Rules of a Rebel

Chapter 31: Plead Guilty

Rule #60: Plead Guilty 

In case of a trial, Rebels take credit of the crimes they do. 

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December is here. Family members start to leave.

Not Bettie though. 

Or my grandmother. 

I still haven't apologized, despite mother's threats looming over my head. Then, a week after the incident, my brother, James, has a brilliant idea to hold a trial, in which they can determine if I should say sorry or not. 

And even worse, my grandmother has agreed. I guess she, and everybody else, knows that she's going to win.  

That brings us to the present, where the remaining parts of both our families stand in the beach, which Melody and James set up to look like a courtroom. 

I stand on the far left, along with the children (it seems like the Unicorns and the Warriors have banded together in my defense), James, and Melody. 

"All right," Archer, who proclaimed himself the judge as soon as he heard about James's idea, yells through a microphone. "The trail of Monroe vs. Monroe has now begun. May the lawyer from Mrs. Monroe's side please stand up and present the opening statement."

He points to my grandmother's side. All of my family, except for my siblings and my father, stand there solemnly. My father sits near the back of our side, sipping coffee, saying he wants no part in the fake trial. 

Neither do I, for this matter. 

This whole thing is ridiculous. 

Bettie's the lawyer for my grandmother's side so she goes up to the front of the beach, near the ocean, smooths the new outfit her mother brought for her and reads her speech. There's no paper so I'm guessing she memorized. 

"Ohana means family," Bettie starts. The kids squirm excitedly. "And family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. By yelling at our grandmother and calling her demeaning names, Peyton has forgotten our true values. When she stormed out the door, leaving all of us to panic, she left us behind. Peyton has broken the Ohana rule and we need an apology!" 

My family members nod in agreement, even my grandmother who probably has no idea what she's referencing. 

Then, Archer calls on Melody, who presents her side of the argument. It's complete with sock puppets that they made. My puppet has pink hair, even though I repeatedly insisted on black. 

But they did put an angry expression to nullify me. 

"Wow, those are both phenomenal opening statements, especially those sock puppets," Archer clears his throat. "Now, we shall question the witnesses. Since everybody deserves a fair chance, Peyton's side gets to go first this time. 

"That's not how it works," One of my uncles, who's also a lawyer, yells. 

Everybody ignores him. 

Except for his wife, who offers him some extra potato chips. 

Melody, who's my lawyer, straightens her pink business suit. "I call upon the first witness, James." 

James, wearing a complete suit and tie, marches up and sits down a beach chair next to Archer's, which is supposed to represent the witness stand. The beach chair is so short and small that it nearly collapses under his weight. 

"My first question is to you James - were you aware that Ms. Peyton Monroe was a vegetarian?" 

"Yes ma'am."