The Mistake That Broke Me

Chapter Eight: Convicted & Prison

Song: What Lies Beneath by Breaking Benjamin

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"Addison Coleman, please arise."

I arise from my stand, my head hanging low and my hair falling in my face. My wrists are shackled in front of me and I am clothed in the orange prison jumpsuit.

I can feel the glares of my family and the shame that falls upon my shoulders. I can feel the guilt eating me alive and the tears that beg to spill from my eyes.

The room is so quiet, you could hear a pen drop.

I already know what the verdict is. I already know and yet, I am anxious to hear it being confirmed. I am anxious to hear it because maybe, it will finally soak in that this is now my reality. That I'm still actually alive and that this isn't all some sort of cruel joke or a nightmare.

"We find the defendant guilty of manslaughter in the first degree. She will be facing five years of imprisonment with a possibility of parole."

I close my eyes when I hear the cries of the family that has been affected by this tragedy. You deserve this. Feel pain. Feel it. You deserve to die in the worst way possible. My conscience screeches.

As I am escorted out of the courthouse, my parents don't even look at me. They turn their backs on me and I squeeze my eyes shut to keep the tears in. Owen looks back at me and shakes his head, ashamed of me.

He too, turns his back on me.

As the officer pushes me out of the courtroom, the mother of the little boy that died because of me walks up to me. She raises her hand against me and slaps me. Hard.

It stings and I can't hold my cheek because my wrists are now handcuffed behind my back.

I'm so ashamed. "I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry." I murmur, looking into her raging eyes. Slap me again. Punch me. Stab me. Murder me. I deserve it all.

She raises her hand on me once more, and I don't move or flinch when her hand impacts my face once more. My face jerks to the side and I bite through my bottom lip to suppress the groan of pain.

The mother is quickly escorted away by officers, and she struggles in their arms. "Fuck you bitch! You took him from me! You took my baby from me! You deserve the worst cell in prison and you deserve to rot in hell!" She screams, her voice hysterical and overcome with grief.

My own heart shatters at the pain in her voice.

"Come on." The officer whispers in my ear, urging me to walk faster. I taste blood from my split lip and my tears land on my shoes with each step I take.

Once again, I'm seated in the back of a police car, looking up into the grey sky with sad eyes. Rain falls on the earth and drenches the ground like my tears. Droplets form on the window of the car and I watch as they tumble and roll down the glass.

I feel empty.

It's such an odd, scary feeling.

I once had everything, but now....now look at me.

I now have nothing.

My family has disowned my. My boyfriend has rejeted me. My friends have disappeared. The life that I knew has suddenly turned their backs on me.

The record deal I worked so hard for has been called off.

Was everything that I had fake?

Was my family just fake all along? And my friends, what about my friends? Aren't these types of people supposed to stick with you through it all? Were they all just faking their love for me?