On the Strawberry Moon - 6. Chapter 6

Back in the library at lunch break, the gang were gathering papers for revision. The big mock exams were coming up and Daz had made them all come to the library to practise.

‘When your exams go great you can thank me,’ she told them all.

‘Better if you could just do the exams for us,’ Billy laughed as Oscar shook her head.

The gang had settled into Billy and Oscar’s new relationship, nothing dramatic more happened. Just genuine happiness for the couple and support. This is what Kalum truly enjoyed about being in the gang. No bitchy dramas, just real friendship and support.

He often thought if he would ever mention about Jasper to them. But it felt so much easier not to say anything.

They were all finishing up their mock exam practise and started to talk about music.

‘You must like Snoop Dogg and that right? Run-D.M.C, right?’ Ronny nodded at Robert.

Robert had been invited to sit with them by Billy. Robet was sat next to Daz; he raised an eyebrow and Sammy looked confused.

‘Drake and his new song, you know it?’ added Ronny.

‘Not really,’ Robert gave a small smile.

Kalum found it hard to stare at Robert without giving away how he felt, he thought his eyes were too expressive and his cheeks would go too red. Robert with his tanned dark skin and afro, and sweet hazel eyes. Slim figure with the school jacket just framing him well. So, instead, Kalum darted his gaze around the gang, never resting on one person.

‘Have I got that wrong?’ frowned Ronny.

‘Nah, I like Nirvana and music like that.’

‘ Oh,’ Ronny blushed. ‘Sorry, that was crap of me.’

‘No, that’s just called racial stereotyping, dude,’ Sammy stuck his tongue. ‘How embarrassing.’

‘Shut up!’

The gang laughed and Robert just laughed and smiled, ‘I really like Good Charlotte too.’

‘Emo!’ coughed Tom.

Kalum smiled back at Robert while everyone laughed. He liked Good Charlotte too.

‘Guns and Roses all day,’ Jasper declared.

Taking a mental sigh, Kalum grinned, nodded and they both sang out the statement, ‘Take me down to the paradise city.’

Kalum sang it hard as if he loved it so much and not hated it at all.

***
Later on, in science Robert and Kalum were sat next to each other.

Robert wrote a note down and passed to him, ‘Here’s number for someone to help. You can call anytime!’

Kalum stared hard at the abuse phone lines he’d seen many times. He erased Robert’s writing hard and responded back with his note, saying ‘NO.’

***

His throat was closed up.

Kalum was struggling and his eyes snapped open.

It must have been in the middle of the night. It was all darkness. But he could see his brother above him, straddling him.

He had a tight grasp round Kalum’s neck again. He was holding on tighter and tighter.

Kalum reached for Jasper’s hands again, trying to claw back at him, and just staring back at him.

‘Why do you keep doing this?’ Jasper asked, calmly.

Kalum remembered when they were younger, about ten years old, in the first children’s home. He fell down the stairs. Or at least that’s what he remembered. What he also remembered is looking up at his brother who was at the top of the stairs. It might have been Kalum’s fuzzy memory but he was sure ten-year-old Jasper was smiling. Or maybe he was just remembering things wrong. His memory was never the best.

It was something they never talked about, that strange event of Kalum falling down the stairs. It was never mentioned ever again.

When his eyes started to roll into the back of his head, Jasper let go.

Hailing deeply, Kalum breathed aloud from his nose, clearing his throat. The air hurt his throat as he spluttered on some air.

The boys were in twin bunk beds. Jasper rolled out of Kalum’s bed and climbed up to his bed at the top.

Kalum really didn’t know why his brother hated him so much.