hexes for exes

chapter twenty-one, for i love you so

LIVIA DID NOT go alone. Amphion insisted on following, probably so that Zeth had no way to wiggle out of this as well. He seemed to find comfort in avoiding Brie as much as possible, as if that would help him escape his feelings. So far it hadn't been working. No one else needed to help point this out to the boy.

Livia and Zeth walked in the back while Amphion kept Lila occupied and placated, so that she wouldn't be spitting tack at anyone who got in their way as they made a beeline for the rooftop where Lila had last seen the pair. They were alone, Lila revealed. She'd seen Arron bring Brie up there, and she was not going to have it. But she didn't want to confront them alone either. Brie would just think she was being ridiculous over her own personal dislike of Arron, which, while existed, was hardly baseless or the sole reason Lila was against this match.

If Brie couldn't take care of herself, they'd step in for her. This was the way it had always worked in their group of friends. Brie was their baby, Brie was their sunshine. She was the one who brought smiles upon them, who made them laugh when they wanted to cry. And in return, they'd be her knights, they'd protect her to the ends of the earth, even when the true villain in the room was herself.

It wasn't what they needed to do, but it was what they did anyway. It was only right.

If they still had anything in common, the group of them, now that they were shattered into a million fragments scattered across the world, it was their mutual love for their other friends. For the ones never roped into this battle, never dragged into the crossfire. For the ones that they would do anything to protect.

Livia turned to Zeth while Lila was distracted. "What are you going to do?"

Zeth's face had turned emotionless a little while ago, as they pushed through the crowds of people that had gathered at Rory Madston's house. "I'm going to kill him."

"Don't do that," she said with a sigh.

"She's going to keep going back to him."

"We can't stop her."

"I'm still going to try."

"What do you think Lila and I have been trying to do for the entire past month? And last summer?" Livia asked, shaking her head. "She won't listen. It's just an endless loop and cycle of her getting hurt again and again, and there's absolutely nothing we can do about it. It's ridiculous."

"Well, I'm not just going to stand by and let it happen."

"No one is asking you to do that," Livia assured. "No one. Don't you worry. We're going to try, but I'm just saying. It's probably not going to work."

"I'm still going to try."

Livia gave a little sigh. "I know you are. That's what I'm scared of. Don't be surprised if you're disappointed, Zeth."

He let out a rough laugh. "What could be more disappointing than the things I've already gone through, Liv? Don't worry about me. I'll do just fine."

There was plenty that was even worse, but of course Livia decided not to point that out as they continued walking. They made it to the small staircase that led to the rooftop, and Lila calmed herself for a moment before marching upwards, pushing the door open so hard that Livia feared for a moment that it might fall clean off the hinge.

The rooftop was empty except for the couple near the edge. They found the two in the exact same position as they did at Taliyah Neumann's party, Arron's tongue down Brie's throat. They did not hear the door, it seemed, or even noticed their presence.