The Riviera by Karen Aldous Read Free Book Online Page B

of seniors – they called me a pervert the other day.’ Jack lips quivered. ‘I…I just want to kill myself. I can’t face being here. I tell you it’s worse than a nightmare. It’s real. I think the post was removed, but I can’t walk down the street. Everyone thinks I’m some sort of monster. Girls walk the other side of the street. Chloe has ignored me. I don’t want to be here, Dad.’
    Seeing his son’s eyes fill, Cal grabbed his son’s other shoulder and pulled him closer so that their heads met.
    ‘Oh Jack,’ he managed with a constricted throat. ‘No wonder you’re upset. That’s really tough, mate.’ He gripped Jack’s shoulders as they shook, swallowing hard with every muscle to contain his own emotion.
    Although his heart ached for his son, he considered it best to stop talking and let Jack spill out his pain. This was serious stuff for one so young. Anger fired inside him burning his chest. Stupid, silly girl. She has no idea. He doubted talking to her would improve things. No, he told himself. There’s no point. Jack was thankfully OK. And he could talk about it. He’d confided. That was a massive step, albeit just the first. He may take a while to regain his strength and dignity but he was sure they could do this.
    After several minutes Cal wiped his son’s tears with his thumb then reached into his pocket.
    ‘It’s a bit screwed up but you can use it. It’s clean,’ he said passing the boy a tissue.
    Jack took it from his hand and broke into a smile. ‘Ha, like me really.’ He blew his nose.
    ‘Yep. You’ve done nothing wrong so you’ve nothing to worry about. You’re dealing with a child here who hasn’t learnt the basics. Kids are like that. And it’s what growing up is all about. It isn’t pleasant, far from it, but you will get knocks in life. Most folk are nice but occasionally nasty ones come along and surprise you. You’ve heard the phrase “I’ve seen another side to him”? Well there’s the proof.’
    Jack raised his eyes and nodded. ‘I could have accepted it if she’d just slapped me or punched me but no, she made it, like, public! And what the fuck did I do?’
    ‘Dent her pride, shatter her dream. She was hurt. Her friend betrayed her. She’d perceived it as a personal attack and wanted to get even.’
    ‘But why would she be so malicious?’
    ‘Who knows? She’s immature and doesn’t know any better I suspect. And I’ll tell you something, it will blow over sooner than you think.’
    ‘No it won’t. The whole school knows about it now.’
    ‘People are too busy worrying about their own lives, believe me. OK, so you may get a group of silly girls with nothing better to do but tease but…’
    ‘Dad, seniors…they’re not…’
    ‘Those seniors will be off to college. You won’t see them.’
    ‘I’m talking about now. I’ve still got a couple of months before my SATs. I can’t go back. You don’t see it do you?’
    ‘Jack.’ Cal closed his eyes, momentarily numbed at his powerlessness to take away his son’s wound. ‘I do. I really do. I want you to understand that for you it feels and sounds a hundred times worse than it does for anyone you know. In your mind it’s a monster – but to everyone else, it’s a mouse. You might be the butt of the jokes for a few days, weeks maybe, but like you say, you’ve done nothing wrong so why would you hide? What message does that give?’
    ‘These kids can be pretty sick, Dad. And it’s not you that would be facing them every day. You could probably do it because you’re older.’ He shook his head and shuffled backward. ‘I can’t.’
    Cal tried to sit up and not without bashing his head. ‘Ouch,’ he grumbled rubbing it.
    Jack pulled a face and guffawed.
    ‘Well, good to see your sense of humour hasn’t dissolved,’ Cal grinned. ‘OK. I think we should go and find some space in the house.’
    ‘Oh God, Dad. Mom will want to know what’s going on.’
    ‘I’ll tell her we want to