LIVIA WATCHED THE BALL IN HER
hand hit the ceiling of her room and fall back down to her, being caught by her hand. She listened to the steady sound her movements were making, until she heard sounds from the room next to her. It sounded like someone was throwing things around.
Liv sat up, listening closer. She then got up and out of her room. She stepped into the corridor, closing the door behind her and walking towards Theo's room.

She held her head to the door, but it had gotten quiet on the other side.
She knocked on the door.

"Theo?" she asked and opened his door. The sight that got presented to her was a messy room. Books and all sorts of things laying around on the ground. She saw Theo sitting on his bed, his head buried in his hands.

"You okay?" Liv asked, confused over the state of her brother. Theo nodded tiredly.

"Yeah.. sorry, just.." she heard his low, raspy voice.

"Tired." He murmured.

Liv stepped through the door and closed it behind her. She then stepped over the mess of paper, books and shoes, towards the brunette boy.
She sat down beside him, not knowing how to comfort him.

"You look horrible. What's going on?" She said shaking her head and Theo sighed.

"I don't know.. I just-.." he broke up his sentence again, searching for the right words.

"I don't know what I'm doing Livi." he admitted, his voice heavy.

"What you're doing?" she asked, thinking if he was playing with her and if she should laugh. But his expression was way too serious to making it seem like a joke.

"You're being successful that's what you're doing." she then said, shrugging her shoulders but the brunette boy just shook his head. He had his eyes glued to his hands, not daring to look at his sister.

"You're doing an amazing job, Theo. Everyone knows you're destined for this. YOU'RE the face of Ashwand, come on!" She slightly pushed him, to encourage him.
But Theo didn't seem to share her optimism at all.
He shook his head, fidgeting with his fingers, his leg slightly shaking in a nervous manner.

"What if I don't want all of this?" he asked softly, his words hanging in the air.
Liv was taken aback.

"What?" She asked. Theo avoided her eyes, as he looked to the floor.

"What do you mean?" Liv pressed further, her voice tinged with surprise.
Theo took a deep breath, as if gathering the courage to speak, in the air.

"What if I don't want all of this?" He asked again.

"What if I don't wanna be the face of Young Ashwand?"
Liv frowned, trying to comprehend what he was saying. She then shook her head.

"That's just the pressure." She said, pushing his words away.

"It's a huge responsibility, but you're more than capable-.." she said, attempting to reason with him.
Theo shook his head.

"No. I'm not." He stated, putting his head into his hands.

"I have other passions, other dreams. Being the head of the company.. it just doesn't feel right for me anymore," he explained, his frustration evident.
Liv sighed, feeling the weight of their family's expectations pressing down on her as well. She laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Theo, we're talking about our family legacy. This is what you've been prepared for your whole life. You can't just back out now." she said, strictly. She really did feel sorry for her brother, but she had to be strict with him. Their whole family's legacy war at the edge of he would back out.

"Just because you all expect it from me, doesn't mean I have to do it." Theo said and Liv felt how upset she got.

"Theo if you don't do it, who will?" She asked, her tone annoyed. The boy said nothing and slowly looked up at her.

His eyes seemed so helpless in that moment, Livia would never forget the look that he had given her.
As he nodded his chin to her, the girl then leaned back a bit, looking at him, shocked.

„Are you saying I should do this?!!" she asked, raising her voice ash she could not believe what he was trying to say.
Theo looked at her, his expression softening.

"Liv, you're amazing at what you do. You're-.. you're smart a-and-.." he said, his voice gentle but firm.
Liv laughed nervously.

"Don't shove this stuff to me now just because you don't got the balls!" she said annoyed.

"It's my life Livi. I need to live it in a way that makes me happy," Theo said and Liv could swear she saw tears in his eyes.

"It's my life too! I don't want this!" She said standing up.

"You need to snap out of it and focus. The company needs you. The family needs you," she said, her voice frustrated.
Theo looked defeated, his shoulders slumping.

Livia opened the door and walked out. In the corridor she looked back towards the door again, her thoughts swirling with confusion and worry. She muttered to herself,

"He'll come around. He has to."

Liv snapped out of the memory. She thought a lot about that moment, which had happened a few months before Theo's death. He'd never mentioned it again after that conversation. He even seemed to be looking forward to running the Ashwand Company. She remembered that he seemed a lot happier.

Liv thought back at how helpless he seemed. It was the first time that he even shared his feelings with her and it overwhelmed her. They were never close as siblings.
Theo was arrogant like their father and cold like their mother. Liv wasn't any different than him and yet, they didn't get along at all.

"You okay?" A voice asked beside her. Liv turned around and saw Ruby Bell in a black dress, her hair open, instead of bound together in a bun. It made her look a lot more relaxed.

They stood at one of the tables in the big festival hall. It was the evening where the parents came to the school. The evening where Liv was supposed to give a small informational speech in the sports teams, especially the cheerleading team. She was looking forward on talking about their achievements and also goals they were looking forward to reach.

"Yeah." Liv said, her cold and nonchalant expression intact, when she took a sip from her glass champagne.
She looked straight ahead, seeing none other than James Beaufort walking up the stairs with his friends.

"Mrs. Belle, Mrs. Ashwand." She heard a voice beside her and turned to see Lexington. He stood beside Ruby.

"My compliments. It's exactly how I imagined." He said, looking at all the parents that were on the color lighted room.

"Thank you sir!" Ruby said, smiling in joy that everything went as they planned.

"I expect you're prepared for your spreech, Mrs. Ashwand?" He asked and Liv nodded politely.

"Of course." She answered with a determined expression.

"The stage is yours." The man said, pointing towards the small platform that was standing right under the DJ's table.

„And one new addition to our team that you may not have heard of is our new cheerleading team that has already brought the first wins to Maxton Hall in this very short space of time. Speaking to you now is the head of the cheerleading team, Livia Ashwand." One of the teachers announced, after his long speech about the schools new commutations.

Liv nodded at Lexington, her lips in the position of a polite smile. She took the small folder lying on the table in front of her and made her way to the stage. She climbed the small staircase, ignoring Kirean rutherford's proffered hand. She gave him a dismissive look and stepped onto the platform in her high heels.

The room went quiet after the applause as the attention landed on her. She cleared her throat and stepped to the microphone.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Good evening. My name is Livia Ashwand, and it is an honor to address you tonight on behalf of Maxton Hall's sports program, specifically our esteemed cheerleading team." She spoke into the microphone. Her voice calm and certain of her words.

"At Maxton Hall, we take great pride in our commitment to excellence not only in academics but also in our sport activities. Our cheerleading team embodies the spirit of dedication, teamwork, and school pride. Through rigorous training, our cheerleaders develop not only their physical skills but also their leadership abilities and working under pressure.
The cheerleading program offers a unique opportunity for students to engage in physical fitness-.." She was interrupted by sudden music that was playing. Liv decided to continue her speech, thinking it was just some technical issues.

"Our team participates in various competitions and school events, providing a vibrant and enthusiastic atmosphere-.." She again was interrupted when a bright light shined behind her and she turned around.

Figures wrapped in dark cloaks were positioned behind her. With a flourish, the coats were thrown back and lightly clad women stepped out. They began to dance in their glittering body suits and rub their bodies against each other. An indignant murmur went through the room.

Liv looked around, seeing the people upset and Mr. Lexington walking around, with a face that could only mean the worst. Then Liv heard laughter and looked up beside her. On the stairs to the DJ's desk stood James with his idiots of friends. His eyes carried hers as he grinned back at her. He nodded to her with a flask in his hand

He was so dead.

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