Page 50 of Bad for Me

CHEER FOR ME

SAVVY ROSE

PROLOGUE

1994

Why was this happening? She said shecouldlove me, so why was I sitting in a courtroom with her looking at me like I’d broken into her house and stole all her precious horse jumping medals? I thought we werebothin love.

“How do you plead, Ms. Jones?”

My mother sobbed behind me, but I couldn’t think of her right now. My heart shattered.

“Not guilty.”

The public defender they’d assigned sat beside me, sighing, fingers steepled on his forehead as he looked down over the affidavit.

“Ms. Jones, you understand that if you do not enter a guilty plea, you could do time in jail if convicted? They have youon camera.”

A lump formed in the back of my throat. I didn’t understand any of this legal jargon, but what seventeen-year-old would?

“I know youthinkyou have done nothing wrong here, but this is serious, Mary. They are accusing you of violating a restraining order. There is proof, corroborated by the plaintiff’s own mother,” Carl, the lawyer defending me, sternly whispered.

“How was I supposed to know her mother filed a restraining order? I didn’t know. She should have just told me to get bent…seems a lot easier than this bullshit,” I spat back, trying to keep it to a whisper but failing.

Sadie sat at the table beside us, looking down at her hands, her face sullen. I hoped she felt the way I did; betrayed, sad…devoid of the passion we used to share. Or so I thought.

Carl let out a grated sigh. “Just because you don’t check your mail enough doesn’t mean there wasn’t a restraining order. You showed up at her house in the middle of the night—drunk, caused a scene, and ended up in jail. Plead guilty for Christ’s sakes, and just take the probation. I’m your lawyer, please listen to me.”

I tossed my head back in the chair, closing my eyes. All those stolen kisses I shared with her…the way it felt so good to give in to a desire that we both were told was wrong. Love wasn’t wrong, and love didn’t pick the gender. These people were all ignorant assholes.

“Fine, Carl. But welovedeach other, and we should be together.” I stood, clearing my voice. “Guilty, your honor. I change my plea to guilty.”

Gasps filled the room, and the judge turned his head back to me from his papers. Whispers and titters filed the room, and the judge pounded his gavel, demanding order in his court.

The room quieted and Sadie shoved her face in her hands, sobbing loudly into them.

Manipulative little bitch. She orchestrated this whole thing, all the while leading me on. Fuck her, she was too immature for me anyways.

“Guilty then, Ms. Jones, is that your final answer?”

Laughter erupted from the small group of teens from my school who’d gathered to watch.

“I will have order in my courtroom!” He banged the gavel again.

I nodded curtly, pressing my lips into a thin line.

Carl patted my thigh after I sat, like he praised me for lying about how I truly felt. I wasn’t guilty of stalking or harassment…I was simply guilty for falling in love.

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BEGIN AGAIN

October1998

Mary

I wasn’t used to staying in one place. In fact, it made me uncomfortable. We had lived in upstate New York for five years, and it was time to move on, especially considering my latest brush with the law.

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