Swell (Complete)

Chapter Thirty-Nine (Part One)

"'Cause I just don't feel welcome in this house anymore
And it just doesn't feel as safe as it did only just two days before.
Why do we come this way, I'm not sure."

....

Will skipped the single class of music the next day. He hid in the library and tried not to think too hard about the avoidance he was reaching for.
There had been a moment in psychology the day before and it had felt wonderful for the brief seconds that their hands had been in contact.
Dodge had spoken to him, then his twin and then Marti, they all surmised he was trying to judge if they were safe for Adora.
Iain was keeping a close line of sight to Adora and Will was sure he'd seen an angry scowl when they had passed in the hallway that morning.
He could hide in the library until the end of lunch if he wanted, but he couldn't skip the psychology session after lunch.
They were going over last minute exam preparation and though he'd caught up before Liss had been found, nightmares were making sleep hard to come by and he was worried being tired would make exams harder than they already were.
Adora had taken the place in Liss' fatal grave, dressed like she had explained the doll, taped and trapped in his nightmares.
He had to avert his eyes whenever she smiled because if he looked back, if he returned the smile long enough, silver tape would cover her lips and her face would grow paler.
There had been no progress in Liss' murder case, except that they knew she had been there for weeks now.
He leaned over the desk and closed his eyes; Adora wasn't Liss, there was no way she would go off alone with someone who could be a danger, especially after the cards and Brett.
Her family would barely let her be around Marti alone, there was hardly a chance he'd be alone with her again.
Not that he could be bitter about it, if it was Marti getting the scary attention he wouldn't want her alone at all, with anyone.
He wanted to be alone with Adora again though. Sharing the sunset on the bluff of the cove, climbing fences and going across dunes for the best view.
He wanted to go to the dance with her too.
But for now she was out of his reach and it was safer for everyone that way. He turned his cheek to the cold surface of the desk and let go of a long breath.
Flashbacks of the conversation he had had with Adora in Richieville tried to break into his blank mind and he forced himself to mentally play the guitar strings for his solos.
Their performance assessment was Wednesday, the year 12 psychology exam was Monday afternoon, Business was on Tuesday morning and maths and English were on Thursday morning and afternoon. Will was lucky his exams were scattered evenly through the week instead of all at the start.
Maths and English were the same everywhere; he wasn't worried about those exams, he had a natural inclination for psychology and absorbed new information on the subject like a sponge.
His main worries were the business exam and music performances. Business was a subject he had chosen more for his parents benefit than his own, Tom had a better head for business than he did which often surprised people.

"Iain, I'm pretty sure I'm safe in the library during lunch." Adora's voice cut through his anxieties and he felt his muscles tense. He didn't move his head from the desktop and he swallowed a lump, willing her not to come over to his area.
"I'm just doing what I'm told, I know you hate us for crowding you, but it's better than the alternative." Iain's response was calm and sympathetic. "I'll sit over at the computers, I'll be close and in sight, but you can hang at a cubicle or table."
"We'll have a proper psych study session on Sunday, once we have a better study outline. I'm going to ask Will and Tom over for it too."
"Tom?" Iain's voice was indignant, did he still suspect Tom of the attack on Brett? Will tilted his head towards the conversation more as the pair of voices moved closer.
"Yes, he's in our class and seem as I was given the job to help them catch up..."
"Adora, you're Mum is going to lose it that you want all three of them over on the weekend."
"Iain, Marti and Will are my friends. They were cleared with having anything to do with that girl's murder, and Tom was cleared almost straight away..."
But Will knew Tom's alibi had lied. Didn't Adora?
Debbie hadn't been over since they'd gotten home from the funeral, was she angry with Tom?
Should they suspect Tom of attacking Brett again?
No. Will remembered the guilt Tom had had during their walk. Debbie had lied, not Tom. Her lie had just provided his brother's alibi.
Had Debbie told the police yet?
"Adora..."
"Iain, I can't just hide behind you and Dodge because new friends were suspected of something and cleared. That's stupid."
A small smile inched its way to the corner of his lips as he heard a frustrated sigh from Iain.
He remembered making similar sounds with Marti before they had moved.

Adora slowly packed her book up when the bell for fifth period sounded.
Will had skipped music, and not responded to her text, it left her worried considering he'd just said goodbye to his ex-girlfriend at a funeral.
She walked with Iain into the classroom and moved to the back of the classroom where they had sat yesterday. She saved the desk between her and the window for Will and when he dawdled into the room she gave him a small smile and nodded towards the desk.
He looked around the room to see no other spots, and slowly moved to the desk.
The hesitation hurt more than she expected.
Was he avoiding her?
Mr Harrison jumped straight into study notes and once the room was filled with note taking, Adora shimmied closer to Will's desk.
"Are you OK?" She asked softly.
"Yea, I'm just tired and worried about exams." Will's answer sounded like another person altogether.
"You skipped music..."
"I had a headache."
Adora swallowed a lump. "I sent you a text."
That was when he looked up and frowned. "I have my phone on silent. Are you alright?" The concern furrowed his brow and she saw the Will she knew in his face again. It was still strange seeing him without his stubble, but it was already darkening his jaw after two days.
"Yea, I just..." She glanced at Iain as her cousin ferociously scribbled notes on her other side. "We missed you in music. We decided we were going to get together for a final pre-performance practise the day before. Can you come or do we need to change it?"
She saw the flash of relief soften his brow and realised he had been worried about her after she had mentioned the text.
That was why she felt the overwhelming comfort of safety around him; because though they'd only known each other for five weeks, he cared without going overboard like her cousins were.
"Um, I have my business exam Tuesday morning, but that's it."
Adora smiled. "Done then. We'll all meet you here when you're ready after your exam for a few hours practise. Rae and I will already be here anyway, we've got to practise with Audrey."
"I didn't know you were doing something with Audrey..."
"She refuses to sing, so she plays the piano and I sing for her. There's a couple of songs Rae joins in with the violin for, it's going to be a big day on Wednesday." She laughed lightly.
Will looked down to his book and up to the whiteboard at the front of class.
"I'm planning to have a study session for psych on Sunday at my place, seem as I'm basically under house arrest... Iain will be there, did you and Tom want to come?" She bit the inside of her cheek and glanced at Will's twin, seated in the middle of the classroom.
"Um, I'll see how I go with my other studying. I've got psych down pretty well. I'm more concerned with business at the moment." Will answered as he wrote some of the board notes down.
Adora felt disheartened. "Marti will be coming over on Saturday to study, you could join us then too?"
"No, I need to study alone, I'll let you know about Sunday though."
The rejection sliced through her chest and she looked to her own page and closed her eyes. He's hurting; he has to grieve a murder victim and study for his exams. His midyear exams were a lot more important than hers.
Suddenly Adora felt uncomfortable beside Will. He hadn't even asked what her text had been about when she mentioned it, nor had he reached to check his phone.
Was he going to go back to trying to push her away?

"Hey, do you think your mum would let me stay the night?" Marti had her phone on speaker as she packed for the study session.
"Um... I doubt it. I kinda broke the rules this morning." Adora replied from Marti's pocket.
Marti froze. "What do you mean? What rules?"
"I took Edgar out for a morning walk. Alone. I'm lucky that they didn't cancel the study session."
"I don't get it. What wrong with walking Edgar alone?" Marti frowned as she zipped up her school bag and sat on her bed, disappointed that she wasn't packing overnight supplies too.
"They decided that I'm not allowed to be alone. Dodge, Iain, Mum." Adora sniffed on the other end of the line.
Marti took her phone out of her pocket. "Wow. I'm sorry, I mean, I noticed they were glued to you, but not alone time?" She scoffed.
"I understand why, I mean... I get it, but it's been a week and I feel like I'm suffocating. I thought they'd be OK if I took Edgar, you know, a big dog like him. But you know he's more likely to lick someone or run, they know it too."
"Are you alright?" Marti could hear a tremble in her friend's voice, and it pinched at her heart.
Adora let out a shaky breath. "Yea, I'll be fine. What time will you be getting here? I can't wait for some sanity."
"I'll get Mum to drop me off now, I'm all packed. I'll be there for you soon."
"Thanks."
Marti held the phone in her lap for a few minutes as it cooled down from the phone call.