On the Strawberry Moon - 9. Chapter 9

Kalum was able to hide his arm for two weeks with his long sleeves, never rolling them up once. He was relieved it was winter so no one questioned why he never rolled his sleeves up. He was also relieved that Robert hadn’t pushed again about Jasper. Even Mr Johnson hadn’t asked to speak to him after class again.

Perhaps that was it. They had given up and decided to leave Kalum alone. Or maybe they would ask him again. Kalum couldn’t tell at this point.

There was a mock exam Q and A session with Mr Johnson that Daz pushed all the friends to attend. Kalum noticed Robet attended. He sat next to Billy and some other guy. The guy and Robert exchange some laughs and talked while Mr Johnson ran through the answers and advice for the exams.

‘So, I would take these handy sheets home, they go through each stage of how to write the answer out,’ Mr Johnson said, as everyone was standing up to leave. He passed the sheets out.

‘A template? That’s just spoon-feeding the answers,’ said Daz, with a smirk.

‘That’s right,’ laughed Mr Johnson. ‘I am making sure everyone passes this exam.’

As everyone was talking, Kalum looked over and saw Robert.
.
Robert, who was now stood in the corner, talking with the guy he was sitting next to.

A good-looking boy with tanned skin and dark eyes. Tall with a white smile.

They were laughing and the guy kept touching Robert’s arm.

Another feeling hit Kalum hard in the stomach and in the throat. It wasn’t the same feeling his brother usually gave him, it wasn’t fear. He stared and the more he stared the more he found it hard to breathe.

Shocked by this feeling, Kalum gritted his teeth and looked back to the gang who were talking with Mr Johnson.

***

In science no one was allowed to move back their original places. So, Robert and Kalum had to continue sitting next to each other.

There was a project they had to sort out after class for homework.

‘Making some lever and showing gravity, huh?’ muttered Robert as they walked out the classroom.

Kalum gave a weak smile back, ‘We can ask Daz for help. Oh, and the guys too!’

Robert looked like he was about to say something but stopped.

‘They can all help,’ he just smiled back, nodding.

Kalum wondered what he was going to say but shrugged it off.

They ventured through the loud busy hallway to the library, meeting everyone there.

After explaining the project, Daz instantly knew what to do.

‘Oh, nice, gravity show, piece of cake,’ She rubbed her hands together.

Sammy rolled her eyes and dropped a book onto the table. ‘There, gravity. Done.’

Ronny and Tom burst out laughed as Daz cleared the table and put out her large sketching book.

‘This is like volcano eruptions three years ago all over again,’ she said, whipping out pencils.

Suddenly, a classmate with long orange hair emerged among the friends, ‘Hey, um, Jasper?’

Kalum crossed his eyebrows and looked over at the classmate talking to him.

‘Sorry, Jasper, was just chasing you, you dropped your book in science earlier.’

Kalum hated this so much. He looked across and saw Jasper holding in a grin. Jasper was loving this.

Kalum felt his insides go hard, he gave a nod, ‘I’m Kalum, Jasper is over there.’

‘Oh,’ the classmate flushed. ‘Sorry, sorry, you’ve just both, um.’

‘That’s twins for you,’ laughed Billy.

Kalum caught Jasper’s eye and copied the cool guy shrug his brother was giving out. That too-cool-to care vibe. Kalum hated doing it.

Another guy came over, the same guy as before who was talking to Robert after the Q and A session. He nodded at Robert.

‘One sec, guys,’ Robert ushered around the table and dashed towards him, whispering low.

Kalum winced a little when he saw Robert place his hand on the guy’s back. How they laughed and smiled at each other.

‘Being twins must be fun,’ the orange haired classmate beamed while handing the book back to Jasper.

Jasper laughed.

Kalum looked down on the table and concentrated hard on writing down what Daz was instructing him. He felt his ears buzz and a horrible sinking feeling that was almost swallowing him whole.

He knew this was meant to be. Robert had to move on and stop bothering him. He should have been relieved, not feeling like this.

***

‘Pft, school competition,’ Billy said rolling his eyes at the poster they walked past on the wall.

‘Oh dear, someone isn’t talented,’ Sammy grinned over at him.

Oscar laughed while Billy pouted.

‘It’s the same people every year,’ Tom said stretching his hands over his head.

‘Sh, guys,’ Daz said as she helped Robert and Kalum carry their science project in a box to Robert’s locker.

‘You guys have never gone for it?’ asked Robert.

‘Sammy did once,’ Ronny said, adjusting his glasses. ‘She got stage fright.’

‘I got it on camera if you want to see,’ Billy flashed a devious smile. ‘Ow!’

‘You deserved that, you know,’ Oscar said, raising an eyebrow as Billy rubbed his newly punched arm.

‘Happy to do it again,’ grinned Sammy, putting her fists back into her pockets.

‘Do you do anything like that, Robert?’ Tom asked the question that a silent Kalum wanted to ask.

Robert shrugged, ‘Guitar.’

‘You, play?’ Tom looked impressed. ‘Nice. How long have you played for?’

‘Few years. Mostly play Jimmy Hendrix.’

‘Really?’

‘Haha, no, just kidding, I’m not that good.’

‘Oh, so hot cross buns?’

‘Nah, more like Paul Simon kind of stuff’

‘Nice.’

Kalum almost lit up a smile there. But he concentrated on carrying the project with Daz. He didn't want to talk out loud.

‘Is that the Bridge over Troubled Water guy?’

‘Yeah,’ Robert paused. ‘I might go for the competition, like.’

‘Yeah?’ grinned Tom.

‘Yeah,’ answered Robert. ‘I’ll do, like, one song. Should be fine.’

‘Good luck, bro,’ Billy laughed. ‘We will come watch you. Support and that.’

‘Also definitely not heckle,’ grinned Ronny.

‘Or film.’

‘Shut it you guys,’ Oscar rolled her eyes.

‘What type of guitar do you have?’ Tom asked the same question again that a silent Kalum was thinking.