The Forgotten Ones

Chapter 12: Judge - Part 1

(Fanart of Elias! Thank you XQ)

   Eli's eyes were glued to the small screen, reliving the night through the video on his phone. He kept rewinding it, feeling more and more disgusted as it progressed. Something about a sexual predator looking through the window of two girls--with one of them being a child--didn't sit well with him.

"How many times are you going to watch that?" Sunshine leaned on his bookbag against the seat in front of them.

Elias gritted his teeth. "He's watching them."

"To be fair..." Sunshine rose a brow. "We were watching him too."

"That was different." Elias rewound the video again. The thought of the man enjoying every second of what was under those blankets made Eli cringe. "We have good reason. What's his excuse to watching a woman and child at night through their window...? His thoughts must have been disgusting."

Sunshine snatched Eli's phone, earning a glare. "I agree." He said. "But what's the point of obsessing over it? You're going to drive yourself mad."

Elias groaned, turning to the bus window. "It bothers me either way."

He hadn't noticed before now that they actually passed the street with the little blue house on their way to school everyday; Tideswell Rd. Just the view of that alone brought all his anger back. What if it was Ava?

Sunshine noticed Eli's fist clench around his book bag strap. "Well, look on the bright side." He said, returning his phone with a nudge. "We got his face."

Elias let out a sigh. That was true. They did manage to get a few seconds of his face in the video. It wasn't the best quality, but it was definitely a face; one that Elias wanted to beat to a bloody pulp.

"You're right." Elias admitted, finally turning his phone screen off. "We did, didn't we?"

Sunshine gave an overly excited smile, lifting Eli's spirit for a second before they arrived at Somerset. Upon exiting the bus, the students were immediately directed to go to the large gym.

Elias groaned. "Not again."

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Sunshine yipped. "I know what this is for."

"I don't." Elias gave him a look. "What's it about this time? Changing buddies or something?"

"No." Sunshine furrowed his brows. "It's the public speaker assembly they announced on Monday. It's mandatory."

"Huh." Elias looked ahead to the rest of the crowd entering the double doors.

"I wonder what it's going to be about." Sunshine smiled, skipping inside. Being swept with the rest of the crowd, the two of them sat near the bottom of the bleachers where their feet touched the gym floor.

"We're gonna have the best view!" Sunshine giggled, and Elias rose a brow at his excitement.

"You're too pumped for this."

"Eh...I just don't like my classes." Sunshine replied blankly and Elias understood. As cruel as it might be to admit, Eli could tell Sunshine wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. He wasn't book smart, but Sunshine had his strengths elsewhere.

"Can I have your attention!" The bald man with the microphone asked, walking back and forth. "The sooner you're all quiet, the sooner we can start!"

The gym took it's time to settle down, but once everyone was seated and the noise was barely a whisper, he began again.

"Thank you! Now I want everyone to please give a warm welcome to our wonderful speaker Miss Charlotte Collier!"

The gym erupted with applause as the principle passed the mic over to a brunette woman in a burgundy dress and heels.