Page 61 of Butterfly

“I’ve never been here either,” Ollie said. “It’s a shock to the senses to me too.”

Every effort had been made to make the room feel like itwasn’tpart of a prison. It looked, felt, and even smelled like a community centre with the scent of coffee, cakes, Play-Doh and paint flowing through the air.

“They even asked the kids to vote on which movie they wanted on the TV,” Leo whispered.

“What did you vote for?”

Leo recoiled. “I’m not a kid…and they didn’t ask me.”

“But if they had, you would’ve pickedAladdin.”

“Too right, I love that movie.”

“Remember when you used to think Jasmine was sending you secret looks through the screen?”

Leo groaned. “I so hate you right now.”

Ollie laughed. “Your first crush.”

“I still have that DVD.”

Ollie leaned closer. “Do you still take it to the bedroom for private time?”

Leo chuckled, wiping his eyes. “No. I haven’t watched it in years. You got it for me; that’s why I’ve kept it.”

“I stole it,” Ollie whispered, glancing at the closest officer, not that she’d give a shit about a DVD being stolen six years ago from a school. “It was Mrs Davis’s.”

“I’ve still got that Levi hoodie, the one with the grass-stained sleeve, and those football boots, do you remember?”

“I got them from lost property… Cleaned them up, took my laces from my trainers and threaded them into the empty holes.”

“Those gel pens, the scented ones, those Roald Dahl books—”

“Fantastic Mr Foxwas your favourite.”

“It’s still my favourite.” Leo bit his lip. “You stole it all for me.”

Ollie smirked. “You’re making me sound like the world’s worst thief.”

“You used to wrap them up and put that they were from Dad. I…I knew they weren’t, but I played along. You were always there for me, always looked out for me, and what did I do to repay you?”

“Let’s not talk about—”

“But I need to, Ollie. It eats away at me. I let you down.”

Ollie shook his head.

“I should’ve backed you up, but I didn’t. I lied to the police; I told them those bruises came from school. That’s why you did it, isn’t it? You… You knew I was lying.”

“I knew…but what happened had been a long time coming.”

“If I’d told them it was him, they might have understood. They might have been more lenient, but I didn’t. I kept telling them he’d never raised a fist to me, never had tous, but that wasn’t true. I’d seen him hit you plenty of times.”

Ollie shifted uncomfortably.

“Then when I stopped lying, tried to tell them the truth, they didn’t want to hear it. Nine years.” Leo shook his head. “If I’d had just—”

“I don’t blame you.” Ollie lowered his gaze. “I used to lie whenever anyone asked about my bruises. Teachers, parents, my boss. I didn’t want them knowing our business, didn’t want them thinking bad of us or Dad. You did the same, got defensive, denied everything. I understood.”

---