(cold war)

THEY DIDN'T GET OUT, which Livia found rather tragic as she fixed them with an acidic stare, and if looks could kill, James and Jack McHill might be nothing more than a pair of skeletons like Princes in the Tower. Instead, both boys gave her a blank stare, before James finally said, "And that, my dear Via, is exactly why we're here. Why do you hate us?"

"Are you dumb or deaf?" Livia retorted, her hands dropping to her waist as she looked around, praying to heaven or hell that her parents weren't within earshot. "Why are you in my house? Who invited you? Or have you gone from murderer to trespasser now?"

"I'm not a murderer," James snarled in response. "I don't know what kind of bullshit you've heard, but I am not responsible for Melody's death. Don't you think we're all sad she's gone? But none of us could have saved her, Livia, and it's time for you to accept that."

What did James know about accepting things? He was the reason Melody was there, the reason Melody had stormed out into that street in a fit of fury, with hatred on her mind and an urge to scream at the planet they lived on that confined them. What was on Melody's mind in that last few moments she was alive? Did she see the speeding car coming, Grim Reaper prepared to take her soul, or did it come to her as much as a surprise as the news had to Livia?

Jack cleared his throat. "As for your other question, your Mom let us in, Livia. Please chill. We didn't break in or anything. We're not criminals."

They might as well be. They were, in all but name. Livia had to bite back from screaming at her Mom for letting these bastards in. She never wanted to see their faces around her house again, which was rather hard considering they lived right down the street.

"Are you done? If you are, please leave my house and never come back. If you do, I'm afraid to say my fists are itching for something to punch, and the two of you would make a wonderful punching bag."

Blank stare, though James' had an underlying fire. As sweet and polite and passive he may act, James still was a warrior underneath who sought to defend the innocent. One of those classic, unrealistic knights-in-shining armour. Too bad Livia wasn't a damsel-in-distress (though she supposed he would have done a horrible job at saving her if she was, considering what happened to Melody. Oh, wonderful Melody, why did you have to go?)

And it's also sad that James McHill was not innocent. There were nights Livia wondered if it was really all the boy's fault, with his charm and charisma and sugar. Could he really have been capable of such a thing?

Yes, Livia had always decided. Anyone is capable of anything. Just because she grew up with James doesn't mean she knew the true him. And he doesn't know the real her either, so she supposed they were equal in terms of secrets, masks and disguises. They all had their fair share, and were just particularly good at hiding it.

"Right. Umm, let me change my question. We kind of understand why you hate James, but why do you hate... me?"

"You look the same." Could one person look at their archnemesis' child, as innocent as they may be, and not see their archnemesis? No. The same applied for the twins. Hell, they weren't just similar-looking, they looked basically the fucking same. It was too painful a reminder, as painful it was to treat Jack in this way. But it was just as, if not even more painful to treat Jack properly but view James as an enemy.

"That is so not fair," Jack replied, scowling, though he was more taken aback by the answer than actually angered. Jack understood what was going through her mind. Maybe he was expecting her to somehow have another reason to hate him. Rather unfortunately, she didn't except for the fact he's James identical twin.

She knew it wasn't fair. But it also wasn't fair for Melody to die while everyone else was able to stay alive. It wasn't fair to her, wasn't fair for Melody's parents, their friends, anyone to lose such a wonderful person. Melody was too good to exist. Maybe that's why she's gone now, because good people don't last. It wasn't unrealistic for someone too kind to survive for long. The world was a living hell where everyone is out for your blood, waiting for you to make one screw up and destroy everything you ever stood for. A world where good succeeded and evil died only exists in the pages of her fantasy books. That was why it existed in fantasy books. Because it was too good to be true. People fantasized about it, dreamt about it, prayed for it, but it won't happen. It will never happen.

"Since when was life fair?" Livia simply replied coldly, her arms crossed as she crossed the living room, turning off the television. "Is there anything else?"

"You know you're not the only one hurting about Melody." It came out of nowhere, Livia almost winced when she finally processed the words.

"I'm not dumb, McHill."

"Yet you're acting like you're the only one sad Melody is gone. Like none of us is grieving, grieved, and will grieve for the rest of our lives. She had such a bright future. She was the best person I've ever met in my life, and I've met many people. She gave and she gave and she gave, and never took anything back. She's one of those rare people you pray to God you'll miss someday in your life that most people never did. But we did, so treasure that. Honour her memory, Livia. Make her life worth it. But don't spend the rest of yours crying over her. You need to move on."

"I have moved on, James. I'm back now, am I not? Not crying every five seconds because my best fucking friend is gone forever and will never come back?" Livia retorted, her face twisted in a beastly snarl. "Don't assume what I think. You can't read my mind, so don't act like you do. Now please, for the love of god, get the hell out of my house before I do something all of us will regret."

"Like what, beat us up? Livia, I went to Muay Thai classes right alongside you. I'll be fine."

"Like before I say something I won't be able to take back."

"Via, you've said a lot of horrible things you regret but can't take back. We'll be fine."

"I feel like I'm intruding something," Jack finally said after a few moments of silence on his part.

Both pairs of eyes snapped towards him, before the robotic words of, "You are." Livia glared at James, and James rolled his eyes at her. Neither said anything as Jack slowly moved towards the main door, opening it.

Only to see an eavesdropping Victoire McHill fall onto the ground with an "ouch!".

All three teenagers stared at her as she pushed herself up, not a care in the world but a big smile on her face. "You all suck. I've been knocking for like five hours, and none of you heard me. You're all oooold. And deaf. Ok, you're not really old, just so angry your ears can't hear anything anymore," The McHill girl said, her grin not fading.

Livia blinked as Jack wrapped her hands around his sister, muttering very clearing, "Let's leave the angry Asian lady and your idiotic older brother who got the least braincells out of all us McHill kids alone in their yelling match, yeah?" That earned an angry "hey!" from both, before their attention was once again directed to each other, their angry eyes locked in a staring match.

"I'm staying," Victoire said with a cheeky grin before flopping onto the couch, her brothers (and Livia) watching in absolute disbelief. At their gaze, Toire flashed another bright smile. "You only live once! And I'll spend a few minutes of my life listening to you all yell and learn some roasting techniques."

Livia redirected her anger to the twins again. "You're all terrible role models for your little sister."

"Uh," Jack replied with a look of shock, "Blame Jason! Not us!"

Jack and James were Jason's role models. Really doesn't help their case at all. It was at this point Livia was also wondering what her mother was doing. Surely, she could hear the commotion downstairs? Or maybe she's getting, in Victoire's words, oooooold.

From Livia's blank stare, the two brothers must have realised it as well. "Livia," James finally declared, waving his hands, "All I want to say is, you need to stop acting so self-centred and realise we're all hurting over Melody's death. All of us. Stop pushing us all away, stop acting like you're the only one who ever cared about her. Stop being so blind. It's been what, two years? Move on, Via."

"Call me Via one more time."

"Livia Wong Jia Min!" All eyes were on James, fuming in anger, steam practically billowing out of his ears. His eyes, however, firmly on her, which she met with equalling ferocity. "I'm done with your attitude. I know it's been hard for you. It's been hard for all of us, but do you see any of us acting the same way as you have?"

"Sarah fucking Hepburn?"

"Sarah doesn't count."

"I'm telling her you said that."

"Go ahead, I'll watch you have a civil conversation with her. You'll gouge her eyes out within five seconds."

"I'm glad you have that much faith in me, but make it two seconds, and I'll slit her neck, McHill," Livia replied, annoyance prickling under her skin. Her eyes were burning- tears, or the flame burning in her heart?

"Damn, graphic." All three pairs of eyes turned to Victoire, who instantly slid back behind the couch. Smart girl. Back to the argument.

"I don't know what you have become," James scoffed, heading towards the door. "You've changed, Wong. A full one-hundred-and-eighty. You're not the girl I grew up with anymore. Toire, Jack, let's not waste our time here. She's a lost cause. Let's go."

"Yeah, and never step a foot into my damn house ever again. I won't be so nice next time you decide to do so."

"When are you ever nice, Livia?" James questioned, turning around from the hallway, arms crossed.

"When I'm treated with respect and nicely, McHill."

"Are we not treating you with respect? Why should we treat you nicely when you don't treat us the same way?

"I didn't start this, James, and you know how I work. An-"

"Eye for an eye. I know, Livia. But it's time for you to realise this isn't some primary school spat anymore. We're seventeen, almost eighteen. Stop being so petty and unnecessary and extra. It's not going to take you anywhere."

"Don't you dare call me petty, you disgusting prick. Melody's dead-"

"DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT?" James screeched. Livia bit back a smile, the taste of blood on her tongue. James McHill was cracking. "Stop acting as if mentioning that again and again would do anything, Wong. It's not."

Jack looked nonplussed, as if not expecting his brother to snap. Victoire grabbed a piece of tissue to blow her nose.

Livia's fists clenched, her body shaking with rage. "Get out."

"Not until you understand that you're being unreasonable to everyone and apologise to all the people you've pissed off or treated wrong."

A smile, "That'll take a very long time."

"Do it." James casted her an unimpressed look, his blonde hair glowing under the dusk sunlight. Outside, Nyx was riding in her carriage as Hemera headed home in her golden glory, the sky a brilliant mauve.

"Get. Out." Livia suddenly felt like Cersei Lannister, a lonely queen surrounded by enemies wishing to burn her and her family into the ground.

"I'm not leaving until you admit that you're being ridiculous, Wong." As if to prove his point, James sat down on the couch, next to Victoire, who scrambled away. Livia was going to yell at Toire later.

"Then you'll be here for a long time, McHill, because I have nothing to apologise for here. Is it wrong to grieve? Is it wrong to not want to be civil with the indirect murderer of my best friend?"

"I didn't kill her!" James gritted between his teeth, steam puffing out of his ears.

"She was with you. You were the reason she was so pissed-" Livia tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ears- "that she walked onto the street and died!"

"Was I supposed to jump onto the streets and save her? And get both of us killed?"

Yes. The answer choked in Livia's throat, so she didn't say anything, just watched him fume. James instantly knew the answer, shaking his head and standing up.

"I'm leaving."

"Good riddance," Livia immediately shot back, her response a natural reflex. Still, his comments did sting a bit. Maybe she did change (but wasn't that normal? And they changed just as much as she had.) While Jack ran out after his brother, only spinning around to give Livia a look between curiosity and disappointment, their sister stayed behind, arms crossed, leaning on the couch and staring at Livia in amusement.

"Is this what old people do every day?" Victoire asked, the ghost of a small smile on her face. Livia arched a brow, sitting down besides the girl, hugging a pillow. The conversation drained some part of her.

"Not normal old people," Livia managed a faint grin, pulling Toire towards here. "But we're not normal, are we?"

Riches, history, mental health. No, they were not normal.

"You know it's not really his fault."

Livia cocked her head, facing Victoire. "Of course you'd say that, kiddo, he's your brother."

"No. James is an idiot, but neither of you are right in this scenario."

"What do you know, huh?" Livia meant it to be pleasant and joking, but the words came out a lot more bitter than she meant for them to be. If Toire caught on, she didn't say so, just flashed her a smile.

"I know a lot more than you think I do." Sometimes, Livia sees Toire as a lot older than she actually is, and it's things like this that remind her of how little and young the McHill girl actually is, with her blonde locks and faun skin.

"You do, of course you do," Livia mumbled, as Toire leaned her head on her shoulder. "You got all the braincells in the family."

"I did." A grin that put sun-gods to shame. "I've been starting to design stuff these days. Mom designs fashion and stuff, so I thought I'd pick it up too. Some of my designs are pretty nice, not to brag or anything."

"I assume you'll be showing me them soon," Livia said, patting her head. Her hair was soft and wispy, like silk. Victoire swatted her hand away, rolling her eyes.

"I can clearly see you have no interest in ever stepping foot into my house again, so I'll show you them someday. I left most at school."

Oh yeah, Victoire boards now. Then, Livia frowned. "It's a Thursday. Shouldn't you be at school? You live there now, right?"

"Flexi-boarding. Mom said they weren't going to have me weekly board until like, next year. Jason's doing it now. In her words, she doesn't want me to 'not have guidance from my better-behaved brothers'. James and Jack. Dylan too, apparently, even though all he does is cry. Day after day. He just cries."

"Which days?" She asked, frowning a bit.

"Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays. Damn, Via, and I thought you were the one with a good memory." Yeah, no. Livia's memory was one of an ageing goldfish.

But she only hummed in acknowledgement, her eyes moving to the television in front of them. It was turned off, and Livia could clearly see the two girls' reflections. She studied it for a moment, cocking her head and eyeing it inquisitively. In the darkened mirror, the two girls looked strangely similar, despite their physical appearance. As Toire's head leaned against her chest, a childish grin hung on the blonde girl's oval face, Livia couldn't help but smile back.

*

Dinner was served on awkward smiles and haunting emptiness. Livia swallowed it down with the soup, not a word passing between the family of four. Pamela had returned to the house only fifteen minutes before dinner and refused to tell where she went. From what Livia (eavesdropping) had heard, Pamela had been out with her new friend Anya Bazdar and Ian Briggs.

"There's this girl at school I hate."

Unsurprising. While Livia remained on age-old grudges and hate so deep it becomes the very reason of her existence at times, Pamela dwelved on short-lived rivalries and petty arguments.

Eyebrows raised, all eyes turning to her sister. Pamela was still munching on her food, causing her father to scorn. If she saw, she didn't react, but continued to say: "Her name is Aaliyah Rodriguez. Daughter of Melanie Monae and Kent Brooks?"

Famous singer and famous rapper. Livia didn't say a word and let Pamela continue talking:

"She acts like she owns the school. It's so annoying."

Livia beat her mother to open her mouth, musing, "That sounds more like a 一山不容二虎問題. (A mountain cannot accommodate two tigers.)" Pamela rolled her eyes, but her parents nodded.

Livia is the older sister for a reason. Pamela continued, "Yeah, but she's like, extra annoying. Helena Bouveillard-level annoying." Well, that's interesting. Helena Bouveeillard delivered what might be the most annoying Oscar acceptance speech of the century, leaving half the theatre asleep or booing her.

"Have you tried... ignoring her?" Their father asked, an eyebrow arched.

Pamela gave her father a "do-you-think-I'm-dumb?" look, before saying, "Duh. Doesn't work well when she insists on bothering me every damn day."

"Have you tried talking to her?" Her mother asked, humming.

"Mom," Livia interjected, rolling her eyes. "Pamela has our blood. She's not going to be able to talk it out with her without beating Rodriguez up."

"Can we not talk about beating people up during dinner?" Her dad mumbled, before shoving spaghetti into his mouth. Pamela stuck her tongue out at then, and Livia simply sighed as the topic moved onto who's getting married with who, and who's about to kill who at her father's work. Livia knew she'd have to take over the family business someday, but someday is not today.

It's not that she didn't want to take over the business. It's just that it felt wrong. It wasn't supposed to be her. It was never supposed to be her.

When she left the dinner table, with Pamela following, she found her sister entering her room with her. Nonplussed, Livia motioned for Pamela to take a seat. "What do you want?"

"Advice," Pamela said honestly. Of course. Of course she wasn't over her little spat with Aaliyah Rodriguez yet. "Have you heard of the monarchy games?"

It rang a bell. Livia had a few friends who studied at the school- Madeleine Tahiri, Ian Briggs, Casper Robinson to name a few. She's heard of them talking about the Bellington tradition. The Monarchy Games. The kids at Bellington liked to play god.

"Aaliyah Rodriguez wants to be queen. And she hates me."

Did she not expect this? Pamela had the power to make rivals (and allies) wherever she went. The kind of girl you either love or loathe, the teenage reminiscence of Aphrodite as she gave people dazzling smiles and spat poison when they turned their back. Pamela would sell her soul for power.

"Let me guess, you're trying to be a queen too. Honestly, it just sounds stupid in my opinion. I don't think about your school's traditions, but remember you'll be out of there in a bit more than a year. Get the most out of your school experience, Pammy, and you'll be off to college in no time."

Pamela glared at her. "Tha doesn't really give me advice on how to survive now, but what did I expect, hmm? I'll be off now... enjoy your day. Night. Whatever," she mumbled as she pushed herself up from her seat, walking out of the doorway before shutting the wooden door behind her.

Livia sighed, flopping down onto her bed. She'll deal with the world's bullshit tomorrow. (She thinks).