Where the White Rose Withers

by Harell Smiley

  Finally, Mrs. Myers calls Erica to the stand. “Miss Worthington. How was your experience with Nathaniel?” She asks, looking through a folder. “He is my boyfriend. He has been nothing but nice to me. But what does he have to do with what Carl did at the party?” Erica asks. “What do you know about the party?” Mrs. Myers changes topics. “I was told not to go by my boyfriend. He told me Carl isn’t a good guy. I should have listened. I saw Carl put something in a drink and gave it to me. I poured it into his cup and asked to go to the bathroom just to get away from him. That could have been me in there. He had me follow him to this room where I saw these other girls and guys from the football team having sex. I am not sure if the girls were drugged or not. I took a book of names, and inside I found my sister's name. I threw the drink on Carl and ran out of the room and apparently bumped into Spencer on the way out. I didn't know her or that she would have that happen to her.” Erica explained. “Wow. You drugged Mr. Terril, in hopes of what? Getting revenge for your sister? Or what?” Mrs. Myers asks. “Did they teach you your great listening skills in law school? He tried to drug me. That would have been me on that bathroom floor.” Erica answers. “So, you took it upon yourself to take matters into your own hands, did it ever occur to you that Miss Loving wouldn’t be in this position if you would have just said no and left?” Mrs. Myers asked. “I wasn’t thinking about her because I didn’t know her. I didn’t know he would even do something like that.” Erica started to cry. “That’s all your honor.” Mrs. Myers took a seat.

  Mr. McCormack walked up to the stand. “You confess you contributed to the alleged attack of Miss Loving?” He asks. “Excuse me? Absolutely not!” Erica yelled. “You raped that girl! How many girls have you raped? Sorry had sex without content. Because In your book it showed the number ten next to your name. If I have to expose every single person in that book, then so be it.” Erica yelled. “Do not address my client at any point!” Mr. McCormack yelled over her. Judge Rollings tried to gain control over her. “And that is the truth, under oath.” Erica smirked. “That’s all for today.” Mr. McCormack gathered his papers and stormed to the judge to ask something.

  Erica washed her face with water in the bathroom sink as the door opened. “Hey you.” Danielle appeared. “Hey. You just don’t care about court dress code, do you?” Erica laughed. “No one tells me what I can and can’t wear. I don’t care what authority they think they have. A job can always be taken from someone.” Danielle fixed her makeup. “Nate didn’t want me to testify today.” Erica confesses. “Why?” Danielle shot a look at her. “Carl sent him a picture. Blackmailing him and threatening me. The picture was about tha-” Danielle covered Erica’s mouth as she saw the heels under the stall. “Someone is in here.” She mouthed. “I think those ten girls that are in the book should speak out within the next twenty-four hours. And I know just where to find them.” Danielle lies, strutting out with Erica.

  Meeting up with her family, Danielle overheard Felton talking to someone on the phone. “Who was that daddy?” She asks. “A lawyer. Now if you don’t mind I need to see your brother.” Felton hurries off, still embarrassed by her actions.

  Later that night, Erica and her mother walked up to the front door of her home with grocery bags when they heard tires screeching on the road. She turns to see people in a red truck. They start throwing eggs at her and her mother. Her mother struggles to get her keys in the door before they are completely covered in eggs. Rotten eggs. Her mother gathers up the groceries off of the floor, crying. Anger. No, rage builds up inside of Erica. Something in her mind whispered to her. “Do it.”

  Well, well, well. We have something new and different. A list of names. This is a special list that the football players of Oberlin High created. The girls they have hooked up with, drugged and recorded. I guess we know why Romeo and Juliet broke up. Troy and Sarah. I am so shocked I can’t breathe. The Tea is too hot right now! To make it short, I will only do the most recent names. They are the ones that matter right now. #METOO

  Love- TheDot.com

  The Smash List :

  Jenna - Leroy(6)

  Iris- John, Ben, Sam

  Ebony- John(2), Terry

  Jeniffer- Preston, Terry(3)

  Pricilla- Marcus, Tim

  Monica- Jake, Ben, John

  Avrey-Mike, Carl

  Annabella - Troy

  Bryanna- Grayson

  Carissa-

  Sarah W- Troy, Mike, John(2), Carl(10), Dave, John(4),Ben.

  Ashleigh-

  Amy-

  Cassie- Jet

  Spencer- Carl

  Erica did it. She exposed the very people that hurt her family. It wasn’t Annabella running Sarah out of town. It wasn’t her parents forcing them to change their lives. It was the jocks that took advantage of Sarah. Then a text came through.

  Nate : What the hell did you do!

  Day III

  The final day of the trial and it was time to hear Carl and Nate’s testimonies. The jury gathered in their seating area, the audience in their seats. And Nathaniel on the stand. Carl’s lawyers gather like vultures getting ready to tear this innocent boy apart. “Mr. Rose. How did you meet Spencer?” Mr. McCormack asked. “She was friends with my sister. I did not know her prior to the night of the party.” Nate answered. “Enough to invite her to a party.” Mr. McCormack added. “I never invited her. I asked if she was going. She said she wasn’t planning on it. She then asked me if I was going and I told her I might make an appearance. I was standing next to my girlfriend when saying this, so I didn’t lead her on in any way.” Nate defended himself. “So, you tricked her into thinking you will be there. Why didn’t you show up? If I may ask.” Mr. McCormack asked next. “I was at the police station being questioned.” Nate looked around. “Okay. For the murder of Elijah Ethans?” Mr. McCormack stepped closer. “Relevance.” Nate’s lawyer; Mr. Tejada yelled to the judge. “This is not a trial for alleged murder Mr. McCormack. Please move this along.” Judge Rollings informed. Donovan whispered something to Tejada. “My apologies. You were being questioned on an alleged murder. And after? This wasn’t some kind of set up between you and your girlfriend?” Mr. McCormack changed the question. Nate took a deep breath, balling up his fist in his lap. “I went home. With my father. No! Absolutely not. I would never set anyone up.” Nate answers. “So, you are saying you didn’t trick Miss Loving. You didn't lure her, and you didn’t know her. Your girlfriend confessed to drugging Carl. How do we know this even happened? How do we know you are telling the truth? Why are we here?” Mr. McCormack sounded annoyed. “Because I was on the football team and a football player allegedly raped her. I know Carl. I have spent months with him, games, locker room, school, even slept over his house and hung out after school.” Nate started to explain. He and Carl made eye contact. “I don’t know him to be a rapist.” Nate added. “You can go back to your seat now Mr. Rose.” Mr. McCormack walked to the table.

  Mrs. Myers stepped up. “I would like to call Carl up to the stand.” Carl walks up with a confident smirk on his face. “ Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? ” The bailiff asks as Carl holds up his right hand. “I do.” He says. He takes a seat at the stand and looks out into the sea of people that are watching his every move. Untouchable he calls himself. “The night of March 15 th did you attend and host a party at your residence?” She asks. “Yes. I threw a party that night to celebrate our winning game.” Carl agreed. “And at this party, were there drugs and alcohol present?” She asks next. “If there was, I had no part in it. As you heard before, I was drugged.” Carl smiles. “Correct. From a drink that you were giving to Miss Worthington. So, you drugged yourself in a way.” Mrs. Myers connected the dots. “Leading.” Mr. McCormack yelled. “Mrs. Myers move on please.” Judge Rollings says. “Did you have a sexual encounter with Miss Loving?” Mrs. Myers asked, pacing back and forth. “I don’t know.” Carl replies. “Did you have sex without consent with Miss Loving or any other girls on
this list?” Mrs. Myers pulled up the post on the screen. “We had no information about this your honor.” Mr. McCormack slammed the file on the table. “I submitted them in last night. Had you been available when I reached out, you would have been aware.” Mrs. Myers explained. “Continue Mrs. Myers.” judge Rollings says.

  “So, Mr. Terril, did you?” She turned back to him. He knows now he was not untouchable. He looked at the jury and over in the audience. “We went to a party out of the city. Nate was fighting Elijah and killed him. The body fell into the water and sunk. We took Nate to my house and washed him off. He begged me not to tell and said he would let me be Captain.” Carl let a tear fall down his cheek. “Mr. Terril. That has nothing to do with this case, this girl wanted a friend. She thought those girls were her friends. Instead she was raped. Not by a stranger. By someone she saw in trouble and needed help. You were roofied at your party and she tried helping you and you destroyed this girl's life forever. These girls are unaware of what happened to them. Why?” Mrs. Myers started yelling. “Your honor!” Mr. McCormack yelled.

  Then it happened. It all came out, crashing like the waves into the sharp rocks. “It was tradition. We had to do it. Every football player that wants to be respected has to. I was angry and not in control of my body. I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to.” Carl confessed. “That is all.” Mrs. Myers walked back to the table and sat next to Spencer. “I told you I will get him.” She whispered. “The jury will make their decision and we will regroup when the jury has made their decision.” Judge Rollings banged the gavel.

  Spencer sat in the lobby wrapped in her mother’s arms. “Everything will be okay.” Her mother kissed her forehead. “Hey, how are you feeling?” Danielle came over and hugged her. “I feel better. I feel calmer.” Spencer started. “Can you leave us alone. You have done enough.” Her mother snapped. “What have I done exactly? Get your daughter to feel comfortable in the clothes she actually wanted? Get her comfortable enough to be around her fellow peers? She is a teenager. Let her live a little. I know given the recent events that is not likely to happen, but I wanted to help her be the person she is.” Danielle started off. “You know, everyone calls me selfish and conceited, but I am not. I love who I am, I am confident in who I am. I know who I am.” Danielle added before leaving the area.

  Mr. McCormack started packing up his things. “What are you doing?” Mrs. Terril asked. “When the other lawyers walked off of the case, I thought they were foolish. I thought they didn’t understand the case like I did. Your son got on that stand and made a fool out of me.” Mr. McCormack explained angrily. “I am sorry. I just had to tell the truth. I can’t lose everything I built this year.” Carl replies. “You already lost it all!” Mr. McCormack barked. “Sir.” A man walked over to them. “What!” Mr. McCormack yelled at him. “The jury is back.” He hesitantly replied.

  12. All the Good Girls Go To Hell.

  W ell, it was time. After scrapping Nathaniel’s testimony from the trial due to what was confessed, the jury came back with their decision. The room was awkwardly silent. The air was thin. Spencer sat at the front table. Knee length dress that was the color of the sky. Her hands fidgeting in her lap. Her breathing gets heavier. She closes her and takes deep breaths. Calm down Spence. It will be okay, she tells herself. Carl bounced his foot, knowing his world will soon come crashing down. How did this happen? How did he get caught up in this “frat boy” lifestyle? He lets out a deep sigh. He looks up to his mother. She can’t look at him, not after the confession. Not after what he did. All she could think about was how much of a monster he was. The stranger living in her home all these years. He reaches for her hand, but before he could feel the soft skin on her hand, she placed them in her lap. “Before we get to the jury, I would like to say Mr. Terril you are very strong to do what you did up there today.” Judge Rollings smirked. “Let’s hope the jury thinks so also. It is time for the verdict.” He added.

  “We find the defendant; Carl Terril.” The woman stood up and read from the paper. She didn't try to dress the part. Her blond curly hair peeked out from under her bandana like she just got finished gardening. She has the power to put Carl away for life. “Not guilty.” She says. Those words. Those fucking words. Those words that crashed into Spencer’s world and lit it on fire. A sigh of relief expelled from Carl’s body and through that smile. Spencer burst into tears and stormed out of the courtroom. Danielle and the other girls after her.

  Spencer locked herself in the stall and just cried her heart out. Cried the hardest she ever could. “Spence. Come out please.” Danielle knocked. “Please just go away.” She yelled. “No. We want to make sure you are okay.” Crystal replied. “We are not leaving. Even if I have to sit on this floor and wait.” Danielle stomped her foot. “Please don’t make me get on the floor, it's so gross.” Danielle danced a bit in her Gianvito Rossi heels. Letting out a sigh, Danielle sat on the cold bathroom floor. Pulling down her black dress, she got comfy. “At least open the door.” Amber commented. Spencer opened the door to see them there. “If we were not your friends, we wouldn't be here.” Crystal says. “Thank you, guys.” Spencer forced the words out. Eye liner dripping down her face. Danielle hopped up and hugged her tightly. “It will be okay. Just gotta keep your head up.” Danielle held her close as Spencer’s mother entered the room. “He will get his. Eventually. We will make sure of it.” Crystal added. “No girls. Revenge isn’t the answer. It will only stir up more mess.” Spencer’s mother commented. “This will be a new chapter for you Honey. We will move and start new. Where no one can treat you differently.” She added. “Come on, let's go.” Spencer and her mother left the bathroom. The courthouse and eventually, the city.

  Felton has one last piece left in this game of chess with Bryanna. If she learned anything from Annabella, it was to always have your soldiers ready. Bryanna has her policemen and her horseman protecting her. Felton was sure he could get her with one man. “ Conall .” Felton calls out to the man. He is tall and dressed in a navy-blue suit. His shoes were black and shiny. He wore a ring on just about every finger. “I was wondering if I’d ever hear from you again. Tell me, why travel all this way to meet?” Conall asks, sitting down at the park bench. “I have a problem. A Dayton problem.” Felton answers, pulling a folder out. “Ah, the little Dayton. I heard about her. She is a clever one.” Conall laughs. “That bitch took my house, my company, my reputation.” Felton stopped and took a breath. “If I can’t have it, none of us can.” Felton raises an eyebrow. “As long as you have my Irish blood in your veins, I will make sure the job is taken care of.” Conall answers. “Thank you dad.” Felton smiles. “I will do you this favor. The FBI is after you. Stay low. They have a lot on you. They don’t need anything else against you.” Conall vanished through the park.

  Bryanna sits on the Rachel Veil talk show to talk about her life, career and recent book. “How did you feel in prison? Why did you run?” Rachel asks. “I needed to make sure my daughter was in the right hands. So I took her to close family and turned myself in. After hearing on the news about my parents and my sisters.” Bryanna pauses and started to sob, soon turning into full on crying. “I’m sorry. It really still hurts. I never really got a chance to mourn properly or even say goodbye.” Bryanna wiped her tears with the tissue. “We will be back.” Rachel cut to commercial. “Take as much time as you need.” Rachel hugged Bryanna.

  Bryanna took a minute backstage and thought about the next move.

  “We are back after a very emotional moment, Bryanna. Tell us what happened.” Rachel turned to Bryanna. “My parents were betrayed over The H Hotel. They were murdered by a hitman sent by Felton Rose. My sister was married for a few hours before being held hostage by a man that was getting revenge on us for the explosion that was unknowingly caused by her. My other sister committed suicide to get away from all of this. My family has withered away like petals on a rose. I decided to take up ownership over The H Hotel because it is my legacy as the surviving Dayton. It is my
daughter’s legacy. And women are more aggressive than a man could ever be.” Bryanna smiled. “You are so strong and have been through so much. Past is the past and you did time for it. Many people out there and I are indeed rooting for you. And all can be found in her new book Beautiful Wicked . Thank you for coming and showing the world who you really are.” Rachel hugged Bryanna. “When you leave, go out the left door and get into a different car.” She whispered and shared a warning look.

  The interview was finished, and Bryanna did as she was told. Seeing her, her driver started her car and in seconds it was engulfed in flames. She looked around and saw an orange rose by the door. “Okay. You want to see a flame. I’ll show you flames.” She whispered, storming into the car. “What is the plan?” Ben asked. “We act soon. We show them who we are. Call Michael. Inform him of what happened. I need the name of the hit man or men after me. I know Felton doesn’t get his hands dirty. But I do.” Bryanna tries to calm her mind.