Page 125 of Black Hollow: Awakening

“Hey,” she said timidly the moment he opened the door.

“Hey,” Will replied, surprised.

“I brought cupcakes,” Norma informed him, holding out a pink, cardboard box. “I wanted to be cute,” she confessed helplessly. “I guess it didn’t work, but can we talk?”

Will let her in. After the way their last meeting had gone, it was hard for him to be comfortable around her, but the truth was, he regretted that scene a little. Norma had deserved the criticism, but on the other hand, she’d been trying to reach out. Honestly, he was glad she hadn’t given up.

“I know I sometimes seem like I don’t care about anything, but that’s not true. And I can’t stand to argue. Especially with people I like, so… are we good?”

A faint smile formed on Will’s lips.

“We’re good.”

A few minutes later, they were sitting in the living room, talking about everything he had missed.

“…we know how it happened,” Norma was saying. “I mean, we know where the demon came from. It was trapped in a family heirloom. A music box or something. Most likely, Christine found it in the attic, among her grandmother’s things. So the grandmother was probably a witch. Sometimes, when witches can’t properly banish a demon, they just trap it inside various objects, but that’s usually not a good idea. Especially if that object is later passed on to other people. Anyway, it’s all over now.”

“That’s a relief,” Will stated listlessly.

“Have you seen Oscar, by any chance?” Norma asked out of the blue.

“No. He’s called me. A couple of times, I think. I didn’t pick up.”

“I ran into him at a party recently. I know I shouldn’t get involved, but I felt the need to tell him what I think of guys who cheat… So I did, and the conversation just kind of went from there. He mentioned you. He really regrets it.” Will shot her a sharp look. “I’m not saying this so you’ll get back with him! Absolutely not. You didn’t deserve to be treated like that; no one does. But something’s off with him. I’ve never seen a guy so torn up after he was the one who cheated.”

“Well,” Will muttered sourly.

“Dropping the subject. Got it.”

May 26 | Tuesday

Will didn’t officially return to school until mid-May. Unofficially, he’d been there a few times before, but always late in the afternoon, so he never ran into any other students. He was conditionally allowed to take his exams, though he had to pass make-up tests for certain subjects first.

The grading system at BHA was a bit more complex than at most similar institutions. There were standard grades, which depended on the teacher and the grades accumulated throughout the year, but there were also exams for every class. In standard cases, their results didn’t raise or lower the final grade, but if a student didn’t achieve a minimum of fifty percent, the grade wasn’t counted—the subject was considered failed. Furthermore, the results of all exams were totaled, and students had to exceed a certain threshold to advance to the next year. This threshold was lower for athletes and those involved in school activities. The overall score was also considered for awarding scholarships.

Will, as a special case, only had to pass a few core subjects. The teachers went easy on him, so he didn’t have much trouble with it. He’d arranged with the administration that his grades for the other classes would be determined based on his exam results, which was a convenient arrangement.

Today, the exams began. Will arrived on school grounds. He no longer needed crutches, though he still had some trouble getting around. He had already started physical therapy, however, and everyone kept telling him he was recovering at a surprisingly fast pace.

Dressed in dark jeans, a white shirt, and a blazer, he approached the main building and noticed Blake and Liam walking a few yards ahead of him. Alden glanced over his shoulder, apparently sensing him, then nudged Liam. They both stopped so Will could catch up.

“Welcome back,” Liam said cheerfully. “I was starting to think you’d skip the exams, too.”

“Hey—Liam!” Will cried out in alarm as Liam lifted him and spun him around before graciously setting him down.

Blake watched with a slight smile. Will glanced at him, smiling back. He had to admit that after everything, he saw Alden in a slightly warmer light.

They headed up the stairs to the main entrance. Liam and Blake kept pace with him. Looking up, Will saw Danny standing near the doors. Dan watched him for a moment before going inside. Will sighed quietly. When he was in the hospital, he’d hoped Dan would at least visit, but it seemed their friendship was well and truly over. The knowledge hurt, but Will had recently learned there were things that hurt far more, so he wasn’t going to waste any more time dwelling on the past.

They stopped outside the room where they had their literature exam. They were in the middle of a conversation when Oscar appeared nearby. He started toward Will, but Blake stepped in his way.

“I think you’re mistaken,” he announced coolly.

“I wanted to say hi to Will,” Oscar explained, clearly confused by Alden’s behavior.

“You can do that from here, I’m sure he’ll hear you. And if you have anything else to say, I’d suggest you wait for him to come to you. Though that might be a long wait, so maybe it’s better to just forget it, huh?”

As usual, Blake was drawing attention, and soon everyone was looking their way. Oscar clearly didn’t want to have this discussion under the circumstances, so he retreated. Will didn’t feel sorry for him.