He Went Out On A Chariot Of Fire

You're The Only One That Wore Your Seatbelt

"I... I wasn't wearing my seatbelt. He was." I testified to the jury. Dad took the drunk driver to court. "And... And..."
"Please describe your injuries, Miss Radke." Our lawyer... Mine. My lawyer said. Ronnie wasn't here to testify. It was just my lawyer.
I nodded. "I... I hit the windshield. My head had cuts and scrapes everywhere. Um, a piece of glass stabbed me in the stomach. I was in the hospital for a week after the accident."
"The other driver. How was he acting?"
"Silent, disorientated. Drunk."
"We have his DUI. Why wasn't he charged?" My lawyer asked. "He killed a man."
"He paid a fine." The drunk driver's lawyer said.
"He should've been charged with murder, or at least vehicular manslaughter with a DUI charge."
The other lawyer groaned. "Miss Radke?"
"Yeah?" I asked quietly.
"Were you driving recklessly? Under the influence of anything? From my research, it appears Ronald was a drug addict."
"He's been sober. Since 2008. I was not under the influence, I was not driving recklessly."
"What was it like after Ronnie died?" My lawyer asked.
"I'm... It's been lonely. He's my older brother. I miss him. We lived together. We did a lot of things together. We had the same friend group, same interests, same lifestyle. I had to take over his band..." I glanced over at the spectators, including my band and Andy. Jacky smiled sadly. "It's been hard. It's been hard knowing I witnessed my brother's last moments... And..." I started choking up. "Knowing I was the one who had to take over everything he did."
"You've said multiple times you blame yourself." The driver's lawyer said. "So if she admits guilt, it's not my client's fault-"
"Survivor's guilt." Max stood up.
"Mister..."
"Green. Maxwell Scott Green. Yeah, yeah. I promise not to lie and all that shit." He came over to the witness stand. "I was Ronnie's ride or die, his best friend growing up. I've known Arizona for her whole life. She's my best friend. It was my house they were going to. I fucking feel guilty." The jury gasped. No one swears in court. "But she? Arizona was in the car, she was fucking driving it. It was all the other guy's fault. But Arizona blames herself over and over again because she can't grasp the reality Ronnie is gone, and with him, her older brother. She knows it wasn't her fault. But she watched him die right in front of her, she feels guilty because she survived something that she thought was her fault. Arizona wanted to go drive, she wanted to go on this road at that exact second, she wanted to come to my house. It's not her fault, but all the circumstantial evidence she's compiled the past two months surely makes it seem like it."
He stormed out of the courtroom. Everyone looked at each other in shock. I sank down in my seat, face red, but still proud of Max.
Another hour passed, and eventually, the drunk driver was in fact convicted of vehicular manslaughter with a DUI charge. I walked out of the courtroom and collapsed against the wall. Someone sat next to me, and as soon as he wrapped me in a hug, I knew who it was. "Ronnie got justice." Andy whispered.
"At what cost?"
He hesitated. "I don't know."
"Exactly."