𝐈𝐋𝐘𝐒𝐁, (louis partridge)

- chapter 37 -

the table was quiet.

everyone was present except the one person they were all anxious to see. it was mutual to the whole cast that it was going to be difficult to explain to max why they were acting this way.

the only thing they could hear was the sound of y/n's gummy worms, the bag scrunching every time she got a new one.

louis stared at his girlfriend, confused how she can eat candy so early in the morning.

the sweets were the only thing stopping her from leaping across the table at josh who sat there on his phone, texting.

"love," louis scooter closer to her. "are you sure you don't want something more... appropriate for the time?"

she pursed her lips, the end of the blue gummy hanging between her fingers. "um... you take that back," y/n turned her head. "this snack is a delicacy no matter what time it is."

he put his hands up in defense, sitting back in his seat while marcel laughed from beside him.

"that's not a snack, by the way." he couldn't help but correct her. "it's just junk food. i haven't a clue how you can eat those at ten in the morning."

"judging is not a good look on you, partridge."

he hummed at her comment. "you know, one time you said everything looked good on me."

olivia and jenna both smacked a hand over their mouth while y/n stopped chewing.

normally, joshua and marcel would be laughing together much like olivia and jenna were doing but josh stayed quiet. marcel brought the hat he was wearing down over his face, silently laughing into it.

"suddenly i'm deaf." y/n shook her head, staring down at the table in front of her.

y/n was saved by the door opening, max walking in with what looked like this weeks script and a coffee in his hand.

"alright." he smiled at everyone, making his way to his seat like every other day.

little did he know.

everyone muttered they're hi's and hello's not really feeling like today was going to end the way it's supposed to. josh shifted uncomfortably multiple times next to jenna.

instantly, as max took a seat he knew something was up, he knew these people like back of his hand, he knew their routine's, their unassigned (but assigned) seats — who they were most comfortable with.

so of course it was obvious something was wrong when he noticed josh and olivia were not sitting next to each other.

he fixed the stack of papers in a neat pile in front of him, grasping his hands over one another as he stared at the cast that were not very subtle with not looking him in the eye — them looking everywhere but his face.

"what's going on?" he said, making y/n shove a blue and pink gummy worm in her mouth.

josh shifted again.

max cleared his throat, sitting back in his seat. "okay, since no one is saying anything, we will just have to sit here till someone wants to share with the class."

marcel glared at joshua, silently telling him it was all his fault. (which it was.)

"nothing." louis said, looking at his castmates. "everything's fine, hand me one will you?" he stuck his hand out from across the table so max would hand him a script.

"no." max shook his head. louis dropped his hand in defeat. "someone better tell me. there is clearly something wrong."

y/n stayed quiet, now playing with the gummy worm in her hand, making it squirm like a real one.