hexes for exes

chapter twenty-seven, your silhouette on the dark poolside

SHE DIDN'T END up going out that afternoon with Brie and Lila. For starters, she hadn't wanted to (she was tired), and both girls were busy. Or at least that was what they said when Livia texted them shortly after her conversation with nai nai.

So instead, Livia spent her day cooped up in her room, typing away at her laptop and editing some of her manuscripts.

Everyone was back by dinner time, and they shared a meal before heading off once again. Livia went back to her room, and by the time she realised, it was already nearing eleven.

Awkwardly, she turned to the culprit of her lack of tiredness: the cup of cooling coffee next to her keyboard.

This was going to be a rough night.

Livia scrolled out to her balcony, sucking in a breath of the night's air. As she looked down, she had an idea.

If she wasn't tired, she might as well do something about it.

Livia walked back into her room, changing into her swimsuit, and then she was downstairs. Pamela's light was still on, but nai nai had gone to sleep hours ago and her parents' bedroom was unlit as well. She further confirmed this when she arrived at her backyard, glancing up. She turned on a few of the lights so that the pool was illuminated, but the area still remained mostly covered in darkness.

She didn't need to be so secretive, really. Quiet, definitely. But even if her parents woke up and noticed, they'd say nothing about it. It wasn't like she was sneaking out. And they certainly were not expecting her to sleep early every night. She was eighteen, and it was the summer holidays.

She could do whatever the hell she wanted.

So she dove right back in.

Thing is, Livia Wong never necessarily enjoyed swimming. She wasn't the best swimmer, and she'd always get tired after a lap or two. But there was still something comforting about it. Maybe it was the memories it brought up, the bunch of them all gathered up in a pool (and occasionally the very one she was in) or the sea, splashing each other with water and doing things that kids did. Or maybe it was how cooling it was, how it brought down the boiling temperature of the British summer, though it was already starting to gradually cool back down. The heatwave had passed.

Livia heard the loud creak of a door opening, and she turned to the source of the sound, which turned out to be the second floor of the Calvert-Egerton manor. From up there, Amphion Calvert-Egerton could very well spot Livia from past the short gate, and Livia could easily see him if she craned her head.

The lamp of Amphion's balcony snapped on.

He looked surprised. Livia tilted her head. Neither said anything, not wanting to be the source of sound or to wake anyone up.

Eventually, Amphion waved his phone in the air, and Livia left the water for a moment to grab hers.

Are you seriously swimming at eleven at night?

Livia glanced up to where Amphion was, one brow raised. Is that a problem??? I was bored ok

Amphion shrugged, replying, Just slightly surprised, that's all. You don't do midnight swims often.

Livia typed back, I inhaled a whole cup of coffee like one hour before, not a good choice on my behalf but i might as well do something with all my newfound energy

Livia was lying if she said she hadn't seen Amphion's next message coming. She was expecting it, somewhat, from the moment he appeared on that balcony.