Chapter 19: The Pressure Mounts

The moment Mercedes stepped into Chris’ dad’s car, her composure crumbled. Her breathing came in shallow gasps, her hands trembled, and no matter how tightly she clenched her fists, the panic wouldn’t stop.

“I’m going to jail,” she whispered.

“Mercedes, stop it. It’s just the first day,” Chris tried to reassure her, but his voice was drowned out by the storm in her head.

Her vision blurred as she stared out of the window. Reporters swarmed the courthouse steps, their cameras flashing like vultures circling their next meal. Somewhere in that sea of people, Ronnie’s father was watching, waiting for her to fall.

Chris’ dad reached back from the passenger’s seat. “Listen, trials don’t end in a day. You need to breathe, alright?”

But Mercedes wasn’t hearing any of it.

Her fingers dug into the seat. Jimmy is winning. DeSean didn’t have an answer for him. He smirked at me—he knows I’m losing.