choke ↣ joshler ✓

33. Arrested

Tyler sighed, his grip tightening on his backpack straps. His forth period was about to start and if he was late he was in trouble so he didn't really have a choice with what he was about to do.

His eyes flicked over to the window next to the door he was in front of. He looked at the laminated sheet of paper taped to the inside of it with schedule of the teacher in the classroom he was standing before. It said his forth period was his plan.

Tyler glanced in the window and saw the classroom was empty and the teacher was sitting at his desk, writing something. The 15 year old took a deep breath before opening the door and walking in, letting the door fall shut behind him.

Upon hearing the door open, the teacher's head popped up and he smiled slightly. "Hey, Tyler. What's up?"

"Hi, Da—" he stopped himself. "Mr. Weekes, can I talk to you? It said it was your plan period and I obviously have no problem with skipping class or you can excuse me or—" he started rambled but was cut off by Dallon chuckling.

"Relax, Ty," he pointed to one of the chairs behind a desk. "Bring that over and sit down."

He did as he was told and dragged the chair over so it was in front of Dallon's desk before sitting down. Unconsciously, he brought his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs to make himself appear smaller on the chair. "Now what?"

"Well, what did you want to talk about?" Dallon asked, moving aside the tests he was grading and resting his head in his hand to give Tyler his full attention.

"I just," Tyler took a deep breath. He was already irritable from not smoking since right before school but now he had the stress of a million other things. "I have no idea what to do," he said simply. "I felt like I needed to talk to an adult that kind of knew what was going on and was old enough to have a mature conversation with but I still knew on a personal level. I settled on you. God knows I can't talk to my dad about any of the shit you know."

Dallon cracked a smile. "I'm flattered you felt you could come to me as not only a friend but an adult. It means I'm doing something right," he said, making Tyler smile slightly. "What's troubling you?"

"I feel like everything is happening so fast but also agonizingly slow if that makes sense. Like I moved here and my first day I met Josh and then it was Brendon and you and Ashley the day after and I started doing little things to make it so I could hang out with them and even you too and my dad got pissed at me for wanting to be the person I'm meant to be.

"On top of all of that people are fucking dying. I'm waiting for it to be next. I'm just waiting. That girl Jenna that died? She was my friend. Killed. The last thing I said to her? I called her a bitch. You can imagine what that does to a person. I can't even talk to my dad about it because he's a cop and if I bring it up he'll either get paranoid and make us move— which I could not handle leaving this place —or not give me answers and just stress me out more. I know you can't give me answers but maybe you can give me advice."

Tyler let out a breath once he was finished with his rant. He felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulder. However, the weight returned when he saw Dallon frown.

"Tyler," he began. "You've been through a lot in your life for only being 15. I'm sorry," he said sincerely. "I can't offer you a lot of advice but just... be careful. Be careful with you who you trust, okay? Obviously the killer is someone who lives here because they're all Scarlettesville crimes so please be careful who you interact with. I don't want anything to happen to you. This is coming from an adult and a friend."

Tyler smiled, the weight disappearing once more. It wasn't solution but it was at least enough to ease him off the ledge of insanity. "Thanks, Dallon."

"Of course. Just remember that nothing is your fault unless you're the one to do it, okay? I used to be a lot like you when I was in high school. I let things eat away at me and I got anxious all the time. It happened throughout college too before I just said fuck it and decided not to let hurt me. Look where I am now. I'm a high school math teacher making $55,500 a year and I'm dating one of my students."

Tyler laughed at that. "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks again for talking to me. I feel a lot better."

"That's what I'm here for."

"I should probably get to English before my teacher beats my ass," he sighed sadly.

Dallon began writing him a pass. "Who do you have?"

"Lowe."

"God she's a bitch."

Tyler giggled, taking the pass. "You know you're my favorite teacher, right?"

"I'm not even your teacher," Dallon raised an eyebrow.

"I know," Tyler laughed once more before getting up and walking towards the door. "Bye, Dallon. I'll see you."

"See ya, Ty."

---

Little did Tyler know, he wouldn't see Dallon. That was his last encounter with him.

He was walking out of the lunchroom when it happened. Ashley was heading towards her class and Brendon, Josh, and Tyler were making their way towards drawing.

Brendon had a busted face and was giving him the cold shoulder all day so he avoided conversation with him but Tyler was in the middle of laughing at something Josh said when he was interrupted with some junior yelling from by the front doors. "Yo! The cops are here!"

Tyler felt his stomach churn. That probably meant his dad was here. And that meant something was wrong.

Tyler shot Josh an uneasy look and the pink haired had a confused one of his own. Tyler was about to go over to the doors to see the commotion when he did in fact see his dad and another police officer he didn't recognize coming down the hall.

"Dad?" Tyler approached him and began walking next to him, trying to keep up with his father's quick pace. "What's wrong? Did you find the killer?"

"Get ta class, Tyler," Chris mumbled under his breath. Tyler, however, didn't listen. He faltered for a moment so hides was only a few steps in front of him and began walking again, Josh and Brendon following curiously.

Tyler's heart stopped when he saw them go into the math hallway. His feet stopped, causing his friend and boyfriend to stop too. "Maybe it's not him," Brendon spoke. "I hope ta any fuckin' God listenin' it's not him."

A moment later their suspicious were confirmed when Tyler's dad and the other officer were walking Dallon towards the front of the school, his hands cuffed behind his back. "Dallon Weekes you're under arrest for statutory rape with not only jus' a minor but one of your students..." he heard his dad say as he walked past but tuned him out after he began the protocol of reading Dallon his Miranda Rights.

"No," Brendon shook his head, his voice barely above a whisper. He began walking after Tyler's dad and the other officer had to hold him back. "Ya can't take him ya asshole!" He yelled, not caring if he caused a disturbance.

"Bren..." Josh sighed and held his arms out. The mentioned fell into them and began sobbing hysterically.

All Tyler knew for certain was one thing.

Dallon was right about being careful around the people you think you trust. Someone had obviously ratted him out. He just didn't know who.