Adopted by Hamilton

Chapter 102 - Honestly

"Your Honor, members of the jury, my name is Shawn Martin," my lawyer addressed the court, and I sat nervously watching, "and I am representing Miss Abigail Leigh Miranda in this case." My eyes flitted around the room and the mention of my name. "We intend to prove that Mr. Nicolas Walter is guilty of 3rd degree physical assault. Please find defendant Nicolas Walter guilty. Thank you." My lawyer finished his opening, and looked at the judge.

"Prosecution, you may call your first witness." The judge allowed.

"Thank you your Honor, I call to the stand Miss Abigail Miranda." Mr. Martin looked at me, and my blood ran cold. My lawyer gave me a small smile, and I stood up, to feel Lin take my hand and squeeze it briefly, I returned the little squeeze, and made my way from my table to the stand.

"Will the witness please stand to be sworn in by the bailiff." The judge asked, and I looked at the bailiff, as I was already standing.

"Please raise your right hand." He started, and I did as he said, "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?" He asked.

"I do." I replied, and sat down, in the chair in the stand.

"Miss Miranda, can you tell the court where you were on the afternoon of Tuesday March 22nd?" He asked.

"I was on 51st street, by the Ambassador Theater." I replied.

"And who were you with?" He questioned.

"Um," I thought back to the day, "Lin-Manuel Miranda, Phillipa Soo, Lexi Foreman, Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff and Andrew Chappelle." I rattled off a little. There were a lot of questions along those lines, I don't really know why. Building a base line I guess.

"Miss Miranda, can you tell the court what happened after you first made contact with the defendant?" My lawyer asked.

"Uh, yes." I replied, sitting up a little. "I was sitting on a bench in front of the Ambassador Theatre on 51st street, someone sat next to me and asked for the time, which I gave them, when I looked up it was the defendant. Upon seeing him, I politely asked that he leave, which he didn't. When he refused to leave, I stood up to go away, and he grabbed me and started pushing me towards an alley-way." I started, but was somewhat cut off by my lawyer.

"Just to clarify, this is that defendant?" I looked up, I had been trying not to look over at Nick, and had succeeded for the entire case up until here. I looked at him and was legitimately afraid. He was wearing a suit, I had never seen him wear one, his hair was longer, or messier, one of the two, I wasn't sure which yet, but he had a terrible look of hatred in his eye, hatred for me.

"Yes." I said quietly.

"Thank you Miss Miranda, you may continue with your story." He allowed.

"So, he was pushing me towards an alley, and eventually shoved me into one. At this point he started backing me into a wall, when he did so, he stood over me, with his arms on either side of my head. I was threatened, I kneed him in the groin and ran away. After I ran out of the alley, he followed, caught up to me, grabbed me by the waist, and carried me back. Once he got me back into the alley, he threw me on the ground and got on top of me." I took an unfortunate pause there to swallow, and then quickly returned to the story. "And uh, I took this time to scream, right after I did that, he punched me in the throat, and told me never to scream again. I nodded to that, that I wouldn't scream again." I paused, not wanting to continue.

"Miss Miranda, are you ok?" My lawyer asked me.

"Yeah, I'm fine, sorry, um, when this was happening, um, Lin-Manuel Miranda," I said, not knowing what I was supposed to call him in court, do I call him my dad? Lin? Or use his full name every time? "Um, Lin, ran into the alley and kicked the defendant off of me, at this point he grabbed my arm and helped me up, shoving me behind him. After he pushed me behind him, the defendant tried to punch me, but instead punched Lin, and I think I yelled at him, which, in turn, made him punch Lin again, after he punched him the second time, he took that opportunity to shove me into the wall, and punch my face, almost instantly after, NY police showed up and got him off of me." I guess I was finished with my story, I looked at my fingers, which I fiddled with on the table in front of me, and my lawyer recognized what that meant.

"Is that all?" He asked.

"Yeah, after that, NYPD took him into custody." I replied honestly.

"Thank you Miss Miranda. No further questions your Honor."

"The defense may cross examine the witness." The judge said, and I shifted nervously in my chair.

"Thank you your Honor." Nicks lawyer stood up, and came over to me. What argument could he possibly have? "Miss Miranda," he addressed me, "at what time did you first make contact with my client?" He asked me, and I started to rack my brain, this was a stupid question, why does this matter?

"Um, it was 12:30." I said, only remembering because I gave Nick the time.

"Thank you, and what were you wearing?" He asked, and my blood ran cold a second time. He was making this argument?

"I think I was wearing, um, a pink skirt, and a black shirt?" I said, not positive on the answer.

"Are you sure Miss Miranda?" He asked.

"Yes, yes I'm sure." I said, not really caring.

"And do you know what the temperature was at 12:30 on March 22nd, Miss Miranda?" He asked.

"Um, no." I replied honestly.

"It was 68 degrees outside." The lawyer continued, "which means, you could of very easily been wearing jeans and a sweater, and there was no reason to wear a skirt, I feel that your choice of clothes that day was provocative, and unfair to my client." He smiled a little, "no further questions your honor." With that he sat down.

"Miss Miranda, you may step down." The judge said.

"Thank you." I whispered, and walked back to my seat.

"You ok?" Lin asked as I sat down.

"Yeah."

"I cannot believe that scumbag is using that argument." Vanessa told me. "I mean, that's low, you're 15."

•••

I'm sorry this is late!

Thanks for reading

- Abi