Page 63 of Black Hollow: Awakening

“Give it,” Alden hissed.

Will handed him his cell.

“You don’t know how to unlock it,” he said, watching Blake maneuver his finger across the screen.

“I do. I saw yesterday.”

Ah, right. Will recalled that Blake had seen a little more than he should have. He felt himself blush.

“Are you giving me your number?” he asked, astonished, watching what Alden was doing.

“Yes.”

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll pass it on to one of your fans?”

“Try,” Alden said grimly.

“Wouldn’t it be better if you just took mine?”

“I’m not going to be calling you, begging to meet up.”

“Oh, so I’m supposed to do that?”

“Exactly,” Blake confirmed, as if there were nothing strange about it. “If you have a free afternoon, let me know. I’ll tell you if I have time too.”

Ah. So that’s how it was going to be? Great.

“Give me back my phone.”

Blake was about to, but he suddenly froze.

“What is it?”

“I gave you my number,” Alden announced, frowning.

“You can delete it, be my guest.”

“That’s not it. I gave you my number.”

“And?”

“So you could have called me.”

Will gave him a look of pure exasperation.

“No, I couldn’t have. Because I got it about ten seconds ago. Do you not understand how time works or what?”

“What if you didn’t call yesterday?” Blake whispered, more to himself than to Will. “What if you did it today?”

“Blake. You seriously have something wrong with you.”

“You have those… electric abilities, right? What if you somehow used them on the phone? And if you connected with me not in the present, but in the past?”

“What are you rambling about?” Will scoffed, getting more and more lost in Alden’s reasoning.

“It’s possible.”

“Not only is it not possible, it’s totally unbelievable! The only thing I can do is cause a few shorts. I haven’t gotten around to controlling time yet.”