Page 4 of As the Rain Falls
The lawyer deadpans, and I begin to smile right as Mr. Yun starts to stand. Unfazed, I wet my lower lip, keeping my voice even, “That’s such a bold assumption to make. I’ve already said we’re close, and I am under oath.”
“Why don’t you tell us the truth, then?”
“I have. We’ve always been close.” I pause. “Since kindergarten, actually. This is Le Port. I mean, we all grew up together. But if you want to keep asking me the same question, go ahead.”
The lawyer seems to hesitate, unsure on how to proceed. I stare at him as he opens and closes his mouth a couple of times before turning back around, calculating his next move.
My relationship with Beckett Evans really is a dangerous business, but Nathaniel’s lawyer isn’t here to win. He has nothing to use against me that isn’t automatically going to incriminate his own client.
Clearly, this entire trial is not about the truth. It’s just another one of Nathaniel’s pathetic attempts to immerse himself right back into my life, to pull me into his orbit.
My brother needs me.
He needs to be in control.
After the moment of silence becomes a minute too long, the judge leans forward and speaks over the mic.
“Mr. Allan, I understand your strategy here, but you’ve already asked the same question several times,” her voice is clear but neutral, not siding with either of us yet. “Unless there is a good reason to proceed that involves pieces of evidence that weren’t addressed to the jury yet, I’d appreciate it if we could move to something more pertinent to the trial. You have a lot of material to cover.”
“Yes, Your Honor.” He spins on his heels, pivoting the conversation back to me. “Were you drunk?”
“No, I was not.”
“Was anyone else drunk?”
“Mateo had half of a beer.”
Or so we thought at first. My friend was completely wasted, dealing with some demons of his own. I bet he doesn’t rememberanything but the blood and the ambulance. The early stages of alcoholism are very hard to catch if you’re not really looking, and we weren’t.
“What about you?”
“I was completely sober.”
“Was Mr. Rivera there with you?”
“No, my brother wasn’t. He came in later.”
“When did he get there?”
“He drove to pick me up sometime after we sang happy birthday to Mateo. So, maybe eight, or nine.”
Nathaniel really wanted me to come home.
I wasn’t so willing to listen.
“So, you’re out with your friends, and your brother comes to pick you up. Was that a normal thing?”
“I guess you could say that. He didn’t like me to be out and about.”And now, the hook. “Nathaniel also didn’t like me to be out with Beckett.”
“And why was that?”
“He disapproved of our friendship.”
“Any particular reason why he would disapprove of your friendship?”
“I don’t know, sir.” Mr. Lin glares at me with intent, and I take the hint. “You’d have to ask Nathaniel.”
I bet he’d have a lot to say about that.
