hexes for exes

chapter eighteen, with you by my side

"WE SHOULD CALL Eunice and Jason," Lila suddenly announced when they were almost at Bellington. "They study there, they'll know some good spots."

"Oh yeah!" Livia arched her head to see her friend. "That's a good idea. They'll know where we should go. But don't you have that restaurant you want to go to?"

"I don't mind trying something else," Lila said with a shrug, turning to her step-sister. "I mean, if we really want to, we could always drive back down for it with my mum and your dad. But you two, you two won't be as fortunate as that."

"Technically," Livia pointed out, "I'll be studying in the UK too."

"But not near Briarville."

Remiel piped up. "Mind I ask who this Eunice and Jason are?"

"They study at Bellington University," Brie explained. "Some new friends of ours, you see, Remy."

"Ah, of course. Of course."

Lila hadn't bothered waiting for a response. She was already furiously texting on her phone, and it didn't take a genius to figure out it was Eunice. Livia wasn't sure about the state of their relationship, but it had to be going decently.

And when Lila puts her mind into this kind of stuff, it usually went her way. Her mother being Helena Anderson and all. Most of Lila's pursuits at least lasted through the entirety of the honeymoon period, after which they generally chose to split up on good terms.

Lila was excellent at remaining friends with all her exes. Somehow there was never even a bit of awkwardness. One of her talents, Livia supposed. One that she would never quite understand. Not that Eunice was an ex yet, though Livia suspected she'd be one by the end of the summer.

Despite the fact that the two girls hadn't even started dating yet. But Livia knew the pattern, she knew the trajectory all Lila's relationships went through.

She knew Lila.

Livia didn't say anything as Lila began talking of some of the places Eunice had offered as suggestions. She and Brie both knew it was really just an excuse for Lila to talk with Eunice anyways—the suggestions were just a cover for the real deal. This was flirting, pure and simple. Besides her, Remiel seemed to notice that too, and at the next stop, Remiel raised one brow in amusement as she glanced over at Livia.

Livia slowly shook her head. Not a word.

Remiel nodded in understanding, and the light turned green so they continued driving again.

It was like they were all third wheeling Lila and Eunice together, and Eunice wasn't even here. But none of them decided to say anything about the sheer awkwardness, not wanting to ruin Lila's mood. Or trigger some bad attitude from the girl known from it.

It was entertaining anyways.

It didn't take them much longer to arrive in Bellington. It was a short drive, and the two cities were practically neighbouring each other. Bellington was far quieter than Briarville, that was already clear as Livia got off the car. Remiel had parked in a shopping centre which was apparently quite close to her museum. Lila glanced at her phone at what was either Google Maps or her chat with Eunice.

"Apparently there's a really good restaurant right upstairs," she finally declared after much scrutinising. "Pizza and burgers."

Remiel wrinkled her nose. "Always pizza and burgers."

"Yes, well, there isn't much else, and you two shit on all the Asian restaurants that exist in this country."

"Not if they're actually owned by Asian people," Livia pointed out.