The Pros and Cons of Loving

Part 22

Eric’s POV
A week later…

“Jesse, Aiden, if I have to tell you two to quit talking one more time I’m going to move one of you.” Mr. Barker snapped. It was Aiden’s first day back at school and he and Jesse had been whispering back and fourth all hour.

Aiden nodded and Jesse laid his head in his desk, laughing.

I don’t know why I hated Jesse but I did. He sat with us at lunch now and everyone else loved him. I felt threatened I guess. Especially because Aiden always looked so happy around him. He used to look like that when he was with me.

I know Gerard likes him. He asked him to come over for dinner. Frank had kicked him hard under the table but the damage had been done. Tonight he would be joining us for dinner.

The classroom door opened and my counselor came in. It was never good when the counselors collected you from the room.

“Eric, why don’t you get your things and come with me?” she smiled.

My eyes widened in horror. Aiden looked at me, eyes also wide, and mouthed “What’d you do?” I shook my head at him, but the counselor thought I was shaking my head at her.

“Now come on, Eric. It’s just… come on.”

I sighed and headed out, grabbing all of my stuff. “Yeah?”

“Lets go to my office and talk, Mr. Idle.”

“Let’s not. What did I do?”

“Its about Lucas Brendon.”

My jaw dropped and I quit walking, staring at her.

Aiden. I thought angrily. He was the only one who knew… who knew it was Luke, at least. I was going to kill Aiden…

“Come on, Eric. I’ll explain.” She sighed, leading me to her office. “This is Mrs. Chilton. She’s going to talk to you, alright?”

I sat down and stared at her, horror stricken. She was fairly young with nice skin, blond hair, and blue eyes. She had on a purple suit that stood out against the ugly room.

“I got an interesting call from Lucas Brendon’s wife yesterday. He was arrested for molesting a coworkers daughter three days ago… he had told the girl that what he’d done was okay because he’d done it with other kids too… the name ‘Eric’ came up. The business did checks on all past and current employees. One of the Eric’s had many problems at the age of 12… his grades dropped, he drifted apart from friends.”

I was now staring at my red chucks.

“His grades didn’t go up until he had moved here. Away from Luke, after his parents divorced. Eric… is this what happened?”

I looked at a police officer that was sitting in the corner of the room in a leather chair. His leg was over one knee and a yellow notepad rested on the arm rest. He was starting intently at me. I hadn’t even noticed him until now.

“W… what if… I said it… Was?” I asked, hoping I sounded as if I weren’t bothered.

“You’d be asked to testify in court but you would not have to face Mr. Lucas Brendon.”

I was aware every time his name was said I flinched. “Uhm… I…” I felt myself beginning to shake.

“Mr. Idle, I’m going to level with you. He’s molested 7 children in the same way he molested you. Seven. Some are grown now, some are— like this little girl who needs your help—younger than 10. This girl is barely ten. And not one of these people will testify. I know it is hard… but we need to get this man in jail because he is only going to do it again.”

The man was now in front of me, kneeled down, and talking quietly.

“I’ll be frank with you… you’re our only hope right now. That little girl needs you… we won’t win this case unless we have more testimonies, Eric… and we would really appreciate it if you could be strong and… testify.”

“Ten?” I whispered.

“She’s ten, yes… still a baby. If you chose to not testify I would not blame you… you must want to forget this ever happened. But I’d like you to think on it, okay? You would never be alone with Mr. Brendon. You may not even have to see him.”

“How about this, Eric?” The woman, Mrs. Childers or whatever, interrupted. “I’ll call Gerard and Frank down to the school since they’re your guardians.”

“I just want Aiden.” I whimpered.

“I’ll have him called down too. Right now.”

…

“What’s going on, Eric?” Aiden asked, coming into the room.

“Luke…” I said quietly, my throat feeling scratchy and my mouth feeling dry. My hands were still shaking and now sweaty.

The police officer began explaining to Aiden, who had sat down by me in a chair he’d pulled up. His hand slipped into my shaking one and I felt just a little bit better.

I half listened to the officer relaying everything to Aiden. Aiden was nodding while he held my shaking hand, stroking my thumb with his.

“We called your parents. They’ll be here shortly. You’re welcome to wait here and we’ll leave you alone.” The counselor said, standing. She led the officer out, leaving us alone in the room.

“She’s just ten, Aiden… That kid who told her mom what he did.” I whimpered. Aiden stood me up and pulled me close to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my head in his chest. “What if they want me to see him…?”

“You remember this will help that ten year old girl live. It’ll give her what you never have the chance to have.” He whispered back in my ear.

I nodded. “But I’m scared.”

“If you don’t want to do it, baby, no one will blame you… but just know that I’m here for you every step of the way, no matter what you choose.”

“Only ten…” I repeated to myself quietly, feeling Aiden’s arms go tighter around my waist.

Aiden’s POV

“We’re going to go ahead and sign them out and take them home if you don’t mind.” Daddy said to Eric’s counselor as I led him out of the guidance office.

“Here, let me take your bag.” I whispered, coaxing it from Eric’s sweaty hands.

“No, I need it.” He pulled it back, twisting the fabric of the bag in his hands furiously.

Daddy came out. “Frank’s signed you out. C’mon.”

Dad came out of the school shortly after we did. I held the door open for Eric who crawled in and immediately buckled his seatbelt. I grasped his hand and he laid his head on my shoulder, biting his lip.

“Eric, you need to take a few deep breaths and breathe. I talked to the officer and you won’t be anywhere near Luke even if you decide to testify.” Dad said, opening the door on Eric’s side to look at him. “Now come give me a hug.”

Eric looked at Dad before practically jumping into his arms and beginning to sob hysterically.

“Oh, Eric.” Dad cooed, rocking Eric back and forth like he’d done for me so many times before. Eric never had this though. A real parent figure. It tore me up inside to think about that.

“I’m scared.” Eric sobbed to dad. “I’m so scared of screwing up.”

“You just go in there and tell them what happened.”

“In front of everyone?”

“Yes… yes, so they’ll know how wrong and sick Luke is to hurt innocent people like you.” Dad was patting Eric’s blond hair down.

“I don’t want to see him. H-he’ll be there, even if I’m not right by him. He’ll be there.” Eric whimpered.

“I wish I could do it for you but I can’t, Eric. If you don’t want to do this, don’t. Like Aiden said, no one will blame you. You have every right to never go near that fucker again.”

“I’ll never be able to sleep at night if I don’t…”

“I know you won’t… which is why I know you’re going to do the right thing.”