His Worth | MxM

² seven

"Don't be too nervous."

I look down at Nate's parents, his dad patting my shoulder comfortingly.

"I'm not."

"Good. You're telling your story, there's nothing to be nervous about when it's your own. Just keep in mind that you are being watched and people will be going off of your words alone. They will want to make sure your story is true, is credible. If you against the state prison is valid, if they're guilty or not. With the evidence we have, it says so; but...you also have to be careful with the evidence they may or may not have. Stuff they may use against you." Nathaniel informs me, causing me to nod. "Your lawyer is already present. You're studying to be a lawyer, right?"

I nod excitedly, seeing him smile up at me with just as much excitement.

"That's good. You a lawyer, Nate an investigator. You two can easily work together if it comes down to cases - if you wish."

"It depends." I look in the mirror, adjusting my suit some. I turn back around to see Nathaniel look confused by my words. "Depends on what I will be needing an investigator for, I mean."

"Oh, yes, of course." He snickers, waving me off.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and he was quick to rush to it. That's when I see Nate with Rue against his chest, sound asleep. She was swaddled up in some fabric that was wrapping tightly around his body, went over his shoulders, and under his arms.

His mom filed in with him along with my lawyer. My lawyer who I haven't spoken to for a couple of days now walks towards me, grinning up at me. He takes my hand firmly in his, his other hand setting atop of it.

"You aren't nervous are you?"

"No," I chuckle, him now being the sixth person to ask me that today, "I just want it to begin already."

"Ah, I see. I'm just making sure because you will be around all of the people that you've experienced your troubles with. Chief Michael will be there - or I should just say Officer Michael." My lawyer, whose name was Archer, snorts. "All of those people who didn't help you as a child and took advantage of you and your predicament, will all be there. Your brother will even be used as evidence on their stand, against you. You are aware of that, yes?"

I nod, glancing over at Nate who was quietly talking to his dad. When I look back at Archer, he firmly gripped my arm.

"Don't go into this today thinking you did anything wrong. You weren't an adult yet when you were placed where you were placed. You were let down by the one adult who was in charge of you, and you were let down by the system." Archer nodded incessantly as if to prove his point.

"Yeah...but, I allowed myself to be placed in that environment. I knew what I was signing up for." I tell him, and I saw his eye flicker to the right of me.

Where I saw everyone in the room looking at me like I was an idiot.

"See, you can't go out there saying shit like that." Nate sneers, and even Archer looked troubled. "You're trying to convince the jury - the court - that you were wrongfully imprisoned and held there at that point against your will. Despite all of that, it's still the same thing. Why are you trying to make this into some grand scheme like you knew what you were getting into like you've been in prison before. Because you didn't, and if you say that-."

"I mean, I can use his words as leverage to say they used his predicament and thoughts as an excuse to justify their actions. He grew up within an environment that was radically different from theirs, and they played on that. It's not too bad." Archer nods at me as if to help, but I was getting aggravated.