...

TREVOR LUNGED AT HIM, barely scraping his cheek with a punch. In response Levi gave him a clean uppercut, looking bored already. Looking at the whole scene made her want to participate as well, but she fought the itch in her hands. There was no way she would jeopardize her future and her mother's last chance, not when she had gotten so far too.

Just four more days and she would be done. No nunnery, no angry mother, just her friends and her own home. So she clutched her hands into fists, blood trickling down her hands as she watched the fight. It was a voice seconds later which cut the fight short, a blessing she hadn't expected. She had been moments away from throwing everything in the wind and helping anyway, her veins burning with the foreign thought of helplessness, one which overwhelmed her.

"What is this?"

Will was sitting on top of someone, his hand high in the air as he stopped mid-punch, Alex just beside him having grabbed someone by the collar and shoved against a tree, two guys already lying on the grass in a dishevelled state. And there, in the middle of it all was Levi, his fists bloodied, Trevor stumbling as he missed another blow.

In front of them, walking towards them with an ease that seemed impossible with heels that high, was Ava. The girl was clad in a skintight halter dress with strapped heels, the whole ensemble black. Her arms were folded over each other, her fuchsia nails attracting Ella's attention as she tapped them impatiently against her arm.

"We were just having a chat," Trevor said, lowering his fists immediately.

"We were," Alex chimed in as he let the guy he was holding go, amicably smoothing his collar out and smiling at him.

Ava raised one perfectly filled in eyebrow, a mixture of displeasure and something else Ella couldn't decipher visible in her eyes when she frowned.

"Why were you fighting?" she said.

"It wasn't anything important," Trevor coaxed her, a sheepish smile on his face.

"Don't get me wrong," Ava said," I don't care if you fight, I want to know why."

Ella had to give it to Ava. No matter how angry and violent Trevor had been before, now he was fumbling for words in an attempt to justify his actions.

"They were getting on my nerves," Trevor said finally.

Ava looked at them, Trevor's bleeding nose, Will's bruised cheek, Levi's bloody knuckles. It was on Alex that her gaze lingered though, those dark eyes unreadable.

"We're over," she said.

Trevor blinked, before his lips parted in shock. Various emotions flashed over his face, until it settled on anger. "Why?" he said," that's complete bullshit. I won't accept that."

Ava shrugged.

"I really don't care whether you accept it or not," she said.

She turned around, ready to leave, but Trevor grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. Her high heels caught in the grass for a moment, causing her to almost lose her footing, but she quickly recovered before she fell in his arms.

"Let me go," she said simply, the command in her voice clear.

Alex had already come closer, his hands clutched into fists and his face livid. It was only the sound of her voice that had held him back, although Ella guessed it was probably barely.

"At least tell me why," he demanded.

She glanced at them one last time, her eyes going over Levi, Will and Alex for a moment with an expression that could almost be called soft. The gentle expression was gone though when she looked at Trevor.

"No reason," she said.

Trevor tried to grab her tighter, but she had already pulled her wrist loose. Once she lowered her gaze to her wrist and noticed the red coloring her dark skin, the distaste in her eyes was clear.

"Don't touch me again," she said, before turning around and leaving so fast Trevor couldn't even answer.

For a moment he just stood there, with his back towards them and his fists clenched. Ella almost thought he was going to cry, but just at that moment he turned around, his face livid.

"I will kill you all for this," he hissed.

"Dude," Ella said," don't be so dramatic. This was obviously your fault."

Trevor's eyes were ablaze as they flicked towards her. Although she knew he probably meant to be intimidating, she held his gaze, not flinching at all when he cracked his knuckles. It was only when Levi stepped forward a moment later that he looked away, before beckoning for his friends to go with a jerk of his head. No words left his lips, but Ella could still feel the anger simmering in the air. As soon as the rustling of leaves died down, the chill in the air seemed to warm and the tenseness seemed to flow out of the boys.

"Are you alright?" Will fussed as he looked at her.

"For someone who doesn't fight you sure aren't scared at all," Alex added, sounding almost impressed.

"I'm not that good at keeping comments in," Ella shrugged.

It was the truth and one that had gotten her in trouble so many times before. She never had minded it, had always accepted the fact that she breathed trouble like other people did air. In here, it was almost unusual not to though.

"Besides," Ella said," with the way you guys were fighting, I didn't think anything was bound to happen."

"Nothing was going to happen," Levi said.

His voice so clear she didn't doubt he would have knocked Trevor out before he could even reach her.

"If I didn't know any better," Ella said, her tone teasing," I even would have thought you were protecting me, Levi."

He scowled at her, his glare doing nothing to diminish her amusement. "You're insufferable."

"So are you," she smiled, although both their words didn't hold any venom.

"Get a room," Alex said, before adding," and if you're up for it, Ella, you can just get a friend and we'll get a room together."

Ella rolled her eyes, not bothering to reply as she discarded the list of items on the grass. The scavenger hunt was a lost cause now, that was something she could easily see. Not like Clarkson would probably mind that much. As far as she had seen from the groups they had passed, no one was really doing anything anyway.

Will was happily chatting with her about the plants he kept at home when they neared the tent. They had decided to take a break to freshen up. For Ella that meant cooling her head down so anger wouldn't get the best of her the rest of the day, pent up energy just building under the surface each time she suppressed her violent side. For the rest, it meant washing off the blood and dirt on them, something she had forced them to do now so Clarkson wouldn't notify her mother.

"Are you sure you can stay alone?" Will asked worriedly," Trevor looked quite angry."

"He holds grudges really well," Alex warned.

"Go," Ella said as she shooed them away," I'll be just fine."

Levi stared at her the longest, his gaze unreadable. Finally he nodded, pressing something in her hand before he left. Will and Alex lingered around the tent for a bit until she kicked them out too immediately after, having become annoyed by their unnecessary concern. As soon as they were gone, she opened her hand to look at the thing Levi had given her.

The brass knuckles gleamed in the rays of the sun as she turned it around in her hand. She couldn't suppress the smile on her lips, rolling her eyes at the fact Levi had left her with a weapon for the ten minutes they would be gone.

"Idiot," she muttered.