Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 102479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102479 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 512(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
CHAPTER 7
* * *
Jagger
14 years ago
“Should we go in?” Marla asked. The two of us were waiting outside the courtroom. My joke of a public defender was nowhere to be found, and the court officer had just called my case for the second time. I walked over to him.
“I’m Jagger Langston. You called my name, but I don’t know where my attorney went. He was here a few minutes ago on his phone.”
“Who’s your attorney?”
“Leonard Adams.”
The court officer frowned. “He’s probably down the hall with a different client. That guy will find a way to squeeze someone in if you go to take a piss.”
“What should I do?”
“I can push you down on the calendar. I still have two more cases to call this afternoon. Hopefully he’ll turn up by then.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
I walked back over to Marla, who was biting her nail again. “Stop doing that. You’re making me nervous.”
“I’m making you nervous? My parents don’t know you were arrested again, and if they find out I’ve been keeping your secret, we’re both in hot water. And your dumb, disappearing lawyer called Judge Hanover Judge Hammer because of how hard he is with sentencing. Why the heck did you and your stupid friends break into the school anyway? You usually get in trouble for not going to school.”
I shrugged. “It was cold out. We wanted to play basketball.”
Marla shook her head. “You have to stop hanging out with those guys—and that new girl you’re going out with, too.”
“What’s wrong with Lexi?”
“Last week, I was watching a soccer game on TV when she came over. You weren’t home yet, so she sat down and started watching with me. I asked if she liked soccer, and she said no, she only really likes bolly-ball. It took me almost five minutes to figure out she was referring to volleyball. She’s seventeen and seriously had no idea that the word isn’t bolly-ball.”
I sighed. “Lots of people get things wrong. Remember when you thought that Rihanna song was ‘chips and dip excite me’, instead of chains and whips?”
“I was ten! And Lexi played on the bolly-ball team for two years in middle school.”
“You’re making that up.”
Marla made an X mark across her chest. “Cross my heart. Ask her!”
After we both had a good laugh, Marla seemed to study my face. I thought maybe something was on it, so I swiped at my cheek. “What?”
“You have dark circles under your eyes. You’re having trouble sleeping again, aren’t you?”
“I sleep just fine.”
She frowned. “Sure you do.”
Forty-five minutes later, there was still no sign of my lawyer when the court officer came out again. He looked at me. “You’re up, buddy. Still no sign of Lenny?”
“Nope.”
He gestured for me to follow. “Just take your place at the defendant’s table, and when the judge asks where your attorney is, tell him he’s MIA. You’re better off with no attorney than not appearing.”
Great. This judge didn’t like me to begin with. The last time I was in front of him, my attorney had told me the max I could get as a repeat juvey was two-hundred hours of community service, but that he’d never had anyone get more than eighty. I got the full two hundred, along with a twenty-minute lecture. But what could I do now?
I made my way into the courtroom. Marla took a seat in the spectator section, while I pushed the swinging wooden half-door to get to the other side. The court officer stood in front of the judge’s bench and called out a bunch of numbers, along with my name. I glanced behind me, hoping the buffoon of an attorney I had would show at the last second, but no such luck. I wiped my sweaty palms on the dress pants I’d borrowed from Marla’s dad’s closet after he left for work today.
Judge Hanover pushed his glasses up from the bridge of his nose.
“Mr. Langston, where is your counsel?”
“I don’t know, your honor. He was here an hour ago. We were waiting in the hall and—”
“Stop.” He held up his hand and turned to the ADA. She was kind of hot for a woman who could get me locked up. “Ms. Atkins,” he said, “is the State prepared to hear the Court’s sentencing?”
She nodded. “We are, your honor.”
The judge’s eyes slid back to me. “Mr. Langston, this is your second time in my courtroom and your fourth time in this courthouse for various arrests. The State submitted your school records to show that you are not only out causing a ruckus, but you’re also often truant.”
“Your honor, I—”
He again put his hand up. “I’ll give you an inch of leeway because your counsel is not here at the moment. But you do not speak while I’m speaking. Is that understood?”
Fuck. I hung my head. “Yes, your honor.”