Should He Matter? (BXB)

Chapter 7 - Adrien

Adrien Walker

They've taken him to do a head and body CT, to see if he has any internal bleeding.

It's only the start of the year and he's in hospital, the beatings are supposed to get worse as the year goes on but how much more will he be able to take? Lewis and his group always started off small and then eventually it got worse. Matt probably just wants to outdo his brother. Or the fact he only has a year to inflict as much pain as possible upon him. I don't even think it's really about the kid.

I was never able to put a stop to Lewis and his fools hurting Ethan, but I'm sure I can make Matt and Nicki stop. It's really only those two that continue to harass him, everyone else has stopped. Tom only joins in cause fo the other two fuckers, but that doesn't make him any better either. Lewis used to gang up on Ethan with like 5 other guys who play dirty, there was no way of me physically stopping them. But I've been working out over the summer and I'm definitely a lot stronger than last year. I could take the little trio on.

My fatigue seems to have disappeared as my thoughts are now consumed with him. 

The last time I was in a hospital because of someone else, was when Charlie died time before that Dad died. Hospitals and I don't have a great track record. 

They say death happens in threes. Well, what if Ethan's next? 

His head was bleeding pretty badly, my white top had turned completely crimson. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that internal bleeding is bad, but internal bleeding in the brain is extremely dangerous. 

If he doesn't he may have brain damage or something equally as bad. Plus he said that his legs and ribs hurt. Although I don't think his legs are broken, well they didn't seem broken. But I have no clue about his ribs, but wouldn't he have been in a lot more pain if his ribs were broken?

As I'm worrying relentlessly, a woman in scrubs enters the waiting room. Everyone in the waiting area suddenly falls quiet. She quickly sweeps her eyes around the waiting room before they rest on me. Once she's standing in front of me she asks, "Hi I'm Doctor Wittaker, the nurse informed me that you're the gentleman that brought in the young boy-"

I cut her off not wanting her to drone on about pointless introductions, "Yes, yes I am. Is he okay? How badly is his head injured? Any internal bleeding? What about his legs and ribs? Has he broken anything?" I ask in one breath.

She doesn't seem fazed by me interrupting her so rudely, guess she's used to it, "He's stable at the moment, the CT showed that he doesn't have any internal bleeding. But two hairline fractures to his ribs. So we'll have to keep him in for the next few days. We also need to keep him under observation to check the extent of the injury to his head. You can see him now if you wish?"

They fractured two of his ribs.

They're going to fucking pay.

"Yes, I want to see him now" I reply instantly, not having to think about it.

She smiles, "Follow me," as we walk she updates me further on his condition, "His right leg is very badly bruised as well. He's quite malnourished and dehydrated so we've had to give him some fluids via IV."

We reach his room and she opens the door for me. His head is bandaged up and has a drip attached to his right arm, but other than that he seems like himself. He has a little clip on his finger that is connected to a heart monitor machine, his heart rate seems steady as he's fast asleep. For once, I'm actually glad to see him asleep. I let out a relieved sigh once I can see that he's okay, even though he's been beaten badly. At least he's alive and safe, for now.

"I hope you can convince him to press charges," I almost jump out of my skin when the doctor speaks up. I forgot she was even in the room.

I look at her, silently telling her to continue, "This isn't the first time I have treated him, and every time I mention getting the police involved he refuses. Even when I've called them myself to come and take his statement, he always says he doesn't know what happened or can't remember. It's like he doesn't want to help himself, but I've been a doctor long enough now to know that there is always an underlying reason why someone refuses to get help. This is the first time someone's actually brought him here. He has always been here alone in the past."

We stand in silence looking at the boy in the hospital bed, I don't know what to say in response to her comments so continue to stand there silently. She doesn't push me for a reply, instead walks out of the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

Has he had worse injuries in the past or is this as bad as it's ever been?

But I'm not surprised he won't press charges, he knows it's useless given who his father is. The sheriff won't address his own abuse towards Ethan, why the fuck would he care about someone else abusing him?

I guess the hospital doesn't know about him being the sheriff's son.

I walk over to his bed and sit down on one of the two chairs.

"I swear to you, this isn't going to happen again. Ever."

This needs to stop.

And I'm going to make sure it fucking does.

The main culprits are Nicki and Matt, Tom only acts if they tell him to. He's like a lost puppy following them around with his tail between his legs, so getting him to stop won't be hard. Nicki and Matt will only stop once they've deemed that they've done enough damage.

If I become captain, I'll be at the very top of the social food chain. That should hopefully give me enough power over them to get them to stop. They'll be too terrified of the fact that I could kick them off the team, Lewis was captain up until last year.

Fuck being Captain, I'm already at the top of the food chain.

If words don't work then use your fists.

A nurse comes in to tell me that visiting hours are over, so I get up and leave. But not before turning to him and repeating my promise.

On my drive home I can't stop overthinking. I can help at school but what about at home? No one is willing to go against the sheriff. Ethan's got two fractured ribs, what if he ends up far worse once he's back with the sheriff? 

I know he's not spending his nights at the Lesuire Centre anymore, where is he staying?

Would it be weird if I told him he could stay at mine whenever he wants? I doubt Trevor and Luke will be staying over anytime soon, hell I would be surprised if they did ever again, so he can have that bedroom. 

I'm getting ahead of myself, there's no way he's moving in with me. 

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Thoughts?