On the Strawberry Moon - 18. Chapter 18

‘Love a party at Tom’s house,’ grinned Billy

‘Happy new year!’ screamed Sammy.

‘It’s not New Year yet!’ Daz shouted right back, laughing.

It was New Year’s Eve and the gang were at Toms’ house.

Tom’s team had won the football game this year so it was party round his, nearly everyone at school was there. Tom’s parents were very mellow and laughing along with relatives, there was genuine happy buzz of excitement in the air.

The gang had calmed down since Kalum’s accident, they were still overprotective but at much more manageable amount for Kalum now. But they really did care about Kalum and they didn’t know to express it well.

‘I’ll get that for the twins,’ Oscar reached out and grabbed drinks.

‘I’m fine,’ Kalum smiled.

‘He’s fine,’ Jasper smiled.

Oscar said nothing but gave them both a squeezed hug. She smelt strong of sweet perfume and her hair was long blonde and straightened smooth. She rarely straightened her hair.

As the music started beating all around, Kalum scanned the room full of happy people, again it reminded him of the REM song ‘Shiny Happy People’.

Then he saw Robert. In the midst of people. Talking to that Paul.

Kalum thought back when they were at the fair, in the booth, laughing. How he held him close to him. How Robert confessed how he felt in Halloween. How he liked him. How, obviously, things had now changed now. It was Paul he wanted.

This was the only thing he couldn’t put a brave face on for. Seeing Robert with someone else, someone else making Robert happy, making him laugh.

‘Just going to the bathroom,’ Kalum blurted out randomly. Oscar put her hand on his back, and he laughed her off. ‘I’ll be fine going to the bathroom by myself.’

‘I’ll come with you,’ Jasper said, suddenly.

Kalum held in a sigh as they both went to the bathroom.

Jasper went into the bathroom first, when he came out, Kalum went in and sighed and pressed his head against the locked door.

He waited ages and heard his phone going off, beeping constantly. The gang were messaging in the group chat, nagging at Jasper to come get a drink, as Jasper moaned that Kalum took too long.

Holding his breath, Kalum opened the bathroom door and looked around. Jasper was gone.

Tom didn’t have a flat roof to hide on, like the other party houses Kalum had gone to, so he weaved in and out of groups of people, keeping his head low. He got to Tom’s bedroom and snuck inside.

Tom’s bedroom was full of trophies, shiny, silver, gold, certificates, posters, large TV. A room that screamed out proudly successful. Kalum saw Tom’s en-suite bathroom.

Five minutes. Just five minutes. All actors need five minutes to get their face on right.

After five minutes, Kalum could go back downstairs and be part of the gang again. Be one of the twins. Go back to seeing Robert and Paul again.

Kalum went into the bathroom, there was no lock on the door so he sat close to the door so he could hear people coming in, in case he needed to move quickly. He left his phone out on the bathroom floor and stared at it.

Suddenly, Kalum hard the bedroom door being open, Kalum stayed still.

‘You’re right, it is a nice room.’

Kalum recognised the voices.

‘Mm,’ Robert replied.

‘You wanted five minutes?’ Paul said

‘Huh? Sorry, yeah, you’re right.’

There was some silence.

‘Could you not?’ said Paul.

‘What?’

‘New Year’s Eve, just a moment without the phone?’

‘I’m just messaging people.’

‘Messaging who?’

Kalum heard a sigh.

‘Look, I don’t mean to upset you.’

‘I know, I just.’

‘Okay, you have my attention.’

‘Ah, good,’ giggled Paul.

It was silent again. Kalum wished the ground would swallow him up. Why can’t people just go away?

‘I’ll be two minutes, okay?’ said Robert.

‘Okay,’ Paul said, softly.

Kalum heard footsteps and a door shut. He heard Robert sigh loudly and his foot tapping nervously. Why was Robert nervous?

All of a sudden, he heard Robert tapping away on his phone.

His phone buzzed loudly on the ground. Crap.

He froze as Robert stopped tapping his foot. Kalum could hear Robert typing on his phone. Kalum snatched the phone off the ground, and tried to clumsily to mute his phone but Robert was faster and the message buzzed through loud again.

It might as well have been on loud speaker.

Robert knocked on the bathroom door. Kalum held his breath.

Kalum looked down at his phone. The first message from Robert was to the group, the second message was a private message to Kalum.

Robert knocked more at the door.

Kalum thought someone would come in and interrupt. Or that Robert would give up and leave.

Instead, Robert opened the bathroom door slightly. They locked eyes before Kalum looked down.

Robert opened his mouth, ‘Kalum?’

Kalum nodded, ‘Orange yes.’

He was prepared to be ridiculed, but Robert simply came into the bathroom, closed the door behind him and sat next to Kalum.

They sat in silence, next to each other, knees up.

‘I didn’t think you’d be in here,’ was all Kalum could whisper.

‘You took the words out of my mouth.’

They both giggled.

‘I’m just,’ Kalum sighed. ‘Needed five minutes away from everyone.’

Robert nudged his knee, ‘I get that.’ He paused. ‘Do you want me to go?’

There was a long silence.

‘Only if you want to,’ whispered Kalum.

‘Could I stay here with you? I need a break from people too.’

‘Paul?’ Kalum instantly regretted how that came out. ‘Sorry, yeah fair enough.’

‘You heard that?’

‘That’s just normal couple stuff,’ said Kalum, as if he knew what he was talking about. The so-called expert who had only been on a couple twin date.

‘Mm,’ replied Robert.

Kalum’s knee rested against Robert, ‘He is a nice guy.’

‘Yeah. He is.’

‘That’s all I got to say about him, sorry, I really don’t know him,’ replied Kalum, Robert giggled as Kalum garbled, ‘I know he makes you laugh so he must be good.’

Robert giggled and sighed, ‘Yeah. You’re right, he does make me laugh.’

‘It’s New Year too, so even more, um,’ Kalum relaxed more next to Robert, their shoulders now touching. ‘Laughing and that.’

‘Bringing in that sweet New Year ahead.’

‘Exactly.’

It was silent again. Kalum didn't know whether to bring up about Simon or not. He was still very confused about it all and his memories weren't great to go on. It was a big deal and he didn't know how to tell people.

‘Thanks, again,’ Kalum whispered. ‘For that present. It meant a lot.’

Robert leaned towards him, his head next to his. ‘Good. You deserve some things you actually want.’

‘I even got to the fourth page of the book this time.’

They both giggled again.

They went quiet as they heard footsteps at the bedroom door, someone rushed into the room. The person pulled a drawer open, scrabbled all around before grabbing something out and running out the bedroom, slamming the door shut.

‘I really hope that was Tom,’ murmured Robert.

‘Yeah,’ was all Kalum could reply with. It was quiet for a moment, ‘Thanks for not, um, just thanks. With my brother. I appreciate it.’

‘I didn’t do anything. He is dangerous, Kalum, we need to do something now.’

‘It’s getting easier. It’ll be okay.’

‘It shouldn’t be like anything, Kalum,’ Robert paused. ‘I worry about you. So much. The cave situation. I know it must have been him, you have to let me report him. I can do all the work so you don’t need to do anything.’

‘Please don’t, I’ve been able to handle it for years now. Please promise you won’t do anything,’

Robert didn’t reply, instead he placed his hand on Kalum’s knee. It felt like Robert didn’t know what to say anymore to convince Kalum. He didn’t want to do anything behind his back.

‘Have you ever been single on New Year’s eve?’ Kalum asked, enjoying the feeling of Robert’s hand on his knee.

Robert looked deflated with the change of topic but still smiled and replied, softly, ‘Once or twice.’

‘Ah, oh well,’ smiled Kalum. ‘At least you get to have a nice good New Year’s Eve kiss with Paul.’

‘Yeah,’ Robert murmured, his voice trailing off. Then he cleared his voice, ‘Nice good, eh? Interesting set of words.’

‘They’re positive adjectives,’ protested Kalum.

‘That’s literal,’ giggled Robert.

This moment in the en-suite bathroom was warming Kalum’s heart. He wished they could stay in this bubble for ever and never come out. Once they were out, Robert would go back to Paul and Kalum would be part of the twins.

‘You know, if you need to talk to me,’ boldness took hold of Kalum as he reached out and slipped his hand over Robert’s. ‘I can listen, I can try help?’

Robert stared at this before turning his hand over and interlocking their fingers. ‘You’re a really amazing guy, Kalum.’

Kalum stared at their hands holding, his heart fluttering away in his chest, his mouth felt dry. He brushed his thumb against Robert’s palm.

Robert turned his head and looked at Kalum. Kalum wanted so badly to turn his head and look. He was frozen. He didn’t trust himself.

Instead, he looked ahead and whispered, ‘You know, if I wasn’t single on New Year, I’d take my partner outside, and kiss them before the count down.’

‘Not after the count down? Why?’ Robert whispered back.

‘After as well. Bringing in the old and new year together into one kiss.’

‘That’s weird,’ Robert smiled. ‘I really like it though.’

Kalum giggled and his face flushed all his feelings rising to the surface.

It then hit him. It wasn’t really appropriate to be holding hands with a guy in a relationship or possible relationship.

Letting go, he gulped and turned his head slightly to Robert, ‘I am sure you and Paul will have you own thing.’

‘Maybe,’ he sighed and added, ‘We’ve only been on a few dates. It’s not, um.’

‘A relationship? I thought he asked you out?’

‘He did. I just, I just didn’t give a proper answer back.’

‘Proper answer?’

By this time Kalum was looking at Robert’s face. He remembered that time he found Robert on the roof on Halloween in his pumpkin costume, how they sat close together, how their faces were so close but they never kissed.

Kalum was staring at Robert’s lips, his heart felt it like it was practically fluttering right out of his chest.

His feelings were uncontainable, he couldn’t trap them anymore. He leaned forward.

But he managed to catch himself before he did something he couldn’t take back.

‘Sorry, I shouldn’t have,’ he began to whisper, leaning back.

Robert went forward and snatch a quick kiss of his lips instead.

It was so quick, like a blink and they both froze. Their noses touching.

Robert tried to say something but Kalum cupped his face. He kissed him back.

They were in their own world. Robert responded to the kiss as he put his arm across Kalum’s side waist and held him close. The kiss deepened.

They pulled a part slightly, still holding each other. Robert’s phone was buzzing but he had his eyes closed and he was smiling.

‘You look happy,’ croaked Kalum, giggling, nervous.

Robert opened his eyes and stared into Kalum’s. ‘I’m very happy.’

‘Me too.’

Robert pulled away a little, and took hold of Kalum’s hand and placed a gentle kiss on his knuckles.

‘You’re the only person who makes me so happy,’ whispered Kalum.

Robert looked at him, ‘I want to keep you safe, Kalum. Your brother,’ he sighed and stopped, ‘Please let me help you. You have no idea how much I care about you. I can’t stand by while Jasper hurts you, please understand this.’

His phone buzzed again; Robert sighed annoyed. He stood up pulling Kalum up with him.

He went to open the door. Instead, he turned around, curled a hand around the back of Kalum’s neck and kissed him. Robert was addictive and Kalum’s hand fell instantly around his waist; he leaned back, bringing Robert into him as they deepened their kiss.

Robert pulled back a little at the third buzz of his phone. He flicked a smile before pulling Kalum in close and hugging him really tight.