"PLEASE, NOT ANOTHER MARTINEZ," one of the officers groaned as they stepped foot in the station.
It was brightly lit inside, a stark contrast against the dark sky outside, and Ella blinked the stars in her vision away. At the front desk sat an apple-cheeked woman in her fifties with a flower dress and auburn curls, beaming at them as they came in. Behind her several desks were placed close together, only two of them occupied, both of the middle-aged men sitting there looking severely disgruntled about their night shift.
The officer who brought them in had the same expression on his face, sighing as he pushed them both forward. They had given each other one look and started running — before both dramatically hitting the floor after having forgotten they were still wearing ice skates. Now she was bruised and handcuffed, never mind the fact that she was about to be killed as soon as they called her parents.
"They know you by name?" Levi said, glancing at her with a slightly amused look in his eyes.
"First and middle as well," another officer sighed," you and Sebastian steal my police car in my nightmares sometimes, Ella."
"The culprit for that crime was never caught," Ella said, nodding her head solemnly," I hope you do ever find out which criminal committed such a heinous act."
"I may not have proof, but I know it was you," he said accusingly, pointing his finger at her.
"Oh, don't give her such a hard time, Peter," the woman at the front desk scolded, pushing the jar of candies towards them," come on, take some sweets darling, you'll both need the sugar for when judge Martinez comes."
"Don't offer the criminals candy, Carla!"
"They're children, Peter!"
"Yes, that's right," Ella interjected quickly," I'm no criminal, sir, so please don't snitch on me to my mother."
"It isn't snitching when the police call your parents," Peter frowned.
"That's a lie and we both know it, Peter," Ella said with a chastising shake of her head.
"Don't call me Peter."
The police officer who had brought them in shook his head amusedly, before glancing at Levi. "What's your name, boy?"
Levi had been standing beside her, posture confident and eyes cool, not seeming that bothered by it all. Only when he was addressed did he pull his bored gaze away from the ceiling, instead slowly settling on the officer. The man tensed slightly, like he was half
expecting Levi to attack him any moment now, more scared than she'd have thought he'd be of a guy in handcuffs.
"What?" Levi asked.
"Your name," the officer repeated stiffly.
"Alex Farrow," Levi said without skipping a beat.
Ella fought to keep a straight face as the officer let his gaze wander searchingly across their faces. At the lack of emotion on Levi's he nodded, seeming convinced.
"Alright Alex," he said," can you give me the contact info of your parents?"
"No," Levi said.
"What do you mean no?" the officer frowned.
"They really are snitches," Levi said to Ella, not bothering to quieten his voice.
"Just let them go."
They all turned towards the source of the voice and Ella smiled as soon as she saw who it was. The sheriff was a tall, brown-skinned woman, with shoulder-length jet black hair and matching eyes. Despite how stern she looked, Ella couldn't help but beam at her — she was a close family friend after all.
"Imani," Peter said, looking genuinely baffled," what do you mean let them go?"
"Exactly what I said," she said," we have more important things to worry about than two kids ice skating at night. We don't have the capacity to keep the whole Martinez family here all the time."
When Ella beamed at Imani, she held up a warning finger, face stern.
"This doesn't mean you get off scot-free," she said," if there are any damages, we will send the bill right to you. And if I see you or your brother searching for trouble again..."
"There won't be any damage," Levi stated," I'm no novice at picking lo -"
Ella placed a hand on his lips, cutting him off, before turning towards Imani and flashing her a grin.
"I'm forever grateful," she said.
"Tell your brother that the next time he shouts ACAB at me I will keep him here for another night," Peter called out after her.
"You think that scares Seb?" Ella remarked before she left," he'll stay here forever. It isn't getting him here that's hard, it's getting rid of him."
"What she said," Levi said.
Peter started complaining again and Levi closed the door without breaking eye contact.
"Anyway," he said breezily as he turned back around," guess we fulfilled your expectations of running from the cops after all."
"At the cost of almost giving me a heart attack," she huffed.
Levi chuckled, a sound so soft it settled in between the pavement, resounding with their steps. Though the night had enveloped them when they had left, now light was spilling through gossamer clouds, the scent of morning dew tickling her nose. For a moment it felt like they were the only two people in the world, a certain invincibility in the air that spun itself around her mind like adrenaline.
"So you like me, huh?" Levi drawled, glancing at her.
"What made you think that?" she replied," was it my love confession?"
"I can read you like a book," he shrugged casually," I already knew the first time you saw me that you couldn't resist me."
"Resist hitting you, you mean?" she smiled sweetly.
"Hitting me, falling in love with me," he said," it's all the same really."
She rolled her eyes, but couldn't suppress the grin on her face. Levi joking around always was a weird sight to behold, but it somehow was starting to feel more normal. The after high of the date was still buzzing in her veins, a fuzzy yellow. Their conversation had lapsed into comfortable silence and only when they rounded the corner of her street did Levi break it, words leaving his lips like a promise.
"I like you too, Eleanora," Levi said.
"You better," she replied.
"Not the reaction I expected to my second love declaration, but I'll take it," he murmured.
She pecked him on the cheek, flashing him a mischievous smile after. "You're cute, Levi."
"You two are up early."
Her gaze flicked towards the sound, settling on the two girls who were sitting in her neighbour's frontyard. Faiza and Mia had taken a place on the steps leading to the front door, looking peaceful in the morning light. Ella was positively sure she herself looked like she had gone to hell and back with her messy hair, the bruise on her collarbone from where she had hit the ice and her prominent eyebags, Levi about in the same state.
"We didn't sleep, more like it," Ella said.
"Are you alright?" Mia frowned worriedly," what happened?"
"Eleanora agreed to go on a second date with me," Levi said.
"Good luck trying to top this one," Ella said.
"So that's a yes?" Levi drawled.
"Perhaps," she teased.
"Young love," Faiza chuckled.
"You're like a year older than me," Ella laughed.
"And I feel like an old woman already," Faiza sighed," this doesn't promise much good for the future."
"Speaking of the future," Mia began, looking hesitatingly at Faiza then," did you talk with Sebastian yet?"
"Is he the reason that you're both up so dreadfully early?" Ella said, shaking her head," he always made me lose sleep too by singing whole musicals by himself in the bathroom."
"He does have that habit," Faiza smiled fondly.
"He's the reason I know all songs from Mamma Mia by heart," Levi frowned," I'm still not sure how I feel about that."
"Proud," Ella supplied.
Faiza stared off in the distance, before shaking her head slowly. "He isn't the reason I'm up. I just like watching the sunrise at times and Mia wanted to join."
"Casually waking up at five AM, I see," Ella nodded.
"She's done this more than once?" Levi said, looking baffled.
"It's soothing," Faiza smiled.
"I didn't want to miss the chance to enjoy your company," Mia said," I'm off tomorrow."
"Leaving so soon?" Ella said.
"I don't have much of a choice," Mia said," tomorrow is the day I meet my fiancé after all."
Ella almost choked. "Your what?"
"Her father's ambassador Ryder," Faiza said," she's been engaged ever since birth to another ambassador's son."
"I don't mind," Mia said," if my parents decided it's for the best I trust them."
Ella nodded at Mia. It wasn't her place to speak on the subject, nor was her opinion one that mattered in this situation. Though she would never choose an arranged marriage herself, it did work for a lot of people. More importantly, Mia was optimistic about it working for her. As if reading her mind the girl looked at her at that exact moment, eyes like sugared coffee.
"These past few days were fun," she said," thank you for being so hospitable."
"Oh no," Ella said, raising her hands," you're honestly the sweetest guest. This one however..." She glanced at Levi as she trailed off, grinning at his offended expression and looking back. "No, I'm kidding, it was fun."
"I hope you'll come back soon," Faiza smiled.
"I will," Mia promised her," we'll keep contact, Fais." She took her hand in hers, squeezing it. "I hope your heart will find what it wants. And if not, that's fine too."
A soft silence passed between them, only broken when Mia pointed up, the sun washing over the weeping colors of the sky.
"Look," she smiled," the sunrise."