It's the day after the show.

I am with Samuel and I need answers.

"How did you get Willow to go with you?" I ask after barging into his dorm.

"Hey man, chill. First I bought a ton of those The Moon's Wound and........."

I cut off his mellow response midway, firing words from my mouth. "Fast forward to the part where you were outside with her."

"How did you?....... Did you spy on me?"

"Maybe, just get to the point."

"Well she wanted a copy of the book and I told her she could have it if she went with me."

"Why'd the two of you leave afterwards?"

"I told her I was going to the art gallery if she wanted to join me. Since you know, you told me she likes drawing and all."

I've gotten what I came for now I'm off.

"Good talk." Samuel says to himself. No alone in his dorm.

During lunch I am with Catherine in the quad.

She goes through her lines to me and listen diligently.

All my concentration focused on her until.........

Willow's shadow covers me from the sun like a blanket to the cold. Without a word she grabs me, taking me out of the public eye.

"What're you doing?" I ask as she drags me.

"How long were you helping him?"

"Helping?"

She's found out, now she'll have my head as punishment.

"You knew about Samuel. The book, music and even the art. Those are all the things I like and only you knew."

"I don't know what're talking about." I lie through my teeth. Trying to suffocate the truth.

"You're bad at lying. How else would he know about things I like."

"Ok, I helped him get close to you by telling him the things you like."

"Why? Is it because you feel bad for me? Thinking you're doing me a favour?"

"No, no, he just really wanted my help and............"

"And?"

I hesitate, reeling the truth in like a fishing rod to a salmon before breaking free. "He got me the Stay Alive sequel in return."

"So you did it for a game. Who am I kidding, of course you did."

"If it makes you feel better he really likes you.

"It doesn't."

"I'm sorry." The only thing I can think to do is to apologize, like that'll do anything.

"....... Whatever." Willow says before stomping off.

The thought of that being our last conversation saddens me, but then again I should've expected it. Things always end up like this when it involves me.

I watch how Samuel approaches her, he does not know she has found out.

She gives him the cold shoulder, the expression on his face says she was not like this the night of the show.

"You thought you could get Lycan to woo me over, FYI he isn't exactly the best when it comes to any kind of relationship, let alone the dating kind."

She's not wrong.

"I just wanted his help. For some bizarre reason he's the only person you've actually got to know." Samuel snaps back.

"I guess I got a thing for the bizarre."

".........." Samuel opens his mouth ready to say something, before closing it in thought. "Wait do you..............."

Catherine attracts my attention like a nail to a magnet. Right when my focus was drawn the most.

"Catherine?"

"What was that all about?" She asks.

"Urr, nothing, just um.......... Work, school work to be specific. She wanted to know what was the homework we got in Ms Holland's class. Hehe, she's so forgetful." I try to play it off as much as I can.

"Ok?" She does not seem convinced.

After school I am at the entrance of the subway.

I've been banished, never to return to then underground world of art, known as the abandoned subway.

It is a shame.

I just got her number and she scheduled times for us to meet.

The feeling of regret lingers over me like a stormy cloud to a lightning rod, waiting to be struck.