THOUGH ELLA HAD SAID they could stay longer, the guys had decided it was their time to leave. They were packing their things, all sitting cross-legged on the floor, Ella lying propped up on her arms on the bed. The guestroom had been a simple room with two beds before and yet somehow it now looked like the aftermath of a storm. Clothes and random objects they had taken along were scattered all across the floor, the inflatable bed in the middle of the room covered in so much stuff that it almost wasn't visible anymore. She had positioned herself to their left, smiling at the sight of Levi folding the clothes Will and Alex had messily stashed in their luggage again.

"Do you want me to help?" she asked.

"No need," Alex said with a reassuring wave of his hand," you already helped us a lot by allowing us to stay at your place."

"Why are you the one responding?" Levi frowned," I'm the one doing all the work."

"I can -" Will offered, but Levi interrupted him with a shake of his head before his friend could even finish your sentence.

"He's right," Alex agreed," I have never seen someone fold as bad as you do and I've seen myself."

"I worry about you guys when you start living alone," Ella said.

Alex' eyes widened, as if the thought hadn't crossed his head yet, gaze quickly flicking to Levi. He grabbed his friend's hands, Levi's scowl not deterring him.

"You can't ever leave us, Levioli," he pleaded.

Will pulled Alex away just in time by his arm, Levi already cracking his knuckles in anticipation for a brawl. She chuckled and Levi looked at her in betrayal. Honestly, she was going to miss their dynamic, which mostly consisted of Levi being bitter. Something flashed through her head then and she glanced at the guys.

"My uniform is coming in tomorrow," she said," I didn't know you guys actually wore one."

"We refused to at first as well," Alex said," but Clarkson bullied us into wearing one."

"I wore it," Will beamed," the colors are nice."

"You were the only one," Levi said.

"Don't forget the group of girls who are obsessed with you and consequently started wearing the uniform again," Alex added.

Will blushed, shaking his head. "No one's obsessed with me, Alex."

"Oh my sweet, summer child," Alex sighed.

His phone went off and he immediately glanced at it, eyes lighting up once he saw who it was.

"What made you all happy?" Ella said.

"Beth," Alex grinned as he typed something back," we're planning a fun day out together after this."

Levi raised an eyebrow at him, not needing to say anything for Alex to get it.

"We're just friends," Alex said," I mean it. I know better than to try and date girls I'm friends with now." Though Ava's name wasn't mentioned, it still hung in the air, even when Alex continued speaking, hands closing his suitcase. "We click too well for me to want to fuck this up again the way I always do."

Will didn't say anything, instead pulling his friend in a hug. Levi casually tried to get away from the two of them but Will already threw an arm around him as well. With a huff Levi let himself be dragged in the hug, but not before he had grabbed Ella's waist and took her down with him as well. She didn't mind that much though, Will gave good hugs and now they were going away, it was a fitting goodbye.

"I can't believe I'm about to say this," Alex remarked," but I actually miss St Joseph."

"I do too," Will said.

"I don't," Levi stated," you both are crazy."

"You're not looking forward to seeing me at St Joseph?" Ella teased.

"I take my words back," Levi said immediately.

"Look how far we've come," Will smiled," just a few weeks ago we were complete strangers."

"The three of us are childhood friends," Levi frowned.

"Hush," Alex said," you're ruining the sentimental moment."

"Why are you all doing a group hug without me?"

Sebastian had crossed his arms in the opening of the door, a sulking look on his face. Behind him Faiza chuckled, pressing a kiss on Sebastian's cheek. It only took that for her brother to cease complaining at once, a light blush coloring his cheeks.

"You're whipped," Ella told him.

"And I'm proud of it," Sebastian grinned.

"We came up to tell you that the car's waiting outside," Faiza smiled.

"Must be my dad," Will said happily.

The three of them hastily zipped up their suitcases, taking everything along downstairs. When Will had said his father was coming to get the three of them, Ella had expected a smiling, middle-aged man in a cozy car, but stepping outside that proved to be wrong. An all-black Tesla with tinted windows was waiting in front of her house, the man leaning against it dressed in a suit and not looking a day over thirty.

Sebastian and Faiza said their goodbyes at the door, her mother having done so yesterday night. She was working today, so knowing her she wouldn't be home until midnight. She had been warm with the guys, more than she normally would with people who were almost strangers, wishing them well with the start of their new schoolyear. The three of them hadn't said much to Ella, but she knew they were proud that her mother liked them.

She shut the door behind her, walking towards the car. The man she assumed to be Will's father smiled at her, offering her a hand as soon as she came closer. After she shook it he placed his arms around Levi, Alex and Will, giving the three of them a tight group hug. If that wasn't confirmation enough that he was Will's relative, his honey eyes were, gleaming with warmth.

"How have you three been?" he said.

"Good," Will beamed," El has been really kind to let us stay in her house."

"Where are my manners?" Will's father said, turning back to her," I realize I shook your hand but didn't introduce myself. I'm such a scatterbrain sometimes."

"So is Will," Alex said.

Will nodded solemnly at that and his father chuckled.

"Anyway," he said," Chase Tyler, but you can call me Chase. Next time you can stay at our house, it would be my pleasure."

"That sounds fun," Ella smiled," I'll take you up on that offer soon."

"Are your parents here?" his father said, glancing at the house," I'd like to thank them as well for taking such good care of the boys."

"My mother's off to work already," Ella said with a shake of her head," but I'll tell her you said that."

Will's father smiled brightly at her, stepping behind the wheel after. "Alright, you rascals, let's go home."

"See you soon, babe!" Alex called out as he stepped in the car.

"I miss you already," Will said, hugging her one last time before he followed Alex.

Levi lingered, eyes on hers and hand on her cheek. He pressed a soft kiss on her lips, gentle like a promise, before stepping back and looking at her. The memories she had with him caught in his eyes like the sun, a kaleidoscope of laughter and scowls, blooming in her mind like roses. She tilted her head to the right, waving slowly at him, a smile tugging at her lips.

"See you soon, big, bad wolf," she drawled.

"See you soon, Eleanora," he said, low voice tickling her ear.

He sat down and closed the door, the three of them already waving through the open windows before the car even drove off. She had been watching them so intently that she hadn't even noticed the person coming closer until he grabbed her wrist, taking her by surprise. With a frown she looked up at the guy interrupting her, before she realized who it was.

"Nora," Sam said," I heard from my father you're going to St Joseph."

Ella blinked, quickly realizing their parents had talked. "And what about it?"

Levi was watching Sam with a gaze that told her he was ready to jump out of the car if needed, though Sam hadn't noticed him yet. Will's father was completely oblivious to the whole situation, starting the motor at that moment.

"I am going too," Sam said," and I'm going to win you back."

Alex gasped, but before Levi or any of them could even say anything Will's father had already stepped on the gas, the car driving off without further ado. Ella's lips had parted, too surprised to know what to do with Sam's announcement. Before she could even say anything though he already spoke, eyes sincere.

"You don't need to reply," he said," I'll see you there."

He ran off then, leaving her behind with wide eyes and a ringing phone, Levi's name on the screen. Whatever naive hope she had had of having a quiet year, it was gone now. She raised her eyes to the sky, a sigh leaving her lips.

"Oh shit."

the last chapter!! it was so fun to rewrite this book completely, thank you all for reading! the version on radish has  a different fun covid/quarantine version of this (the plot is generally the same, but there are a few extra scenes and quarantine jokes inside), the bonus chapters are also available on there, of an au where the boys are rich guys attending Gaia High and Ella is the new transfer, so if you were curious what Alexander, William and Levi would be like privileged and without their delinquent ways, you can find it there! Jasmina makes a short feature as well. Sinful is already finished and I've started Notorious, all of which you can read for free (1 chapter each hour) as season 2 and 3of Wicked, and i'll be updating it there every Friday. it'll be getting on Wattpad as well, but if you want to read ahead you can, my username is vividlycrimson💓 anyway, i literally adore you all so much, thank you endlessly for three million (!!!) reads, you are all literally made of stars🥺