hexes for exes

chapter eight, the way we fall apart

"SO, AND NOW we have this," Pamela mused, leaning backwards so that she was staring at the ceiling, flat on the bed. "You and the twins. At opposite sides. Enemies, but for real this time."

Livia said, "I wouldn't consider us enemies."

"But you're arguing and don't get along. You've gone from the heroes of each other's stories to the villains. How did that happen?"

Livia replied, earnestly, "I don't know."

"I think that's the first time you've ever not known something," Pamela said wistfully. "A few years ago I'd have rejoiced in the fact that you were not all-knowing. Now, I just don't know what to say."

They sat in silence there for a little while. It was already past midnight and the house was quiet. The beach outside was dark and the waters a dark abyss that threatened to engulf them if they stepped too close. It was almost like they were sitting at the side of the pits of hell, staring into the inferno. Livia joined her sister, lied down, hair splayed out on her sheets.

"I don't know what to do."

"I can tell."

"I talked to them earlier," Livia swallowed, "well, you're aware of that. They said... they said that we were falling apart a long time ago. All of us. It made me really upset."

"Were we?" Pamela asked, and she didn't need to turn to know that her sister was frowning. While for most of her life Livia had been the fiercely protective older sister, sometimes a bit too protective, Pamela always had her back too. They didn't get along sometimes, it happened with all siblings, but when they needed it they were always a shoulder for the other to lean back on. They were both each other's mountains.

"In a way, yes." Livia stopped. "I think, I think the moment Melody was gone, we started falling apart."

And then, the expected silence that always accompanied any mention of the name. Melody Martinez. In a way the girl was immortalised in all their thoughts, even though she was long gone, nothing but ashes. Despite being memory, she was constantly there, constantly with them, not as much haunting as much as just... wishfulness. Wishing that she was still there, knowing that if she was everything would be better than it actually was. She was more flesh and bones than anything else Livia knew.

Melody Martinez.

Oh Melody, what would you do if you were here now?

But Melody didn't answer, because she'd left years ago.

Quietly, Pamela asked, "What else did they say?"

"That they don't actually hate me."

"Did they apologise? For what they said last year?"

"No." Livia waited for a moment, then said, "You know, we never knew what quite happened with Veronica. No one's mentioned anything about her all year. Her brother doesn't post on social media and I don't follow her."

"I do," Pamela replied. "She mostly posts parties, hanging out with her friends, I think she's going to some university in London."

"Did she and Amphion...?"

"Nothing about that, if it did happen. Actually," Pamela frowned, "I checked the people who liked her posts a while back. Amphion wasn't among them. Wait." She sat up and grabbed her phone, quickly tapping a few buttons before showing Livia the screen. "Amphion doesn't follow her anymore," she said with some astonishment.

Livia pushed herself up too. "Wait, what? Did they get into an argument?"

"Maybe," Pamela said, brows knitted tightly together. "I have no idea what to expect with these people these days, honestly. Like, I never expected Amphion and Zeth to say anything like that..."