SAMUEL VANDEPUTTE SEEMED FAR more innocent than he was upon first look. With his dark curls and chocolate skin he looked like an angel honestly, but the reputation he had could be believed easily once you looked in his moondrunk eyes, spilling with an impulsiveness that made him crash and burn like supernovas. When he had told her he was going to come to St Joseph to win her back she had thought it a joke, one of his rash decisions he couldn't make true, but somehow he had succeeded in coming here. Even worse, he was in her class.

"How did you get your mother to agree?" she asked him.

"I begged her," he said," told her if auntie thought this place good for you, it would most likely do wonders for me too."

Ella knew he meant her mother with auntie and though she knew it was because their parents were close, it still felt weird now they weren't anymore. She shook the feeling off, instead turning around to continue heading back to her seat. Sam bridged the distance quickly, grabbing her wrist and stopping her before she could, a glimmer of anxiousness in his eyes.

"Wait," he said," can we talk?"

"Not right now, Sam," she frowned," we're literally in the middle of a classroom."

"But -" Sam began.

"You heard her."

Levi was leaning back in his seat, chin tilted up and eyebrow raised at Sam. She knew he was seconds from interfering physically if Sam continued acting up, but appreciated that he hadn't immediately done so. Still, an escalation seemed almost inevitable with the two of them, their personalities clashing like fire and ice. Proving her point Sam flamed up, that intensity of his that both amused and irritated her causing him to pull her closer. Though she knew he meant no harm and that he would never hurt her, that caused Levi to slowly push his chair back, his expression so cold it caused the temperature in the room to drop.

"Stop coming in between," Sam scowled," you did this last time too. You keep on acting like you know Nora better than I do, when I'm the one who has been there for her most of her life."

Levi didn't reply as he walked towards them, only stopping when he was right in front of Sam. Though Sam was far from short, Levi still had several inches over him, intimidating even without having to speak. His gaze dropped to Sam's hand on her wrist and then to her, a silent question in his eyes. She gave him a reassuring smile, before looking back at Sam.

"Let's not make a scene here," she said, voice soft so only the two of them would catch it.

Only then did Sam seem to notice that everyone was staring at them, murmurs having started up as the teacher looked absolutely helpless at the front. He blinked, before letting her go and taking a step back, looking a bit taken aback. Levi held up her wrist before she could stop him, checking her for injuries, but when he didn't find one he turned calmer, turning his glare towards the class instead. Everyone quickly looked away as the both of them walked back to their seats, Sam walking back to the front of the class to introduce himself.

"Anyway," he said, scraping his throat," I'm Samuel Vandeputte. Just call me Sam."

"Seems we have quite the famous transfers."

Everyone's gaze flicked to the person standing in the entrance, her presence alone enough to demand all the attention in the room. Ava Nichols was beautiful in the way a storm was, her fuchsia lips curled up in a smile as sharp as lightning and eyes the color of thunderclouds. Her outfit was completely black, soft on her dark skin, and her dreadlocks were pinned up on her head in a bun, expression that mix of boredom and amusement that she carried all the time.

The teacher didn't seem that surprised by her being late, instead sighing as he gestured at her to come in.

"I would give you detention," he said with a shake of his head," but I know that doesn't work on you."

"I actually have a good reason this time," she drawled," I was guiding the last transfer to the principal's office, it so happens she's a friend of mine." Her gaze wandered across Sam and Ella then. "Her reputation doesn't come close to the two of you though."

Not that was a hard thing. Sam was the posterboy for delinquents in her hometown, with his rap sheet so long she was surprised he hadn't been sent here earlier.

Sam looked flattered, a light blush on his cheeks, as he nodded at Ava. "Thanks."

Ava smiled at him as she passed on her way to her seat, as difficult to read as always as she let her voice drop to a soft pur. "Who said it was a compliment, new kid?"

"Does that mean you aren't calling me new girl anymore?" Ella asked her as she walked by.

With a chuckle Ava sat down in the second row, her seat right next to Alex and Will. She didn't spare Alex a glance and he looked away too, neither of them too keen on talking to each other. Ella wasn't surprised, when they had fought at her house it didn't sound like there was a lot to repair anymore of the relationship they used to have. Sam took a seat in front of the class and the teacher started talking, but the tension was still palpable, until Alex focused his attention on Levi, a grin on his face.

"You heard her," he mimicked, dropping his voice to an extremely low murmur," this isn't a competition, Samuel, but if it was, I would be winning."

"I didn't say that," Levi frowned.

"I know you wanted to," Alex smirked, voice back to normal," from getting a rap sheet to getting girls, they sure do grow up fast."

"Why are you talking like you're my father?" Levi said.

"The real question is, why aren't you talking like you're my child?" Alex replied.

Levi scowled at him, Will the total opposite of Alex' amusement with his soft concern as he looked at Ella and Levi.

"We were both ready to jump in any time," he said," are you alright, El?"

"I am, no worries," Ella smiled.

"You must have been," Alex nodded solemnly," Levi over here was cooler than Jack Frost after all -"

"I swear to God, Alex," Levi said as he turned around," I will fight you."

"You and I both know you're an atheist," Alex drawled," so that threat means nothing to me."

"Let's not start a fight before second period," Ella said, a hand on Levi's wrist before he could tackle Alex.

Levi narrowed his eyes at Alex, his friend mimicking the move as they stared at each other for a moment. After that they both continued on with their lives, their gazes fixed back on the front. It was a few minutes later that Levi glanced at Ella, his hand gently closing around her wrist, the callouses surprisingly soft on her skin.

"Can we talk tonight, Eleanora?" he murmured.

She blinked, surprised. "Yeah, sure, what about?"

Instead of answering he just gave her a cryptic look and nodded, something which only managed to confuse her further. Would it be about Sam? Isis perhaps? His expression didn't give much away, so she had no clue what to expect. She didn't have long to linger on her thoughts, because the door opened then, Clarkson standing in the doorway. The teacher glanced at him, but before he could say anything Clarkson already spoke.

"Sorry to disturb," he said," but I want Ella and Will in my office before second period." He looked at Ella. "I trust Will can show you the way, he comes by a surprising lot just to visit."

"I always enjoy our chats," Will grinned at him.

"What's it about?" Ella frowned.

Clarkson just left, leaving her again with another question unanswered. Alex leaned forward, whispering to the two of them with a confused frown on his face.

"I'm impressed," he whistled lowly," how did you two manage to get punished so early on your first day?"

"What if Clarkson just wants to talk with us?" Will suggested.

Alex blinked at Will, before just laughing in response. "Uh-huh, sure. What's next, world peace?"

"Good luck," Levi said solemnly.

"I don't feel supported, Peterson," Ella frowned.

"You want me to come with?" Levi offered," I can glare at Clarkson from outside his office."

"I don't think you intimidating him will lessen our punishment," Ella chuckled.

She was still wondering what her punishment would be for when the bell rang, unsure what she and Will could have done to warrant one. As she pecked Levi on the cheek she and Will headed towards his office, she was already sure this visit couldn't mean much good.

Time to find out what was going on.