BooksBarbecue
Back My Spare Heart
Chapters (25)
  1. COVER PAGE
  2. PRAISE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CHAPTER 1
  5. CHAPTER 2
  6. CHAPTER 3
  7. CHAPTER 4
  8. CHAPTER 5
  9. CHAPTER 6
  10. CHAPTER 7
  11. CHAPTER 8
  12. CHAPTER 9
  13. CHAPTER 10
  14. CHAPTER 11
  15. CHAPTER 12
  16. CHAPTER 13
  17. CHAPTER 14
  18. CHAPTER 15
  19. CHAPTER 16
  20. CHAPTER 17
  21. CHAPTER 18
  22. CHAPTER 19
  23. RESOURCES
  24. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  25. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

‘What did he do?’ she asked. ‘And don’t sugar-coat it because I’ll get to the bottom of it anyway.’

‘Well,’ Caroline started, ‘one day last year when he was around my place hanging out with Mitch and Mitch was having a shower, Trent tried forcing himself on me.’

Naomi looked horrified. Considering what she said about not sugar-coating things, I said, ‘And about a month ago he forced himself on me too. I mean, I really liked him and maybe I wanted to kiss him, but then he tried touching me. I told him to stop and he just kept going.’

Naomi held her head in her hands for a moment, looking down at the ground. Then she looked back up at us as she said, ‘You’re both very brave. Of course this is very hard for me to hear, but thank you for telling me.’

I definitely felt sorry for Naomi, but I didn’t feel sorry for Trent.

‘So, what will you do?’ Caroline asked her.

‘His dad and I will give him a bloody good talking-to, is what we’ll do,’ Naomi said. ‘And if he doesn’t apologise, or he bothers you in any way, or you get the slightest idea that he’s continuing this bullshit, please come and speak to me again.’

‘Thank you,’ I said, feeling relieved.

‘Thank you,’ Caroline said too.

Naomi led us out of the cafe. I couldn’t even bring myself to look at Trent, but from the corner of my eye I could see that Caroline was giving him the finger.

‘We did good,’ she said, when we were out of earshot of the McLeans. Caroline waited with me at the bus stop; she was hanging around hipster corner a bit longer. As it was approaching, she said, ‘You’re really cool, Pheebs.’

‘So are you,’ I said and gave her a fist bump before jumping on the bus.

I felt free as the bus travelled along the bumpy road back towards The Village, and then Mum messaged.

Mum: I’m really sorry Pheebs

I waited about a minute to see if she would ask me if I was okay, but she didn’t.

Phoebe: What about Simon? Mum: I’m done with that arsehole Phoebe: And what are the police doing with him? Mum: What do you mean? Phoebe: He assaulted you, Mum Mum: I fell and hit my head Phoebe: Really?
Mum: Yes, really Phoebe: I know that’s not true. You need to go to the police

There was no response for a couple of minutes, and then I could see the three dots that meant she was typing.

Mum: They’ve already talked to me. Phoebe: And? Mum: I don’t have the energy to talk about this right now. I just want to focus on getting better, on not drinking.

I’d heard that before and I wasn’t pinning my hopes on it. But I did know that if Mum didn’t do anything about Simon he’d do the same thing again, like Trent.

Phoebe: You need to have the energy or else he’ll do it to someone else

Again, Mum took a minute or two to respond.

Mum: I’ll think about it. And I want to see you soon. Phoebe: Remember I have a basketball game coming up next week? And don’t forget about my music performance in June Mum: I’ll be there!

We’ll see, I thought.

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