THE HIT SHOW [ONGOING]

ACT 3, SCENE 4: The Apple Juice

Willow had been starving.

Luckily the group had arrived back to Belle Cove in time for supper. Unlike regular school days, the weekends were generally quiet. It was either that the students had been out to eat or that had too much to eat.

Willow preferred the dining hall to be this way. She liked the silence, she liked the warmth and comfort that radiated from her friends. They weren't the quiet kids that were unnoticed. They were human.

As the gang sat at their regular seats, Willow's eyes travelled to her left searching for Ivan. He usually sat about a couple feet away, at the table that was almost top center of the hall. It was fitting for a king.

However now, it was empty. She figured that he must be out or had eaten out. Whatever the case, she hated that she was wondering about him.

While Willow pondered, Asim chowed down his food and Sylvie and Nahil were in conversation. It was interesting at how polite and how mild the two spoke. Their smiles and their soft laughter was almost completing each other. They were perfect.

Willow smiled to herself then noticed Asim looking at her. She playfully rolled her eyes at the lovebirds, which made Asim mimic Nahil's hand gestures.

"Dickhead," she giggled.

The comic act had came to a stop, as Willow's laughter was cut through the air by a sword.

Ivan had arrived and this time, he was alone.

He was dressed in a clean shirt, a pair of jeans and a winter coat that would've been fit for an old man but Ivan somehow pulled it off. Avoiding to make anything awkward, Willow turned to her table of friends, giving Ivan the space he possibly needed.

Ivan held a paper bag in his hand - probably his supper - and placed it down on his usual lunch table. At the corner of Willow's eye, she was able to see him walk back and this time it was towards her. Towards them.

Willow faced the front, trying to pin her attention on Asim, who was sipping on apple juice giving her a shrug unaware of their visitor coming their way.

"Hey."

With a low gulp, Asim chocked on his apple juice. 

With a  gasp Willow stood up, slapping the spot between his shoulder blades. His free hand tried to wave Willow away from touching him. Nahil was instead focused on the fact that Ivan had approached the table. He couldn't be around him, he hated that he was approaching them like he owned them like he-

Asim clasped his hands over his nose as his apple juice made its second appearance...from his nose. 

Sylvie, now out of her confused state, handed the boy some napkins. Willow, placing her hands on her hips, was pleased with her efforts. Her pride on her shoulders, she returned to her seat.

Asim looked up at Ivan, who tried his best to hold in his laughter. He held up at a furious Asim, in form of an apology for his poor manners. 

Ivan walked over to Willow, as though  the rest of the group did not exist. He slightly bent over whispering in the girl's ear. 

"Want to eat at my table?"

Willow looked over at her friends, who were busy trying to figure out what had just happened with Asim. She glanced back at the golden boy, anyone, absolutely anyone would love this opportunity. However, Willow wasn't anyone. She enjoyed Ivan's company but he wasnt Sylvie or Asim or Nahil. 

"No," she said out loud. 

In that moment, if Asim had been sipping his juice, he would choke on it for the second time. As though it was payback, he smirked at Willow's answer to whatever Ivan had asked. 

Ivan shrugged his shoulders and smiled, before walking off to his table.

Nahil's still shoulders loosen. He let out a sigh of relief and turned his attention to the beauty that sat across from him. 

"Sylvie, I was-

With an abrupt thump, a paper bag was placed in between Sylvie and Willow. The two girls looked up at a beaming Ivan who now sat in between them. 

"So, what have you guys been up to today?"

Willow hated his attempts at small talk. 

Sylvie was in shock.

Asim was hoping he wouldn't choke.

Nahil... well lets just say he hated his guts.

~~~

After an awkward dinner and Ivan's departure, Asim and Nahil walked the girl's back to their dorm building. 

Asim gave the girl's a wave, figuring that Nahil would want to be alone with Sylvie, since they hadn't shut up since their visit to the mall.

By the entrance of the female dorms, Nahil whispered something in Sylvie's ear. She gave him a smile and nodded, before making her way upstairs. 

"Alright, see you-

"Willow I need to talk to you," Nahil interrupted her. 

Willow, slightly confused, assumed that he may have been wanting to talk about Sylvie. She turned to the boy with her attention. 

"Look, I know it isn't my business but I care about you and I care about Sylvie. Please, just stay away from him."

Willow furrowed her brows. Which him was he alluding to?

Nahil let out a sigh trying to properly collect his thoughts. 

"Ivan is trouble. Just stay away from him and keep him away from us. No one like that would hang out with us unless they want something." 

Nahil felt the heavyweight lift off of him. It was as though it was looming on him ever since the rehearsals Ivan had approached him. 

Willow felt as though someone had poured a bucket of boiling water over her body. She felt it travel from her shoulders, to her back then to her legs, causing a tinkle of numbness spread around her body. 

Her hands clutched into fists, trying to endure the pain. 

"I'm sick of everybody saying that. Nahil, you're the rational one, you should be smart enough to know it's just a rumor."

Nahil let out a frustrated breath. Either it was that he couldn't express how he truly felt or Willow did understand. Or maybe, she didn't want to understand. 

"Willow, look he's-

Willow rolled her eyes, not wanting to hear it. She crossed her arms, digging her nails into her own arm, trying to feel something through the numbness. 

"How much trouble can he be? He's a kid like us, what can he possibly do? Heck what can this school do but talk? I gave up on trying to hide from this school and I feel much better. I recommend you do the same." 

Nahil had been stabbed.

He felt as though her words stabbed right through him. Nahil didn't believe he was a coward. Unlike Willow, he didn't believe that acting recklessly will get him anywhere. He wasn't as privilege as her. She acted reckless, she was interesting, he acted reckless, he was a criminal. 

Nahil wasn't going to tell her that, there was no point. Instead, he turned on his heal and walked away, hating her words following him. 

Willow stood there in the dark, wondering if she had gone too far.