Kook Princess | Rafe Cameron

Ch 22: Courtroom

I sat alongside Rose with Ward on the other side of her as the judge talked.

"John Booker Routledge, pursuant to the North Carolina statue section fourteen you are charged with murder in the first degree with aggravated circumstances. If convicted, the maximum sentence would be the death penalty" she said.

Chatter broke out on both sides of the room. I looked at Rose who clutched my hand.

"Your honor he's seventeen" JJ yelled.

I looked over as Pope and Kiara pushed him back. Sarah ran up to the railing.

"John B" she cried.

I followed Ward and Rose out of the courtroom. As we walked down the sidewalk Ward's lawyer approached us.

"So sorry for what you and your family have gone through. Thank god the system works" he said.

I forced a smile as he looked to me.

"Can you please shut up! Of course you think the system worked because it was made to protect you and people like you" Kiara yelled.

"He'll have his day in court. A jury will decide" Hugh said.

Rose grabbed my hand as we all began walking again.

"He shouldn't even be in court! You should, because you're a murderer" she said pointing to Ward.

We stopped to look at her.

"You have. A lot of nerve showing up to court" she said as Shoupe approached her.

"I know you're upset. I understand you're upset, okay?" Ward said.

"Upset?" Kiara asked.

"I know he's got you fooled. He's got you all fooled" he said.

Kiara lunged forward causing Shoupe to grab her.

"You want to get arrested? Get out!" Shoupe yelled.

"It's not a coincidence your daughter is sitting with us" Kiara yelled as we walked.

Ward turned to look at her.

"And its not a coincidence your sister is sitting with us" he said.

She looked at me before walking away. I got in the backseat of the vehicle as we rode in silence all the way back to the Cameron residence. Ward and Rose immediately walked to the den locking the door. I walked upstairs to find Rafe in his room underneath the covers on his bed. I laid next to him as he turned over wrapping his arms around my body.

"How'd it go?" He asked.

"Kie would not shut up" I said. "The second we got outside she started blabbing her mouth."

"Doesn't surprise me" he said.

"Yeah" I said.

"I love you" he said looking up.

I smiled at the randomness.

"I should probably check on my parents. I doubt she's been home" I said kissing his head.

I walked down the steps as Ward and I both left the house. A part of me wanted to see where he was going, the other part wanted to see my parents. I contemplated as I held my hands on the wheel. I pulled out of the driveway driving to my parents. Walking up the steps I found my mom folding laundry. I sat on the couch as she did so.

Half an hour passed when Kiara walked through the open doors.

"Where have you been?" My mother asked.

Kiara looked at me then to our mother.

"I'm sure you already know by now" she snapped. "John B's back."

"Yeah, I heard that. I heard that on the news" our mother said. "I heard he's arrested for murder."

"Yeah but he didn't do it" Kiara said looking at me. "They're framing him."

"Who's framing him?" She asked.

Kiara looked at me again.

"Them. He's going to need money for a good lawyer" Kiara said.

"I can't do this with you" she said.

"Mom this is really important" Kiara said.

"You couldn't even call me? Even before your sister got to you to let me know you were okay?" She asked.

"John B is arrested for murder. It's not all about you" Kiara said.

"Don't talk to her like that Kie" I said.

"Stay out of this!" Kiara snapped.

"No I won't, you treat her like shit!" I said.

"She treats me like shit, you treat me like shit" she said. "You don't even trust me."

"Why should I trust you? All's you do is lie" our mother said.

"Mom" I sighed. "Please don't do this now."

I looked up to see our father walking up.

"Everything you do is for those boys" she said.

"It's about the boys" Kiara repeated.

"It is always about the boys" she said. "You're putting these boys above everything else!"

"God you're so worried I'm going to sleep with a Pogue like you did!" Kiara yelled. "Well guess what? I already did."

"Kiara knock it off!" I yelled.

"I don't think you have any idea how hard we have worked to try and give you and your sister opportunities that other kids do not have!" She yelled.

"I don't care about those things like she does!" Kiara said. "Look I'm sorry I don't but I'm a Pogue and I always will be! This is why I hate coming back here!"

"You hate coming back here?" Our father asked.

"Kie don't do this" I said.

"You wanna live like a Pogue honey?" Our mother asked.

She walked with the laundry basket filled with Kiara's clothes to the railing throwing it over.

"Go live like a freaking Pogue! Get your butt out of my house!" She yelled.

Kiara looked to our father before walking down the steps.

"Rafe Cameron is a murderer!" She yelled. "He deserves to rot in a jail cell!"

I closed my eyes at her words. My parents turned to me as my father wrapped his arms around me.

"I don't know what's gotten into her lately" my mother said walking back inside.

I looked at my father who kissed the top of my head before grabbing the groceries he had came home with.

I looked over the balcony. Taking in the scent of the freshly mowed grass before walking back inside.