"Ms. Mckenna, in accordance with your guilty plea, the victim's parents ask for your account of the events that occurred on December sixth." 

I looked at the Thompson family's lawyer trying to process what he said. In the large court room, all I could hear was his voice along with my mother's soft cries and sniffles in the distance. 

December sixth, my birthday, the day I messed up big-time. Felt like it was years ago instead of just a couple months. 

I attempted to collect my thoughts, and then moved a stray strand of blond hair out of my face before answering, "Like I said before, I don't remember what happened." 

An ugly sneer appeared on the lawyer's face as he stuck his fat finger towards me. "So you are telling us that you are pleading guilty to nearly beating Kelly Thompson to death, and yet you don't remember what happened."

"Well, obviously I did it. There's video evidence of what happened."

 I hate this, I shouldn't be here. But there was no denying that it was me in the video. Even if I couldn't remember it, it was still me.

"So you admit it's you in the video, but you have no recollection of committing those violent acts?" 

This was taking too long. My lawyer swore that if I plead guilty the court would take it easy on me. With having no previous criminal record there was no way the judge would give me the maximum penalty. But she never said I would have to go through another interrogation like this. Then again it was a special request by Kelly's parents that I tell my side of the story, or more importantly, why I did what I did.

"That's correct," I answered.

The lawyer gave a sarcastic wave of his hands before finally asking me, "Well can you tell us what you do remember from that day, and please do start at the beginning." 

Yeah, I remember most of that day, all except those few minutes caught on camera. I've had to tell this story a million times in the last couple months. Of course, no one ever believes me. But maybe, just maybe, this would be the last time. Then I can find out what they plan to do to me.

Friday, December 6th

I walked in the front door of my high school, just to see my best friend running my way with a big red balloon in her hand. Danielle shoved the balloon in my face before yelling at the top of her lungs. "Happy Birthday Chloe!"

Covering her mouth as quickly as I could, I shushed her. "Be quiet Dani, I don't want any extra attention today. I just want to make it through the day and then go catch the new slasher movie tonight. Deal?"

She pouted but nodded in agreement. "Fine but I still think you should invite Brandon."

Brandon, my biology lab partner, and the current star of most of my day dreams. He was cute, not the sharpest tool in the shed. But definitely the best looking guy in this place. Plus he was nice to me, not many people at North East High School were.

"Maybe, but don't count on it."

My day was going by quickly and quietly. Only one more class and I would be home free until Monday. The problem was my last class of the day was also my worst, biology. On one hand, Danielle and Brandon shared this class with me. On the other hand, so did my usual tormentors, Kelly Thompson, and her cheerleading cronies. I wish I could say it was just your average high school bullying.

The truth is Kelly works over time to make me miserable. She blames me for her parent's divorce, well she blames my mom for sleeping with her dad which lead to their divorce. But she can't take it out on her so she takes it out on me.

I took a deep breath and then tried my hardest to blend into the crowd of class mates walking into the room. I was able to make it to my seat with out trouble just in time for the bell to ring. Danielle saw me from across the class and waved excitedly. Brandon snuck into class a minute late.

Lucky for him the teacher, Mrs. Hanson, was too busy looking through a large pile of papers on her desk and didn't notice his late entry.

He patted me on the back while taking his seat next to me. "How's it going, Chloe?"

"The usual," I said with a shrug.

Mrs. Hanson had found what she was looking for and began to start the class. I tuned her out and stared at the clock trying to mentally speed it up, but it was no use.

"I want each set of lab partners to grab a text book off the back shelf and read chapters 4 through 6. After which you will return the text books to the shelf and then quiz each other on the contents of the chapters." Everyone got up to grab their textbooks and then meet back up with their partners.

The room was quiet as everyone read the chapters but soon there was chatter. Some were doing as told and quizzing one another while others had gotten bored and were talking about their weekend plans. I could feel eyes staring at me and looked up to make eye contact with Danielle. She was looking from me to Brandon and then raised her eyebrows. I knew what she was getting at but I hadn't made up my mind on whether or not I was going to ask Brandon to the movies.

I looked at him to notice he had finished reading his chapters and was just playing with his pencil now. How do I even do this? Do I just ask him? Do I even want to ask him?

I was slowly building up my courage but when I opened my mouth a different question came out. "Hey, Brandon, want me to put your book back since I'm taking mine anyway."

He snapped out of his daze and flashed me a brilliant smile, "Thanks, Chloe."

Taking our books back to the book case I was mentally kicking myself for chickening out. Whats the worse that could happen? Him saying no. But it's Brandon so he'd most likely do it in a kind way. But even if he tried to spare my feelings it would still hurt.

"Chloe!" Danielle snapped me out of my thoughts while returning her book. "Did you do it? Did you invite Brandon to the movies?" She was excited.

"No Dani I didn't ask him." As I finished Kelly rudely squeezed between us to put her book on the shelf.

"Ask who, what?" She was smiling that evil smile of hers and I knew she heard everything.

"Mind your business, Kelly. No one was talking to you." Danielle sneered.

But Kelly flipped her hair and turned her back to Danielle as if she wasn't there. "Brandon's busy, he's coming to my party tonight."

I tried to say something, anything, back. I was too late, she spun on her heels and quickly trotted back to her seat. Danielle gave me her determined look. "Ask him. Screw what she says. Ask him anyway."

I was already nodding my head no when Dani grabbed me by both arms and in her fiercest voice said "Ask him." I sighed knowing she wasn't going to give up until I did it.

I turned from Danielle, lifted my chin, straightened my back, and began walking back to my seat as confidently as possible. Brandon looked up from the table, making eye contact with me as I walked closer. I kept eye contact with him and tried my hardest to give what I thought was a flirty smile. He smiled back and then leaned back in his chair.

Maybe this would work. Maybe he would say yes and blow off Kelly's party. It could happen, couldn't it? I began walking past Kelly and her partner ignoring them both staring at me as I made my way across the room. But I should have been paying attention.

Before I knew it a chair came skidding across the floor towards me.

I didn't have time to react, the chair connected with my legs and before I knew it my body hit the floor. Followed by my face hitting the corner of a near by table and then the floor.

I kept my eyes closed for a minute trying to collect my thoughts. The whole class was quiet for that minute but as soon as I opened my eyes I heard both Mrs. Hanson and Danielle yelling my name as they ran towards me.

"Oh god, Chloe are you ok?" Mrs. Hanson asked trying to carefully help me to sit up.

My vision was blurred and my head was pounding. I closed my eyes again trying to get my barrings when it seemed as if everyone was talking at once. I slowly pushed my self to a sitting position only to notice the puddle of blood on the floor where my face landed. Touching the tips of my fingers to just above my right eyebrow I felt for blood. It wasn't hard to find, I could practically feel it running down my face.

Dani got to me before Mrs. Hanson. Her face was ghost white before turning to a bright shade of red I had never seen on her before.

"What the hell Kelly? What was that for?" She screamed turning in Kelly's direction.

But Kelly didn't look scared, or shocked, or even apologetic. She was smug and smiling. "I don't know what you're talking about, I didn't do a thing."

Dani yelled louder "Yeah cause the chair that was next to you a second ago just came flying across the room by its self."

"Now now, we don't know what happened yet so no need for pointing blame. Danielle why don't you help Chloe to the nurse's office while I get a janitor and someone from the front office." Mrs. Hanson suggested.

But Dani wasn't having that. She turned her anger on Mrs. Hanson. Something about negligent and not paying attention. It was hard to keep track of because the room started to spin, and my body started to get hot. I looked around the room trying to focus on anything but the spinning only for my eyes to land on Kelly.

She was looking at me, laughing with her friends. Motioning to point out the blood that I felt was starting to cover half my face and making its way onto my clothes. The more I looked at her the angrier I got so I looked away only to find Brandon.

He looked horrified, face white with his mouth hanging open. He looked disgusted and after only a second of eye contact, he looked away. He looked around as if trying to look anywhere but at me. He settled on looking at his shoes. Guess his Nike's were more interesting.

I felt hotter, and the edge of my vision was getting blurred. I barely noticed my fists balled so tight my nails were digging into my palms drawing blood. I slowly tried to get to my feet. My balance was wobbly and I had to support my weight by leaning on a table.

Danielle and Mrs. Hanson's arguing filled my head a long with Kelly's denial of any wrong doing and the chatter of the other kids starting to comment on the situation. Everyone's voices were getting louder and louder to the point my ears were starting to ring. I closed my eyes tight trying to tune out the voices, and stop the spinning. It felt as if I was standing in flames, I could actually feel sweat covering my body, along with the blood still falling down my face.

Ringing, spinning, fire.

Ringing, spinning, fire.

Ringing, spinning, fire.

I opened my eyes only to see Kelly in my line of sight. There was no spinning, no ringing, no fire. An animal like shriek rose from my chest to fill the room. Then it all went black.

In the court room, I tried to focus on the back of the room, not making eye contact with anyone. The lawyer was pacing back and forth in front of me.

"What do you remember when you finally came to Ms. Mckenna?"

I could almost detect a hint of sympathy in his voice, then again maybe I was just imagining it.

Pushing another strand of hair behind my ear I gave the only answer I could. "I woke up handcuffed to a hospital bed."

"So you don't remember lunging at Ms. Thompson, tackling her to the ground, and repeatedly punching her in the face? You don't remember being so enraged that not one person could pull you from her? How about her screaming for you to stop, before being knocked out, and even then you didn't stop?"

My gaze fell to the floor, "No."

"You don't remember biting her? Or trying to throw things at her unconscious body while several police officers tried to drag you away?"

"No."

"How about passing out as soon as the officers were able to remove you from the class room."

"I said no! I don't remember any of that! All I remember is waking up in the hospital! But it was on the video and everyone in the room saw it happen! I did it!"

The judge was about to give me my sentencing. I shouldn't have yelled. Losing my cool like that was not a good look. But the images in the video were haunting me and the lawyer throwing it all in my face didn't help.

What I did was terrifying and how I looked while doing it scared the hell out of me. It didn't look anything like me, it looked like some kind of animal going in for the kill. At one point I looked up at the camera and swear my eyes looked red. Then again that was probably some kind of glare. Old cameras tend to do that, right?

"Ms. Mckenna." The judge called before clearing his throat.

This was it. The fate of the rest of my life all depended on what he said next, and to be honest I didn't even know what options for me he had contemplated.

He opened his mouth, "With the..."

"Excuse me is this the case of Chloe Mckenna?"

He was cut off. Everyone turned to look at the back of the room to see a tall, skinny, red haired woman dressed in a light blue skirted suit, followed by three men in all black suits. They walked into the room and stop next to the table my lawyer and I sat at.

"Mam this is a closed court. You need to leave." The judge ordered. But the women didn't even bat an eye. Instead, she stepped forward with every confidence in the world. 

"My name is Madison Pierce." she offered as if that explained everything.

Apparently, it did because the judge's look of anger was soon replaced with one of recognition and shock. He straightened in his seat as if finally interested in what was going on for the first time today.

"Ms. Pierce? From the Landry Institute for Troubled Juveniles?"

She smiled. "Yes, that's correct. I see you have heard of me. Good. Landry's has an interest in Ms. Mckenna's future."

The judge looked confused but nodded and motioned for her to come to the podium. They began to speak quietly to one another. I looked around and almost everyone else in the room seemed to be confused, the Thompson's, their lawyer, my mom, but not my lawyer. No, she seemed shocked but not completely confused.

"Who the hell is she?" I whispered to my lawyer. But before she could answer Madison Pierce was stepping back from the podium while the judge was calling for the court rooms attention.

"In light of new information Ms. Mckenna, you have a choice to make. You can either go to the local Baltimore City juvenile detention center for the next two years and on your eighteenth birthday be transferred to an adult facility until your twenty-first birthday. Or you can take Ms.Pierce's generous offer and go to the Landry Institute for Troubled Juveniles in New Orleans Louisiana, and upon your completion of their new program for first time violent offenders, be released on your eighteenth birthday."

I was in shock, this was a lot to think about. The Thompson's and their lawyer jumped out of their seats exclaiming their disapproval. My lawyer leaned towards me and whispered, "Decide fast."

New Orleans is far away, away from my home, my mom. But two years was a hell of a lot better than five. I turned to look at my mom who sat behind me, tears in her eyes. She knew.

"Take it." She mouthed.

I nodded before turning back and standing. The judge was blatantly ignoring the Thompson's protests and stared steadily towards me. I was shaking but as clearly and loudly as I could I gave my answer.

"I'll go to Landry's."