at the edge of the cliff || ✔

chapter thirty-one: the second hearing

at the edge of the cliff

chapter thirty one: the second hearing

I stepped out of the shower into the steam filled bathroom. My hair clung to my face and water dripped from my body. I thought maybe a hot, releasing shower would help, but it was not relaxing. My brain literally hurts from thinking too much and my stomach is doing flips, and not the good kind.

After drying off, I put on some leggings and a hoodie. If I had to go through torture this afternoon, I am going to be comfortable. It took me twenty minutes to dry my hair and by then Ryder was already knocking on my door. "Hey Shay? You ready?" Ryder asked walking in. I simply nodded and slipped some shoes on and my phone in my pocket. "Everything's going to be okay." He says, and just like Grayson, he sounded sure.

"So people keep telling me." I mumble under my breath, so low he didn't hear me. "Let's get this over with." I say to him walking out of the room. I was half way down the hallway when I felt my hand being grabbed. I was turned around to Ryder. He held out his arms and I walked into them wanting to feel the comfort of my only family for these passed few years.

"Its been you and me for a while now and whatever happens, nothings gonna change that." He says soothingly. I pull away and nod. "We got this." He says holding out his fist. I chuckle lightly and bump his fists, something we've done as sort of a promise. He puts an arm around my shoulder and I walk out of the house feeling a little better.

-

-

-

I walk down the middle of all of the seats to the front of the courtroom. Luckily, my father and Amilio are not allowed in the same room because of what happened last time. I dug my fingernails into the palm of my hand and attempted to breath normally. "Hello Shay." The judge spoke loudly. Her voice was firm, yet scary, but her face the opposite. At this point I couldn't even process anything to even give her a smile. She started saying all of the mandatory stuff she had to say all the while I thought I was going to pass out. "Alright Shay, I have some good news for you." She said catching my attention. I looked at her waiting. "I was wondering where you would get the information that your mother had passed, so I contacted the prison she was in." She said looking from the papers on her desk to me. My heart beat sped up so fast I legitimately thought it was going to beat out of my chest. "I'm happy to tell you she is fact not dead." I could hear Wen and everyone else gasp, but my body went numb. She's not dead. My mother isn't dead. So he was lying? Why would he-

Why wouldn't he lie about that?

"I also would like to end on good news." The judge spoke again. I didn't feel alive at the moment. My heart, my mind, everything was numb. "Shay Daniel's, you are now the adoptive daughter of Wen and apart her family." She hit her little stick thing on the desk and I looked at her and she was crying. Ryder grinned at me but I could process anything. "Congratulations. This case is closed." She says. I push myself out of the chair and stumble down the few steps.

"Oh my gosh! We did it!" Wen said, tears running down her face. Her arms pull me in and I stand there. Numb. She grabs one hand and Ryder grabs the other and we walk out of the courtroom. I looked up at Ryder and he gave me a side hug. His mouth moved, saying something, my all my ears heard were ringing.

"Shay!" I hear my name being yelled from behind me. I turned around a little to quickly and had to balance myself on the wall. "Shay?" Grayson said help me stand.

"Shay? Honey, are you okay?" Wen asked putting a hand on my shoulder. I looked at everybody and it felt as if they were spinning around me.

"My mom," I say looking at Grayson.
"she's alive." I say. I feel my eyelids close and feel my head hit the ground. Voices scream and I drift off into darkness.