Where Things Come Back Chapter 8

The Tower Above the Earth

• After spending a crushingly awkward summer with his family, Benton starts at the University of Atlanta and meets his new roommate, a boy named Cabot Searcy.
• They're polar opposites, but they still get along quite well. Cabot is rich, doesn't care that much about his studies, and chases lots of girls; Benton is serious, deeply devout, and studies all the time.
• Benton's studying actually rubs off a little on Cabot, though, and at the end of the semester he passes. Benton, on the other hand, ends up failing two of his courses. That doesn't seem fair…
• On Christmas Eve, Benton is alone because he didn't go home to see his family—they didn't want him there anyway. He calls his mom, but no one answers, so devastated and alone, he walks up to the church bell tour and jumps off.