. Just to intimidate an individual into silence, and the evidence we have proven that they’ve done this time and time again.”

The energy in the room shifted again. I could tell the plaintiff table wanted to jump up and fight but were forced to watch silently as the Judge narrowed his eyes. Darting between the two tables before landing back on me.

Manon stepped back, looking like she had finally snapped out of it and was giving herself space to breathe. Her eyes glanced over to mine like she needed to see how I was, or how I had felt. It wasn’t much, but it was also the first time she had done that all morning. Even on the car ride, we sat in silence. This entire time, especially ever since our “ sleepover ” I thought I took things too far. Letting my imagination run too far out of its realm to the point where I was starting to make Manon uncomfortable.

Judge Hickerson removes his glasses, before clearing his throat yet again, his expression changing to something unreadable.

“Well, I think we’ve heard enough for today.” His head shook slowly, as he dropped his head to read something.

“In all of my years as a judge, I have yet to meet a in-house corporate attorney as incompetent as you four.”

You could hear the breaths hitching across the room, I was in disbelief.

“The argument you presented today was nowhere near enough to charge Ms. Deacon—”

His eyes shifted from the plaintiffs’ table to flashing between Manon and me.

“To the defense, the argument you made was not only thorough but enlightening. If I were you—” He points to Nick Leed.

“I’d be scared, because if you intend on pursuing this case, then you’d better come back with real evidence that pertains to this case. I refuse to tolerate any personal attacks that are nothing more than a distraction. You make sure you come here next time with your facts straight.”

The judge’s eyes lingered, clearly wanting to get his point across. All Nick could do was nod his head like a dog begging for treats.

His eyes scanned the room, making sure everyone was alert. “That being said, I’m scheduling your trial for May 3rd at 9:00 am.”

He paused for a moment, looking between both tables waiting for anyone to object, but only silence followed.

And with one swift strike of the gavel, his voice raised.

“This Pre-trial is adjourned.”

Within an instant, every chair scraped against the floor like children racing to leave the classroom.

Meanwhile, Manon was calm as ever, her body slumping as her hands relaxed against the stand. Her eyes twinkled with hope and contentment, as her lips tilted into the faintest hint of a smile, as if to say,

“ I told you I had this.”