The Hall Speaks #fallsemester

Disturbing Discoveries

#Will

"They're putting together a committee for one measly proposal?! They must be bored," said Will into the receiver, kicking his feet up on his desk.

It had been over a week and the campus community was pretty much back to pre-protest status. Kessa had agreed to help with the proposal, and the dean had been taking her time making any decisions. As usual, a committee formed.

"What?" his mother asked.

Will heard the confusion in his mother's voice and sighed. "Oh, nothing. Mom, I really need the money," Will pleaded. He hadn't told parents about the four credit cards he maxed out.

"I don't understand, Will. Why would you need more money? You don't need groceries or rent money. Your dad and I agreed that we were putting you on a budget this year... you're way too frivolous. You need to learn how to be responsible with the money we give you, because once you graduate, that's it—no more."

Will groaned. "Can you just give me my Christmas money early?"

"No, Will, and I gotta go. I'm at work."

Will felt defeated. "Okay, bye," he said, getting off the phone.

Disappointed, Will meandered his way down the hallway and to the lobby. In her usual spot behind the front desk sat Jody, chatting it up with none other than Carly.

"How's it going Will?" asked Jody as he approached. She pulled her hair back into a high ponytail, her new bangs hanging over her brows.

Carly turned to Will and smiled with caution. She wasn't sure if he was still upset with her.

"It's going," he answered bleakly. He turned to Carly and continued, "Hey, sorry about being a jerk last week. I found out what you told Lisa at homecoming."

Carly tilted her head to the side like a light bulb went off. "Oh, is that what you were angry about?"

Last week she had assumed that Will, along with every other black person on campus, hated her for being white.

"Yeah... did you do something else I don't know about?"

Carly smiled. "No... but I'm the one that should be apologizing. I shouldn't have said anything to Lisa, but you should hear the things my boyfriend's frat brothers say about her. She'll sleep with anyone."

Will's face turned comical. "Exactly, I was kind of counting on that!"

Carly rolled her eyes.

Will said no more on the subject, though he wondered how she could look down on Linda when she'd been hooking up with Ethan. But as Will considered his financial problems, an idea popped into his head.

"You know what? We should have an RA auction." he said, ignoring Carly's frown. "We can have all the residents come. Ah heck, why not invite the entire campus and they can all bid on RAs. The highest bidder will get that RA for the day. We can take them out to dinner or clean their room."

"What, and take them to Sebastian's?" Carly said with a self-righteous laugh. "No way, Will, no auction."

"Wait... it can be a fundraiser. We can donate the money to a worthy cause," Will added, the worthy cause being him and his credit card debt.

"No! Anyway, I don't even think that's allowed, auctioning off staff members," snapped Carly, then changed the subject. "So Landon needs us to pair up for the health and safety inspections, do you want to be my partner?"

Will groaned, feeling like no one took him serious. But he knew he'd get the money, so he wasn't stressing just yet. He leaned against the desk and looked at Carly as she walked past him, around the front desk and to her mailbox to grab some papers.