The Precious One ✔

Chapter 39

I stand in my bathroom, pulling my hair into a tied ponytail. I adjust my navy blue blazer and my black skirt.

Anything could happen today. Sam could get out of this a free man, perhaps with some community service like Ned did. Or, he could end up in Juvenile Detention.

The second option turns my stomach. Juvy can mess anyone up I've heard. A guy at my old school was sent to Juvy and killed himself while he was in there.

"Elise!" Ned calls from downstairs.

I release a deep breath before following his cry. I leave my bathroom before walking down the steps slowly, where I find my dad, Gina, and Ned.

My eyes meet my dad's. How can I keep Jason and his father a secret from him? If he's not my father, he at least has a right to know, right?

Jason and I think that my mum and his dad went to high school together or perhaps knew each other some other way. In that case, wouldn't he be in her yearbook? 

I approach Gina who scrambles the eggs on the stove. She turns to me and says simply "good luck, Preciosa"

I nod slowly "hey Gina, are you able to find my mum's high school yearbook? I would ask dad but..."

Dad wants to forget Isabel and all that she did to our family. By asking him, I would be reopening old wounds. Plus, he would ask too many questions about why I am looking for it.

Gina smiles. "Of course...I'll try to find it by the end of the day"

"Thank you" I sigh in relief.

"I don't like you missing out on school" my dad takes a sip from his coffee mug.

I snap my head in his direction. "Sam has nobody dad...I have to be there, isn't that right Ned?" I turn my head to my brother. 

"Damn straight" Ned agrees as adjusting his tie, looking at his reflection through the silverware on the table. "We better get going or else we'll be late"

My heart beats at a million miles per hour. The next few hours could change the course of Sam's entire life. It's a scary thought. I can only imagine what Sam's going through right now.

***

Ned and I walk down the hallway slowly where we find Sam and his lawyer talking in the distance. We approach the pair slowly, where I greet Sam with a hug.

He holds me in his arms for a few moments in silence, his heavy breathing warming my cheek.

"Your hearts beating so fast," Sam notices before lowering his voice, "I'm the one going to jail not you" he smiles just as I pull away.

I force a smile while tears begin rolling down my cheeks. "How can you be so calm?" I sniff.

Sam softens his gaze. Ned places a hand on Sam's shoulder and sighs "hey if I can get a slap on the wrist for stabbing someone, I'm sure you'll be fine"

Sam drops his gaze to his shoes. He knows that he isn't coming out of this with a slap on the wrist. I can see it in his eyes that he knows exactly how this will end.

"Come on kid" his lawyer begs with soft eyes, "it's about to start"

Sam nods before looking over to me. "Stop crying" he whispers with a small smile, "if I don't see you with anything less then a smile, I will kick your ass when I get out of this"

I look at Sam carefully. Only seventeen years old. Abandoned by his friends and will be sent away for god knows how long.

"Okay," I hesitantly nod.

Sam nods back before he and his lawyer enter the courtroom. I look over to Ned who releases a deep breath in fear.

"Let's do this, huh?" He finally speaks.

We slowly enter the courtroom, searching out surroundings carefully. We spot Sam's mum and stepfather standing in the front row with nervous expressions.

My heart beats out of control when I see the judge. Everyone stands up then sits when the judge does. I clench my fists when the judge begins talking. I don't listen to a word he says and instead focus my eyes on Sam. He appears calm but on the inside, he is everything but.

I hold my breath when the judge says the words "Samuel Jeffrey-Wood, I sentence you to eleven months in a juvenile detention centre before spending an additional five months in the San Francisco state penitentiary"

I freeze. I have an urge to scream out in fear but instead, I look over to Sam who looks over to me. I remember his earlier words and force a smile on my lips with tears streaming down my cheeks.

He nods in my direction before leaving my sight. I drop my smile and look over to his crying mother, then to Ned who stands there in shock.

He immediately wraps his arms around me fearfully. "I b—better uh tell the others" Ned announces slowly when pulling out his cellphone.

They all should have been here supporting their friend. But instead, just like Caesar, Sam was left alone when he needed his friends the most.

***

When we return home, Gina hugs us both and assures us that everything will be okay. She then pulls me aside and passes me a book.

The words 'Lockwood high' in bold on the front cover.

"Thank you," I tell her with swollen eyes and pink cheeks.

She leaves my sight when I begin flicking through the pages, leaving my tears behind on each page. I need to find Johnathan Sanders and if he's not in here then I guess we're just insane.

In my parents day, there were only like two public schools in town. Jason is convinced that our parents knew each other somehow.

Maybe, Jason just wants his sisters back. One is dead and the other is in juvy. Maybe he wants things to go back to how they used to be before everything fell apart.

I find a page at the back of the book of the cheerleading squad. There in a small frame, I find a picture of a blond haired girl in a cheerleading uniform with her arm over a fellow cheerleader.

I furrow my brows when looking at the names 'Isabel Wilson' and 'Gabbie Sanders'.

Sanders?

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A/N

Dun dun duuuun

Who loves cliffhangers as much as I do?

I am so beyond glad that I had pre-written these chapters months ago, as I am now able to focus on school without worrying over each and every update.

Does anyone have any theories? Please let me know.

Please VOTE

Thank you

P.s how good was Avengers Endgame? It made me feel soo many emotions, I can't even ahaha.