THE ARISTOCRATS #1

Epilogue

Clementine stood on stage in her graduation gown and cap. The microphone amplified her words; the last speech she would ever give as a school captain. The assembly hall was full of the graduating class of senior students. Her peers. Her eyes wondered as she spoke, meeting a familiar pair of charcoal eyes in the audience.

Elijah smiled at her, warm and encouraging.

She cleared her throat, a small smile on her face. That familiar ball of love in her heart swelled and warmed her. Beside him, she could see Ronan and Aaron bickering while Levi furiously whispered at the two of them, undoubtedly telling them off.

She couldn't help but smile as she read out her speech. Some things never changed.

I definitely have. Her mind whirled with thoughts as the students, teachers and parents clapped at the end of her speech. She sat back down in her chair on stage, next to the vice-principal.

Clementine knew that she was going through a tough time in her life. Sometimes she couldn't leave her bed, consumed with all-consuming guilt and shame at the memory of putting her own mother behind bars. Her talks with lawyers and police officers were confusing and exhausting, and the pitying looks from other teachers made her nauseous. Reporters would hound her wherever she went, demanding a statement from her. She would often find herself snapping at her friends often. But it wasn't all bad.

Some things made life easier. When she couldn't get out of bed, Elijah would come to her, sitting next to her and stroking her hair as he talked and talked and talked about nothing and everything at the same time. She would rouse from her stupor to reply to him occasionally, drawn in to his stories and his life. Aaron's parents were a godsend, they were so kind to her, acknowledging the fact that they knew legal talk was confusing, so they would break it down so she could understand it easier. After the first encounter with crowds of reporters and journalists, Elijah had given her a personal bodyguard to keep her safe. She had insisted that it wasn't necessary, but she couldn't deny she adored the gesture and how safe she felt.

Aaron, Ronan and Levi remained the exact same. Their bickering and arguing and inane conversations made her laugh, something she needed. She relished the normalcy she felt between them.

Her talks with her therapist had allowed her to deal with her complicated feelings towards her mother. Sure, she wasn't completely fine. She would often find herself crying during those sessions, wallowing in grief and self-loathing. But she knew how to handle those feelings now. Knew that it wasn't her fault, knew that while all those shitty things had happened to her, she still had a whole life ahead of her.

Clementine walked out of the assembly hall to where all the students, parents and teachers were gathered, taking photos of themselves. The Aristocrats cheered when they saw her and she grinned, walking up to them.

"Did you guys like my speech?" She smiled at them, blushing softly as Elijah enveloped her in his arms.

"I liked the beginning," Levi smiled. I didn't get to hear much of the end because these two assholes couldn't shut up about whether it was better to say words in their original accents."

"Mozzarella sounds better than mozarella," Aaron said in a ridiculous Italian accent.

"No-"

Roman was cut off by Levi's fierce glare.

"Speech was good, Clem," he grunted. "Don't know how you stood there in front of 200 people, you've got balls on you."

"Thank you," She replied mock-primly, giggling slightly.

Elijah kissed her temple, eyes shining with pride.

"My smart girl," he murmured. "So proud of you

She looked at him, her heart swelling to ten times its original size. "I love you," she whispered to him.

"I love you," he smiled, bending down to kiss her.

She pulled away as someone cleared her throat behind them. They turned to see Clementines father standing there, holding a camera and smiling uncomfortably.

"Thought you guys might want a photo," he said, a gruff smile on his face.

Elijah didn't reply, his face neutral. Her father had become a more prominent figure in her life after her mother's arrest. They argued and talked and apologised frequently, and Clementine still wasn't sure whether he had a place in her life or not. But he was trying, and she appreciated the effort. Elijah was more difficult to come around. He and her father had gotten off to a rocky start, what with Elijah berating him for being so absent in Clementines life. He was still cold and stony around the older man, and would often snap at him, but he no longer threatened to kill him. Which really, Clementine was very proud of.

"Sure dad," she smiled.

He gave her a grateful smile, lumbering forward in his slouchy jeans and flannel shirt as the Aristocrats gathered in a line. There was a bit of struggle as Aaron insisted on being in the middle, while Ronan wanted the tallest in the middle and the shorter ones on the sides. Elijah rolled his eyes, gripping Levi by the shoulder and forcing him to stand still in the middle and serve as a barrier between Ronan and Aaron so they didn't bite each others heads off.

"You're on my foot!" Levi complained when Aaron accidentally stepped on his shoes.

"Eli keeps shoving me," Aaron huffed, glaring at him.

"Yeah, because you're being a whiny asshole right now," Elijah grunted.

"Whiny asshole," Ronan snickered.

Clementine squealed with laughter as Elijah picked her up onto his back, letting her wrap her arms around his neck. Levi helpfully tugged her dress down so it didn't ride over her ass.

"Take the picture, dad!" Clementine grinned like a puppy.

"Which button is it?" Her father rubbing the back of his neck as he frowned down at the camera.

Clementine groaned. Levi walked forward and quickly explained how to take the photo, before rejoining the group.

Her father took the photo just as her cap slid off her hair, landing on the grass.

"I think I caught that," her father laughed.

They laughed, bustling with energy and smiling as Ronan placed her cap back on her head and her father took some more photos.

When the camera was out away and her father left to retrieve some free tea offered by the school, she turned to face the Aristocrats.

"I guess we don't have to say goodbye, huh?" she smiled, holding Elijah's hands in her own.

"Oxfords not ready," Ronan smirked, shaking his head.

"You guys should be glad I agreed to go," Aaron sniffed with contempt. "After all your begging and pleading."

"No one begged you to come," Levi pointed out. "You literally spammed the groupchat asking us whether we had accepted our offers or not."

"I didn't spam!" He protested.

"You sent forty fuckin' messages," Elijah said dryly.

"Thirty of those messages were because you guys don't answer your phones," Aaron huffed. "What's the point of having a phone if you don't use it for its intended purpose."

"The fact that you even sent forty messages says enough," Clementine snorted.

She stood there in the sun, smiling contently as they bickered and laughed amongst each other. She couldn't explain the feeling inside of her, the way she felt so at home with them. So safe and welcome, it was unlike anything she had ever experienced. The feeling of gratefulness consumed her. What had she done in her last life to deserve this family? To deserve the love she felt from so many people?

She leaned her head against Elijah's shoulder, looking up with a soft smile as he squeezed her shoulder.

"You ready for Oxford, sweet girl?"

"More than ready," she smiled.

"They won't know what's coming for them," his eyes flashed with pride.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."