Elena's heart raced up the second Mrs. Kenya was done speaking. She tried to open her mouth to speak only to end up stammering. One could easily tell that she wasn't really prepared for this. Suddenly, there was a whole commotion outside the courtroom and it shifted everyone's attention to the public's entry door as it was being opened. In came five men, robust and huge body wise and dressed in black suits. In their midst was a woman dressed in what appeared to be an expensive dress. You could just tell it was that pricy from her accompanying jewelry. The gold earrings she had on glimmered from the slightest interaction with light and her magenta sheath dress brought out the woman in her. She smelled so nice, her cologne was so rich in flavor, probably from Dubai or something. Everyone gasped at the presence of Mrs. Jenna Clara Doug- the U.S Vice President.
She walked elegantly towards the front of the court, gleaming the room with her charisma. Her eyes landed on Elena who was by the witness stand. She headed over to her, with her bodyguards finding space to seat in the present attendants' public gallery. She whispered something to her, as the court watched. After she was through, she headed over to the first bench in the public gallery and took herself to seat down.
"Ma'am Jenna…" called out Judge Freeman, "we are humbled to have you in our presence this morning."
Paul's eyes bulged and wrinkles of confusion formed on his forehead. He facepalmed himself internally.
"Oh don't mind me, your honor. Sorry for budging in so late and so unannounced." Jenna said, smirking in the end. "Do carry on." She said and turned to Elena. "Go on, speak up. It's okay."
Elena nodded slightly and turned to the court. Her eyes landed on Ethan who looked all innocent from where he was seating. She felt this rage towards him and the fact that he had openly denied the charges in her presence didn't need to baffle her if there was any remorse that he deserved. When she finally got the strength to speak up, she did not hold anything back.
"Well, Ethan had been my friend for a long time. From the first year in high school till our university graduation year, which was last year. We have been living six-seven blocks away from each other all while. That's how I know him." she said and muffled her lips waiting for the next question.
"And could you explain in detail what happened at the night of the graduation party, at Ethan's home?" Att. Kenya continued.
Elena feared for this part, but she had to do this for herself. She knew that she was innocent but shame had still clouded her mind to this day. It was so hard for her to stand in front of the multitude and recall that night's events once again. But it felt right, it had to be. After a long gaze at her shaking hands, she raised her head and danced her eyes around the court. Those eyes were stabbing her. She found the courage to talk when her eyes landed on Ethan. He was silent like the dead of night, keeping his own company to himself. Feeling so estranged with her looking at him, he looked away.
"Um… on the night of the graduation party, Ethan was angry after he found that his sister, Ingrid was…" she blurted out so fast Ingrid fidgeted on her seat knowing what was to come. Ethan quickly got his attention back to her, with eyes round and wide enough gasping of fear! Elena looked at him lengthy and then at Ingrid. The fear on their faces begged her not to rat her out. They screamed out to her 'please don't do this.' Ingrid's heartbeat was pounding so loudly in her chest knowing that Elena could destroy her in an instant. Why wouldn't she? After all, it would be perfect revenge against her for how she treated Elena at the party. Her mother, Layla, who was seated beside her, noticed something was going on between the three. Keen eyes noticed what was going on.
"…he was angry after he found out that Ingrid was snooping around in a party filled with people older her age." She finished with uncertainty. Ingrid gave out a big breath and leaned back on the backrest behind her. Her heartbeat dropped constantly as she felt relieved of the scare. Ethan relaxed too.
"Okay… what happened after that?" Att. Kenya continued.
"He asked me to go with him to his home because he didn't feel quite the mood for the party anymore. And when we got there… we started kissing after a while but he went overboard and got himself on me." She wasn't holding anything back; if the whole truth would get her the justice that she deserved, then so be it. "I warned him before he would go any step further but he ignored. He slapped me over and over and he told me not to scream or he was going to kill me. He then tied me up on the bed's legs and tore my dress…" Soft cries escaped her breath. "I tried to escape initially but he was too strong and too fast that I just couldn't get away in time. He hurt me so bad thereafter despite begging him not to. As he violated me, I lost count of time and felt like I wasn't human anymore. I felt like I was a thing. To be used for pleasure. He forcefully violated me and made me feel like I was trash."
Elena's words silenced the court. Ethan remembered what happened that night and he listened to Elena and all of the horrors that he had done to her walk alongside her talk. He felt the guilt of his actions chocking him up and he felt like breaking down at some points. He hid it from the public for they had a plan as his father had told him. But Elena's honesty was killing him and he felt that what he was doing, denying the charges, was utterly wrong.
"And is there something else you'd like to share from that night?" Att. Kenya asked her. She was talking of the bleeding of course. She wanted the world to hear how horrific it was for her and the trauma that she had undergone. But it was Elena's decision to make on whether she wanted to tell the court. Her mind plundered into an array of discussions on whether she would opt to do this. She looked at Ethan, and he was looking back. Trails of sweat brought by stress were visible on his forehead already, despite the cold winter. He looked scared; like he was afraid that what was going on was actually happening. Was this part really necessary to confess? Would it really matter? Elena wondered. He would be going to prison after all the evidence against him was concrete. He was guilty, for all she knew, and she would win the case without much of a hustle.
"I had been a virgin prior to that day and so… when he did what he did, well um… I started bleeding. He saw and yet continued. It was so bad. God, it was so bad!" The court sucked in air to shock. "I thought he would stop… but I guess I was wrong. Were it not for the police who came to my aid, the night would have ended worse for me. More than worse. There are just no words to explain." She felt tears stinging her eyes and it took all the strength in her to hold them back.
"Thank you, Elena." Att. Kenya closed up her questions.