Court days are fun

Covet: Cadence was waiting outside the door trying not to pace or show how nervous she was still feeling even after taking the xanax that she'd picked up at Steph's house. She pulled the jacket she had on around herself as she turned the corner to look at the entrance of the courtroom. // Eli was already in the audience looking at all of the people that were starting to fill in as it got closer and closer to the time.
Alexithymiaa: -Adam sat in the front row of the audience honestly nervous as fuck for Cadence because he's talked to Hayley enough about this shit to know how hard this was for the girls. He uncomfortably ran his hand over the top of his head as he watched people continue to file into the court room, fidgeting in his seat.-
Tsaaq: "All rise for the honorable Judge Gregory Frederick." Announced the bailiff. The crowd rose to their feet as the judge entered the courtroom. // Judge Frederick took his seat and looked between the crowd and the lawyers. “You may sit. Thank you all for attending. Hope you all had a good New Year… Now we may start witness testimonies… Mister Anderson who are we calling to the stand?” // Anderson stood once more. “Prosecution calls Cadence Berkoff to the stand.” He announced. // Hayley stood then sat her butt back down, glancing at Remy, Adam and Cadence just as her name was called. // Bliss was also in the audience with her uncle and grandma. Early this time.
Covet: Cadence had made her way into the room right before the baliff announced the Judge's name. She stood next to the bench then walked up to the stand. Her stomach was in her throat  as she sat down in the seat provided then looked out across the audience seeing the people as well as the cameras. She couldnt' help but pull her jacket around herself as she folded her hands. // Eli looked on quietly after standing up while the judge took his seat.
Alexithymiaa: -Hearing the judge announced, Adam pushed up to his feet to stand until Judge Frederick said they could sit. He took his seat again, his eyes glancing over to Cadence as she made her way to the front to take the stand. Taking a deep breath, he said a little silent prayer for her and reached over to take Hayley's hand.-
Tsaaq: “Swear her in then you may begin.” Judge Frederick nodded his head before sitting back in his seat. // “Thank you, your honor.” Anderson said after Cadence swore she’d tell the truth and nothing but the truth he stepped to the stand. “First of all. I want to apologize to you. Since you have to relive this whole ordeal. But first, if you can I’d like for you to tell me about when you met Thaddeus Wright, and how you’ve viewed him throughout the duration of knowing him.” // Hayley squeezed his hand as she looked to the stand, biting the inside of her cheek. // Remy inhaled deeply and nodded as he looked at Cadence get up on the stand. // Bliss watched quietly as well.
Covet: Cadence held her hand up as she was sworn in and looked at Anderson, listening to his request. She thought about it for a moment that seemed longer than it probably was,  "I didn't really know a whole lot about him, early on. Other than he always had this air about him that he was too good for the people around him. After the shooting at the college it just seemed to get worse. There was suspicion of his involvement with my sister in law Hayley after Thad attacked her the first time, but there was no proof and it was only asumptions. I can't say I really ever had much to do with him, outside of shopping at the place he worked, and going to the same university.  After the event... there were other things that happened to other people. He disappeared for a while, but I remember him being at the bar one night, while I was there... I heard his voice and it just gave me the sickest feeling to hear it, sending me into a panic attack, where my husband Remy had to coax me back out of the bathroom." She explained, unsure of what else to add. // Eli recalled his own involvement with Thad over the years, thinking of when he should have started quetioning his character.
Alexithymiaa: -Adam sat as he listened to Cadence talk, lacing his fingers with Hayley as he thought of his own encounters with Thad and how for the most part he always seemed to be pretty nice to him. If he hadnt known better, he'd have thought he was a good dude.-
Tsaaq: ((YOU WERE WRONG ADAM. DEAD WRONG.))
Tsaaq: "Did you know about him being friends with Devin Vogel? Or Desdemona, or even more recently Ivy Kinsington?" Anderson inquired. "Why don't you tell me about the night you were kidnapped if you can manage it?" // Hayley pursed her lips and lowered her head. She looked over to Marty and Thaddeus and stared a little too long. // Remy held eye contact with her, giving her a small thumbs up while she spoke. Supportive boyfriend. // "We should've said something at Camp Pelipa. Or this would've never happened." Bliss said in a regretful whisper.
Covet: "I think pretty much everyone knew about his frienship with Devin,and Desdemona. Ivy I never really knew much about aside from the fact that he assisted her in the raping of a former student at off campus house." Cadence said then pursed her lips as she looked at Remy. Swallowing hard she nodded, "I was going to or leaving practice that night. I had plans with Remy. I walked around my vehicle to get my gym back out and I remember someone grabbing me. I tried to fight them off and get away, but then I felt a sharp pain in my head and the ground getting close really quick." She paused  for a long time, unable to look at Thad, just a look of confusion on her face. "After that it was a lot of pain,spinning, noises...other... feelings..I don't even know how long it was. Then I was hearing Remy's voice,and felt him pick me up." She started to get emotional and wiped the tears from her eyes, "Then I was in the hospital, Where I was told I had multiple fractures  aross the back of my head . I had a stent put in my head to keep the fluid pressure from building up. I don't really remember anything that happened between those moments." She said softer as she finished. // Eli put his arm around Bliss and nodded, "There were lots of times things should have been said. Sometimes they were and still nothing was done." He whispered back to Bliss.
Alexithymiaa: -Listening as Cadence recounted that night, Adam slipped his arm around Hayley's shoulders and pulled her in close to his side, his eyes dropping down to stare into his lap.-
Tsaaq: Anderson nodded his head slowly. "Your attorney says that you're suffering from acute brain damage from the incident. Can you tell me more about that?" He inquired. He looked very confident as if he had this in the bag. // Hayley turned to Adam and went to squeeze his hand again. "You okay?" She asked him, trying not to get sad at Cadence's recollection. // Remy was shaking in his spot but he knew not to get up and fuck up Thaddeus. // "But... We knew so much and did so little. I can't help but feel guilty." She said softly.
Covet: "I am. I'm currently dealing with Post Traumatic Amnesia, as well as Retrograde Amnesia. Which is why I can't remember details of the kidnapping, and I've lost certain memories from before the event. I currently have fluid building up again pressing against my hippocampus region. The neurologist is going to keep a close eye on it." She spoke then added. "My therapist and I are trying different things to keep from losing more memories, as well as recall the ones I've lost. // Eli  nodded, "I understand. I'm sorry you feel that way." He told her pressing a kiss against her head.
Alexithymiaa: -Adam dropped his head in close to Hayley so he could whisper to her. "Yeah... I just dont think I understood the severity of how much y'all have suffered at the hands of Thaddeus. I've spoken to you about it, yes, but you're the only one I've talked to. I guess it was easy to forget he'd wronged others as well."-
Tsaaq: He inhaled deeply. "Sounds like you've lost quite a bit at the expense of the defendant." Anderson said. // "Well... This whole case is going to open a bunch of old wounds." She murmured. "What?" Hayley whispered, when hearing about Cadence's amnesia. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked over to Remy. // "Shhhh." He shushed Hayley right away before she could bitch at him. "It was none of your business." Remy murmured so she wouldn't ask why she didn't know. // Bliss frowned and shook her head. "Oh my goodness, that's awful." She whispered.
Covet: "I have, but not as much as the others.  I feel like I got off pretty easy in regards to the damage caused." Cadence said responding then took a glance over at Thad and Marty. "In some ways I'm thankful for not being able to remember any of the worst of it." // Eli frowned and was just as shocked as the rest of them.
Alexithymiaa: "I'm getting that, yeah..." He spoke, keeping his voice low because court. He rubbed his hand over Hayley's arm when Remy shushed her. "I'm sure you can ask Cadence about it later."-
Tsaaq: He nodded his head solemnly. "You deserve justice just as much as everyone else in this case." He told her. "The prosecution rests your honor." He declared, going to sit. // "The defense may approach the bench for cross examination." Frederick said. // Marty fixed his collar and went to the stand and smiled at Cadence. "Hello Mrs. Berkoff." He said coyly. "You mentioned earlier that after the school shooting my client was different. Can you elaborate on that?" // Hayley nodded her head but she looked pissed. "What did you think about that? Was that enough to make people convict him. // Remy narrowed his as Marty got up, daring him with his eyes to say something shitty. // "Here we go Uncle Sedrick." She whispered, turning to Sedrick who was watching intently.
Covet: The nerves hit Cadence when Anderson said that he was finished. She watched as slimy Marty got up  and walked over to her.  The first words out of his mouth seemed to be drenched in venom. " I don't know how to explain it. He wanted people to feel bad for him, because his finger was shot. But, people died in that event. So over time I guess he started to resent everyone for not caring? That's the only explination that comes to mind." She said furrowing her brows at Marty. She started to feel the familiar roll, her stomach had been doing lately and cleared her throat as she took a drink of water. // Eli watched the snake of a lawyer start in on Cadence.
Covet: *explanation
Alexithymiaa: "I'm not really sure. There's always the other half that needs to happen before the jury can form any real opinions on Cadence's testimony. Unfortunately that other half is Thaddeus' lawyer..." His voice was edged with annoyance because he could already see the angle Marty was trying to play against Cadence's testimony, whispering under his breath. "Being shot at didn't make Thaddeus a rapist..."-
Tsaaq: "Was it that he wanted people to feel bad for him or that nobody was there for him?" Marty interrupted with a raise of his eyebrow. "Tell me, when you got out of the school the day of the shooting... Were people there waiting for you to see if you were alright?" He inquired. // Hayley nodded her head before scowling. "Nobody is going to believe that. The prosecutor already said when he was showing the evidence. Thaddeus has been raping girls for a long time." She scoffed. // Remy began to roll his eyes. "This fucker." He whispered as he shook his head. // Bliss saw the others on their side of the bench then looked to Sedrick. // "Tell them they need to put their poker faces on. We're on camera." Sedrick leaned in and told Eli and Bliss.
Covet: "Right outside the front doors where we were escorted. I'm guessing the EMT's were looking him over when we got out..." Cadence said then looked back at Marty, "Even if that was the case, why did that make me a target for him? Why wouldn't he have gone after his family who hadn't been there for him?" Her voice was tipped towards the emotional side. // Eli  leaned over to get the rest of their groups attention. "Sedrick says poker faces."
Alexithymiaa: "I hope that's the case." He whispered back to her, turning his head in Eli's direction and nodding his head to him before remaining stoically in his seat, trying not to show how irritated he was at the moment.-
Tsaaq: "Sounds a lot like you're beating around the bush." Marty said with a small shrug. "If you noticed a decline in Thaddeus' psyche from that point on, why are you proposing that we should blame anyone but the system that failed him?" He asked. "Who are we supposed to put in jail? His parents? His teachers?" He inquired. // Anderson shot up immediately. "Your honor, defense is badgering the witness." // "Please rephrase your questions Mr. Goldsmith." Frederick said to Marty. // Marty scoffed and straightened his tie. "Would you say... Thaddeus was an outsider in comparison to everyone else in school?" He asked. //  Hayley shook her head before trying to make a blank expression despite tearing up. // Remy nodded his head. "Sorry Sed." He said before looking at Cadence with concern. // Bliss inhaled deeply. "Sorry." She whispered as she went to lower her head.
Covet: "His parents, nor his teachers were the ones that kidnapped and raped us. The system fails a lot of people. The stystem failed us. The sytem failed Hayley. But we were expected to just get over what had happened to us, accept that as our fate. Why should that be any different for him." Cadence said looking over at Thad. "There were different choices he could have made, regardless if he was an outsider. That doesn't mean there shouldn't be any accountability on his part for what he admits he did." She said with her heart in her throat as her face turned red. // Eli rose his eyebrows as he watched Marty take a strike.
Alexithymiaa: -Adam very methodically stroked his fingers over the fabric of Hayley's sweater because he was growing incredibly irritated with the image Marty was trying to paint for the jury, and using Cadence to do it. This was definitely the side of law he did not like.-
Tsaaq: He began to shake his head. "No part of you feels bad for Thaddeus Wright?" He asked in a monotone but really he was practically going to squeal with excitement. "It sounds like no part of you ever has either. Would I be correct in that assumption." // Anderson sunk into his seat and sighed, shaking his head slowly. // Hayley looked over to Adam then back to Cadence. // Remy frowned, looking Cadence in the eye and doing a breathing motion with his hands so she'd calm down.
Covet: "There might have been part of me that would have felt bad for him at some point. But if there was...It's long gone now. He's not the victim here. I will not sympathize with my offender. I never asked for this. None of us did." Cadence said starting to breath harder as she got choked up. Her hands clenched tightly in her lap as she looked at Remy taking a deep breath. "It's really hard to care about a person who has no reverence for human life."  // Eli shook his head, he didn't even know what to say at this point.
Alexithymiaa: -Adam was silently cheering for Cadence's rebutle because fuck you Marty, trying his best to keep his face as even as possible.-
Tsaaq: He nodded slowly. "Do you know what ASPD is Mrs. Berkoff?" Marty inquired as he walked over to his table to grab a paper. // Hayley looked to the jury since it was their opinions that mattered. She tried to read their faces. // Remy's eyes widened, still making the breathing motions because this looked like it was about to go bad news bears. // Bliss took Eli's hand and leaned against him.
Covet: Cadence was confused as he turned away and went to grab something from his table. "Antisocial Personality Disorder." She answered him as she looked back trying to regain her composure, glancing over at Remy, Sedrick and Anderson, for any sort of clue as to where this was going. // Eli gave Bliss's hand a squeeze.
Alexithymiaa: -Adam leaned into Hayley, dropping his voice down to her. "Do you think he's trying to let on that Thad has APSD and therefore doesn't understand right from wrong where humanity is concerned?" He asked her, because fuck Sedrick, he wanted to talk to Hayley.-
Tsaaq: "While waiting on the trial to begin... We had my defendant pyshcologically examined. And our findings were that he suffers from Antisocial Personality Disorder. Now this might be a little confusing-" He looked to the jury. "But Thaddeus, in the past has shown all these symptons and as a result of the school shooting his state of mind had worsened. Which YOU confirmed." Marty said, handing over the photocopied parts of the report. "There it is in black in white. Antagonism, maliciousness, disregard for self and others. Callousness, deceitfullness, hostility towards others." He listed outloud. "I'm not saying what he did wasn't wrong Mrs. Berkoff. Please don't be displeased with me. But this is a real detail that fell betwixt the cracks." // Hayley turned to Adam and frowned. "What is that-" She whispered before hearing Marty explain. "I guess he is." // Remy inhaled deeply once she was calmer then furrowed his brow at the new fucking shit Marty had laid on them.
Covet: Cadence paused as she listened to him and nodded her head. "No of course you wouldn't say something like that. It would be absolutely preposterous." She said trying hard to hide the bitterness in her tone. Then she retorted, "It's not confusing at all, some of the greatest serial killers and sexual offenders were later found to have ASPD. They were all still found guilty of their crimes and served their sentences to their deaths. What makes him any different than Bundy? Than Gacy? Than Manson? Would you have put any of them in your standard mental behavior institution and still feel safe?  I'm not saying that mental disabilities aren't something to take lightheartedly. I myself share a disorder with a number of other famous criminals. I'm sure you are well aware of it by this point. Borderline Personality Disorder. But you don't see me using it as a crutch to explain and get away with any heinious crimes, like killing and raping people. Obviously your client is fit enough for trial, or he wouldn't be here. So explain to me why he isn't fit enough for prison." Cadence said setting her jaw while her hands shook in her lap. // Eli was watching this intently.
Covet: *are something to take seriously
Alexithymiaa: -Adam shook his head with clear distaste, taking a deep settling breath as he continued to watch the cross examination.-
Tsaaq: Marty fought a chuckle. "No one is getting away with anything Mrs. Berkoff. No one is arguing that. Being rehabilitated for the remainder of your life in any circumstance is hardly ever getting away with anything. My client turned himself in." He waved his hand at Thaddeus. "And all I was simply stating was that you pointed out that after the school shooting? Thaddeus behavior had taken a turn for the worse." He said as he looked to the jury. "And that's all. All of the other comments were irrelevant and unneccesary but thank you for that brief lesson in sociology-" // Thaddeus rose his hand in the middle of Marty speaking with a blank face. // "What is it?" Judge Frederick asked. // "Can I use the bathroom?" Thad asked with a puff of his cheeks. // "Hm." Frederick turned to Marty. "Mister Goldsmith are you done with the witness?" Once Marty nodded his head Frederick banged his gavel. "Then this court is adjourned." // Hayley shook her head. "Well then." She whispered.
Covet: Cadence wanted to respond that he'd been doing horrible things before the shooting, but all she could do was glare back at him as she was denied when the judge banged his gavel. She waited for a long second before she got up and walked over to Where Remy and Sedrick all were. Visibly shook, she leaned into Remy and fought breaking down right there. // Eli was unsure where this was going to leave them with the Jury and offered a sincere look as Cadence rejoined them.
Alexithymiaa: "You did a good job, Cadence." Adam offered to try to be supportive since she clearly looked unhappy and that was rough. He leaned in and kissed Hayley's forehead. "We should get out of here. I'm sure the media is waiting outside." He said as he took her hand, starting out of the court room and trying to do his best to shield her from any vulture press.-
Tsaaq: Sedrick hurriedly moved over to Cadence. "Yes she did her best but I don't know what you were thinking but you definitely weren't helping Anderson out by being a smart ass on the stand." He said, more firmly like a parent then in a jerk manner. "And don't ramble when you're up there. Answer the question, that's it. Don't release unneeded information." He looked right at Hayley because he knew they needed to nail the othe testimonies. "And be polite. I know he's a horrible asshole slimeball but be polite and pleasant. You're trying to convince these people that it doesn't matter that this kid is a reject. He's a criminal." Sedrick pointed behind him as the jury filed out of the courtroom. // Hayley became very annoyed. "Well how is she supposed to know all that-" She sighed at Adam. "You're right." She muttered. // Remy furrowed his eyebrows. "Sed you've got to help us okay? Bear with us we've never had to do any shit like this before!"
Covet: Cadence lost it as she turned her head into Remy's chest and just started crying and repeatedly saying she was sorry. Because all she'd done is make it that much harder for Hayley and Steph. "Can we just go home now...please." She sounded like she was practically begging Remy at ths point as she tugged his shirt. // Eli sighed  watching the group, listening to Sedrick, then at Bliss. "I think we're all ready to get out of here."
Tsaaq: Sedrick shook his head. "Oh, Cadence. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to speak so roughly with you. But everyone needs to keep in mind that becoming emotional, especially angry on the stand gives a bad look. That's just how it is. Now we have two strikes against us. Hopefully the jury just knows you're all so emotional about this situation." // Bliss nodded her head. "Yes, Gram is waiting in the car outside. We have to leave Uncle Sedrick." She whispered, obviously in a rush. // Remy patted her head and kissed it. "No, Cadence. It's okay. Come on. Let's go home."
Covet: "It's your job. I understand." Cadence said to Sedrick. She nodded her head to Remy,feeling guilty about how she'd responded, that sick feeling coming back hard.  Not wanting to look at anyone as they made their way out, she kept her head burried against Remy. // Eli gave Sedrick a handshake, "See you tomorrow, Sed." He said as he walked out with Bliss.