Hidden in Plain Sight

*Carly's POV*

There I sat, in that same seat as the day before next to my lawyer. Angus Browning is my solicitor and we have spoken constantly since he was appointed to me. I can tell he isn't confident in himself. He will tell me our arguments but end with 'hopefully it works'. But he says it with an almost convincing smile. I have no other way but to trust him. He's my only hope of keeping out of prison.

The judge entered and repeated the events of yesterday. How I obviously pleaded not guilty and how Dr Benedict discovered this new synthetic drug that penetrates blood cells and kills the heart from the inside. What a load of bullshit. That's fucking bullshit. Who comes up with that kind of thing? Are they really that desperate to send me to prison?

I know he is behind me. I know they are behind me. But I resist turning back. I cannot afford to see his face right now. I'm about to bubble over, I'm sitting on the edge. Seeing him will make me break down. Ive just been missing Jaime so much. I broke down in the showers last night because I saw his face yesterday when I was being escorted out of the courthouse. And because of that sign of weakness, I earned myself a black eye and a possible broken nose from the other prisoners.

I looked like shit. I feel like shit. I've been through nothing but hell for weeks now and I'm pretty sure that's evident to the entire courthouse. But no one cares about that. They only care about whether or not I go to prison. My lawyer told me that even though I have marks to prove my living hell, the judge and jury will see straight past it. He says they can't be biased.

After the judge recounts yesterday, I was expecting the cops to be called to the stand with they're so called video footage of me committing the crime, but I was called to the stand. My heart did not speed up. It did not stop beating. I did not feel any anxiety. It's like I was dead. I swore my oath and took my place. It was the cops who were questioning me.

---

*Jaime's POV*

Carly looked horrible. She has a horrible black eye and her nose looks as if it's broken. It absolutely shatters the remains of my broken heart to see her in that condition. How could the authorities tolerate that? I have the overwhelming urge to run up into the stand and hug her and kiss away her pain.

But as Vic and I were talking last night, and how I told him that I thought Carly was a flower and I just wanted to rescue that flower, he told me, in the most nicest of ways, that although we desire to do something out of our control, we have to sit back and watch. We can only be hopeful that we are in life's favour. He said we just have to sit back and bare the trial and prove Carly's innocence and she'll be back our arms in good time.

He said it with such confidence. I mean, I am so confident that she is not guilty and she will be proven innocent, but I think because I am so worried, my mind is blurring that secure and confident feeling. There is a tiny speck inside my mind thinking of the very slim chance Carly is proven guilty and that I'll never see her again.

I stared at her as the cops were questioning her, but I was so lost within my mind I wasn't listening. I forced myself back into reality to the last question. Carly looked so drained. She looked like she's been plucked of her petals and now she's just the wilting stem of a Rose. I have no clue as to what the cops have been asking her, but her facial expressions tell me it's nothing good.

"Your honour, this next question may seem off topic but I can assure you that it is quite relevant to our case and convictions" The officer spoke. The judge nodded to proceed.

"Miss Fox, what was your childhood and schooling like?"

Carly looked absolutely confused. "What? Why are you asking me. That is too personal"

"Miss Fox, please answer the question" the judge ordered. My god he's a stubborn asshole.

Carly took a deep breath. "Well, after my mother passed when I was 6, my childhood was rough. My dad beat me constantly when my brothers weren't around and he became an alcohol addict. Soon that wasn't enough and he became addicted to drugs. He recently passed from a drug overdose.

My brothers looked after me when they both moved out. I went to school and I was bullied. My grades weren't very good because of what I had been through but I was extraordinary in music, hence my current job, and I was really good at chemistry"

She ended her story there. I am always so pained when she's speaks of her mothers death and her fathers abuse. A beautiful girl like her never deserved to get hurt like that. And the bruises upon her face give me another great example. She's still suffering today. She's suffered her whole life and she still continues to be one of the happiest and most strongest people I know. I idolise her.

"So you were good at chemistry. Miss Fox did you ever take a traineeship at a local medical facility when you lived in Australia, working with scientist who experiment with drugs and cures for diseases?" The officer asked.

"Oh yeah, I did for like 2 months before I was offered a job in Baltimore. I wanted to work in medicine, hence why I was good at chemistry. How do you know this?" She asked innocently.

I never knew she wanted to work in medicine.

"I've done my research" he sneers at her. "That will be all your honour".

The officer sat back down, sitting tall and proud for some reason. He spoke with two other men and they all seemed to be as happy as he was. My gut tells me this cannot be good.

"Officer Briggs, if I do not see any relevance to those questions I will have you removed from my court. We are not here for history checks. We are here to prove innocence and provide justice in this city." The judge spoke very heavily.

"Oh don't you worry Judge Prichard, all will be revealed in good time. In good time your honour"

Notes

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