Court is a terrifying place. It makes it scarier when you're the defendant. My heart is pounding. Ten minutes left before we have to stand before the judge. Phoebe's at home, Jericho made her stay she can't have any more stress. I told Vincent to stay home, but he said no, and after I insisted, he told me to go fuck myself and that he was going.

Before the trial starts, I want to talk to Jericho.

"Jericho, I know you don't want to talk, but I'm going to talk to you anyway." Jericho ignores me; he's petty like that. He'd stand still and ignore you. "I didn't tell you because you were already stressed. You're taking care of Phoebe and going to work and dealing with our evil mother."

"You how much worse you made the situation when I figured out we only had two fucking days nigga?"

"Jericho, I'm so sorry. Phoebe isn't the only one I worry about, sure we fight and say shit to each other, but I love you, I know you put up a front, you're so strong, but there's only so much you can take–"

"I'm good–"

"Really, Jericho?" I asked with tears in my eyes. "Have you stopped overdosing on Xanax?"

Jericho bit his lip. "I need–"

"Yea, but you don't overdose, and you do when you're stressed. I've caught you four times before you moved out! I knew you were still doing it, it's not healthy, and when you're not stressed, you're not doing it." I wiped the tears out of my eyes. "Jericho, I haven't told anyone, not Phoebe, not Khassy or Elora, and not Vincent, but I'm worried for you."

"A'roya," Jericho's lip quivered. I hugged his waist, putting my head on his chest. "I love you." He whispered into my hair.

"I love you too, Jericho; get some help, though, please."

"I will."

"Promise me," I looked into his eyes.

"I promise." He assured me.

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

"Are you ok?" Vincent mumbled against my neck.

I nodded. "I got everything I needed out. I'm fine."

Vincent nodded, kissing my cheek. "I'm going to be right out here. These motherfuckers won't let me in the court."

I pulled away. "Nigga what–? Nah, you gotta come, excuse me, guard–"

"A'roya, calm down; you're going to be ok."

I nodded, taking a deep breath. "Right, I love you."

"I love you too, baby."

•┈••✦ ❤ ✦••┈•

We've been here for about ten minutes, Jericho and I have evidence to prove that we haven't touched our siblings, but the case turned against us when mother brought up the time Jericho smacked her. Jericho had a reason, mom was continuously beating him with a pan, and he defended himself, slapping the shit out of her and getting away, he was eighteen, and he moved out the same day.

Dad had his green card; he was protected, so he testified against my mother, telling the court of the abuse and her threats.

But then A'raya went on the stand with tears running down her face; her nose was leaking, and she was breaking down. "I–I–"

"Get the little girl some tissue, and take your time; we're here for you." The Judge, Judge Patricia Pendry, ordered.

A'raya took a deep breath, wiping her tears. "A–A'roya and Jericho are abusive and scary. When they left, the house was at peace." A'raya let out a sob after that sentence; I looked up to keep my tears in.

"And why are you crying, little girl?"

"B–because I'm so afraid of them, they hit us, they beat our little sister, White."

"Objection!" Jericho stood up, but I put a hand on his arm to stop him.

"Calm down," I said with a quiet sob. "She's not doing this out of her own will."

"You may speak, Mr. Belford."

"It's not true, your honor; I would never touch White. I wouldn't touch any of them, let alone A'roya. I love them all a lot."

Judge Pendry nodded, looking at the A'raya. "You can sit down." A'raya walked off the stage, refusing to look at us.

King was brought on the stage, and then Lucky, he had bruises all over.

"Who did this to you?" The judge asked, in shock at his state.

"A'roya," he whispered.

Another sob ripped through me as he blamed it for probably what mother did to him; Jericho comforted me as Lucky continued.

"We don't want to press charges. We just want them far away." He didn't look our way one bit as a tear flew down his cheek.

At this point, Jericho and I looked terrible. White came on the stage and ruined it for us completely. Her frail, tired voice, her bruises, her fear, and her tears, every feeling created by our mother put on us.

We didn't win.

The judge wasn't going to hear anymore. We had to stay away from them for three years, and it will be renewed; A'raya will have the choice, but as for the rest of them, we might as well kiss the chance of seeing them goodbye.

Jericho and I were wrongfully convicted...by our own mother.

I ran into Vincent's chest while Jericho told him the news before leaving; before Vincent, they were the only reason I put up with my mother's bullshit. I was willing to stay in an abusive marriage and have children with him just so I had the right to see my siblings.

But I think I single-handedly ruined everything; I never should've divorced Derek, I never should–

"A'roya, don't say that shit. I can hear you."

I took a shaky breath. "I love you, Vincent, I always will, but I messed things up for Jericho and me because of my own selfish–"

"Don't you fucking dare say that getting out of your abusive marriage was selfish, A'roya, don't you fucking dare." Vincent cupped my cheeks, completely calm and understanding. If I were him, I would fuck myself up for saying that...that's just me, though.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry–"

"Are you happy now?"

Derek came out of whatever fucking shadow he was in.

Vincent was about to pounce on him, but I stopped him from getting too close. "What the fuck do you want bitch?"

Derek chuckled. "You thought that you were going to be happy? Huh, no, it won't go so well for you, especially now since everyone knows what you've done."

"I've done nothing, and you know it!" I yelled at him.

"Who's going to believe that? Don't be stupid. You fuck up my life; I fuck up yours."

"You fucked up your own life, you damn fuck up." Vincent sneered at him.

Derek sneered back. "He's going to get tired of you, A'roya, and you'll come crawling back. You're nothing but a used, abused black woman. Everything will come falling for you bitch."

His words had weight, and they scared me immensely.

I can't breathe. Was he choking me?! I can't breathe; I'm sinking.

"Help me, help me, I can't–"

I fell to the floor; I heard Vincent's voice, but it was a mere echo away. I was panicking, I was going to die, he was choking me–no rather, I'm sinking. I'm confused, which heightens my panic.

"Help, help, please, Vincent, help me," I begged.

A soft hand, a soothing touch, a kiss, his cold skin turned warm against mine, and I could hear him again. "That's it, breathe, please just keep breathing." He whispered, sounding panicked himself.

Derek was long gone.

I held Vincent close, and he hugged me. "Vincent," I whispered. "I'm scared, I'm so damn scared, I can't take it."

"I know, baby, I know, just rest for me. Calm down." I heard him whisper back before I fell into the darkness of my own sleep.