On the Strawberry Moon - 7. Chapter 7

It was science again, and Kalum was sat next to Robert. He must have noticed the jumper with the higher collar that Kalum was wearing because he frowned.

Throughout their class experiments, Robert kept writing and passing over notes on different numbers and places. Domestic Abuse. Child abuse. Kalum kept erasing each and every one of them, hoping he would just stop it.

But Robert kept frowning and doing it more.

When class finished, they never said anything and went their separate ways.

The gang had decided to go support Tom playing football and went to watch his game. Friendly as ever, they also invited Robert along too. As they and the people around them cheered him on, Kalum excused himself for a moment to get a drink for himself and Jasper. Jasper was about to insist to come along with him until he got dragged in doing a chant with Ronny and Billy.

So, Kalum took his chance and went to the queue at the food van by himself.

He saw Robert try to beckon him to the side. Kalum tried to ignore him and stood in the massive queue for food and drinks.

Instead, Robert joined him.

‘Please don’t start,’ Kalum said.

‘I’m not.’

‘You’re just going to keep finding places for me to contact, aren’t you?’

‘Well, if you change your mind, you can contact them and it’s completely confidential, you know.’

‘Cool. Then what happens when I ring them?’

‘They make it stop.’

‘Sure.’

‘Please. Kalum,’ he said, his voice hushed as they waited in the line.

‘No, don’t do that. You don’t get to live in my shoes every day, you don’t get to judge my decision on things.’

‘I’m just trying to help.’

‘I’ve dealt with long enough.’

Robert paused, ‘Has this been going on for years now?’

Kalum didn’t reply and just shuffled along in the queue.

‘Okay, cool, well thanks for looking up the numbers,’ Kalum said, his voice flat. ‘You’ve done your part. You don’t need to shoulder any more burden. I got this.’

‘I’m not shouldering anything. Don’t tell me what happened in the bathroom was a one-off thing.’

Again, Kalum didn’t reply.

‘I care about you. A lot. The roof…’ Robert trailed off, trying to keep his voice low. ‘It meant a lot to me. I know it does to you. I meant what I said.’

Kalum felt the harsh ball of emotion in his throat, and he blinked. He just murmured, ‘We can’t.’

Robert’s face fell. ‘Kalum.’

‘Look, you’re right, the night from Halloween did a mean a lot. But we just can’t do anything about it. So, I would suggest looking to date someone else,’ Kalum’s eyes burned so hard but he focused on the queue in front of him.

‘Kalum, it’s not just that, I want to help you.’

‘Look, you’ve got good ideas, I get it, you’ve seen the adverts, you report it and someone will help, I don’t blame you, you’ve clearly never had to go through this so you’re just assuming that’s how the story goes. Like I said, I don’t blame you.’ They were getting close to the food now. ‘Jasper is my brother. My twin. It’s complicated.’

‘Don’t patronise me, Kalum,’ he muttered.

‘Then stop trying to be a knight in shining armour, okay?’

It was the boy’s turn to order food next.

‘I just don’t want him to hurt you anymore,’ Robert said, in a softer sadder voice.

‘Hello, hunny, what would you like?’ the food woman beamed her shiny face at Kalum.