After

Chapter 29

A short time passes and it finally comes the day of the trial. Both Lauren and Camila are overwhelmingly nervous, for this is their first public appearance since they have gotten back from their personal hell and they have no clue how they are going to react to such attention. As of right now, they have each decided to stay off social media, but every now and then Normani, Ally, or Dinah will show them messages of encouragement from the fans. Still, neither dares go back on social media because no matter how much support they get from their fans, there will still be those trying to tear them down and say what they went through wasn't real.

In fact, they expect some people who don't believe Lauren and Camila to be crowded outside the courthouse today, and possibly some in the actually courtroom and even part of the jury. There's so much evidence on her and Camila's behalf that she seems it impossible that the jury won't believe them. But honestly, who knows.

"Are you all ready?" Ally asks, wondering why nobody in her life is ever punctual.

"Um, give me, give me one minute please." Lauren asks. Ally hears the pain and desperation in her voice and agrees. "Ok. Now I'm ready."

Lauren and Camila walk out of their room together. They are obviously scared, scared at the thought of having to see the people who tortured them for over a year again. Scared that something will go wrong and somehow they won't be charged for the extent they should be charged for and then they hold a grudge once again and take them again. They each say they are expecting the worst, just to prepare themselves for the worst; but even so, when the worst does happen, that sliver of hope that they didn't know was there crashes down to the ground and hurts them. They can't be hurt anymore, they've endured enough. This trial has to go well or they won't know what to do.

Upon arriving outside the courthouse, a mass crowd meets all the girls. Security is with them, but it's still so many people, more people than any of them imagined would be there. Right once they step out of the vehicle, the mob approaches them and gets louder, asking so many questions that nobody has time to comprehend one before three others are asked. The security tries to push the crowd away, and although they succeed, the crowd is still yelling like crazy. Of course, over all the voices, Lauren can hear one specific one. He is screaming at her in a rage, "I don't know if this story you are telling is real, but if it is I'm glad it happened. You and your fake friends deserve the pain. Hell, if you weren't already taken by somebody else I would do the same. Who knows, maybe I still will."

Ally knows that Lauren is listening to this one voice and she begins to whisper her encouragement to Lauren, "Hey, he is just trying to get into your head. He doesn't mean it. He's not going to take you and hurt you. Don't worry. I won't let him and I'm sure anybody else can say the same." She continues to talk to Lauren and tell her not to focus on what people are saying around her and only listen to people she cares about, but it's so hard. This is the most people Lauren has been exposed to in so long she is about to have a complete breakdown. She can feel her mind telling her that somebody's going to take her again and hurt her. "Lauren," Ally continues, "You have to listen to me and only me. We are going to get in there and we are going to get these horrible people for what they have done to you. And afterwards, we'll let you choose what we get for dinner and what movie we watch and everything. Because we are going to get them and I expect them to be gone for a very long time, Lauren. A very long time."

Eventually, they get inside the building and soon after, they sit down. Lauren and Camila are on edge and every move that is made causes them to jump from fear of someone attacking them again or one of their captors entering the room.

Lauren and Camila both spot their families in the crowd behind them and somehow, it soothes them. But all sense of comfort is gone when a side door is opened and a man in orange is being led out. He has his signature smirk and three others are following close behind him. Of course Brad would be the first to enter the room. Of course he would be. Lauren tries not to let her memories get the best of her and somehow, she succeeds. She does look at him for a moment and immediately regrets it. He looks at her straight in her eyes and then slowly looks up and down her body. She feels so vulnerable, so afraid.