"WITH HOW MUCH YOU'RE training, you're scaring everyone even more than you already was."

Ella glanced at where Isis was sitting on her bed, cross-legged and leaning against the wall, fingers tapping quickly on the keyboard. There had been a shift in the atmosphere of their room for a while now, but these days it felt especially calm. Her roommate was busy with some sort of coding project Ella understood absolutely nothing about, but it somehow had Isis so fired up the girl barely slept. Still, she looked softer. Clarkson met up with her frequently after seeing her wounds and though Ella had no idea what they talked about, she could clearly see Isis found support in the conversations.

"What are you talking about?" Ella said, continuing to unwrap the bandages around her knuckles," I'm incredibly charming, no one was scared to begin with."

Isis chuckled, not even looking up from her screen.

"Sure, that's why they are scared of Will, his lack of charm."

"Don't let Alex hear you," Ella said with a shake of her head," he'll be offended you didn't mention him."

A small smile crept up on Isis' lips as she looked up at her for a fleeting moment, before focusing back on her screen. Ella waved as she left the room then, ready to meet up with the girls. She had invited Isis as well, but her roommate had declined gently. They were comfortable with each other, but not friends yet, nor was Ella sure if they ever truly would be. That was fine though. She would never be able to be friends with everyone and that was okay.

Elisabeth, Mia, Will and Ava were sitting in the middle of the cafetaria, the first two looking at Ava in wonder as the girl painted their nails in her trademark fuchsia. Mia was already done, a smile on her face as she showed Will her hands, his lips parting in amazement. Ella had asked the girls to meet up because it felt like it had been ages since she had truly caught up with them, especially now she made herself so busy these days, but that didn't mean she wasn't happy to see Will as well.

"El!" he beamed, spotting her first and waving wildly with his arms.

The tables were all filled except for theirs, the cafetaria buzzing with sound and laughter during lunch time. Despite all the noise everyone's attention immediately snapped towards her when Will spoke up, people somehow always keeping up with what he was doing like he was some sort of local celebrity. Okay, he actually was in a way, but still. At least with Levi they all stayed quiet.

"Hey guys," Ella smiled, taking a seat opposite Will and Mia.

"I'll be leaving then," Will said, moving to get up," enjoy your time together."

"What are you talking about, silly?" Ella said," you can stay."

"Don't tell Alex," Ava said with a shake of her head," I can't take another dramatic speech of his."

"They're so adorable though," Elisabeth chuckled," and it's fine, he's doing something with Levi and Kai today."

"Yeah," Ella nodded," Kai's getting a new apartment and they're looking for furniture. Levi alone couldn't be trusted with any interior design choice."

"I wanted to come along," Will pouted," but I had training, so I couldn't skip school along with them."

"The thought of skipping school always has given me heart palpitations," Mia said with a solemn shake of her head.

"I practically have them too," Elisabeth replied," I love your family, Mia, but incurring your uncle's wrath is no joke."

Ava was done with Elisabeth's nails then, closing the polish as she looked back up at her. "Speaking of you loving her family, how are things between you and Clarkson Junior? Last I heard he was going to ask you out again."

Elisabeth glanced at her nails, a hint of heartbreak in her resolution. It always was difficult to let go of people who had settled in your life, Ella had witnessed that personally herself.

"I am going to reject him," she said," we're both not in the same place we were when we were together and in a way that doesn't sadden me anymore. I haven't seen him yet though, because he's on an exchange to Bangladesh for a month. His mother's taught him the language, but he really wanted to reconnect more with that part of him."

"I admire Rei," Mia said softly," it is hard to reclaim parts of yourself in a foreign place, but nothing is as heartbreaking as losing your own culture."

"He's always been determined like this," Elisabeth agreed warmly. Ava didn't ask anything else, but Elisabeth continued, answering the question which was hanging in the air. "Alex and I, we're on a bit of a hold now. He's just given what happened between you two a place, not to mention how busy he's been with everything that's been going on around him. His attention span isn't good enough for him to be able to focus on anything else, but there's no rush. If we truly are meant to be, no matter how cheesy that sounds, it'll happen."

"That's so beautiful," Will said, clearly touched as he placed a hand on his heart.

Ava simply smiled, no defensive anger flaring up at all as she had listened to Elisabeth. She too, was at peace with it now. Ella was just glad her friends finally were allowing themselves to be happy.

"Speaking of new loves," Ava said, her gaze focused on something over Will's shoulder," I know you've been too busy running circles to notice much, new girl, but your ex has found love as well."

"Sam?" Ella said, a surge of relief filling her," I'm so glad, I was worried he was feeling left out here. Who is it?"

"Guess," Ava said," though it's not much of a game, because you have three seconds before he appears in your line of sight."

Ella followed Ava's line of view, eyes narrowing in thought as she saw Sam with someone who she knew from somewhere, but couldn't quite pinpoint. Who was it? Why did the person look so familiar?

"It's Tamara's brother," Ava answered for her, clearly seeing her obvious confusion," you know, Dylan."

"O my God," Ella said, suddenly remembering how the guy had held her against a tree while his sister threatened her for Alex' affections," it is. He bears a striking resemblance to her."

With his fiery red curls Dylan easily stood out in the crowd, but he also had a certain calmness in him which came with being the older sibling. It balanced Sam out well, her friend running around, energy always completely maxed out, Dylan chuckling as he pulled him along by his hand. Seeing him truly happy here was a sight she hadn't been lucky enough yet to witness, but now, all she could do was smile.

"Everyone's getting cuffed," Ava sighed," perhaps I should flirt with someone new again, I'm bored."

"Being alone is honestly so relaxing," Elisabeth said," I'm glad I'm not in a relationship now, I have so much to figure out about myself."

"I don't want to figure out things," Ava replied," I want to wreak havoc and get attention, not necessarily in that order."

"Also valid," Ella agreed.

"By the way," Mia piped up," exams are coming up soon, want to do a study session together?"

"What?" Ella exclaimed, head snapping towards Mia," what are you talking about?"

"I only need to revise," Ava said," but I'll definitely be there."

For lack of better and more chaotic options, like Alex, Ella turned to Will for support and thankfully he looked just out of the loop as she was. His baseball training had been keeping him busy as well, never mind the way his empathy for Levi's complicated situation obviously burdened him. Ella wouldn't have thought she'd ever say it, but Will honestly was too nice, to the point where it affected him. She, however, was simply a dumbass.

"Hopefully after my match?" Ella asked tentatively, cheering when Mia nodded. "Just to double check, you all are still coming, right?"

"Of course," Will beamed," I haven't been able to cheer for someone in a really long time, so you'll get all my energy."

"It's been long since someone participated in a match," Ava reminisced," Levi hated the attention on him, but Alex truly did love it."

"He talked about wanting to pick up his training again," Elisabeth said," he thrives when he's the center of attention for things, so I just know he would enjoy it."

"I think not even I could convince Levi to go anywhere like that," Ella said amusedly.

"Levi is easy to read like that," Will chuckled," if he doesn't want to do something, he simply doesn't do it." He glanced over to Ella then, warm. "Speaking of things he's excited about, he's really looking forward to your match. He even asked me for help to make nice banners."

"He asked me how to give off a nice presence," Mia said, still seeming stunned by that conversation," I'm not sure if I helped him, because I find him very difficult to understand."

"That's so sweet," Ella said, unable to suppress her smile.

Despite how busy she and Levi were now with their respective problems, she was amazed with how easy it was to make time for someone if you truly wanted to. All the chaos she was used to while planning things was gone with Levi, their conversations always clearing her head. She didn't think she'd ever say something so cheesy, but she missed him, even for the short while he was away. Hopefully furniture shopping was going well.

As if on cue, her phone lit up then.

"Why are there so many options for a bed?? Why is there not one universal bedframe we all share?"

"Calm down, Marx, I think that's something for your new manifesto."

"Marx is everything I wish I were: dead."

Ella laughed at how dramatic he was being, another message lighting up her phone.

"Kai and Alex kept bugging me about it, so I have to let you know they're saying hi for some reason."

Her smile was still on her face as she typed a reply, all her worries gone.

"Hi back. Love you."