Sinful (WICKED #2) | ✓

15

ELLA BREATHED OUT SLOWLY, trying to control her anger as she turned to Isis. Whatever she was trying to accomplish, it was annoying her more and more by the day. She never had been one for childish games and one look at Sam beneath her clearly told her he hadn't been informed of this as well. He was staring at her with wide eyes, his whole body having gone rigid and a blush coloring his cheeks. As she focused her gaze back on Isis, she suddenly noticed a single photograph on the closet beside the door, the only decoration in the room.

She got to her feet, shaking her head at Isis as she pointed at it.

"This is Levi's room?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

A flash of uncharacteristic warmth colored Isis' eyes as she glanced at the picture, the boys grinning as they stared in the camera, Ava blowing a kiss in the middle. When she looked back, her expression was cold again.

"You have never even been to his house," Isis said," hell, you don't even know him." She waved her phone lazily, a smile on her face. "It's fine though, I'm sure he'll be glad to see that when you said you were gone, you were coming to his room to make out with your ex."

"Have you actually gone insane?" Ella spat," what makes you think he'll believe you?"

Isis' words caught flame as she stormed over to Ella, burning like a whiplash.

"Why would he believe you?" she said, jabbing her finger against Ella's chest," what do you know of the pain Levi and I carry? He's the only one who understands me and my past as do I with him. Have you ever been beaten until you couldn't move anymore, Ella? Have you been scared to be in your own home?"

"Why are you acting like I should be in pain to be able to like Levi?" Ella shouted back, her annoyance flowing over," trauma isn't the price I have to pay for love."

"If only it was as simple as that," Isis scoffed," I have never been given the choice."

"And so you decide to fucking blackmail me?" Ella said.

"This isn't blackmail," Isis replied," I'm not asking for anything in return, I'm going to show Levi these pictures and tell him everything. Broken seeks broken, Ella, you should just stick to your perfect ex over here."

Sam's bewildered expression turned flattered for a second, but he quickly collected himself again after. He parted his lips in an attempt to intervene, but Ella already spoke before he could do so.

"What if I don't?" she said, leaning forward and dropping her voice to a whisper," what are you going to do about it?"

Isis went for her hair in a move which was so predictable Ella dodged it immediately. She ignored Isis' surprised expression, spinning on her heel and kicking her in the face. As the impact made Isis lose her balance she grabbed the girl's arm, pressed her knee against her back and pushed her down against the floor in one fluid move, putting pressure until Isis finally wasn't able to keep silent anymore.

"Get off me," she hissed.

"Why would I?" Ella said, a humorless smile on her face," you know, if I put any more pressure your arm will break."

"Break it then," Isis spat," I'll show Levi exactly how crazy you are."

Despite Isis' numerous threats, Ella didn't feel bothered at all. Would it be crazy to break someone's arm? Sure. Was she absolutely done with this whole dramatic situation? Abso-fucking-lutely. So she simply tugged at Isis' arm so she fell with her face on the floor, her voice dripping with a fake sweetness.

"It'd be a nice way for him to find out."

Before she could even do anything though Sam suddenly pulled her off Isis, a frown on his face. He barely dodged her elbow when she made the quick movement backwards, before pulling herself free once his grip loosened. Oh, she was so annoyed, at everyone and everything, and the fact that the world was spinning and her head was fuzzy didn't help at all. Shit, she shouldn't have drunk so much.

"Nora," Sam began," your words are slurring, how much alcohol have you had tonight?"

"You aren't my mother, Sam," she frowned at him," and don't involve yourself in this situation, you aren't a part of it."

"I am now," he said," this girl called me up here telling me you asked for me and now you two suddenly begin fighting? Is Levi really worth that much to you that you are willing to break someone's arm for him?"

"This isn't about Levi!" she exclaimed," you have no idea how much she bothered me these past weeks."

She lost her balance then, but Sam grabbed her shoulders just in time, his gaze concerned. Somehow that just infuriated her more.

"This is about him," he said," can't you realize how unhappy he is making you?"

"Stop talking about fucking Levi," she snapped at him, something about the way Sam said his name making her so angry she wanted to hit him.

"Eleanora."

She caught Levi's eye from where he was standing in the doorway, his expression undecipherable as he looked at her. He always was either frowning or emotionless, but right now she couldn't exactly make out what he was feeling. One thing she was sure of though and that was that she had enough of all this, a headache already beginning to form.

"It shouldn't be like this, Levi," she said, her voice quiet," it shouldn't be your ex trying to get me every chance she gets and mine not understanding that we are apart." She breathed out. "It shouldn't be this difficult."

Before he could stop her she had already passed him. He tried to follow her as she made her way down the stairs, but Sam stopped him halfway through. Their arguments quickly escalated into a fistfight, Sam being the one to throw the first punch in all his emotions. Levi's face was turned sideways for a second, blood welling up on his bottom lip. He wiped it away roughly, looking back at Sam with a gaze that meant murder. Despite it all there was also a certain calmness in him though, visible when he moved, like he knew he was going to win no matter what.

"Just glaring at me won't do anything," Sam taunted him.

Without a reply he swiftly landed a right hook, dodging Sam's dazed attempt to hit him back. It was only then, as his gaze flicked to the bottom of the stairs, where she was standing, that he parted his lips to say something. However, Sam interrupted him with a punch aiming for his head, Levi ducking at once as he stepped in, changed his footing and immediately landed a high kick which knocked Sam off balance.

Ella didn't wait to see the rest, already having lost too much time by having stopped anyway. Still, she couldn't help it, not when she had been worried for Levi. She breathed out, her pace fast as she tried to get out of the house. Even though she knew the best option would be to stay behind and talk it out, she really needed to clear her head. Her anger wasn't directed at Levi at all, but if she had stayed there longer she didn't know whether she could have calmed herself down.

Once she reached the ground floor she made sure not to pass Will or Ava, instead walking out of the first exit she saw. She ran before her eyes had even adjusted to the dark, until she was way out in what she assumed to be a backyard. Alex' laugh almost made her jump, but as soon as she saw him, sitting against a tree carefree, gaze trained on Elisabeth, she knew he hadn't noticed her. He seemed like there had been a weight lifted off his shoulders as she brought water to his lips, pretending it was an airplane to get him to drink it.

Thankfully the dark hid her mostly away and so she quietly continued on, until she reached the end of the yard. It had been quite large and for a moment she wondered how rich Levi's family was for him to live in this kind of place, but she didn't allow herself to dwell on it for too long. Instead she sat down against the tall fence and watched the house in the distance. She tilted her head back, breathing the cold air in and letting it wash over her thoughts.

"Are you alright?"

Her eyes opened, focusing on the person in front of her. With a slow nod she gestured for him to sit down in the grass, her voice quiet.

"We need to talk."