Page 87 of Black Hollow: Awakening

Will frowned, “Supposedly?”

“I was in the car with him. A drunk driver hit us. Dad died on the spot. At least, that’s what I was told, because I have no memory of that moment at all. Nothing, not even flashes,” Oscar confessed, and Will looked at him in surprise. “The doctor who examined me said it was a kind of block caused by trauma. That the mind tries to cope with tragedy by… hiding it in the subconscious. That I would remember as I got older or something would trigger the memory. So far, nothing like that has happened,” he stated, and he didn’t seem happy about it; on the contrary. “As a child, I had the strangest thoughts. I didn’t remember, so I was convinced everyone was lying to me. That my father was alive, that it was some big conspiracy, and that he would come back eventually. When I grew up, I realized it wasn’t true, but something still felt wrong. I remember that right after he died, suspicious people started hanging around our house. I heard my mom arguing with them a few times. Later, she told me they were loan sharks. That my dad had massive debts. I don’t know how that’s possible. He ran a successful business and it seemed like we didn’t lack for anything, but apparently, it was all for show. Anyway, eventually, it got dangerous. I remember one night they set our house on fire. Mom woke up in time and that’s the only thing that saved us. After that incident, we moved to Oakheart. We lived there peacefully for a few years, until one night my mom was attacked on her way home from work. She was in a terrible state.” Recalling that moment clearly terrified Oscar. His hands were shaking violently, and his voice was breaking and thick with emotion. “I remember sitting with her in the hospital, day and night. As soon as she got out, she decided we would move again. This time we changed our last name and came here. A few months later, she gave birth.” Will turned pale. He understood the implication of the boy’s earlier words. Something clenched in his stomach. “My brother was born prematurely. He was very weak, but he survived, and we thought it would only get better from there, but he’s still sick. And he’s getting worse every year.” Tears streamed down Oscar’s cheeks. “Nothing in my life ever works out the way it should. When I met Brad, I hoped that would change, but he went missing.”

Will was in shock. If someone had asked him a few days ago what Oscar’s biggest worry was, he would have joked that it was taming his wonderful, unruly hair. Now, hearing something like this, Will was hit with the realization that he didn’t know Oscar at all. He’d seen him as carefree and charming... Who would have guessed the guy had been through so much?

“I’m sorry,” Will whispered. He knew it wasn’t much, but he had no idea how else to react.

“I know it seems absurd, but I wasn’t lying when I said I’m unlucky,” Oscar continued, smiling bitterly through his tears. “Bad things happen to the people around me.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I know. No one is to blame for being unlucky. But some people just are, and I’m one of them.”

“That’s not true,” Will protested firmly, tightening his fingers on Oscar’s trembling hand. “You’ve just been through bad things. Very bad things, but you’re not responsible for them.”

Oscar sobbed quietly, lowering his head. He needed a long moment to compose himself.

“Last year, I didn’t take you seriously,” he finally admitted, raising an uncertain gaze to Will. “I’m sorry. I feel awful saying this, but… you were convenient. It was fun. And easy. And even though I knew you wanted something more, I also knew I could dodge it. That you’re not the type of guy who would be too… pushy.”

Will felt a painful pang in his chest. He had the feeling it wasn’t about him not being pushy, but about the fact that he was completely incapable of fighting for what he wanted. He was passive. He waited patiently, smiled forcedly, and although he had a real storm of words in his head that he wanted to say out loud, he never did. Until recently.

“But this year, something changed,” Oscar added. “I felt like we had a connection, really. And I started to care about you. But I was too scared and I preferred to end it. I think about it all the time. I feel like I made a terrible mistake, so if…” He took a deep breath. “If you’d like to try with me… and I’ll understand if you don’t… then I… I think I’d like to as well.”

“You think?”

Oscar smiled faintly.

“I’m sure.”

Will leaned across the table and placed a tender kiss on Oscar’s lips.

“Of course I want to try,” he whispered softly.

Oscar smiled gratefully, lacing their fingers together.

“From now on, let’s just be honest with each other, okay?” Will asked.

The moment these words left his lips, he realized he wouldn’t be able to stick to them himself.

January 13 | Monday

When he got to school, Oscar was standing alone by the main doors.

“Hey,” he said with a smile, seeing Will approach.

“Hey,” Will replied. “Waiting for something?”

“For you.”

A warmth spread through Will.

“Oh. Thanks.”

They headed toward their lockers. Oscar took Will’s hand. Will looked at him, surprised, and a smile crept onto his face.

To be honest, he hadn’t expected it to be like this. He must have subconsciously assumed it would end like it always did—in public, Oscar would act like they were distant acquaintances, they’d text a bit, maybe meet up, until they finally got to the this probably isn’t going anywhere phase. But it seemed their conversation yesterday had changed things.

First, they stopped at Will’s locker, talking about their upcoming classes.