THE HIT SHOW [ONGOING]

ACT 2, SCENE 5: The Autumn Blizard

Another theatre club was completed alone.

Similar to the recent rehearsals, Willow was awfully silent in this one. Without Nahil around, she was left to do actual tasks that benefitted the team. She was hoping that she would fluff around in the background without being caught. However, being assigned such a notable task, kept her from doing so. 

The fact that Leon had changed Nahil's position, ever since his absence, was starting to bother Willow. She thought that working with him helped her waste some time but enjoy it all at once. Nahil was now running errands for the theatre club. He was printing flyers and ordering material that was ordered by the team. 

As Willow made her steps down the ancient theatre, she felt a taller presence stop her in her tracks. 

"Hey."

Willow was starting to get used to Ivan occasionally annoying her. She wondered about how he made that possible, with all his minions in his face, him trying for Head Boy, hockey, theatre, being rich and privileged. With an immensely loaded plate, Ivan always made sure to make time to annoy Willow.

"Hi."

"Can I steal you for a moment?"

No.

"What is it?"

Willow would've said no, but her curiosity got the best of her. It always did. 

The boy's hands were behind him, as he walked backwards, his eyes occasionally darting behind him to ensure that he wouldn't trip. He was now positioned to the side of the theatre building, out of view from other curious eyes. Willow followed, now understanding that he was hiding something behind his back. 

Willow thought to herself that she could easily be kidnapped by someone in a white van, if they said they had something to tell her. Dangling candy wouldn't work on her, unless it was a surprise. 

Ivan rested his back against the side side of the theatre's stone wall. 

"Promise me, you wouldn't use it as a weapon."

Willow let out a laugh. He already caught on her recklessness. She didn't want to be predictable this time. 

"Okay, I'll try not to."

At that, Ivan raised his brows, then slowly pulled out a box wrapped in brown paper. It was as big as his both hands combined. It was perfect in shape, so Willow thought there must be something that might trick her. She couldn't say that she had complete trust in him. Besides, what was seemingly perfect was always broken inside.

"You open it, I don't trust you."

Ivan chuckled and gave the girl a shrug. He slipped his delicate, pale finger under the wrapping, popping the tape open. He unwrapped the box then opened it for her, handing it to her. 

Willow stood afar, peering inside the box like a child. She tilted her head to the side confused but glad that there was no dirt or clown that was organised to lunge at her. 

Unsure as to what it was, she reached her hand inside the box, wrapping it around a cool, sphere shape. She pulled out the heavy object to reveal a delicate snowglobe. 

Lost for words, she now held the globe from the bottom, shaking it to see the specs of artificial snow spin and swirl around Big Ben. A smile appeared on her pink lips, her memories of the beauty of actual snow looming her mind. 

Ivan bent down to her level, his hands on his knees, as though observing a curious creature. He watched her mesmerised eyes move to watch the snow settle. As they settle one by one, she would shake it once more, to take observe the snow swirl, then settle. 

From winter, her eyes would land back to autumn. The snow reminded her of Ivan's eyes, now magnified by the globe's glass sphere. The intense brown speckled with green, almost swirling and turning around his iris. 

His were now directed back to her brown eyes. 

"Creep," she muttered, resting the globe down on the ground, by her feet. 

Ivan was puzzled by her remark. He never understood this girl and she often seemed to confuse him a lot. 

Willow let out a sigh, hating to thank him. Instead, she places her hand on his forearm, giving it a slight squeeze of gratitude. Electrified by the touch, she immediately moved her hand away and stripped off her sweater. She sat on the ground,  took the globe and wrapped it inside, hoping that it would protect her new amusement. 

As Ivan watched her curiously, he too took off his blazer. As she was busy re-wrapping her new gift, he propped his blazer on her shoulder, aware that if he asked, she would lash out at him.

Busy with her task, the intensely musky sweet scent filled the air around her. It took her a moment to realise the clothing on her shoulders. She looked up at him and stood up, about to shrug it off yet she felt Ivan's hands pin the blazer down on her shoulders. 

"Bring it back tomorrow."

Willow rolled her eyes. 

"Fine."

With that, she held the globe safely against her chest as she scurried off to the female's dormitory. 

Ivan's eyes stalked her childish behaviour and let out a chuckle. 

She was quite amusing.

~~~
That night, Sylvie had asked so many questions that Willow wondered if her timid nature was just an act. 

With her snow globe safe in her hands, she went through what had happened. The story had amused Sylvie as she hadn't seen Ivan in such a light. He had held himself so responsibly and mature that she couldn't imagine him bantering with Willow, it was different. 

What was more interesting was the fact that he had lent his blazer to Willow. Sylvie could smell him on her. Willow acted as though she didn't think much of it but Sylvie knew that deep down, she felt special. 

The two girls spoke as quietly as they could, ensuring that this was their own little secret. 

Unannounced to them, their roommates weren't listening to music on their smuggled cellphone. They were listening to the music in their dorm room. 

The music could be loud enough for the whole grade to hear. 

The music that Ivan Fedorov had given his blazer to the new girl.