Crista and Sky were both included in the final group of those called to testify at the hearing. Crista was called before Sky was, as the crime committed against her was much less severe and had a lot more proof. Once she came in and did her nervous introduction, Lewis began with the usual question about any knowledge of Curt committing any acts of sexual violence.

“My friend Kole said that Curt raped his girlfriend Sammi two years ago” Crista sighed heavily.

Sullivan spoke first then, “and you don’t think he would have any reason to lie about that?”

“I never even knew her. Why would he?” Crista looked at him with confusion.

“Every witness that has come in here has told us that Curt raped Sammi” Lewis told him.

“But of course, Sammi’s not here to confirm that herself, conveniently” Sullivan added the last word at a lower volume.

“Yes, it’s so convenient that she killed herself after Curt supposedly raped her and made her lose her baby. Curt should be thanking her I suppose” Lewis returned coolly.

“Counselors!” the judge scolded them before Lewis looked away and moved on to her next question.

“Any other instances, Crista?”

“The one you all saw on the video” Crista shrugged, biting her lip as she looked down.

“It would help if you told us what happened in your own words though. The video may not even make it into evidence; so we’ll need your statement” Lewis coaxed.

“Curt and Kole were arguing and before Curt finally left us alone, he grabbed my butt, hard. I screamed and jumped away” she offered another shrug.

“You seem rather calm about it though” Sullivan interjected, “do you feel like that was sexual assault?”

“I feel like it was gross and I didn’t want him to do it” she returned with a slight glare.

“But you don’t feel that it was actually sexual assault?” Sullivan pressed.

“Whether she feels like it was assault or not, it is according to the law” Lewis scoffed, “she confirmed that she didn’t want him to touch her like that, and she’s under the age of consent” Lewis told him pointedly.

Crista paled slightly at that statement, before Sullivan prodded further, “again, did you consider it assault?”

“I know it was now!” Crista argued weakly.

“But you didn’t think so at the time? Perhaps you actually didn’t have a problem with an older boy, a quarterback, touching you like that?” Sullivan pressed further.

“Badgering!” Lewis interrupted.

But Crista spoke again then, “do I look like I like quarterbacks?” she bit out.

Then Sullivan smirked, “well, if we’re going by looks, what you looked like on that video is like you wanted every boy in that mall to grab you” he told her smartly.

“Badgering!” Lewis repeated more loudly.

“Counselor” the judge scolded again.

“Sorry, withdrawn” Sullivan returned sarcastically as Crista glared at him to hold back tears.

Lewis just glared over at him as well before she continued, “she’s already stated that she did not want to be touched in that way, and even if she had wanted to be touched in that way; she is under the age of consent and it is still a crime” Lewis told him angrily.

“How old was the boy you were with that night? Kole, the one who’s done all this speaking for the dead girl he impregnated?”

“Argumentative and relevance!” Lewis exclaimed.

The judge then interjected again, “Sullivan. This girl is not on trial, And I find it a little concerning that the first witness you’re badgering is also the first victim we’ve spoken to.”

“Your honor, I’m just being much more thorough when dealing with an actual ‘victim’ than I was with all the people that came before us just claiming to have heard about what my client supposedly did.”

“Thorough? That’s what you call it?” Lewis returned with another glare.

“Counselor” the judge addressed her then. He then shook his head, “do either of you have any further questions for Miss Sampson?”

“Not right now” Sullivan said pointedly.

“No sir” Lewis confirmed.

And then, it was Sky’s turn to sit there and recount the story that he had barely been able to recount to his friends and family. And now he would have to do it again in front of a lawyer whose entire job was to make sure Curt would get away with all he’d done. Sky took a deep breath as he took his seat, made his introduction and awaited their questions.

Lewis took a deep breath of her own and asked her opening question. Sky just shook his head, “yes I’ve heard about him touching Crista, and raping Sammi.”

“Anything else?” Lewis coaxed.

“I think we all already know what else by now, don’t we?” Sky scoffed.

“We still need to hear you tell us, under oath, Sky” Lewis told him with a bit of regret.

Sky took another breath, burying his face in his hands as he spoke, “he bent me over a sink, pulled my pants down, and forced his fingers inside me” he whispered.

“And why didn’t you report this when it happened, if you actually thought it was rape?” Sullivan asked with a lack of emotion.

“First of all, it only happened three weeks ago” Sky shot back, “and secondly, I was afraid of what he would do to other people I care about.”

“So, those are the only reasons you didn’t report it?” Sullivan pressed.

“And because I knew he’d get away with it. My teacher already blamed me, and I’m sure everyone else would too.”

“And why would you think that?” Sullivan asked pointedly.

“Because of who I am” Sky whispered as he looked away again.

“And who are you?” Sullivan asked with a smirk.

“Is that seriously your question?” Sky asked.

“I’ll rephrase. What reasons do you have for believing you would be blamed for what you describe as an unwanted sexual assault?”

“Because, everyone who doesn’t know me thinks I’m gay. And they think I either want it or deserve it” his voice dropped a bit, as it was only a few nights ago that he too had claimed the latter during that dark moment on the bathroom floor.

“And are you gay?” Sullivan asked.

“Relevance” Lewis interjected.

“I’ll allow it” the judge agreed, though with a grumble.

“No” Sky answered as he looked away.

“So, you don’t engage in consensual anal intercourse with other males?” Sullivan retorted.

“I didn’t that day” Sky muttered.

“You didn’t answer the question though” Sullivan prodded.

“I think I did” Sky bit back, “and if I was a girl who said Curt raped her, would you be asking me if I had engaged in consensual vaginal intercourse with other men?” he growled angrily. “And now you know why else I didn’t report it.”

To that, Sullivan only glared. Lewis bit back her own slight smirk as he seemed temporarily silenced. “Any further questions, Sullivan?”

“Not at the moment” Sullivan returned through clenched teeth.

Once Sky left, fists clenching, body shaking with fear and anger and a few hundred other emotions, the judge turned to the lawyers, “and who else is left?”

“Curt’s girlfriend, Brandi Turner” Sullivan supplied.

Lewis narrowed her eyes at that, but sat back as the tiny distraught looking blonde entered the room and took a shaky seat to make her own introduction. Though Sullivan asked the first question this time, “how long have you and Curt been dating?”

“Since right before senior year. So, a couple months I guess” she answered, blue eyes down, her voice barely above a whisper.

“So, am I right to assume that you have no reason to think of him as a sexual predator of any kind, then?”

Brandi swallowed hard as she thought on that answer, “after I heard what Kole said, about Sammi... I just... I’m not sure anymore” she whispered, which did cause Sullivan to pale slightly as that was not the answer he had been expecting at all.

“Why would you believe Mr. Wagner over your boyfriend?” Sullivan asked her, trying to keep his voice even.

“Just little things. When you look at them again, after hearing something like that. All those little things look really different” she said as she bit back a few tears.

That was when Lewis interjected, “you’re going to have to be more specific than that.”

“This is my witness” Sullivan quickly interrupted “and I have no further questions."

“Then it’s my turn to cross examine her” Lewis bit back, “what did you mean by your last statement, Brandi?”

“I didn’t plan on coming in here and trying to get Curt in trouble. But ever since Kole said that he raped that girl who killed herself? I just... The things he does...” she shook her head again.

“Take your time Brandi. Just explain one thing at a time” Lewis coaxed.

“The way he talks about girls. Like they all want him. Even that little freshman girl he grabbed last weekend. She hates him, and he still talks like she wants him. He talks like that about every girl. Even the ones who have flat out told him off. It’s like he doesn’t even hear it” she shook her head.

“The only thing that’s evidence of is overconfidence” Sullivan interjected.

Brandi just shook her head, “and the way he grabbed that fourteen year old girl, right in front of the other guy? I mean... that’s wrong, isn’t it?”

“Sounds like you may have some jealousy issues” Sullivan mumbled.

“Argumentative” Lewis shook her head at him, “and yes, him grabbing her like that was a crime.”

“A crime?” Brandi repeated shakily.

“Yes, unwanted groping, especially of someone under the age of consent; that’s considered sexual assault.”

“But didn’t we elect a president who did that?” Brandi replied as she raised a brow.

Lewis just cleared her throat, not wanting to touch that one, “what other little things, Brandi?”

“If you’ve had sex with a boy before” Brandi began with a shaky breath, “and you were not really... conscious at the time. And he had sex with you again, while you were like that, even if you let him do it before... that’s a crime too, isn’t it?” she asked as her voice broke.

“Yes, it most definitely is” Lewis confirmed as Sullivan paled again.

“Then... I guess he raped some other people too” she sniffled, “and I’m one of them” she finished with a sob.