Lauren's POV

My mind doesn't quite process why people are pouring out of a building puddle of vans, cameras and microphones in hand, in front of the courthouse where I'm perched on the warm concrete steps. I frown, placing a hand against my forehead to shield my eyes from the sunlight as I look them over. Some part of me recognises them as reporters but bypasses the notion that they must be here for Camila, entirely forgetting that I'm not the only one who thinks that they know her. I'm reminded of that fact when the cameras start flashing, questions and names ringing out from the crowd until they become an indistinguishable din. Turning to look over my shoulder, I realise the doors to the courthouse have opened, allowing a small posse of blue uniforms to make their way out, among them, a flash of orange. Camila.

I leap to my feet, following the group down the steps and noticing Normani trailing behind by a step or two. After hurrying to catch up with her, I soon fall into her pace.

"What happened? Did they make a decision?" I ask, not able to tear my eyes from Camila, walking with her head down as the reporters reluctantly clear a path for the officers. My most burning question, ironically, slips out on a whisper. "Is she going to be alright?"

"Wait," Normani utters, gesturing subtly for me to leave her side before turning to the reporters. I frown, but step aside, waiting near a half-wall away from the crowd. "This is a very delicate time for my client. She is human, like the rest of us, and has asked for all details of the case to be kept private. We appreciate your respect for this decision." She states, ensuring that her attention moves over each reporter equally.

"Respect her?" One man calls out, pushing his way to the front until he is standing a step above Normani, glaring down at her. Still, he's just an inch or so above her height, even with the advantage. The cameras turn to him as he spits, "She is a monster. She deserves the death sentence."

Normani ignores him entirely, nodding to the other reporters. "Thank you. That is all." She slides away with ease, gently taking my elbow as she passes me. The reporters continue to ask questions, but she leads me away swiftly. Good thing, too, or I might've given that man a piece of my mind. Hearing his voice again, I peer over my shoulder to find him attempting to rile up the reporters. As he moves, his sleeve inches up, revealing a point of ink beneath his skin. My brows knit, recognising the shape, the location. Before I can confirm my suspicion, Normani pulls me around the corner.

"What happened?" I repeat immediately, turning my attention from the stranger onto the attorney.

Her mouth twitches as she bites the inside of her cheek, peering at me with a calculating look, before she throws her hands into the pockets of her pants and explains, "She spoke about her upbringing, and then about you." My eyelids flutter, lips parting. My unspoken curiosity to know what she said must come across anyway, for she laughs before continuing, "She told everyone how you were helping her 'be good'. Then, she realised you left... she seemed pretty upset." I grimace, only now realising what that must've seemed like for her, "Then Ortiz pulled a blindsider."

"What do you mean?"

"He, well, he asked for witness protection and confessed that he didn't want to come to court. Judge Ashtad adjourned the trial until tomorrow."

"What does that mean for you? For the case? Camila, will she-"

"I'm not sure yet. We'll have to see what else Ortiz has to say. Are you going to come?" I remain silent as my mind reels with this new information, so she continues without a response, "You should. You won't be able to see Camila until after the verdict, so you can't mess with the integrity of the trial."

"I don't know if I can," I admit, adding with a dry laugh, "Not without tape over my mouth."

She dips her head slightly to meet my lowered gaze. "You really should, Lauren."

I consider her words for a moment, and the image of an upset Camila they bring to mind. "I'll show up, let her see me but," I shake my head, "I- I don't know if I can be there when they make the decision."

She nods understandingly, and squeezes my upper arm softly. "I've got to run, but I'll see you tomorrow, okay? It starts at 4."

I nod, watching her leave before heading for my own car on the other side of the building, surprised to see that most of the reporters have already left without a trace.

...

Twenty-four hours later, I'm once again sitting in the courtroom. As we are creatures of habit, I'm in the same exact seat, too. Deja vu washes over me as Camila is led into the room. Normani was right; she seems dejected. She doesn't raise her head once, barely even lifts her feet as she's led to her table by the bailiff. She mutters something, probably a "thank you", to him before he leaves, but receives no response of any kind.

The judge's gavel snaps me out of my staring, and I turn to face him. "The Ortiz v Cabello case is now in session. Before we proceed, I would like to inform the people present today of the incident that sparked the premature adjournment yesterday afternoon. If you recall, Mr Ortiz interrupted the trial with a request to be placed under the witness protection program. Since then, he has explained to me that he did not initially wish to press charges against Miss Cabello, but was coerced into doing so by numerous individuals with a strong influence over his life. I believe he has something he would like to say to the jury today."

Mr Ortiz nods, turning towards the jury on the other side of the room. His hands are clasped together in front of him, knuckles turning white with the strength at which he grips his fist. Meanwhile, his attorney, Mr Lee, huffs, tossing his arms into the air in frustration.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I- I want you to know that I'm sorry for wasting your time with this trial. Karla knows," He turns to look at her for a moment, offering a sympathetic smile even though she doesn't look up. "La Familia makes you scared for your life. The only way to survive is to do as they say." He looks back to the jury. "I just followed the instructions I was given both by gang members and my lawyer in order to have Karla given the death sentence, simply because I was the only one who witnessed the murder, the murder she committed to protect me. I am forever in debt to Karla... I owe her my life." Noticing the irony in his words, he scoffs, "And a few thousand dollars which I can try to pay back over time, if she wants. I- The point is, alright, I think you should listen more to what they have to say and I promise to be truthful from now on." Finally, he turns to the judge who nods once, allowing him to sink back into his seat.

"This has, perhaps, been one of the most chaotic trials I have ever been a part of," He then chuckles slightly, adjusting his glasses and breaking character for just a moment before donning a more serious look. "However, to maintain some sort of normalcy and to allow for justice to take its natural course, we will now continue with the rest of the evidence that the defence have prepared. Ms Hamilton?"

"Thank you, your honor," The woman returns, pushing from her seat. "Considering the change, I'd like to first question Mr Ortiz, if that's okay?" She asks, gesturing to him for a moment as if, by this point, we don't know who he is.

Mr Ortiz waits for a nod from the judge before heading to the stand for his second time. A small trench forms between my eyebrows as I wonder what he has to say now.

"First, I'm going to repeat my previous questions."

He nods in understanding.

"Were you or were you not financially entangled with Alejandro and Sinuhe Cabello prior to the night of the 21st of August?"

"I was." He confirms. Someone in the gallery mumbles something unintelligible, but I can't make out who, or what they said.

"Why, after the incident, didn't you call the police to report the double homicide you witnessed? Why did you wait three years to identify yourself as a witness?"

He looks down, jaw twitching. "I didn't escape." A gasp- the gavel. He continues. "Karla took me back to the house. I was in the back of the van, she was... not... normal," he frowns, "When I saw her around the house she was always happy, even when she had to hide it you could see it underneath, but then she was so- so cold, it was strange. Anyway, she drove me back to the house, put me in the basement. After a while I guess she called her friends over because one of them came down to me, told me I was lucky she wasn't like her parents or I'd be dead too, and warned me that if I'm grateful for my life, I shouldn't tell anyone. I didn't call the police because of that but also because I- I was part of a gang, I mean, I thought they'd just find my DNA in there and blame me, too."

"Thank you," Normani nods, "For setting the record straight. No further questions." Mr Ortiz smiles in gratitude and heads back to his seat. "Now, your honor, I'd like to play some videos."

The cart from before is once again wheeled into the room, and I shift to cross my legs, taking the moment to watch Camila. Her hand is moving again, head bowed down so deeply that I can see the bone pressing against her tanned skin, highlighted under the fluorescent lights above. Normani bends to say something to her, and she shakes her head quickly.

"These are videos taken by Dr Jauregui, my client's psychologist, during their sessions together. They clearly show improvement in my client's behaviour and mental condition in just the few months that she has received treatment." She turns to face me and a thankful smile tugs at my lips.

The video appears, showing the first session I'd filmed, when I asked her about her access to amenities, when she first started to tell me about her home life, when she admitted to never being okay, to the swings she experienced.

Next comes the day after the comics, when she'd been triggered by the 'monsters' and was still reeling the next day, when she was dark again, when I managed to break her down until she thanked me for the changes I'd made to her accessible provisions, when she told me about the basement. It cuts off before I reach for her hand.

She runs through various clips of our time together. It feels odd, seeing it all play out again on a much larger screen, in front of an audience, but by the slight cracks in the jury's stoic faces, I know it's helping. After a while, I look to the present Camila, still moving her hand in that figure-8, refusing to look at the screen. I frown, feeling a pang of guilt in my chest. She ends it on a more recent session, with Camila explaining that she'd used the beach technique to keep herself calm after experiencing an unsettling nightmare.

When that video ends, she turns off the computer, turning to the judge and jury. "I'll let you interpret those as you wish, but I believe there is a clear progression from the first few clips to the last, which was shot just a week ago. This, combined with my client's own statements, prove that therapy is an important part of her life now, and should be considered when it comes to your verdict."

"A video proves nothing," Mr Lee contends, and I roll my eyes. "Anyone can act. Psychopaths do it all the time—"

"Mr Lee," The judge sighs.

"Your honor, I am only concerned for the safety of—"

"Mr Lee!" He snaps, banging his gavel, "I do believe you have lost your footing in this case."

He huffs, crossing his arms over his chest like a child. I look back to Camila, who has started to shake.

"Ms Hamilton, is that all you'd like to bring to the attention of the court?"

"Yes, your honor," she confirms, sitting beside Camila.

"In that case, the jury will now make their verdict based on the facts presented throughout this trial."

I'd planned to leave while the jury did, to avoid having to hear them call her crazy and sentence her to death, but Normani whispers something to Camila, who twists at the waist and scans the gallery. She finds me among the crowd, her jaw drops, and her breathing picks up, eyes brightening in a second, and I have no choice but to stay. I have to show her that I care, that I won't leave her. I have to be strong for her. The jury leaves, and I remain rooted to my seat. She bites her lip, subtly raising one hand from her lap in a wave, and spins back around to Normani. They share a conversation while I watch, unable to tear my eyes from her profile and she talks animatedly with her attorney. Before I know it, the jury returns to the room. My throat dries up as I watch them each take their seat, bar one.

The judge waits for them to settle before asking, "Have you come to a unanimous conclusion?"

"Yes, your honor," the man still standing responds. "We find Karla Cabello not guilty of capital homicide." A rush of air leaves many in the room, even while others begin to bicker over the decision, including Mr Lee. The judge regains order, and the man continues, "We also believe that Miss Karla Cabello should continue her current sentence for another three months and, if she displays good behaviour, she will be granted parole, as follows the terms of her original conviction."

A weight is lifted from my chest. I've no idea who says what next, too focused on the relief coursing through me. When others stand to leave, I mindlessly follow, waiting outside the room for Normani to exit. Camila, still an inmate, of course, is once again surrounded by officers but when she spots me, she doesn't break her eyes, which I'm surprised to find teary, from mine. I look to her lips, expecting a smile, but they're pursed, chin trembling. Her head is pushed back around to face forwards by one of the officers, and I realise Normani is waiting beside me.

"Not guilty," I breathe in almost-disbelief. "You're amazing."

She laughs slightly, thanking me as I hold the door open for her to pass through. "I believe a lot of it was down to you, Lauren. If she was still how she was before she met you... she wouldn't have fared so well."

"Well, thank you, either way."

She nods. "They'll let you see her back at the big house now." Are you coming?"

I nod rapidly, parting from her to make my way to my car, once again leaving her to address the reporters at the bottom of the steps.