I move the towel down as Kip sits next to me. “I’m a registered foster parent. I already have one lad around the same age as you staying with us. You can meet him later; he’s at home with Robin, my husband. He works in social services. And Steve here will talk to social services now. He’s a solicitor and specialises in child protection.” He jerks his thumb at one of the huge men with him.
“No, no, they’ll make me go back.” I don’t know what to think. I want to believe him; he doesn’t look like he’s lying. Wait, he said husband. I look up at him. “Wait! You’re married to a man?”
“I am. Is that a problem for you?” His expression has hardened a little. I try to shake my head, but it hurts too much.
“No, I’m…um, I’m gay,” I whisper out the words. “That’s why those boys were chasing me—they think it’s fun to beat me up.”
“Listen, Royal. I promise you that stops they will never bother you again. There’s a reason you found yourself outside my gym, and it was the chance to change your life. Do you believe me?”
I don’t trust myself to believe in him. I don’t believe that saying that everything happens for a reason. There’s no good reason for my mum dying. Nor does being bullied and pushed around make me stronger. “I don’t know. I get that you have no reason to lie, but I’ve not had many reasons to trust what any adult says to me lately.”
“Okay, I understand that. I’ll just have to prove it to you. I think the first thing we need to do is get you checked out at the hospital. We can talk to the police while we’re there to report the attack.”
“No!” I stand up, and again, it’s too fast, and I feel dizzy again. “I’m not talking to the police. All they’ll do is force me to go back tothem.” Panic rises inside me. “They did last time.”
Kip steadies me, stopping me from collapsing. “Okay, okay. Take a breath…and another one.” I copy him and feel a little better. “I’ll get Steve to talk to the police after he’s sorted everything else out. We can go and get your belongings too.”
“I don’t want to go back there.”
Steve came back to us. “It’s getting sorted. Your social worker is on his way here, but don’t worry, we’re here to sort thatout for you. I’m going to take some photographs of your injuries if that’s okay. We can clean you up then.”
“I’ve already told Kip that I’m not going to the police.” I fold my arms across my chest but wince when they press against my ribs.
“Royal, I think we should go somewhere more private. I think you’re more hurt than you’re letting on.” Kip helps me to my feet and leads me to the side of the gym and a doorway. “My office is just through there.”
I give in. I’m exhausted, and I’ve had enough of fighting and being frightened. I want to get clean and go to sleep. I don’t even care if I have to go back to the Watson’s. Kip’s office is neat and tidy; there’s a sofa against the wall opposite his desk, and I’m relieved when he eases me down onto it. The room is spinning—I think I’m going to throw up. I try to lie down, but the room goes black.
I wake up with the smell of disinfectant in my nose. My hand feels too heavy when I try to lift it up to my nose. I try opening my eyes, but it’s too hard. Slowly, I blink a couple of times, and even that is difficult. When I can finally focus, all I can see is the mottled ceiling tiles and curtains around me. A beeping gets louder as I panic.
“Steady, Royal. You’re okay.” The voice seems familiar, but I’m not sure who it belongs to.
“No, no, no. I need to get out of here.” I try to sit up, but I don’t have the strength. “What’s going on? Why am I here?”
“You collapsed in my office last night. Do you remember what happened?”
“You’re Kip. I was in your gym after Ben chased me.” Why is he still here?
“Yes, that’s right. The stone he threw caused quite a blow to your head. You were wobbling a lot before. I’m sorry I didn’t recognise the concussion earlier.”
“Can I go home? I hate hospitals.” I bite my lip, and my chin wobbles when I remember that I probably don’t have a home to go to. “What’s going to happen to me? I can’t go back there.”
“No, it’s all been sorted. You can stay with me and Robin if you still want to?”
I nod my head but wince when it makes it throb. “My head hurts.”
“You’re going to have a horrible headache for a couple of days. The doctor will be in later, and the police want to talk to you. They had to get involved, the 999 call was enough to set the wheels in motion. I believe they have already reprimanded the ones that attacked you, but I don’t know any more than that. Your social worker will be able to help you through it all.”
“I don’t want to see him again. He knew and did nothing. The police should be talking to him too.”
“I agree, and you have been appointed a new one. I think you’ll like her; she’s looking after the kids we have. She’ll be in to meet you soon.”
“What time is it?”
“About four-thirty. In the morning, that is.”
“Why are you here?”
“I wasn’t going to leave you alone here. I knew you would panic when you worked out where you were. You’ll learn quickly enough that when it comes to my kids, I’ll go to the moon and back to make them happy and safe.”
