LIVIA WALKED THROUGH THE HALLS
of Maxton Hall, stressed out.
In a few days, she would have to present her concept at the reception. She would have to talk to so many people and get them to find out about her business. At the same time, she could no longer play her favorite sport because she was suspended from the cheerleading team. She missed her girls and practicing with them. She needed her sport to calm her nerves, and now that she no longer had that until she would help with the school gala, she felt like she was going to have a nervous breakdown at any moment.

"Livia!" Someone suddenly jumped up beside her, causing her to flinch violently.

"Gosh, are you insane?" She grumbled when she saw that it was Lin who had jumped up from her seat by the window.

"Sorry!" The girl said, mimicking her regret. Then Liv saw that Ruby was standing next to her.

"We need your help with something." Said the brunette girl shyly. Liv raised her eyebrows, indicating for her to continue.

"We need a dress for our poster, for the gala." said Lin nervously.

"I thought your sister made a dress?" Liv asked towards Ruby, who was now looking at her shoes.

"I burned a hole in it." She then whispered and Liv could have slapped her palm to her face.

She was surrounded by morons.

"Your Ashwand brand must have some Victorian-era pieces, maybe you can let us see if we can find anything!" said Lin hopefully, but Liv shook her head.

"No, Ashwand isn't that old. It has its roots in France, and even then, after the war and all that, all the old pieces were destroyed or thrown away." She said, seeing the girls' hopes flare.

"Damn it!" Lin cursed.

"But what about James? Isn't Beaufort one of the oldest brands in England? They should have something." suggested Liv.

"Yeah, but we've already asked James and he won't do it." said Ruby angrily, shaking her head in disappointment.

At that moment, an idea seemed to pop into Lin's head because she formed her mouth into an 'o', made a duck face and looked at Ruby as if the girl was reading her mind. Then she turned back to Liv.

"Livia, you and James get on well, don't you?" She said and smiled.

"No, not at all, we hate each other's guts, why?" Liv said in a bored tone and shook her head.

"But isn't there a thing between you two?" Ruby asked confused and therefore Liv's confusion on her face grew even more.

"What? No! What's your point Lin?" Liv said impatiently. She really had to go and this conversation couldn't take a good end.

"You should try and ask him about the dress. I'm sure he'd do it for you!" Lin said pointing her hands at the girl.

"Why would he?" Liv shook her head.

"Because you might be the only person who can put him in his place, please Liv." She said begging.

"We can't mess the gala up!" Ruby said with pleasing eyes. Liv thought about it.

She really needed her place in the cheerleading team back and if it meant for her to interact with James, who's interaction her father would kill her for, she would do it.

„Fine."

•

Later that afternoon, after class, James came out of his school building and walked across the courtyard towards the next building. He had barely opened the door and stepped inside when two hands grabbed him by the shoulders from behind and pushed him into the next room. He heard the door slam and turned around. The next thing he saw were the blue, piercing eyes of Livia Ashwand looking at him.

"You know, if you want a quick make-out session, all you have to do is ask." he said with amusement, grinning down at her. The girl tilted her head and grinned back.

"Are you saying you want to make out with me, Beaufort?" she asked in a low, seductive voice. James shrugged his shoulders.

"I'd be the best choice for you." He said with a cocky attitude.

"You so sure about that?" Liv asked, raising her eyebrows before she got to the point, which was why she shoved him into a room with some old books. Of course, she couldn't be seen with him at school.

"I need you to do me a favor." she said, stepping closer to him and placing a hand on his upper arm.
She wasn't surprised when she felt the muscles of his biceps under his shirt because she knew he was the captain of the lacrosse team.
James tilted his head and couldn't help but be a little put off by her flirtatious attitude.

"I need you to lend our committee a dress from your collection so they can make a good poster." She said, looking him in the eye. They stood chest to chest, their faces not far apart.

"And why would I do that?" said James, grinning at her and seeing through her plan, at which Livia sighed. She let go of his arm and took a step back.

"Because this gala has to be perfect. The perfect poster, the perfect dresses, the perfect evening." She said and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Why do you care so much?" He asked, tilting his head.

"Because I want my cheerleaders back. Don't you think you owe me that after I lost my spot?" she said, pulling the corners of her lips up. James shrugged his shoulders.

"Why should I? I wasn't the one who drugged your cheerleaders." He said, stepping towards her. Liv sighed and shook her head.

"I tell you what. I'll take Ruby to the Beaufort warehouse." He said and stepped closer to her.

"But?" asked Liv, who knew his sentence wasn't over yet.

"I want something in return." He said, his face close to her again.

"You've already blackmailed me. What do you want now?" Liv asked, shaking her head, and James leaned down to her ear.

He suddenly stopped when the scent of her perfume caught his nose.
He smelled yasmine and something fruity like orange. He had to admit to himself that he really liked it and couldn't help but enjoy being so close to her at that moment.

"Don't worry about it. I'll tell you."  He whispered and lent back. Liv stared at him.

"You're blackmailing me again." she said raising her brows.
James chuckled.

"You can't blackmail a Beaufort and expect nothing to happen." He then said and Livia narrowed her eyes.

"You made the first move by ruining our performance at the lacrosse game and my speech! I only responded." She shrugged her shoulders.

"You're right so now it's my move." He tilted his head.

"It's like a game of chess." He murmured, close to her face.

"Chess? How old are you? 90?!" Liv asked, tilting her head up.
She pulled all her confidence together and put her arms around James' neck, making him pause in his movements. His smirk slipped a bit as he stared down at her, shock crossing his face.

"Just do it alright? Thanks." She said smiling innocently before stepping out of the room and leaving him alone.

Author's note:
ATTITUDE!!🗣️🗣️
and walk off! 💅

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