On the Strawberry Moon - 4. Chapter 4

This year, everything was fast paced. It was Halloween now and one of Tom’s basketball friends, Bobby, was having a party.

Everyone invited of course.

Jasper and Kalum were dressed as Thing 1 and Thing 2. Kalum was demoted to Thing 2. Jasper had to be number one.

Kalum thought about the Freddy Krueger costume he would rather have. Despite his dislike for horror, Kalum enjoyed the blood and theatrical parts of the gruesome customer and designs.

He imagined he would look like a good Freddy; he definitely had the jawline for it.

Once, he made the mistake of bringing that up with Jasper. Jasper saw red and shoved his head into the wall. Told Kalum that he was stupid for such a suggestion.

‘You guys made it!’ Tom laughed and fist bumped with everyone, as they all came in.

The party was looking amazing, the electric energy of people just genuinely having a good time, laughter roasted the air, people were talking in groups and music waved gently through the air.

Everyone from school was here from the looks of it. All different costumes. Some sexy, some horror, some just plain ridiculous. One or two just wearing complete black.

The gang had done a good job. Tom was dressed as pirate, Oscar was dressed as Ash Ketchup, Sammy was dressed as a zombie witch, Ronny was dressed as the Joker and Billy was dressed up in his favourite costume.

‘Dr. Strange, again, Billy?’ someone said passing by, raising an eyebrow.

‘When it cost over a hundred pounds you can bet I’ll be wearing this every year,’ Billy retorted, waving his brown coat away.

‘Come on, they got hotdogs in the kitchen!’ yelled Sammy pushing through everyone.

***

Later on in the party, it got too much for Kalum.

Nothing bad on anyone else at all. Even Jasper wasn’t as tense around him and was having a good time, at moments he forgot Kalum was even there.

This was the perfect time for Kalum to have a break from people. He wondered upstairs and saw a ceiling window open with some steps, he climbed up. This must have been the open flat part of the roof. This house was absolute huge.

He pulled himself to the tiles and in the distance, he saw a pumpkin head. Or someone sitting down on the roof tiles wearing all black with a pumpkin head. The head looked over to him and waved over.

With an usure frown, he came over and was relieved to see Robert, who pulled his pumpkin off his head. His usual afro hair had been tied hair into plaits for the pumpkin head to fit on.

Kalum sat next to him. They had a secret overview of the garden, and watched people in groups.

Robert looked over and gave a short smile, pointing to his orange pumpkin head, ‘Your favourite colour, right?’

He was testing the waters and Kalum gave a smile and nudged his shoulder, ‘It is.’

Kalum could feel the sense of relief as his body relaxed. Robert had got the right twin.

Jasper wasn’t here, watching him. He could try talk to Robet. Maybe. Defy the orders for one night.

Kalum had tried to ignore Robert for the last few weeks. But whenever they were in the same room, Robert always smiled at Kalum and Kalum couldn’t hide his delight at that, even if he wasn’t allowed to talk to him. Kalum knew Robet would soon tire of him so he enjoyed these moments while they were there.

They were sat there in silent as they watched groups in the garden walk back into the house.

Suddenly, Oscar ran outside with Billy chasing her. She was visibly upset and Billy grabbed her shoulder and pulled her around.

They were talking quietly. Robert and Kalum sat still, not wanting to interrupt anything.

Then Billy hugged Oscar tight, and pulled back, nodded. Then they kissed.

Kalum beamed in instant. He gave a thumbs up to Robert who nodded back at him.

Oscar and Billy hugged one last time before going slowly back into the house.

‘Can’t believe I got to see that,’ Kalum gushed out.

‘Have they been like that a while?’

‘Yeah. Everyone can see it except them. It finally happened,’ Kalum laughed.

Robert smiled at him, ‘You’re really happy for them, aren’t you.’

‘This is the literally my favourite Halloween every,’ Kalum grinned.

Robert laughed and nudged him, ‘Me, too.’ He giggled a little before saying, ‘They must have liked each other a long time.’

‘Yeah.’ Kalum paused. ‘So, it’s been a few months at school now, anyone caught your interest?’

That question must have taken Robert by surprise because he raised an eyebrow.

Kalum panicked, ‘You know if you’re not comfortable, that’s totally cool. I was just, um, you know, conversation and, um, Oscar and Billy, um.’

Robert laughed a little and then just shrugged, ‘How about you? You liked Hannah and Rosey, right?’

Hannah and Rosey? Oh, the other twins in the school. Jasper was planning on sorting out double dates for them.

‘Yeah, they’re okay.’

‘Which one do you like the most?’

‘Um, they’re both the same?’

‘Ha! That’s rich coming from you.’

‘Haha no, no! It’s nothing like mean, just, they’re okay, both have really, um great smiles.’

‘Right,’ he grinned at Kalum and Kalum couldn’t help babble on.

‘No, you know, pretty hair, pretty hair is important.’

‘Of course.’

‘Also, hopefully get to date,’ Kalum looked ahead. ‘One of them soon. Rosey, I think. Yeah.’

Kalum had been gone a while. No doubt Jasper was probably starting his hunt on him quite soon.

‘So, I guess you couldn’t answer my question from before? I can drop it if you want me to,’ a small voice came out of Kalum. It was meek, but it came out.

Robert smiled, bashful and looked down at his pumpkin head sitting is his hands.

‘Someone catching my eye? Yes,’ he said, quietly.

‘Good,’ Kalum replied, staring at the pumpkin’s head. ‘Hopefully, it’s not Rosey.’

Robert laughed out at that. ‘Rosey isn’t my type.’ He paused and added a nervous giggle, ‘I didn’t think she was your type?’

Kalum looked at him. ‘I don’t know what my type is anymore.’

‘Like guys and girls or?’

‘I mean, I just. I don’t normally like anyone really. But lately, I think, maybe I just like people, I don’t really know about which gender I am supposed to like. To me, I just fall for someone as a person, who they are, their personality,’ Kalum was babbling again. ‘It’s weird, I don’t know. I’m not explaining myself right.’

‘So, Rosey’s personality gets you?’

Kalum stopped talking. He could hear Jasper asking his name. His voice was very loud and echoey from inside the house, near the open window.

Robert leaned in close and whispered in Kalum’s ear, ‘I really like you Kalum. I really like you. If you don’t feel the same way, that’s fine. Just let me know, okay.’

Kalum froze.

He wanted to say he liked him too. Kalum liked him so much. He had never had liked anyone like this before. There had been girls and guys that had made Kalum smile and feel good about himself with the warm feeling of attraction, but he normally never saw them again. So, he never let any proper thoughts dance in his head. Besides, Jasper always made the decisions of who they liked, what they liked.

Kalum’s voice was trapped in his throat. He couldn’t reveal himself. All he could do was reach out for Robert’s hand. He held his hand and closed his eyes.

Kalum hoped Robert could hear what he was saying. He really did.

‘Kalum! Are you out here?’ Jasper’s voice rang out.

Kalum opened his eyes, turned his head and stared into Robert’s eyes. They were twinkling and he squeezed his hand right back.