Sal looked over the court room. he really didn't want to be here, but Larry had insisted. all of this was his idea. Sal wanted to let it go, but Larry had said no. he still remembered what happened, not that he could forget. it had been a pretty normal day at school at first. until Sal had gone into the bathroom. he never even noticed Travis and his friends following him. he only wanted to fix his hair. he'd never even seen them until he was pinned against the wall, by some of Travis' buddies, who were bent on 'teaching him a lesson'. the thought sent a shiver down Sal's back. Larry looked over at him worriedly, taking his hand. Sal relaxed slightly. he hated this. he didn't want to be here. he could still remember glaring and kicking at them, until they held his legs down. the pinned him against the wall, feet off the ground, arms above his head, laughing as he struggled. he looked up slightly.

"prosecution calls Mr. Johnson to the stand." Sal's lawyer said. he liked Mr.Davey, he was nice. Larry stood and walked over, sitting in the chair. "please state your name for the court." Mr.Davey said.

"Larry Johnson." Larry said, looking around.

"Mr.Johnson, how long have you known the defendant?" Mr.Davey ask. Larry paused a moment.

"let's see... almost 12 years now." Larry said.

"what is your relationship with him?" Mr.Davey ask.

"we don't have one. I don't talk to him, as a matter of fact, I spent most my time at school protecting people from him." Larry replied.

"protecting?" Mr.Davey ask.

"Travis Phelps is a bully. a hard core bully." Larry replied.

"objection. calls for speculation." Travis' lawyer, Mrs.Harley said. Sal hated her. she was mean and told horrid lies.

"overruled. continue." Judge Mathew said. Mr.Davey nodded.

"what is your experience with Mr.Phelps?" Mr.Davey ask.

"in my experience. he beats up everyone in his way." Larry replied.

"everyone? has he beaten you Mr.Johnson?" Mr.Davey ask.

"once. in second grade." Larry replied.

"and what happened?" Mr.Davey ask.

"Travis shoved me down and stabbed a pair of scissors into my leg. I ended up need four stitches. when I came back to school. I knocked the crap out of him and got expelled for three day's. they never did anything to him though." Larry answered.

"so he's acting violent like this for as long as you've known him?" Mr.Davey ask.

"yes, but it's gotten worse as we get old. the older we get the more people he puts in the hospital. he never gets in trouble for it though." Larry said.

"Mr.Johnson, can you tell us what happened?" Mr.Davey ask. Larry nodded.

"it was a normal school day. we were heading to lunch and Sal headed for the bathroom. no big deal I needed to take my books to my locker. so I walked away with my friend Ashley. we were talking. I didn't even notice ten minutes go by, until Ash ask where Sal was. I realized it had been a while. so I casually headed to check on him. sometimes he likes to sit in there with mask off for a bit, just to breathe a little. so I thought nothing of it until I heard his screaming. I tried to open the door, but it was locked. Travis' friend had locked it from the inside. so I broke it down." Larry said.

"you broke down the bathroom door?" Mr.Davey ask.

"yes sir." Larry replied.

"Mr.Johnson, how tall are you?" Mr.Davey ask.

"I'm 6'2." Larry replied.

"how much do you weigh?" Mr.Davey ask.

"223 pounds." Larry replied.

"and you broke down a 30 pound metal school door?" Mr.Davey ask.

"I had to, Sal was in trouble." Larry replied.

"right, please continue." Mr.Davey said.

"like I said, I broke down the door there were six of them against one of him. so I started with the person holding the camera. when he stopped moving, I stopped punching and went on to his friends. when stopped moving, I stopped punching. I beat the crap out of six guys because they put their hands on him in a way he didn't like." Larry said.

"Mr.Johnson you put for of those boys in the hospital." Mr.Davey said.

"they stripped my boyfriend naked, ripped his mask off, and pinned him to a wall. all I did, was stop them." Larry replied.

"don't you think it was a bit much?" Mr.Davey ask.

"no. cause I'm the one who listens to Sal's panic filled screams in the night. who assures him they're too broken to hurt him again. I'm the one who protects him and I would do anything to keep him safe." Larry hissed.

"no further questions." Mr.Davey said. Mrs.Harley stood up and walked over.

"Mr.Johnson, how old are you?" Mrs.Harley ask.

"I'll be 18 next month." Larry replied.

"right. Mr.Johnson how many times have you been expelled for assualting my client?" Mrs.Harley ask. Larry sighed.

"eight times." Larry replied.

"eight hmm? and why haven't you been banned from returning to school?" Mrs.Harley ask.

"because the principal thinks I have potential." Larry replied.

"right." Mrs.Harley said. "Mr.Johnson, what is your relationship to Mr.Fisher?" Mrs.Harley ask.

"Sal's my boyfriend." Larry replied.

"Mr.Johnson, how many times have you been expelled for assualting my client since Mr.Fisher moved here?" Mrs.Harley ask. Larry swallowed.

"seven times." Larry replied.

"how long has Mr.Fisher lived here?" Mrs.Harley ask. Larry sighed.

"two years." Larry replied.

"seven times in two years? thats quiet a lot." Mrs.Harley sneered.

"well if your client would keep his hands off my boyfriend it wouldn't be a problem." Larry said.

"objection!" Mrs.Harley said.

"Jury will disregard that." Judge Mathew said. "Mr.Johnson, please refrain to answering questions." Judge Mathew added. Larry nodded slightly.

"one more thing Mr.Johnson. you have a criminal record yes?" Mrs.Harley said.

"yes but I-" Larry tried.

"so you have a history of violence?" Mrs.Harley ask.

"well sort of but-" Larry tried again.

"one more question, after beating my client and his friends, didn't take one of the boys phones?" Mrs.Harley ask.

"yes but-" Larry tried a third time.

"no further questions." Mrs.Harley smirked.

"redirect your honor." Mr.Davey said getting up quickly. "Mr.Johnson, why do you have a criminal record?" Mr.Davey ask.

"objection, relevance." Mrs.Harley said.

"Mrs.Harley opened the door and I think the jury has a right to know." Mr.Davey said.

"he's right. go a head Mr.Johnson." Judge Mathew said.

"I have a criminal record because when I was a kid, my mom and dad bought some fireworks. dad told me to wait for him, but I was so excited I couldn't. I shot off a bottle rocket and it flew into a neighbors open window. it exploded and killed her pet rabbit. I did six months in Juvy, but it an accident." Larry said.

"how old were you Mr.Johnson?" Judge Mathew ask.

"I... I was seven." Larry replied.

"is there anything else on your criminal record?" Mr.Davey ask.

"when I was 12 someone broke into my apartment. he attacked my mom with a frying pan. he beat her unconscious and tried to kill her. I got 2 years in juvy for his death when he bled out. I got out after 7 months when my mom fought it in court." Larry said.

"so you didn't mean to kill him?" Mr.Davey ask.

"no. I just wanted him to stop hitting my mom." Larry said.

"Mr.Johnson, why did you take the phone?" Mr.Davey ask.

"because Sal kept pointing at it. mumbling something I couldn't understand. I thought it was his, so I picked it up. I realized it was recording. so I stopped it and took it with me, so they could spread it around the school." Larry hissed.

"no further questions your honor." Mr.Davey said, sitting down.

"you may step down." Judge Mathew said. Larry nodded and stepped down heading back over to Sal.

"defense calls Mr.Fisher to the stand." Mrs.Harley said. Sal stared at her, but stood up and walked over, sitting down.

"state your name for the court." Mrs.Harley demanded.

"I'm Sal Fisher, my friends call me Sally Face." Sal replied.

"why do they call you Sally Face?" Mrs.Harley ask.

"because of my mask and hair. I wear pigtails to keep the hair out from under my mask." Sal replied.

"why do you wear that mask?" Mrs.Harley ask. Sal stiffened slightly.

"I don't want to talk about that." Sal replied.

"it's not an option. answer the question." Mrs.Harley hissed. Judge Mathew looked over.

"answer the question Mr.Fisher." Judge Mathew said. Sal stared at Larry, before looked at the jury.

"because when I was three, my mom and I were attacked by a pack of wild dogs. the tore my face apart and killed my mom." Sal replied, voice shaky. Larry glared at the lawyer.

"Mr.Fisher, please remove the mask." Mrs.Harley said.

"objection! relevence!" Mr.Davey said.

"I wear it for medical reasons. I don't take my mask off for anyone." Sal said.

"how can we be sure the story is true without proof?" Mrs.Harley replied. Sal stood and pulled something from his pocket handing it to the judge. "whats that?" Mrs.Harley ask.

"a note from my doctor." Sal replied. the judge read it and nodded.

"he may keep his mask on." Judge Mathew said. Mrs.Harley nodded slightly.

"Mr.Fisher, isn't it true you and Mr.Johnson hate my client?" Mrs.Harley ask.

"I hate him with a passion." Sal replied honestly.

"no further questions." Mrs.Harley said. Mr.Davey stood.

"Mr.Fisher why do you hate the defendant?" Mr.Davey ask. Sal looked at the jury.

"because he bullies me so bad I've tried to kill myself twice, Larry stopped me both times. they upped my anti depressants." Sal replied.

"Mr.Fisher, what happened that day?" Mr.Davey ask.

"I just wanted to fix my pigtails. Travis had pulled on them so hard in class that one of my ponytails snapped." Sal replied.

"can you tell us why you wear pigtails again?" Mr. Davey ask. Sal pulled a ponytail from his wrist, putting his hair up quickly. he reached under his mask. they wanted to see what a freak he was, fine. he popped something off and held it up. Larry held back a laugh, it was his glass eye. "Mr.Fisher!" Mr.Davey hissed.

"I wear my pigtails in case something happens. if I get hair in my eye it's bad." Sal said. the jury was giggling.

"please put your eye back in." Mr.Davey said.

"sorry you ask. I figured it was better to show than tell." Sal shrugged and did as he ask, ducking his head so no one could see his face. he sat back up.

"Mr.Fisher, please continue." Mr.Davey ask. "and keep your eye in your head." Mr.Davey added. Sal nodded, ponytail bobbing.