When we became best friends

Chapter 3

It was Sunday and Willow and her family was in church, with Willow at the piano playing a random song as service had already ended. The others were upstairs eating. She was a skilled pianist, though she still admitted to people that she had a lot to learn if anyone praised her. Her mind suddenly flew to the notes that she remembered which known as the "dreaming tune" that someone had taught her long ago. As her fingers flowed over the piano keys, she racked her brain thinking of who was it that had taught her this song, she remembered she was only ten when she learnt it. A shadow suddenly caught her eye and she turned to see Joshua standing at the corner of the piano. He had just come silently and suddenly and she breathed a sigh of relief as she realized it was him. "Hi there," Willow smiled and he returned her grin, his dark eyes meeting her own. "I see you still remember the song I taught you," he commented, and Willow couldn't help but take notice of his angular face outlined against the darkness and dim lighting of the room. She shook her head clear to remind herself to focus.

Her mouth had dropped open in surprise, "So it was you who taught me this song! I was just trying to remember!" she exclaimed. Joshua opened his mouth to say something but was cut off as they heard heavy footsteps approaching. Zack appeared beside Joshua, breathing heavily. "Hi Willow," he brandished a smile at her and she smiled back, "Hi Zack." She caught Zack looking at Joshua, a glint of hostility clear in his gaze. Joshua on the other hand, didn't seem to notice, but instead greeted Zack enthusiastically. Willow inwardly grinned, Joshua was so gullible. "Willow, I was just thinking you know, if you can teach me English sometime," Zack turned his attention onto her, hostility all gone from his eyes, replaced with something akin to admiration and tenderness. Willow felt her hair rise up in warning. "Um, I..." what she was about to say was cut off as Raina suddenly pounced on top of the piano, "TIME TO GO HOME!" she said loudly, her gaze swivelling to look at Zack, her eyes narrowing.

Willow glanced at Zack apologetically, "Maybe we can discuss this another time?" Zack just shrugged, a pouting face becoming evident, "Yeah," his voice holding a disappointed note. Willow saw Raina roll her eyes out of the corner of her eyes and Willow smiled, it was just like Raina to wear her emotions on her sleeve. "Come on!" Raina pulled her along. Willow turned to the two guys and waved goodbye to them as Raina bounded on ahead to wear her shoes. Willow soon followed and it was as she was wearing her shoes that Willow realized that during the whole exchange, Joshua had been nothing but silent. A shiver rose up her spine, Joshua was a silent watcher, maybe he wasn't as gullible as she thought he was.

                                                                                                    *****

Joshua glanced at Zack who was in front of him, he had stayed there after Willow had left and Zack had apparently decided to follow suite. He could see that Zack wanted to say something to him but was at the same time wary of what he might say or do. No wonder, he was always the dominant one between the two of them. Before Zack had opened his mouth, Joshua had already deduced that it was about Willow, if he had read Zack's taut muscles and tense posture correctly earlier on, along with the challenge evident in his eyes when Zack caught him and Willow together. Alone.

Finally, Zack cleared his throat, "I ur......noticed that you and Willow......" he trailed off, apparently lost for words. Joshua caught the sudden tightness of his jaw muscle and realized that Zack had decided to go straight for the kill. "Do you like Willow?" Zack said. Joshua looked up, and though his heart beat two times faster at the mention of her name, he forced his face to remain impassive, an impenetrable wall, as if his emotions were buried in stone. "No. Why do you want to know?" he tried to sound light when he said it, but anyone could tell the weight behind those words. The weight that told of the challenge of daring Zack to defy his words. Zack's eyes swivelled down to the ground and remained there, and he mumbled a "nothing." Joshua settled back comfortably in his chair, he had settled it, Zack would never again bother him about this question. The question in which he preferred to keep the answer to himself and only himself.