It's Gonna Get Better // Cyrus

Setting The Facts Straight

Court Day

I looked at myself in the mirror. "You can do it", I said a silent prayer before going downstairs. I saw my parents talking in the kitchen. "I'm ready" they turned to me. My dad walked over to me. "You look beautiful" he hugged me for the second time in ten years, the first time being when they found out about the drugs.

The last time he hugged me, I was six. My mom came over and hugged me too, kissing my forehead. "Sweetheart if it's okay with you. Your dad and I were thinking it's okay for him to start back living with us", she said. "Yes, I don't mind under one condition please don't act like we're invisible" he looked sad.

"I promise Ella" he hugged my mom and kissed her cheek. We stayed like that for a while before leaving for the court. When we got there, I saw Cyrus sitting down, waiting already. I walked over to him. "Thanks for coming to Cy" he got up and hugged me. "Of course anything for you E."

"There's someone I want you to meet" we walked over to my dad. "Dad this is Cyrus he's my boyfriend. Cyrus this is my father" they shook hands. "Nice to meet you Mr Walker" "You too Cryus."

Alex came over. "Hey Ella."

My mom hugged him quickly. "Oh, my look at you, how are you?" She asked concerningly. "I'm doing better, Mrs Walker thanks", he looked uncomfortable. I knew he didn't like people feeling sorry for him.

"Hey Alex I don't think you've met Cyrus yet he's my boyfriend. Cryus, Alex, he's my best friend" Cyrus nodded, "Hey."

"Hey", Alex replied.

"I just wanted to let you know I'll be sitting with Clay, Zach and Tony good luck."

"Thank you" Lord knows I'll need it.

••••

"This is Andrew and Olivia Baker vs The Evergreen County School District. Please state your full name for the record."

"Ella Grace Walker"

"Ella describe your experience at Liberty High to us please", Baker's lawyer, Dennis, asked me.

"Um normal I guess," I noticed Sheri came in.

"How was your relationship with Hannah before she passed?" I looked at her mother, remembering the first time we met.

"Good after a month she made me her best friend I remember telling her I had two already, but she said you could have more than two", I reminisced, tapping my nails gently against the wood.

"Was Hannah a good friend? A good person?" He asked.

"Yeah she listened, she gave advice though flawed at times, she's human it's okay. She was nice to everyone once you didn't upset her" he shook his head.

"So when Hannah started getting slut-shamed what did the school do about it?"

"Nothing really. They deemed it petty issues among children and said no one got hurt."

"Hannah was a good person; this should've been a big issue. Someone did get hurt Hannah, she got hurt time and time again, and the school did nothing to help."

"Objection your honour he's attempting to imply false narratives", the school's lawyer, Sonya, interjected.

"Your honour I'm simply stating the facts Hannah reported it, but yet nothing was done," Dennis argued.

"I'll allow it," the judge said.

"What did Hannah do when the pictures of her and Courtney went around?"

"She told me about it. I told her to tell the principal, but I'm not sure if she did."

"What about the video of you two that was posted on Instagram what happened after that?"