Dark Passions

Chapter Thirteen

With it being my turn to take the stand next, I knew I had to uphold my end of the deal. Even with me knowing I was walking out of here free, I knew Black would murder me should I mess up now. I shuffled up towards the stand, took a seat, and stared out into the sea of people. I spotted Ally's parents again, but I couldn't hold their gaze for long. Black stood up and adjusted his suit, walked over, and rested in front of me. His black eyes burned into my skin and I knew what to do. I gave a short nod and then he spoke.

"Jessica, why were you and Ally going to the Crimson Crow?"

"Ally had won a vacation there and she was able to take another person with her," I explained. I shrugged my shoulders. "I wasn't really one for things like that, but I decided to go with her anyway."

"What made you go?"

"Ally said..." I paused. I was shocked to find my throat closing up as the memories came crashing back. I looked down, swallowed, and gathered my strength. "Ally said there were sport activities we could participate in."

"So you went for the sports, and so she wouldn't have to go alone?"

"Yes." I glanced over to the jury and I saw them giving me sympathetic expressions. For some reason, this enraged me. I didn't want their sympathy. What I wanted right now was to be as far away from this courtroom as possible.

"Where did you spend most of your time at when Ally was at the spa?" I paused. My brain knew what to answer, but my heart wanted to shout out what actually happened.

"I was in the batting cages," I answered softly. "I went there every time Ally wanted to go do something related to the spa."

"Why do you go to the batting cages so much?"

"It's where I can take out some stress from the demands of college."

"Tell me about the events leading up to where you found Ally." I swallowed nervously.

"Ally had mentioned going to one of the balls downstairs. I have always hated those, so we agreed to meet up later. I went to the cages, and she went to the ball. However, I lost track of time and I stayed out in the cages longer than expected." Lies. Lies. Lies.

"And then?" Black asked.

"When I returned to the room, Ally wasn't there. I went searching for her up on the upper floors and that's when I found her. She had been strangled." You're a liar, Jessica Hollands.

"Can you explain how you got blood on your jeans?"

"I was...I was..." My body was shaking with emotion I had bottled up. I felt the tears begin to gather in my eyes. I closed my eyes as Ally's blank face stared up into my eyes. Her body was engulfed in flames and in her place stood Black, hands in his pockets with his sadistic smile on his face. I opened my eyes and looked out into the crowd, anxious expressions clouding their faces. Black gave me a worried expression, but I knew what he was telling me to do. "I was cradling her head in my lap," I whispered. "I...blamed myself."

"Did you see this man in the room?" Black pointed at Justin and as I looked up, hatred danced in my eyes. I saw both of you.

"He was fleeing the room," I snapped. Black walked over and picked up a piece of paper off of the table. He walked over to the jury first, showed them the paper, and then proceeded to address me.

"Jessica, I have with me a police report saying you turned yourself in for the murder of Ally Hamilton. Can you please explain this?"

"I couldn't live with it," I whispered, knowing I was now speaking from my heart. "I couldn't help her. Because of me, she had died. I blamed myself for everything, and I know everyone else blamed me. I wanted the pain to go away, and so I believed that if I said I did it, I could escape from it all."