(silver tears)
SOMEONE WAS CRYING. Livia could hear the sobs shattering the ice-cold silence of the girls' lavatory, the rage clearly visible between gasps for air. Livia didn't say anything, simply remained silent as she quietly snuck into one of the stalls.
There was no reason for her to say anything, especially since she didn't even know who was crying. Livia's not smart enough to tell who's who just from their broken sobs and strangled gasps.
Silence is a good way to comfort people sometimes. Let them think you're not there, that you don't see them. They let their guards down, and when that happens, they're never quick enough to be alert when you pry the information you need out of them.
And then, Livia's bag began to tremble. Frowning, Livia opened the bag, visibly annoyed. If this ruins her little 'covert operation', she will be so mad.
Where the hell is her phone? She swore she stuffed it in here somewhere.
The sobs only continued, the source of the sound growing angrier by the moment. Livia heard a slam as the stall walls trembled, her hand flying to her mouth. Jesus Christ, this person is violent too?
"Stupid, stupid."
That voice she recognises. It was so clearly Hepburn, from the accent down to the way she uttered the words.
"Stupid mom. Stupid dad. Thinking they know best."
Livia remained silent. Let her think she's alone- she might spill something she doesn't mean to.
"Stupid school. Stupid home. They don't know shit."
Livia's phone stopped beeping. Her heart eased, relieved that Sarah had not heard the buzzing.
The crying started once more, though this time, it sounded much more like sniffling than actual sobbing. Livia swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. She's gotten herself into a terrible situation. If she walks out and makes even one sound, Sarah will realise something's up. If she stays and Sarah walks out first, she'll definitely notice the shut door besides her- and her shoes.
Livia suppressed a growl from rolling off her tongue, suddenly feeling extremely frustrated, but she kept quiet. Silence was the only thing saving her right now.
The sniffles died out again, followed by Sarah stomping her foot. She's like a little child when she's angry, but Livia supposed she couldn't blame the redhead. She's just as, if not more immature when she's angry. All people are.
Besides, Livia would be lying if she said she didn't feel bad for her. Despite Sarah's coldness and bluntness, as well as aggression towards her, she isn't that bad a person. Never has been. In fact, Sarah reminded Livia an awful lot of herself.
They don't do forgiveness. They're both extremely stubborn. Unapologetic. Brash. Cold. Honest. Maybe in another life, they'll be best friends- but in this one, they're enemies.
But why? At this point, Livia can't even tell anymore. She just feels so confused. So, so, so confused. Like she's floating in a body that isn't hers, that she cannot control and has no command over. The body does the things it wishes to do even when she screams at herself to stop.
Suddenly, Livia felt like Sarah's mirror. The only thing between them was an empty stall, two girls shattered too many times, unwilling to trust, hardened by the brittle wind. Livia let her eyes shut for a split moment, until the sound of a door being pushed open made her freeze.
"Who's there?" Sarah demanded, her voice now her usual harsh tone once more.
Livia kept quiet.
"I see your shoes," Sarah glowered, ramming her knuckles against the stall door. Livia heaved, not even daring to move.
"Are you deaf?" Sarah shrieked, obviously annoyed. "Answer me! Who's there?"
Livia did not say a word. After what felt like forever, Livia finally heard the door slam shut. Still, she remained in the stall a little longer to make sure Sarah had truly left.
This was not going the way it should be.
Livia cursed her curiosity. If Sarah knew it was her, the girl would be so mad. Sarah hated crying in front of others. Especially those she did not get along with, like Livia.
If only she had left unnoticed while she could. Instead, she's dug herself into a ditch with no easy way of getting out. Livia scowled as she slid out of the bathroom, clutching her bag. She's late for lunch, goddamnit. Not that anyone would be missing her- outside of a few words during class, Brie kept her distance, and Lila was a lost cause.
The girl sighed. It seems as if whatever god there was really liked to make her life difficult.
Girls like Livia Wong, boney-knuckled, spiteful little creatures who make an enemy of everyone they come across just aren't meant to survive. Claws disguised as fingers, half-beasts, half-girls, monsters who prowl the night, reminiscence of serial killers moments before claiming their next victims- or being apprehended by the police.
She'll fall someday. She'll reach her end too, clawing at her neck, writhing in pain, nothing more than molten bones and charred flesh. Livia likes to think about it, sometimes. Imagine her inevitable demise at the dead of the night, when her bones are too heavy to shift and the shadows are too mocking. It hurts her, but on nights like that, the pain is welcomed. The reminder that she can feel something despite all, that she wasn't all monster but still slightly human.
She licks her bloodied lips, having been subconsciously peeling them for the past while, tasting the crimson liquid on her tongue before swallowing it down- down, don't let them know- without a thought, too tired to wipe it away (what's the point anyways?). Every inch of her body screamed at her to head to the cafeteria for lunch, her stomach growling like a swallow whose parents had come home empty-handed.
It seems as if Livia had always chosen violence, however subconsciously. Her first instinct to lash out and understand things second. How much did it cost her? That was an answer Livia didn't know if she wanted to even answer.
At the end of the day, the world was cruel, and girls like Livia and Sarah just seemed to be its favourite victims. People look at them and see nothing but designer bags and clothes- if only they knew they were all just beggars in pristine clothes.
--
this chapter is like EXTREMELY short. this one and the one before are both sort of fillers. pamela's gonna get her own sequel later on and sarah's gonna have a few chapters at the end of this story in her POV :)))))))
so I basically did some calculations and apparently it'll take me around three years at current speed to finish the entire briarville girls trilogy? which is sort of tragic, but, ugh, you gotta make sacrifices as a writer, I guess.
anyways, here's my current plan for this entire trilogy (which no one asked for):
hexes for exes (livia's story, with one or two chapters near the end in sarah's pov)
kingdom come (there will be two stories within kingdom come, technically three if you count the last two or three chapters i have planned, rather similar to sarah's. one of the stories will be pamela's, and the other main one will be madi tahiri's)
ultraviolet (title might be changed to we are young? it will follow victoire's journey)
on top of the world (a sort of final ending for all the chars with like, at least a chapter for every char who ever got a POV)
might potentially write a spinoff called camp starlight about livia's cousin, remiel, or another random char with remiel as the best friend or just a side character.
so yeah. enjoy. this will take me forever.