LIVIA WAS STARTING to get comfortable with the group when a new voice interrupted their animated discussion of universities around the area and their reputations. Livia's spine jammed straight before she forced herself to relax, slowly turning to meet the eyes of Amphion.
Despite him talking to Jason, who he evidently was friendly with, his eyes remained on Livia. Something like rage flickered through them, and Livia met him head on, chin raised. I'm not scared of you. I've never been scared of you.
Livia's gaze moved past him, and she realised that Sarah Hepburn was standing right there, brows creased, studying her. Livia, in an effort to be polite, offered a nod in greeting. Sarah stiffly returned it.
"Amphion, my guy!" Jason exclaimed, walking forward and clapping him on the back. "Zeth! This young lady is?"
"Sarah Hepburn," she replied with the sweetest smile. Tonight, Sarah was dressed in an emerald green dress that accentuated her flame red hair. She looked like the main character out of a fairytale. While Livia's features were more of the striking category (though Pamela still beat her in that), Sarah's were always softer, more princess-like, more sweet and pleasant. When she was eleven or twelve, Livia had been jealous of that, until she grew into her own face and became more comfortable with it.
They all envied what they didn't have, until they realised that their own flowers bloomed just as brightly and beautifully as anyone else's did. That was how people worked, it was how people had always worked.
"I'm Jason," Jason replied. "This is Eunice, that's Victor. I believe you know Livia."
Livia's lips curled upwards in a small smile. "We've met."
Sarah blinked, nonplussed, before her expression morphed into one of coldness. "Yes, we've met."
"You're neighbours, aren't you?" Jason asked, gesturing to the twins and then to Livia.
"Yeah," Zeth replied casually. "Practically grew up together, you know."
Livia let out a small "hmph" in reply. Zeth's smile froze on his face in awkwardness before he slowly lowered his head.
While Jason seemed to remain blissfully unaware of the tension in the room, his cousin seemed to pick up on it, eyes darting between the group, brows creased. Livia met her eye and slowly shook her head. Don't ask. She hoped Eunice got the message.
The girl gave a slow nod. Livia took that as confirmation that Eunice would not pop that particular bubble any time soon. She'd confront this situation eventually, but it would not be in front of half the teenage population of Briarville. It would be somewhere more private, more secluded, where they could leave and act as if nothing had happened at all in the first place.
Yes, that was the plan. Though whether or not it'd come into fruition, or if Livia was just going to avoid them all throughout the summer, she hadn't quite decided yet.
"What are you guys talking about?" Amphion asked, apparently unaffected by the awkwardness in the air.
"Oh, just random stuff," Jason laughed. "You graduated this year, right? Are you going to university? Or gap year?"
"Uni," Amphion grinned in reply. "I'm going to the same school as her." At that, he nudged his chin in Livia's direction, and she squirmed uncomfortably as multiple pairs of eyes turned to stare at her. Sarah's brows visibly creased, displeasure taking over her expression.
"Different majors, though," Livia said lightly.
"What are you studying?" Jason asked, glancing at Amphion. "Let me guess, something to do with business?"
YOU ARE READING
hexes for exes
Teen FictionEVERY SUMMER, four families make their yearly exodus to the British seaside town of Briarville. For Livia Wong, the trip had been tradition ever since she could remember. Summer was always spent alongside the pristine beaches with the dreamy-hued su...
