Page 35 of Black Hollow: Awakening

Will couldn’t decide if it was a good idea, so Liam turned back, grabbed his wrist, and pulled him toward a couch that had just opened up. They sat down on it, facing each other. Close. Very close. Their knees were practically touching.

“Now what?” Will asked uncertainly.

“Now we talk,” Liam replied calmly.

Will frowned.

“And that’s it?” he mumbled, almost disappointed.

Liam looked amused.

“Were you expecting something more?”

“No, it’s just… I don’t think he’s going to get jealous because I’m talking to another guy.”

“We’ll see,” Liam replied, glancing somewhere over Will’s shoulder. Will instinctively turned around but was immediately scolded. “Don’t look. He’s supposed to be the one doing that, right?” Will brought his eyes back to Liam. “It’s not about the fact that you’re talking to me, it’s about how you’re doing it. Just act like you’re having a good time.”

“How?”

“Get into it.”

“Can’t we do something so we actually are having a good time?” Will suggested, before his brain registered how that sounded.

“Here? In front of everyone?” Liam grinned widely. “You sure?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Will hissed, blushing again. “I meant we should, like, do something. It’s pointless to just sit here.”

“It’s not pointless. Trust me and just talk.”

“About what?”

“What does it matter?”

At first, Will’s frustration only grew, because he really didn’t understand how this was supposed to help him, and the conversation wasn’t flowing. But eventually, he loosened up a bit. They started talking about school, and it went from there.

Liam was laid-back and funny. Will had to admit, this wasn’t how he’d imagined his school tormentor. At one point, he was tempted to bring up the subject of that damn ball, but he ultimately decided against it. He didn’t want to hear anything that would ruin his mood.

Not long after, Liam got a text. He checked his phone, then shifted away from Will.

“Sorry, gotta go,” he announced, getting up. “Next time.”

“Sure,” Will replied, but he didn’t let Liam get two steps away before he blurted out, “Can I have your number?”

Liam raised an eyebrow. A faint smile played on his lips.

“You know, in case I have any questions, or something,” Will added, clearing his throat quietly. He didn’t want it to look like he was hitting on him. Because he wasn’t. Absolutely not.

“You already have my number.”

“No, I don’t.”

“Check.”

Will rolled his eyes.

“I know I don’t,” he said, a note of irritation in his voice, wondering if Liam was messing with him, just leading him on to shoot him down spectacularly in the end. He reached for his phone anyway and looked at his contacts. “See? There’s no…”

Damn it. His eyes widened when he saw Liam in his contact list. Maybe it was a different Liam? Because…