SEBASTIAN DIDN'T RETURN FOR the night, but Ella only noticed the day after. She had been so fatigued by the whole camp she had just thrown herself on the bed, Levi taking a place beside her. No matter what Alex said, she knew he wouldn't do anything, especially because it was very obvious Levi trusted him and Will more than anyone. Hell, at one point with their bickering she felt like the third wheel, but it lulled her to sleep somehow.
Waking up her head was aching and her hair a tangled mess, but most of all she was very desoriented. It took her a moment to realize she was in Sebastian's room and another to notice Levi, who was somehow lying perfectly still next to her like a corpse. She was pretty sure that was the same position she had seen him in before she closed her eyes, but then again, he had been the same in the tent. While Will slept curled up and Alex did whatever, he always had slept without a single movement.
She felt the need to squeeze his cheek to wake him up, but didn't. One look to her left told her Alex wasn't there anymore and when she looked down beside her, she found Alex sprawled out on the floor somehow. Knowing how much he moved in the night she had expected him to get further to be honest, but considering the fact that he had been lying by the wall this was a feat on it's own. Walking out of the room, last night started to piece together more, the fact that she had fallen through her neighbour's fence, lost the key to her room and heard at least two relationships break yesterday.
Fishing her phone out of her pocket she called Sebastian, though he didn't pick up. He had to be somewhere at home, because there was no way he was brave enough to defy her mother that much. Slight worry filled her, but she focused on the problem at hand first, stopping in front of her door. When she didn't hear any sounds she turned back around, saving her plan to kick the door in until everyone was awake.
Out of the window she spotted a color so sharp she had learned to associate it with one person only and when she set foot in her backyard, that same person turned towards her. Thanks to the fact that she had broken the fence, the gardens were now connected, giving her a good view of the girl draped on the chair. Ava's normally straight hair was gone now, coconut-scented curls having taken it's place instead.
"I love your hair," Ella said as she stepped through the hole in the fence.
"I got vodka in my weave somehow," Ava shrugged lazily, not seeming that bothered by it.
Ella took a place on the chair opposite her, the cute tea cups Faiza kept there standing next to a bottle of edible flowers. Ava took one out and stared at it thoughtfully for a second, like there were answers in the silky blue leaves. The silence between them kept going and Ella leaned on her hand, her own mind wandering to Levi for a second. Somehow it felt like a betrayal to her ex that she was catching feelings so fast for Levi, but that was stupid she supposed. They weren't even together anymore nor had anything she felt with him been as electric as with Levi, so why was she still feeling guilty?
"What the hell," Ava finally exclaimed, pulling Ella back to earth," why does it always end up like this?"
"You and Alex?" Ella said.
"Yeah," Ava sighed, her voice dripping with sarcasm when she added," me and Alex, the local power couple. I wouldn't know what to do without him and our daily fights."
"I thought you were done with him," Ella said.
"I was," Ava said, a bit of exasperation shining through as she corrected herself," I am. It's just unfair that he pretends like I'm this villain breaking his heart when he shatters mine as well. Just because I don't show any emotions about it he always thinks I don't care."
"And why don't you?" Ella said," show any emotions, I mean."
"Why would I?" Ava said, shaking her head," we are too toxic to date, that's already blindingly obvious, so why would I show him how much that hurts me as well? It's not like it changes anything."
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.