56-Trial

**Saviera's POV**

Life has been so great, up until today. The day I have been dreading ever since Ethan was caught. For the first time since he held me against my will, I'll be seeing his face and my testimony is the main factor in whether or not he gets mercy from the jury and judge.
"Do you need anything? Are you feeling okay?" Daveed and Zuri keep asking me these questions, but I just feel numb. It's as if my brain has gone into autopilot and has taken over my body, otherwise, it would not function. I'm terrified.
"I'm fine." That is all I manage to say as we walk into the courthouse. I had the option to send in a letter containing every detail of that day and the way I have been affected by it, but there's a part of me that needs this. How could I possibly put my raw emotions onto a piece of paper? Ethan needs to see my face just as much as I need to see his. He needs to see the trauma that I have lived with since the day my world stopped, even if it only stopped momentarily.
We take our places in the courtroom, surrounded by everyone who loves me and total strangers. The jury enters before the Judge.
"All rise for the Honorable Judge Smith," We stand and watch as he makes his way to his seat.
"You may all take your seats," Judge Smith proceeds by informing the jury and public of the case number and possible charges being held against Ethan. Right on cue, Ethan is escorted into the courtroom by two deputies. He's in handcuffs, but he's wearing his regular clothes. He searches the room until his eyes meet mine. I should look away, but I can't and neither is he. We aren't allowed to directly speak to one another, but that doesn't stop him from mouthing, "I'm so sorry." For a split second, it was only the two of us in the room.
He's the first to break eye contact, as the deputies turned his back to the audience and faced him toward the judge so he can be sworn under oath and sat down. Ethan didn't have to speak at all because his lawyer is doing all the talking for him.
"My client was under the impression that no one was going to be harmed. After gathering more information on Rhett and speaking to the family, he was known for pulling similar stunts on his own family as a way of expressing dark humor. He often manipulated and blackmailed younger members of his family to do things they were not willing to do. In this particular situation, Rhett asked my client to keep an eye on someone at an abandoned warehouse while he went to get supplies for a prank. Initially, my client refused. He knew about the sick pranks he has pulled on his cousins and he wanted nothing to do with it, but Rhett threatened to expose a very personal secrete that Ethan keeps from his family and friends if he refused to go along with the so-called prank. Ethan was not the one who abducted the victim. He was simply the one there when she woke up." His lawyer gathers at least ten documents of proof to the judge, which was passed around to the jury.
The first few pages were messages of Rhett intimidating Ethan on multiple other occasions and even showing proof that Rhett has physically abused him. Being scared to report Rhett, Ethan was waiting for the right time to press charges and attempt to get him locked away for good with all the proof he accumulated. The rest of the documents contained pictures from surveillance cameras, showing Rhett sneaking into my back seat as I walked towards the cafe that morning. He was that close to me and I had no idea.
"So it was coincidental that Ethan and the victim had met previously at a bar?" The prosecutor argued.
"As absurd as it sounds, yes. Unless you have documents proving otherwise." His lawyer responded.
"I do not," The prosecutor isn't looking too great right now.
"There's another piece of information that Ethan would like me to mention. The victim told him to check her phone to prove that she was pregnant in hopes that Rhett would have mercy on her unborn child. Ethan never actually checked her phone because it takes her fingerprint to unlock it, which is how Rhett turned her location off while she was unconscious. Ethan pretended he saw the proof because he began to fear for the victim and was trying to do anything to get her out of the situation. When he realized it made Rhett angrier, he started preparing for the worst. Rhett grabbed a gun before Ethan could react, but before he could murder the victim, he fought for the gun, accidentally killing Rhett in the process."
All this time and I never considered that my phone was never unlocked when I asked Ethan to check it. There's no way he knew the passcode and he never used my fingerprint. He even looked like he saw the proof himself. Maybe the look of horror on his face was the realization that his uncle was intending on killing me and he was trying not to freak out.
I feel like I can't breathe right now. It's like the room is closing in on me and I can't seem to process this new information. My nails are digging into my palms and my legs are shaking. Daveed places a hand on my thigh, making me jump in surprise. I was completely in my head, back in the warehouse, and tied to a chair with a gun aimed at my head. I managed to forget Daveed and Zuri were right by my side. I took deep breaths and unclenched my hands. The pain on their faces as they keep an eye on me only makes my heart feel heavier. I'm tired of people looking at me like this. I'm tired of being damaged. Most of all, I'm tired of being afraid to live.
It's time for me to come to the stand and make my statement. I swear under oath to tell only the truth and take my place.
"I applaud you for showing up today and making a statement for the jury to take into consideration," Judge Smith shows compassion, "You're free to speak when you are ready."
I give a short nod and face the jury because I can't bear to see my family right now, "Ever since that day, I have struggled with PTSD. I haven't been able to be left alone and I can only drive sometimes. The nightmares feel more real than that day. Most of the time, I'm the one lying on the concrete in a puddle of blood instead of Rhett." I have to take a break because I never talk about my dreams in front of Zuri or Daveed and they've learned to not ask the details. My therapist is the only one who knows how they play out.
I find the strength to continue, "All this time, I thought Ethan was the one who brought me to that place. I have blamed him for these nightmares and I've cursed him for tying me to that chair. Now, I'm angry. Knowing that he wasn't the one who brought me there or tie me to the chair, everything is starting to make sense. He never used my fingerprint to unlock my phone, so that much is also true. If he didn't fight for that gun, my baby and I would not be here. If he didn't agree to keep an eye on me in that warehouse, I would not be here. A part of me is still angry with him, naturally. The man responsible isn't here to pay for it and it's easy to have someone to take it out on, but choosing to save me and my child has to count for something." On that note, I have nothing left to say. I avoid looking at anyone and make my way out of the courtroom. I have to get out of here and I know my two loves are following close behind.