Sound Carries

10.

I found Colin and Hannah in the library, their heads bent together as they sat by the fire, whispering.

When I entered the room, they both looked up, wearing identical expressions of surprise, though Colin was much quicker to adopt a facade of neutrality.

"You're back." He said. "Good. We were just saying that it's been far too quiet this week."

Upon closer inspection, Hannah looked like she had been crying, her eyes rimmed red and puffy, nose pink. She turned when she saw me looking, busying herself with stacking her script so that the edges lined up, crisp and even.

I decided not to ask. "I'll bet it hasn't been as quiet here as it was at home."

"Ah yes, at the crypt." Colin mimed picking up a telephone. "Hello, Woodley residence, corpse number three speaking."

I rolled my eyes, swatting at him, but he sidestepped me. "All I'm saying is, I'm glad to be back."

"Your presence will be greatly appreciated. It's been an..." He glanced at Hannah, "Interesting week, to say the least."

"Have you seen Cecily?" I asked. "I thought she'd be with the two of you. She wasn't in our room when I got here."

At this, Hannah stiffened.

Colin stood up, leaping over the back of the couch in one deft motion. "Not sure where she is. She's been MIA the last day or two."

I frowned, looking at Hannah, who appeared to be deliberately not making eye contact with me. "Sounds like an interesting week indeed."

-

By dinnertime, there were six of us back at Conolly, Gabriel and Audra returning just in time to stride into the entrance hall hand in hand, where Colin, Hannah and I were waiting for the doors of the dining centre to open.

They looked happier together than I had seen them in weeks, their fingers interlocked, both beaming as they crossed the stone floor. When they reached the three of us, Gabriel let go of her hand and pulled her close by the waist, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.

"Good trip?" Colin surveyed the two of them with barely contained distaste.

I had never quite understood his attitude toward them. He seemed to take their happiness as a personal affront.

"It was lovely. Not too much snow, and it was a good break from classes." Audra leaned against Gabriel.

"Glad some of us had a good time." Colin's voice was sardonic as he shook a lock of hair out of his eyes and shoved his hands deep into his pockets.

Behind us, footsteps echoed through the hall, audible even over the buzz of the students that were slowly trickling in from the dormitories.

Oliver was striding towards us.

My stomach lurched.

His hair was wet – he must have showered – and he had changed out of his travel clothes. He looked at me once, searchingly, then turned his attention to the others.

I felt something in my chest pang – an ache, foreign and familiar.

Gabriel broke away from Audra, and he and Oliver exchanged a series of slaps on the back.

"My good man." Gabriel grinned, shark teeth glinting. "How was the west coast?"

"Very green." Oliver smiled thinly, then, scanning the group, frowned. "Where's Cecily?"

Hannah and Colin exchanged a glance. I had, once again, the lurching uncomfortable sensation that they both knew something I didn't.

Colin's expression was one of practiced neutrality. "Your guess is as good as mine. Haven't seen too much of her today."