Everyone was angry about that verdict. And I do mean everyone.

Excluding the time she wrote the tell-all article about me that got me arrested, Rebecca had never shown that she was really angry with me. And in this situation, her anger seemed largely misplaced—in direct contrast with my usual form, I hadn't had any influence on those verdicts. I had played by the rules, let Brianne make our cases, and that was it. No bribing jurors, no falsifying evidence. The jury had found me guilty of ¼ of my charges, and Rebecca guilty of all of hers.

Brianne was angry. She didn't understand why Rebecca would be counted as an accomplice, but I wouldn't. Despite the fact that I had been invited to the scene by Rebecca, who had shown up voluntarily and then asked me to help—conveniently leaving out what I was to be helping with until I arrived.

The media were angry. Talk shows theorized about how I must have bribed the jury, YouTube conspiracy theories popped up everywhere, and I'm pretty sure #kennedysguiltyparty trended on Twitter and Instagram. Ironic.

I wasn't angry. I was the only one.

And then came the sentencing.

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"I will begin with the sentences asked for by the state of South Carolina, and then what the jury has recommended."

The courtroom was quiet while Judge Kelley adjusted his reading glasses.

"In the case of Rebecca Eaves, the state has requested three years in jail with the chance for probation in one. The jury has recommended one year in jail with the chance for parole in six months."

Rebecca and Kennedy exchanged glances; at least the recommended sentence was less than the state's requested one.

"In the case of Kennedy Abrams, the state has requested five years in jail with the chance for probation in four, as well as no less than five years of probation after serving her time in jail."

Kelley cleared his throat loudly and took a pause before reading out what the jury had recommended. In that pause, Kennedy already knew that this was not going to go over well with the hundred or so people seated in the audience.

"The jury has recommended 300 hours of community service, with no jail time or probation."

The uproar that rose from behind her caused Kennedy to physically recoil in her seat, trying to get as far away from the noise as possible. People were screaming at the top of their lungs, yelling for the sake of yelling, as they knew no one was actually listening to their words.

No one, except for Kennedy.

"You bitch!"

"You're a murderer! You deserve to rot in prison!"

"Throw the bitch in the electric chair!"

"Bitch!"

"Bitch!"

"Bitch!"

They really liked that word. Kennedy was about 95% sure that it was frowned upon to swear in a courtroom, though.

Kennedy remained hunched down in her seat, her head just barely visible over the top of her chair. Rebecca was talking to her, Brianne was trying to get the judge to remove the screaming crowd, the ADA was standing up and yelling along with everyone else, and then Kennedy felt something hit the back of her head.

Two large men in security uniforms were pulling her out of her chair and Kennedy looked at the ground. An empty can of Dr. Pepper was rolling around on the floor behind her seat. She glanced up as the security guards pulled her towards the judge's chambers to see a red-faced, absolutely hysterical middle-aged man being dragged out of the courtroom by a team of three security guards.

He hit me with a soda can. In a courtroom.

It wasn't the most ludicrous thing that had happened that day, but it felt like the most insane.

Before she could think about it anymore, the door to the judge's chambers was closing behind her and Kennedy was being seated in between Brianne and Rebecca in front of a very large, very elegant, very empty, desk.

One security guard remained at the back of the room, one eye on the door and the other on the three women. No one spoke, but Kennedy could feel the anger radiating off of Rebecca. She didn't need to say a word to show how absolutely furious the entire situation had made her.

But she did say some words.

"I know you think this is fair." Rebecca hissed, and Kennedy turned to look at her. Rebecca's eyes were ice cold and her left hand was balled into a fist around the arm of her chair.

"I know you think that I tricked you by telling you to go to Lydia's without telling you why. That may have been shitty of me. But let's not forget the lie that introduced me to your stepmother in the first place."

Kennedy didn't speak or move, but her eyes searched Rebecca's. Kennedy had never hurt anyone like she had hurt Rebecca. And she knew that.

"Enough." Brianne muttered. "I don't want to hear another word out of either of you until we leave this building."

Kennedy broke their stare first and turned away from Rebecca just as Judge Kelley entered the room, silently taking a seat behind his desk. He heaved a loud sigh and took off his glasses. He looked older without them on, which Kennedy found unusually funny.

"I want to offer my sincerest apologies for everything that happened out there." He said, shaking his head. "I have never, in my entire thirty-six years on the bench or the twenty-odd years I spent as a litigator prior, seen anything so inappropriate in a courtroom. Apologies to you in particular, Miss Abrams, as I understand someone in the room threw a can at you. It is well within your rights to press charges against him."

Kennedy smiled tersely, ignoring Brianne's demand to stay silent.

"I think I've had quite enough of courtrooms, Your Honor. No offense."

Kelley gave a tired smile in return.

"I don't blame you." He said, before addressing his comments to both of the girls. "Due to the events outside, I will be delivering your sentences privately, in here. I have asked ADA Potter to join us as well." He gestured towards the security guard at the door, and the guard opened it to let in the ADA. She looked much less terrifying than she had just minutes earlier, when Kennedy had watched her scream at Judge Kelley along with everyone else.

"ADA Potter, please take a seat." Judge Kelley invited. Potter nodded once and then sat in a chair a good six feet away from the three women already in the room. "I have decided to issue a sentence to both Kennedy Abrams and Rebecca Eaves that differs from the jury's decision."

Kennedy swallowed loudly. That didn't bode well for her.

"I believe that your sentences should match each other," Kelley said, his focus switching from Kennedy to Rebecca and back again, "which means that neither of you will receive jail time."

"Your Honor—"

"This is not for you to contest, ADA Potter," Kelley interjected before she could get more than those two words out, "I will ask just once that you do not interrupt again."

ADA Potter leaned back in her seat and crossed her arms silently.

"Thank you." Judge Kelley turned back to the two defendants, "You will both be required to complete 500 hours of community service, all of which will need to be done within five years."

He leaned forward, his eyes focusing on each girl individually for a full five seconds before he spoke again.

"This sentence is incredibly lenient for both of you. If my kindness is taken advantage of, I will be sure to recommend a much less reasonable judge for your next trial. Am I understood?"

Kennedy and Rebecca both nodded, and Judge Kelley gave a curt nod in return.

"Good. You're dismissed."

"Thank you, Your Honor." Brianne stood and shook Kelley's hand. "I appreciate the decency you've shown my clients throughout this process."

The three women exited Kelley's chambers and found that the halls outside had been emptied completely. Kennedy could hear yelling coming from the front doors of the courthouse, but she didn't have to think about those yet. She took at least seven deep breaths, counting out the seconds in between each one in her head.

"Thank you, Brianne." Rebecca broke the silence first. "You are an incredible attorney."

"It was no problem, Rebecca," Brianne replied kindly, "I do hope that we don't have to meet under these circumstances ever again."

"Me too."

"Yeah, thank you." Kennedy echoed, "I just...I can't really believe I'm leaving this with no jail time. It doesn't feel real yet."

"Kennedy, I have to say, you may have been one of the biggest pains in my ass, but I have so much respect for you. You are an incredibly strong woman, which sucks because you shouldn't have to be as strong as you are at your age."

Brianne took a step closer to Kennedy and leaned down so that their eyes were level with each other. Tears glistened in her eyes as she placed a hand on Kennedy's shoulder.

"I am proud of you, Kennedy Abrams."

A/N: Did that seem like an ending? SIKE, it isn't. This baby's only like halfway done.