The next day headlines splashed across the papers: "Teen arrested in drug bust!" "Ms. Deborah Steele is the newest teen to join the racket." "Deborah's Debacle!" "Is Ms. Steele innocent?"

The reporters had a field day interviewing the witnesses at the drug raid.

Debbie didn't know what to do. Detained and taken into police custody, the police charged her with attempts to deliver drugs and trying to transport 300 grams of Heroin from Brooklyn to New Hampshire hidden in the pockets of her uniform.

From what she heard in the police van, she came to know they confiscated more than 60 kilograms of MDMA/Ecstasy, with an estimated street value of up to $ 1.4 million and almost $70,000 in cash were seized during the operation at the Club.

Shell-shocked and still unable to put things together, Debbie was given permission to call her legal guardian- her aunt. She was not in the least surprised when her aunt Naomi flat-out refused to help or seek legal counsel for her niece.

Debbie was on her own. All alone. There was no one to help her now. She lost all hope. With goose bumps on her skin, quick breaths and her heartbeats fluttering and the heart pounding so hard, Debbie spent the rest of the evening crying.

Since her aunt declined to help or have anything to do with Debbie, the state appointed Ms Tiana Santiago as her defense lawyer.

At the Courtroom:

Debbie entered the courtroom, her face repressing the terror that threatened to seize her.

Dressed in a demure black and blue knee-length dress, white sneakers and shackles, despair and sadness washed over her. Having not slept much in the past twenty-four hours, Debbie could barely stand on her feet.

She was brought with five other persons of mixed race and gender dressed in the white and grey stripped prison uniform. The trip in the van was her only view of sunlight after two days of being in a lock up.

Contrary to her expectations, the room was tinier than she imagined after years of watching movies and courtroom dramas. It looked shabby and smelled of wet mold and teak. The seats seemed to be a little cracked in some places. Two sets of wooden benches lined on either side of a walkway.

Beyond those fences were two worn tables each with a pair of plastic chairs. Looking down on everyone was a raised podium with a lower one to her right. The room was unoccupied other than her, the guards, and her fellow inmates but that didn't last long as women in a law enforcement uniform entered from a side doorway. Debbie spied Lizzie and her parents sitting in the front row.

Attorney Tiana stood and walked up to the judge. In a loud voice beaming with confidence, where the curious crowd behind her could also hear. "My client has been caught with drugs on her person."

Pausing to to look at Debbie, she continued. "She is innocent." A collective gasp rose from the crowd behind "Until proven guilty,"

With one finger high in the air, she carried on. "Ms.Nabeela should know better." Tiana slammed her hands on the opposing attorney's desk.

Tiana rose from her position and stood up straight, saying, "I call Juan to the stands." Debbie watched in horror as Juan walked over to the stand, panic written all over his face.

"Is it true that you were with Deborah in the afternon of August 19?"

"Yes, I was," Juan said in a soft, shaky and mumbling voice; making it difficult for anyone to hear him. Leaning forward, the crowd edged to their seats.

"And is it true," Tiana went on, "that you were her best friend?

Lowering his head with eyes staring at the floor, Juan nodded.

"I'm afraid the court does not understand your nod. Can you please speak up?"

"It's true," Juan said and his breathing laboured and he began shaking all over. Sweat drops formed across his forehead. Whispers and hushed tones buzzed in the room.

"Order in my court," the judge sternly demanded as he tapped at the gavel twice.

"I have no further questions, your Honor," Tiana said, walking away from the stand with a big smile on her face.
Ms. Nabeela, the other attorney went up to the stand holding a piece of paper. "Can you please read what this says, Juan. Clear enough so that the people sitting in the back can also hear you. And please don't mumble. I do not bite, young man."

Juan stood up, wringing his hands and read what was written on the paper. "I will be back shortly."

Ms. Nabeela nodded and took back the paper. "This note was found at the club counter, with the date August 19th written on the bottom. It is possible that Juan had already left the club BEFORE the drug bust occurred. Then, realizing he forgot his cellphone, he returned, took it and went about his business, only to find the cops waiting for him on his arrival.

Ms. Nabeela nodded and went back to her desk, Instead of Tiana, she turned around with a smirk of biting ridicule on her face.

With a brand new attitude, Tiana went back up to the stand and bombarded Mr.Juan with bewildering questions such as, "It has to to my information that you are mentally ill and have a history of mental problems. Are you very sure you wrote that note on the 20th and not the 19th? Why did you leave a note?" "What was so urgent that you couldnot wait to inform?"

"Objection!" Ms.Nabeela proclaimed. "What does Juan's history have to do with the case?"

"Objection sustained," the judge said. "Ms. Tiana, are you badgering the man in order to confuse him?"

Tiana blinked her eyes, a coy smile on her face and innocently said, "No, your Honor, I would never."

"Then, carry on."

And so she did. Her coquettishness had the highest judges in the county eating out of her hands.

"Pathetic, I say, pathetic! The lengths people go to..." thought Lizzie, with a slight shake of her head.

"Okay, I believe we are done here," stated Tiana. "I, now, would like to call my client to the stand, Ms. Deborah Steele."

Deborah, drained of energy, walked so slowly to the stand that an officer had to help her midway since she took too long.

"Deborah," Tiana began, "I mean, Ms. Steel, where were you that afternoon?"

"I was going to the club to deliver a parcel,from school."

"Hmm, I see. Can anyone else justify this? Do you have any proof of your action?"

"No." Debbie said sadly, with a shake of her head.

"There must be someone..." Tiana paused for a minute. She didn't anticipate Deborah would say anything like that. "Okay, so what happened that day?"

"WelI, I was at school when my friend came to me and asked me to deliver a parcel for her. She told me that I'd have to give it to Juan and just leave. No questions asked."

"Didn't you find that odd that your friend didn't deliver the parcel herself?"

"No." Debbie held her head up high. "She was in a hurry. There was an emergency. As a friend, I offered to help." She looked at Juan, with a serious expression.

"Mmmm..." Tiana started to feel afraid. Clearly this wasn't going the way she imagined.

Lizzie muttered to herself. "I wouldn't be surprised if she had asked Deborah to lie on stand. But I'm glad she told the truth, it serves her right."

"I have no further questions, your honor," Tiana said this rather quickly.

Ms. Nabeela went to the stand. Even though she believed Deborah was guilty and wanted to attack her with so many questions, she called another witness to the stand instead.

"I call Yolanda to the stand."

Everyone in the room gasped. They turned around to face her as she stood and went to the front of the court. No one was expecting Yolanda to make a statement. After all, her hate for Debbie and her family was known in the community.

Yolanda glanced at Tiana with a satisfying grin. Turning pale as a ghost, Tiana sunk in her chair."Yolanda, may I call you by your first name."

Yolanda looked back at Ms. Nabeela and nodded.

"Good. Yolanda, how are you related to Juan?"

"He's like a brother to me. He has been working for my father since years. He's the only one who can handle my attitude, to be honest."

"I see..." there was a brief pause. "Can you provide the details on how are you connected to this story?"

Yolanda cleared her throat before speaking firmly. "I was there when the raid happened. I know exactly transpired and I not only have authentic photographs as proof, but videos as well. I was visiting Juan to hand over a letter from my father. He asked me to meet him at the club and as instructed, I gave the letter to him. That's it. I encountered Debbie on the way to the door. On entering entering the club, she was surprised to see me."

Ms. Nabeela interrupted Yolanda. "So, you left the club and then what?"

"Well, I was on my way home when an unexpected call from my father asked me to bring along Juan in the car. There was an emergency at the office and Juan was needed as soon as possible. The moment I entered the club, I felt something wrong."

The court room watched with bated breath. The judge had his eyes glued on Yolanda.

"What happened, next?" Ms. Nabeela urged me to continue.

"I-I sa-saw it. Packages upon packages of a white powder hanging outside Debbie's dress. She looked so obsessed with Juan, as if she was insane. At first, I thought Juan was crazy about her, because remember him talking about her at home. There was loads of money strewed on the club counter and and the notes made the words "My Juan, I Love You" making me queasy. I rushed to the bathroom to throw up. On coming out, I saw there was side-door partially open with blinds. Peeking at bright lights revealed a man handling lots of drugs packets."

"I saw what I wish I would have never seen. Oh, I wish I had never gone there."

"How could you have known there were drugs in the packets? Have you been there or tasted drugs before?" inquired Ms. Nabeela.

"There was a chemical kinda smell emanating from the room. The substance was piled high enough on a table so that anyone could see it. I only got to witness this because I was leaving the bathroom."

Ms. Nabeela nodded. "Then what?"

"I ran outside, looking for Juan!"

"Because you still thought he was there?"

"Right. Only Juan wasn't there. Instead I found pictures of the girl. Shocked, I rushed through the door in a hurry to get out of that place, only to be startled by the noises of someone coming into the club."

"It was Deborah, wasn't it?"

"Yes." Yolanda nodded. "She was all covered in a hood with the parcel peeping out of her school bag. I took pictures of it too. Also got videos of Debbie standing with the parcel on the bar counter."

"Where did you get the camera from? Do you always carry it with you?"

"I bought it to take my selfies. Instead I got the chance to take pictures of all this."

"Calm down, Yolanda," Ms. Nabeela reassured her. "We're almost done here. So, what happened after she came in the club?"

Yolanda swallowed hard. "She started speaking about what she had done."

"To who?"

"To herself, ofcourse. I recorded the whole thing."

"Let the court hear it." The police officer took out my recorder that was in a plastic bag, put it on the juror's stand and played it.

All of them caught their breath, and a unified gasp arose after hearing the recording.

"Thank you, Yolanda. That is all for now." Ms. Nabeela shook her hand.

"Ms. Tiana," the judge said, breaking her out of her daze, "Do you have any questions for the witness?"

Tiana shook her head.

Ms. Nabeela went to the front of court to make her closing statement. "As you can see,my dear citizens, Deborah Steele was the one who supplied and undulged in drug trafficking. Not Juan."No sane person could do such a thing, your Honor.

Yes, Juan was there the afternoon of the crime, however, he had briefly stepped out to for business. That was his alibi and there are cameras and witnesses to testify this as truth. With that said, I ask you what man in his right mind, let alone person, would coolly deliver drugs, only to go out out of the club so calmly. No one!

And then, to have the nerve to keep the money out in the open at the club. No sane person could do such a thing– he wouldn't be able to sleep knowing full well that drugs are stashed away in another room That obviously means he wasn't aware of what happened.

Furthermore, if he did supply drugs, why didn't he just hide the parcel in the basement? Why wasn't he afraid when the police arrested him? I bessech you--honourable law-abiding jury of the court, to put yourself in his shoes and see if you could do a thing like that!."

Tiana was called next for her closing statement. Her statement was brief and weak. It wasn't as powerful as Ms. Nabeelas'.

The jury returned in only ten minutes. The vote was unanimous.

Once the crowd silenced, the judge spoke . "Members of the jury, have you reached a fair verdict?"

The jury spokesman stood and said: "Yes, your Honor, we have."

Judge asked, "Members of the Jury, on the Case of Deborah vs.Juan, what you say?"The Jury Spokesman cleared his throat before pronouncing the verdict. "Your Honor, the members of this Jury find the defendant GUILTY of major drug smuggling and money laundering."

Noisy conversations burst out throughout the room. The judge had to bang his gavel several times before there was peace again. "Order, order in my courtroom." He said in a loud, stern voice. "I do not tolerate mayhem in court."

"It is time." The judge said this statement with finality. "I will now pass sentence of the verdict. I agree with the jury on the verdict of guilt, and hereby sentence Deborah Steele to 5 years to life in juvenile prison. If the accused displays good behavior and the same is verified by the dean and the officer in attendence, her attorney can apply for parole after three and half years."

"I now declare the case closed. Good day, everyone."

The judge left his bench and Nabeela went over to Tiana who looked flabbergasted. Enveloping her in a tight hug "Ti! I won the case."

Returning the hug, "Congratulations! Well done, Nabby! I always knew you would win." Tiana patted her best friend's back.

Yolanda watched closely as the sheriff put handcuffs on teenager and took her away. Debbie was only 15 years old and with no one for her, meant she would most likely rot behind bars.

"Excellent." she thought. She'd make sure Debbie never got out of prison. 

"Sorry bout' that Debbie," said Yolanda, faking a concern.

"Don't feel sorry for me, Yolanda," said Debbie, breaking out of her trance. "I suggest you start feeling sorry for yourelf.  I won't forget for what you have done to me. I will have my vengeance..."

"Trust me, I won't." Yolanda sneered, making a face at her. "Enjoy your stay at juvienile prison forever, Debbie! "