"REYAN, YOU CAN'T HAVE enemies," Sahar said," we talked about this."

"Father said I can," Reyan replied.

Alex, who was the subject of Reyan's glare, parted his lips in shock, placing an hand on his heart offendedly.

"I do not recall agreeing to become enemies with you," he said.

"I don't care if you agree," Reyan said," that's not how becoming enemies works."

"Rei!" Mia frowned," Alex didn't do anything wrong."

"Yeah, he did," Reyan said, not elaborating any further as he narrowed his eyes at Alex.

Levi stepped forward, cocking his head to the side as he called out to Reyan.

"If you're in such desperate need of an enemy," he said," I'm sure you can find one or two more if you keep staring."

"No, thank you," Reyan declined with a nod of his head," I am only allowed five enemies each month and my quota is full now. You can come back next week when I've decided whether I still hate Jerry the mailman."

"Jerry?" Sahar blinked," but he's so lovely. He always stops for a chat."

"Hence why I hate him," Reyan said.

Levi frowned and Ella could almost see the click in his mind as he decided Reyan was a good person. Sure, Levi's list of enemies was extensive and consisted of everyone who ever bothered him, but still, anyone who hated talking was a good person to him. For some reason his friends all looked like they were on drugs all the time though, so she wasn't sure what he decided to pick them on.

"You and Levi are the same in that aspect," Will chuckled, his voice easily clearing the air," he dislikes talking as well."

"You do?" Reyan said, slowly turning towards Levi.

Levi stared at him for a second, before nodding, everything feeling like a romantic scene somehow as they locked eyes.

"You don't seem like it," Reyan said then.

"You fucker -" Levi began, Reyan's gaze immediately snapping towards him in anger.

"Scratch that," he interrupted him," you've taken Jerry's place, chatterbox."

"Come here then," Levi said," I'll fuck you up until you can't run that mouth of yours anymore."

"Levi," Alex said, touched," I didn't know you cared for me that much."

"I don't, he made this personal," Levi said, before rolling his eyes as Alex broke out in fake sobs," Alex, Alexander, stop that, I was kidding, don't do this."

"Levi," Will said, eyes colored with worry," let's not fight, our host is right there."

"It's been a while since I've seen Rei show so much emotions," Sahar said, turning towards her son then," but you are not fighting, alright? This is a fundraiser, for the climate."

"I know," he said, glancing at his shoes," I'll keep myself from hitting that guy even though he gets on my nerves."

"You heard her," Will said, trying to pacify Levi like he was a wild animal," think of the climate."

"Why? Is the climate thinking about me?" Levi replied," where's the snow I want?"

"Gone because of climate change," Will said sadly.

He glanced at Ella for help then, but she simply placed a hand on Levi's cheek, smiling apologetically at Will.

"If he doesn't beat that man up, I will," she said, glancing back at Levi," the threats were quite hot."

"Dysfunctional, babe," Ava smirked," I like it."

"Of course you do," Alex muttered, Ava's gaze snapping towards him.

"You want to go right now?" she said.

"No," he said, holding up a hand," I see you have a new set of nails, I'm not trying to get my handsome face scratched up. It's my most important asset."

"It has to be," she cooed," your brain is not much to brag about."

"My GPA is near perfect," he said.

"It is?" Ella said.

Alex' gaze widened in betrayal as he looked at her.

"Why are you surprised?"

"You walked right into a streetlight the other day," she said," you weren't even looking away."

"I was too busy thinking about other things," Alex huffed," you know, curing cancer, solving world hunger. A higher IQ gives more responsibilities, you know."

"Your head is a haunted house, Alex," Levi said," occasionally a weird joke pops in and you scare us all."

"You're right," Alex sighed, placing a hand on his head as he leaned it forward dramatically," the ghosts I am haunted by, they do keep me up at night."

"Are we even speaking the same language?" Levi said.

Despite his dramatic act, Ella was glad the situation with Ava got diffused so quickly before it could escalate into something more. Perhaps they had changed a bit in that aspect, because when she had first met them an exchange like this could not be solved at all. No, it would just have resulted into screaming and honestly, Ella wouldn't have been surprised if they had been sent away from the fundraiser at that point, considering Levi threatened the host's son as well and was blatantly continuing to do so. He might have been silent now, but his stare at Reyan said enough.

Sahar and Reyan, who had been too busy talking about something to notice their entire conversation, turned their attention back towards them. Warmly Sahar looked at them, no animosity in her gaze at all despite the fact that they were all probably sounding way too violent. Hell, Ella had expected a bit of worry for Mia in Sahar's eyes, but instead she shook her head fondly.

"Bas had the most chaotic friendship with his best friend as well," she smiled," they always fought before becoming inseparable."

"Are you telling me I'll become best friends with the man I dislike more than Jerry?" Reyan said, sounding disturbed as he pointed at Levi," he looks like he spends time in jail for fun."

"Actually," Alex interrupted," Levi has only had to pick up trash once for a crime I committed, this man surprisingly has no criminal record, but he has potential."

"You literally graffitied a wall while I was sleeping in the grass and then ran away," Levi said.

"You mean you couldn't run fast enough," Alex shrugged.

"See!" Reyan exclaimed.

"Pick one lifelong enemy," Sahar said," you can't have five, Reyan, that's too much."

"Mother," Reyan protested, but Sahar kept looking at him sternly until he finally nodded.

Levi's gaze carried something undecipherable as it flicked towards Sahar and Reyan, the way Sahar ruffled a hand through Reyan's hair and smiled at him like he was the only thing that mattered. Ella squeezed his hand, silent because she knew he wouldn't want to talk about it, and when their gazes locked the silent thank you in his was warm. He raised her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it, butterflies fluttering around her heart.

"Have a nice night, Rei," Sahar said," let me know if you need anything."

"I will," he said," and when I see Father, I'll take care not to let him beat up someone."

"He dislikes wearing a suit and being in these kinds of situations," Sahar chuckled," says it's stuffy, but though I've told him he doesn't have to, he always is here on his best behavior. I love him, that man."

"Yeah, I guess he's alright," Reyan said, but the faint smile on his lips was warmer than any other expression he had shown tonight.

Sahar waved at them all then.

"I'll talk to you all more later tonight," she said," have fun."

She was off then, leaving behind a warm feeling, in that way that some people did, like their words spilled with sunshine. When she was some distance away Alex turned towards Reyan, looking ready to finish what was started.

"By the way," he said," it's self-explanatory why Levi is your enemy, but why am I?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Reyan said," you are together with Elisabeth."

The casual amusement Alex always carried, the one in his eyes which told her everything was just a joke, disappeared at once. He straightened his back, face serious as he stared at Reyan, a faint blush coloring his cheeks.

"What?" he said," did - did she say that?"

"Why are you acting surprised?" Reyan said confusedly, before slowly widening his eyes," wait, are you not together?"

"Why did you think they were together, Rei?" Mia said.

"The way he looked at her," Reyan said, glancing at Alex briefly," it reminded me of how I was with her."

Different emotions flashed across Alex' face as he parted his lips, before closing them again. Reyan shrugged then, waving casually at Alex like he hadn't just told him he disliked him moments before.

"My bad," he said," I seem to have misunderstood the situation, you are now officially removed from my enemies list."

Alex' expression was unreadable as he looked up at Reyan.

"What if I wanted to be together with her?" he said.

"Then you would already have acted," Reyan said," Elisabeth is not going to wait forever while you get your shit together, that's not how people work. If you want something, you go for it." He looked over his shoulder, gaze fixated on someone in the distance. "I know I will."

He turned to walk away, glancing absentmindedly at Levi. 

"By the way," he said," I have forgiven you as well."

"Choke on your forgiveness," Levi said completely without emotion.

"You know what, I might," Reyan said, gone in the crowd then.

Will reached out to Alex, but his friend simply stepped back. He had his face downturned, but when he looked up he was smiling brightly again, like nothing had happened.

"Alright," he said," now that insane guy is gone, let's go get some drinks."

"Alright," Will said softly, glancing at Mia," is that alright for you?"

"Of course," she smiled.

Ella had half-expected Ava to walk away, but instead she nodded, something almost sympathetic on her face. Before Ella could follow as well, Levi suddenly pulled her away, through the crowd and into a small hallway on the left. Her back was pressed into the wall as she looked up at him, a smile already beginning to form on her lips.

"Now we're finally alone," he said.