Wicked (WICKED #1) | ✓

43

She glanced off in the distance then, her sharp eyeliner as dark as her eyes, the morning light catching in her irises like stars. Whatever small moment of weakness there had been before, it was gone now, her fuchsia lips curling up and her long nails tapping the arm of the chair.

"Anyway," she said breezily," ignore that, I've been keeping that in for a long time. The double standards  annoy me so much, the people who get angry at me for not treating Alex right but ignore the way he hurts me as well. The people who call him a cool player for hanging with so many girls but call me a slut. To be honest, with the GPA at St Joseph I'm not surprised only a few people know the definition of hypocrisy."

"I mean you're not a cool player," Ella said," you're a bad bitch."

A slow smirk started playing on Ava's lips, one which told Ella she had been absolutely right, and the girl laughed.

"That I am," she drawled," with or without any guys. Or girls and non-binary people, for that matter."

"I know I don't know your history," Ella said," but I do hope you and Alex can go back to being friends one day. You seem like you have the fondest memories of him."

"The stupidest," Ava chuckled," the first time I told him I wanted to become an astronaut he built a galaxy out of plastic and tinfoil." She shook her head. "It wasn't all bad."

"What are you two doing out here?"

They looked up to see Faiza walk towards them, her flowy skirt sweeping the floor and her off shoulder top the color of a sunset. She had tied her hair in a low ponytail with a ribbon the same saturated pink as the tea kettle she was carrying outside, her smile reminiscent of sea salt poetry.

"Just the daily morning gossip," Ava smirked.

"You're up early as always," Ella noted.

"I like waking up at six," Faiza said as she sat down," the world is so calming when it's just opening it's eyes."

"I usually go for three PM," Ella said," we are all very obviously at different places in life."

Faiza chuckled, but her gaze was lingering on Ella too long for her to think something wasn't wrong.

"Are you worrying about Sebastian?" Ella said.

"Yeah," Faiza said softly," you know I love him more than I ever could any other guy, but -" She closed her lips, before parting them again. "I don't want to talk about him behind his back, I hold him so dear to my heart that he's made it's home in the chambers, but it's a house I'm too scared to enter just yet."

She poured the tea in the cups, taking a differently colored flower for each of them and sprinkling it with sugar on top. "You know, I am in emotional turmoil now and all, but this will greatly help me out with my poetry project at least."

"That's the spirit," Ella said," you know, when someone stresses me out I get absolutely nothing from it except anger problems. At least you're out here getting A's on your assignments."

"You should be happy with Levi then," Ava drawled," I've known the boy all my life and he's as grounded as they come. Bitter, perhaps, but there's enough fun in teasing him about that."

Ella couldn't suppress the smile on her face when she thought about how cute Levi's salty personality was, but it was gone just a second later when someone yelled her name.

"Is that my mother?" Ella said, turning towards the fence.

"Eleanora! Get over here!"

"Oh shit, it is her," Ella said, jumping out of her chair and practically running back towards her house.

Faiza followed closely behind, concern interwoven in her gentle features, a mild amusement in Ava's.

"What's going on?" Ella called out.

She spotted her mother in the hallway, dressed like she was ready for court instead of a morning spent at home. When she continued speaking, Ella soon found out why.

"Sebastian's in jail," her mother said," I have no idea what he did this time, but we're going to get him."

"Sebastian is what?" Will exclaimed before any of them could say anything.

Their gazes all snapped immediately to the staircase, where Will was standing, one hand across his lips, Mia closely behind him.

"How did you get out?" Ella said.

"Levi once taught me how to pick locks," Will beamed at her.

"Not the primary focus right now, but okay," Ava said.

"I will come along, Miss Martinez," Faiza said," if you don't mind of course. He'll need someone to calm him down."

"That someone will be me after he gets five sermons for putting himself in danger," her mother said, before adding," but you can come along too, Faiza."

"Can we come as well?" Will said, eyes wide," poor Sebastian, he probably really needs a hug."

"I think a slap in the face is more likely now," Ava chuckled.

Her mother shook her head at Will, fishing her wallet from her pocket and handing her card to Ella then.

"We'll be with too many in a prison," she said," but you four can go and get groceries if you want." She glanced at Ella. "For you it's mandatory, by the way, Eleanora, only the guests can choose."

Ella took the card, nodding as she waved at her mother. Once the door shut behind her she turned towards the others, the combination of people one she hadn't expected at all somehow.

"This is our bonding time!" Will grinned as he pulled them all along in a group hug. "Come on guys, tell me your favorite fruit."

She wasn't sure if they were going to get arrested for Will's hugging tendency first or Ava's flirty smile later, but when they had stepped a foot out of the house, she knew she didn't mind either way.