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Chapter One Hundred-Seventy-Nine
Point of View: Nick



"The State of California would like to call to the stands Nickolas Gene Carter." Walters looked at me, a satisfied smile on his face. My skin felt like it was about to crawl off of my body and slither away across the courtroom. I looked around myself frantically, feeling that pit in my stomach deepen. My eyes met Kevin's two rows behind me. He smiled reassuringly, his face set in a strong, confident manner and he nodded ever so slightly, encouraging me. I squared my jaw and faced forward. Although I didn't feel any less scared, I was ready.

"Just stay calm, whatever you do," Dirk whispered to me. "Just tell the whole truth, and stay calm."

I nodded and struggled to my feet. Dirk pushed my chair back in as I walked, the officer that had led me into the courtroom hovering at my side, to the witnesses' chair. Inside the pen-like enclosure was a small stool that reminded me of the ones we used on stage during I'll Never Break Your Heart, and I settled myself onto it quickly, relieved that I didn't have to stand while being examined.

From the new vantage point, I could see the entire crowd of people gathered in the courtroom. Kayla and Zoe and my Backstreet Brothers and all... but not only them, also the people on the prosecution's side... including Krystal's family.

Krystal's family consisted of her sister, Amelia, and her mother, Peggy. Her father had died ages before Krystal became famous, and her mother had struggled to make ends meet. Peggy had always been fantastic to me, always very kind and generous... Seeing her in shambles as she was there in the courtroom nearly shattered my heart. I wanted to run over and wrap my arms around her and hug her and tell her that I was sorry for breaking her daughter's heart. But I knew Peggy probably didn't like me the way she once had any longer.

What I could only speculate about Peggy's emotions towards me, though, was easily recognizable - obvious, even - upon Amelia's face. Amelia was glaring at me hatefully - a look that, if eyes could kill, would've had me six feet under.

This was understandable, of course. After all, as far as they knew I'd killed Krystal.

"State your name for the records," announced an officer, stepping up to the stand, holding a book that I recognized to be the Bible.

"Nickolas Carter," I answered, glancing toward a stenographer who I hadn't noticed before that moment.

"Do you, Nickolas Carter, swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" asked the man, lofting the Bible towards me.

"I do," I answered solemnly.

When the official had backed away, Walters stood up and moved towards me, his fingertips pressed together. A cold rush went down my spine. Every eye in the courtroom was turned towards me. It was the weirdest feeling... I mean, I'd been performing since I was a kid. I'd always just taken a stage, been in front of hundreds and even thousands of people and belted out songs and acted like a total goof... but now... now I was stage fright.

My insides felt all jumbled up.

"Nick, is it true that you and Krystal engaged in a long term relationship?" Mr. Walters began.

"Yeah," I answered, "Well, for me pretty much anything longer than a week is long term, but yeah, even according to the world's standards what we had was pretty long term. Yeah."

"And the relationship dissolved while you were in rehabilitation?"

I nodded. "She was seeing this guy, Desi, and --"

"Where were you the night that Krystal Armaletto was murdered?"

I blinked at the quick turn of the topical tides. "I was, uh - well, what time do you mean? 'Cos I was a lot of places that night..."

"Don't play games," Walter replied.

"I'm just saying that I was at a lot of places that night," I stammered, "I went to Walmart with Kayla and Zoe, and I got home to find Krystal's pink BMW in the driveway and all my stuff was smashed up inside, and..."

"I didn't ask for a lifestory." Walters laughed gently in a way that was meant to elicit laughter from the others, but what was said wasn't really funny. I looked at Dirk. I could almost feel my eyes being pleading. Dirk was half standing half sitting at the desk, an expression of wary anger on his face. "Where were you, Nick, when Krystal Armaletto was murdered?"

"Objection!" cried Dirk, pointing toward Walters, "The term murdered is leading."

"Strike the last question from the records."

Walters smirked. "I apologize, your honor," he said coolly. Then he turned back to me. "Nick, where were you the night Krystal Armaletto was killed?" he rephrased. Dirk pursed his lips, unable to argue with the new working, and sat down, glaring down at his papers on the table sourly.

"I was - I was with her," I answered quietly.

Walters moved toward the stand, cupping his ear with one hand. "Could you please repeat that for the jury a bit louder?" he requested.

"I was with her," I repeated, louder.

He walked across the room and held up a laminated sheet. "The State of California would like to submit for evidence, Exhibit D, which is the transcript from the confession Nick gave the LAPD concerning the accident." Walters turned to me. "And is it true, Nick, that by your own admission you were - and I quote - 'Kinda high, sort of' at that time?" he asked.

"Yeah," I stammered, "But-"

"And were you involved in a high speed chase just prior to Krystal Armaletto's death?" he asked.

"Yes, but -"

"And did that chase result in Armaletto's fatal car crash?"

"Yes, but -"

"Did you swerve into her driving lane?"

"Yes, but -"

"And is that when she drove off the road?"

"Well, yes, but --"

"No further questions, your honor." With that, Walters turned away from me, a humored expression on his face.

"NO!" I shouted, standing up, "No, wait just a second! You didn't lemme answer the questions all the way there!" I snapped. A cop rushed forward from thin air and opened the witness booth and roughly took hold of my shoulders, like he expected me to attack the courtroom at large if he didn't hold me back. I stomped my foot, "WAIT!" I shouted. I felt my throat growing numb with emotions. "I didn't swerve trying to hurt her! Another car was coming and --" I was hysterical. My voice broke apart like dried clay in my fingers.

"ORDER!" Judge Heath shouted over me, "ORDER!"

"I didn't fucking kill her!" I yelled, my voice shattering into a strangled sob.

"NICK!" Heath yelled, "If you don't CALM DOWN, I'll be forced to recess this court until such a time as you can control your emotions."

Walters was beaming from his seat.

Dirk's voice was deep and low, "Nick, calm down, please calm down," he begged, so quietly that I almost couldn't hear him at all. I shut my mouth and sat down. I gnawed my lip as Dirk got up to cross-examine me.

"Okay Nick," he said, approaching the witness stand, "Let's back up. Tell me what happened that night. Tell me the whole story..."