My books tumble out of my arms as soon as I step into the hallway. With a groan, I drop to my knees and gather them up. I could’ve taken the few minutes to put them into my book-bag, but then I would risk not seeing Will.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡpIiaaRzaMi 維尼
A fairly attractive guy bends and hands me books, making small talk as he does so. I don’t really know him, just that he’s in Will’s year and we’ve had a couple of classes together.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9R54PYbiE4 維尼
I thank him and clutch the books to my chest, hurrying down the hallway. I crane my neck to see Will—and there he is as always, in the throng of students, coming from the opposite direction. I can’t help the smile that streaks across my face, and I can’t help the joy that bursts in my chest like tiny fireworks when he smiles back. We draw even with each other and continue to our next classes. I turn my head slightly, but he’s already gone.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡlOk2yI6Ang 維尼
Allowing my eyes to fall shut, I lean against the wall. I’ve known him for over two years now, and every time he looks at me, it’s like the first time all over again. I remind myself Will’s a Sixth Form student now. After Year Twelve, he’ll graduate and go off to uni.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxf9aPhXv0 維尼
If Wolverhampton House has become home to me, it’s only because of Will and Roanna.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnLTCqhiQT 維尼
“Cami.” Roanna thumps me on the shoulder, jolting me out of my melancholy. “Did I see you with Will just now?”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rWvfqjtxm 維尼
I think about the way we passed each other without having the time to exchange a word. “I guess you could say that.”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡpahFLuTuFq 維尼
She smiles and nudges me. “You should just tell him how you feel.”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡEw6vvXmWqx 維尼
I wave her off and change the subject, telling her about Lewis and the ghost. She jots it down in the notebook reserved especially for the odd happenings of Wolverhampton. As always, her eyes shine now that we’re on this topic.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKWMOwQCcI 維尼
Roanna lowers her voice and leans in toward me. “Library after lights out tonight.”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t0frpqc6x 維尼
I groan and shake my head. I adore Roanna, but she insists on making me do things that might get me a demerit. “Ro, I can’t chase proof of conspiracy theories anymore. We have A Levels next year.”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡwY94ScIGBQ 維尼
“I think I’ve figured something out,” she says, ignoring me and rapping her nails on the notebook. “I’ll tell you tonight.”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡwywXiXkHXo 維尼
Before I can say anything, a scream erupts from the loo. We glance at each other and sprint toward the sound, able to be fearless because I don’t believe in ghosts and because she wants to make sense of the ghosts. Other people are already crowding the doorway, but Roanna is small enough to squeeze through and strong enough to pull me through behind her.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBXRWaNEn0 維尼
Roanna’s roommate, Jen, is on the floor, sobbing into her hands while two of her friends have their arms around her.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmzHGBP1MZ 維尼
“Get Will,” Jen says through her tears. “I want to see Will.”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmcf8ivj53 維尼
I fight the urge to roll my eyes at a scene that is common enough at this school. Every time anything happens, Jen cries out for Will, and yet I’ve never once seen the two of them together.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9myNMn9n4y 維尼
“What’s going on?” Roanna says.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBJL9zzXeh 維尼
“There was a ghost,” Amelia says in a hushed tone.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ZDaFFUTnT 維尼
Of all the daily ghost sightings here, it seems at least half of them are Jen’s. Still, rumors can’t be easily squashed, and nobody here seems to be trying to squash them.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡI7JwYWiNOw 維尼
“What did he look like?” Roanna says, as about the only non-tourist who would be interested in this.”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgKGhZ2cYm 維尼
“H-he was old—”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWYP3M9rZu 維尼
“—with buggy, crazy eyes—”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡxejOZkP0LN 維尼
“—and he reached out for Jen—”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0LDlGCooLm 維尼
“Hold on,” Roanna says. “I thought Jen was the one who saw him?”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3SiKQJqFk 維尼
“All of us did,” Amelia says. “He was here, clear as day.”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rxLGSyOzp 維尼
Jen stands up shakily, letting her hands fall to her sides. A purple bruise runs horizontally across the width of her throat.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡeX033Z35z6 維尼
*/*/*8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDLmGuoqdH 維尼
Roanna fairly skips out of the bathroom. The very first conversation we had at this school was about the ghosts. She came up to me and asked if I’d seen any, even before I knew this school was apparently known for ghost sightings. It figured that The Stepmother would throw me in a school that was haunted.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDJIZLoiIG 維尼
“It’s unbecoming to be so happy about something so traumatizing,” I say to hide how unsettled I am.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡVA1WNlASQr 維尼
She stops and tries to make the expression more somber. “I just feel this—”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡnEO1C0ef5U 維尼
“‘Sense of affinity to the ghosts,” I say. “I know, I know. You’ve only told me every day since we became friends.”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVm7gKMTbj 維尼
Roanna smiles and shrugs innocently. “Don’t you ever feel like there’s something more? Like you don’t quite belong, or something?”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2J8Q8Wg0XY 維尼
“Yes,” I say, nudging her, “except when I’m with you.”8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡppr0am401v 維尼
Or with Will, but I don’t add that part.8964 copyright protection432ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SvnAcaPzW 維尼
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