Tell Me The Truth -H.S. AU

55

The past week has been a complete blur.

Filled with meeting after meeting with my lawyer, whose name is Buddy, which gave me very little confidence at first. The only thing that's helped me get through them is Detective Maria sitting by my side the whole time and interjecting whenever Buddy gets too carried away with his lawyer speak and I get lost.

I have faith that Buddy will do his absolute best to win this for us, and I believe him when he says we will. I just want it to be over.

I push open the front door to Harry's house and shuffle my way in. My feet feel like they are a hundred pounds each and my shoulders are slumped forward in exhaustion. I set my purse on the breakfast table and start to shrug my coat off, when I feel a warm pair of hands help the material down my arms.

"Hi, baby." Harry murmurs, his voice thick with sleep. I'm sure I woke him up, since it's nearly ten-thirty at night, and he had to work at five this morning to cover inventory for me.

"Hi." I exhale and turn around, not even looking up at him before I wrap my arms around his waist and bury my face in his chest. "The meeting ran late, I'm sorry I woke you."

"Don't be, Vi, I feel like I haven't seen you all week." I scrunch my face at his words and nod my head.

We've really only seen each other in passing, since we've both been working and I have to see my lawyer every day until the trial starts. Which is tomorrow.

The defense team and Johnny, well, Johnny's father, pushed really hard for a bench trial. God bless Maria for stopping Buddy in his tracks to explain to me what that was before he moved on.

A bench trial is where there's no jury, both sides plead their case to the judge and the judge makes the decision all on their own. Mr. Davis wants the bench trial because it's quicker, which is fine with me, but I also know he wants this to be kept as quiet as possible. That, however, isn't sitting well.

"Are you alright?" Harry's low voice pulls me from my thoughts and he separates us to look at my face.

He looks so exhausted.

A wave of guilt washes over me when I see the bags forming under his eyes and I reach up to run my thumb along the dark spot, trying to wipe away the tired. He places his hand over mine on his cheek and bends down a little to be more eye level with me.

"Don't look at me like that." He smiles softly. "I'm not worried about me, baby, I'm worried about you."

I'm still having a hard time finding my voice, after all the talking I've had to do the past few days, but he doesn't push me. He takes my coat from the back of the chair again and drapes it over my shoulders before throwing a sweatshirt over his bare torso.

"Come on." Harry takes my hand and pulls me back through the front door and down the porch steps.

I'm very confused when he leads me across the grass and into the trees at the edge of the yard, but I decide to go with it. I'm too tired to question him and he looks too good in the moonlight to complain.

We walk through the woods for about a minute before there's a break in the trees. He pulls me in front of him and places his hand on my hip to guide me through the opening.

I gasp when rocks crunch under my shoes when I step out, leading to a creek running right through the property. Harry guides me underneath a massive oak tree with a swing hanging from an extended branch. He gestures for me to sit, and I do.

He pushes me gently so I start to sway back and forth. I inhale deeply and watch the moonlight glint off the water running just a few feet from us.

"Why didn't I know this was here?" I croak out, my voice slightly hoarse. "I should definitely know this was here."