"Acting is the least mysterious of all crafts. Whenever we want something from somebody or when we want to hide something or pretend, we're acting. Most people do it all day long."

-Marlon Brandon

👽👽👽

Max felt confused because Kate had pushed him away.

He hadn't meant to intrude her private space nor had touched her deliberately. He had only saved her from what would have been a bad fall.

He had taken a minute to process what had happened. Looking at Elena who appeared just as blank, he finally sprinted out of their room.

He hoped to find Kate, and say sorry if in any case, she had felt bad about him touching her.

To Max, friendship was something that drove him out of his loneliness. What home was to a nomad, friendship was to him.

All his life people surrounded him like how the atmosphere blankets the Earth. He knew what they wanted-- money, reputation, and favors.

Leaving all those louses behind, he had come to stay at Aurora, Colorado. He surely missed his family back in Ohio, but he needed this change. The change to live alone, to be away from riches. Away from those snobs, he was thankful he wasn't a part of.

Knowing the difference between the motives of people at a fairly young age, he chose to be Ivan's friend. Now he met the twins, who he felt were pure of heart, minus the "snarkiness".

He rushed outside, his green eyes searching for Kate amidst the quiet locality. He saw a vague form of brown curls swishing with the air, and he sprinted towards it.

The way, being the path to the public park, which both he and Kate loved.

Within a few large strides, he reached the park and noticed Kate standing under a brick dome.

The swaying leaves, the beautiful scent of flowers, the different colors, directly contrasted with Kate's dark form.

Waves of anger, sadness, and hate resonated in the air around her. Her black full-length pajamas did nothing to reduce them.

Max smiled, hoping it would be enough to clash with those unhappy vibes and nullify them. He never liked dark emotions, and always strived to stay away from them.

Or kill them with his brightness, his smile, and cheery attitude.

He sauntered towards Kate, pausing to step a little away from her. She noticed his presence and lifted her brown head slowly.

"Kate, I'm sorry for touching you, I--"

"It's okay, it's just..."

"Care to share?" he asked, carefully taking a side step so that now they were opposite to each other. The smile was intact on his face.

"It's nothing," she finalized with a faraway look. Her fingers locked in the mass of her curly ponytail combed it every now and then.

"There's always a little something in nothing," he commented, noticing that she was uncomfortable.

This was confirmed when she decided to be quiet. Not knowing what to say, she just looked around her and sat down.

Upon hearing Max's chuckle, her eyes shot up from the assignment she had started writing.

"You really don't care about clothes, right?"

Max chuckled and sat down cross-legged beside her.

"Not really..."

"El! That jumpsuit is mine! Don't you dare wear it to school," Kate warned with a frown.

"Mom? I need new clothes, these are out of fashion now." She wrinkled her nose. "I won't wear them now."

"You have just so many of them," her mom, Eleanor, exclaimed with an eye roll. "Half of my money is spent on your shopping."

"Clothes are her life, mom," Elena replied with a smirk.

"Oh yeah, how can I forget? New York's beauty queen."

"Mom!" Kate pursed her lips and then burst out laughing with Elena and her mom chuckling beside her.

"Not really," she repeated and closed her eyes.

"Why are you always happy?" she asked, cupping her cheek with her right hand.

"My mom taught me to always keep smiling," he answered. "Life throws things at you, but in the end, happiness and sadness are in your hands."

"Only your own," he emphasized, blinking slightly, the smile coming back onto his face.

"What makes you happy?"

"Everything."

"Like?"

"This atmosphere, plants, birds, this time, you--"

"Me?" she asked with a half smirk.

"You remind me of vanilla ice cream."

Kate's veil of gloom was lifted, all owing to Max's superhero smile.

👽👽👽

Elena too had ran after Max but had lost sight of him. She huffed and stood in the same path where Max had a few minutes ago.

Judging her gut, she walked towards the public park, reaching another portion of it. She grinned as the place evoked long, forgotten memories.

The twins' childhood had been spent there, playing, picnicking, and having fun. It was a great burden on their hearts when they knew they had to leave this place.

She walked towards a black walnut tree and smiled. She ran around it in circles and giggled to herself.

"Hey, look at that girl!" a boy said, and three more voices chuckled with him.

Elena heard them and hid behind the tree with an eye roll. She pinched herself as she didn't want anyone to see her childish side.

"Was that E--"

"Focus," Ivan commented with a glare. Three boys and a girl now stood with downcast eyes. Apparently, he hadn't noticed Elena.

He snatched the script from one of them and flipped the pages harshly.

"Repeat Othello's lines," Ivan instructed one boy. "You repeat Iago's," he ordered another one.

"Iago is Shakespeare's master villain." Ivan scowled at the boy who seemed to shrink with fear. "You're not a girl, don't act like Desdemona. That's Susy's role."

Elena noticed the students' scared looks. Van, you're being too harsh.

"Come on, repeat your lines," Ivan spoke with annoyance.

After a little while, Ivan ran his hands through his dark hair irritatedly and snatched the script once again. He was annoyed that the new Drama students weren't giving their best efforts.

Like Elena, patience wasn't one of his virtues.

He looked at the script for a brief second, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. His annoyance left him quickly and was replaced by an expression of a jealous, raging storm.

"Nay, that's certain. But yet the pity of it, Iago! O Iago, the pity of it, Iago!"

His voice, his eyes, his whole form was immersed in the role. He was now literally Othello, the moor, in whose heart jealousy was evoked towards his wife, Desdemona, by the villain, Iago.

Elena looked at Ivan with pride. Van, you're brilliant at this.

She was transported a few years back, to a particular time which had taken place in this very park. She closed her eyes as a sad smile now welcomed her lips.

Ten-Year-Old twin sisters, Elena and Kate, giggled as each hit an eleven-year-old Ivan on the head.

They continued giggling and ran around him in circles. Their noodle-like ponytails swished with the cool breeze.

"Stop! Just stop!" Ivan screamed, and held both of the twins' arms.

The twins looked at him dumbfoundedly as they'd never seen him getting angry before.

"Just because you're two, doesn't mean you're the boss," he huffed and folded his arms.

"Van, why are you angry at us?" Kate sniffled with a sad pout. Elena glared at him and punched his shoulder lightly.

Ivan pushed Elena's hand away and was about to slap her. This scared her, and she backed away in fear.

The twins, now bewildered and fearful, saw Ivan's raging, blue eyes. His eyes crinkled after a minute as he let out a laugh.

With a smile, he ruffled their hair and hugged them both tightly. "I was just acting." He grinned and earned two hits on his head. "You should have seen your faces!"

Elena smiled as nostalgia clouded her mind. She now watched Ivan and his little group practice the rest of the play.

She somehow figured out that they were enacting scenes from Othello, Shakespeare's famous tragedy. She cringed now and then at the dialogues.

"Sorry to say Mr. Pear, but your lines are boring. I'd never learn them. Not even for a billion dollars," Elena whispered with a scoff and shook her head.

Someone heard her speak from the other side of the same tree she was standing against. He rubbed his hands, nodded to himself, and smirked.

That person was Ivan.

👽👽👽

Hey, everyone! How are you, my dear readers? 💖 I just finished my final year exams. I'm back with a new chapter after more than two long weeks! Anybody missed me? :D

So, back to this episode. Did you like it? What do you think of the two flashbacks?

What do you think was the best part of this episode?

Also, it would be a great to know if you could tell me what scenes you'd like to see in the future. Please do tell me about your theories, if you have any. That would be really helpful.

Please do tell me if I can improve in any way. And a request to the silent readers, please do share your thoughts with me.

Sneak-Peek of Episode 16:

Any guesses about what's going to happen next?

Keep smiling! 💕
Lots of love❤💙
Sakina

VOTE, COMMENT, SHARE AND FOLLOW❣

👽👭👽👬👽
👽👽