Hell or High Water | JJ Maybank [2]

nine

JO BOUNCED HER leg up and down in anticipation. If someone had told her last year that she would be sitting in a courthouse for the beginning of her brother's murder accusation trial, she would have laughed in their face and thought they were playing some sort of cruel joke on her. It was a sick joke, in a way, but that was just the way her life seemed to go lately.

Her breath hitched as John B was led out from a door at the back of the courthouse, shackled in chains and handcuffs, and forced to sit at one of the tables in front of the judge. She immediately reached for JJ's hand and squeezed it tight, feeling her chest constrict her airway as she stared at her brother.

He held his head high and kept on a brave face, as if daring anyone to mess with him. But Jo had known him her entire life, so she could see the complete and utter terror that swam behind his brown eyes.

"John Booker Routledge, pursuant of the North Caroline statute section 14, you are charged with murder in the first degree with aggravated circumstances," the judge began. "If convicted, the maximum sentence would be the death penalty."

Everyone began to murmur as a series of gasps swept around the room. Jo's heart dropped. It felt like all the air in her lungs was being pushed out. She couldn't breathe. Her ears started ringing and her eyes filled with tears as JJ got to his feet. "Your Honor, hes 17!" He protested.

"Quiet!" The judge yelled.

"He's 17!" JJ repeated. "Are you kidding me?"

"Stop!" Kie hissed. She quickly pressed her hands against JJ's chest as he continued yelling and pushed him back while Pope tried to calm him down. Jo remained in her seat, her body stiff as she stared blankly ahead. "Guys, let's go."

Jo sniffled as JJ returned to pull her to her feet, his hand landing on the small of her back to guide her out of the courthouse. She could faintly register Sarah's painful cries as John B was taken away, but everything was still fuzzy while she tried to keep herself together.

"It's gonna be okay," JJ told the girl. "We'll figure it out. We always do." But she wasn't really listening. All she could focus on was the ringing in her ears and the feeling of her heart pounding forcefully against her rib cage.

She tuned back in when the commotion around her got louder. Her eyes widened as Ward approached the group of teenagers, a hand held out in front of him as if he was trying to let them know he meant no harm. Jo wanted to scoff at the action, as if he hadn't killed her father in cold blood and tried to kill both her and John B.

"I know you're upset," Ward said. "I understand you're upset. I know he's got you fooled. He's got you all fooled."

"Are you kidding me?" Jo cried over all the yelling. "He's got us fooled?" She repeated, pushing past her friends to face Ward. "Why'd you drop the charges again me then, huh? Why me and not him? He didn't do anything and you know it!" She pressed her hands against Ward's shoulders and shoved him back angrily, her vision turning hazy as she was blinded with rage.