Should He Matter? (BXB)

Chapter 19 - Adrien

Adrien Walker

Trevor's been on edge ever since he came back from the bathroom. For a second I thought it might be because he's constipated, I mean who spends nearly thirty minutes peeing? 

But then I remember that we were talking about that fucking asshole of a sheriff. 

I know he took Trevor into custody once, and Trevor's never seemed totally okay since but he refuses to talk about it. No one ever talks about their run-ins with the sheriff. Do I even want to know what happens?

I want to ask him about it. Remind him that I'm here to listen and not judge. I want him to know that he doesn't have to carry the weight of everything alone. 

But every time I broach the subject he completely shuts down. 

Maybe it is for the best that I don't mention anything. 

"I didn't think you cared about Ethan."

Trevor looks over at me, face as blank as ever, "He gets treated like shit Adrien. We're just as bad as those who treat him like shit for not doing anything to stop it." 

"But we can't stop it," I say, "Remember last winter when it was fucking freezing and Rainey gave Ethan soup? She didn't realise Deputy Hawcliffe had walked into the cafe, and later that night they trashed the place. Even broke the windows. Or when Antonio gave him that big puffy jacket, Sheriff fucking smashed up Antonio's Dad's car. Or the fact that three weeks ago Simon let Ethan crash at the leisure centre and they fucking burnt the auditorium down so Simon can't run any sessions in there now. Everyone in this town knows that if they help Ethan and they get caught they're in real danger." 

I wish it wasn't the truth, but it is. 

That fucking Sheriff hates his son and anyone who tries to make his life a little easier. 

Trevor's quiet again so I keep going, "Dawn had to close down her store cause she kept helping Ethan out and the Sheriff knew and kept messing shit up. I guess the last straw was when they beat her son up and he had his jaw wired shut for three weeks. He was fucking fourteen at the time. Grown-ass men beating up a child. Do you ever wonder why the Stevens' moved away when we were 12? Michelle got caught helping Ethan so many times, guess the Sheriff had enough and arrested her on some bogus charge, I don't even want to think about what they did to her in custody cause she moved away with her husband and daughter not even two days after b-"

Trevor tenses and cuts me off, "I get it, Adrien." 

"So you get that Luke has a reason to be worried about Ethan hanging out with us, right?"

Trevor just nods in response. 

Word must have gotten around school about Ethan being seen with us. 

The sheriff hasn't ever stirred up any trouble with me personally, I guess having the ex-police commissioner as my mother has its perks. 

I'm worried about Trevor and Luke, and looking over at Trevor I can see he's worried too. 

We may have just royally fucked ourselves. 

"What if we helped in secret?"

I blink once, then twice, "Huh?"

"What if we helped in secret? Without the pigs finding out." 

So he's more worried about Ethan than he is about him and Luke? 

"How would that even work?" I ask confused. 

"Winter's coming man, Simon can't let Ethan crash at the centre anymore so where is he spending the nights he gets kicked out?"