Luz was really dreading this moment. It was the perfect time for her to slip away. This is it. That morning at school, on the announcements board there was a big poster that was announcing school would be out for two weeks due to the acid-rain season. Everyone crowded around, whooping and cheering excitedly amongst each other. Luz was probably the only person who wasn't happy.

"Yes! Sleepovers every day for two weeks!" Willow cheered.

"I can finally work on my mystery thriller about a human who stumbled into a new world by accident!" Gus said and then he blushed when he noticed all eyes were on him, not in a good way. "It's a work in progress!"

Willow giggled, turning her attention to the distracted human beside her. "What about you, Luz?"

"Um, yeah! Whatever you guys want!" She smiled half heartedly.

"What's wrong? Missing Amity that bad? She'll be here, you know." Willow laughed, nudging Luz playfully. "She's probably trying to get the perfect cat eye just for you," she and Gus began to snicker quietly.

"It's not that. I mean, I do miss her. I just have a lot to think about. I'll tell you guys later, okay?" Luz took Willow's and Gus's hand, smiling fondly. "I love you guys."

"Are you going to propose to Amity?" Gus gasped.

"What? No." Luz turned red. "Let's talk later. We don't wanna be late to class!"

"Okay," Willow narrowed her eyes because something wasn't okay, she knew that. Luz perked up a bit after that and the day went on. Just about.

Luz has somehow got it into her head that she has to leave now. It's been about six months since she arrived to the Boiling Isles, but she knew things were getting pretty bad back on Earth. And she needed to go back.

As for acid rain season, it was the perfect time because school would be out and hopefully everyone would have forgotten about her by the time school started back and she could quietly slip away.

She initially planned to leave without telling anyone because she couldn't bare the thought of having to say goodbye to everyone. But that would be cruel, she wouldn't want anyone to do that to her. She just had to come up with a way to let them down softly.

"I think I'm going… to leave soon." Luz said and- yes she likes to think that was the softest let down ever. Amity walked her back home this time. The sun was setting and Amity was just getting over her nerves- at least enough to give Luz a quick peck on the cheek.

There wasn't really anything to be said. There wasn't anything Amity could say- had the right to say. She couldn't tell Luz, no, don't go.

So she said, "Okay." And wrapped her in a hug.

"Okay? That was… easy." Luz said and Amity would be laughing if she didn't hear a pinch of disappointment in her voice.

"You want me to beg?" Amity asked playfully. "Luz, please, please don't leave. I'll kidnap you and keep you here forever!"

"That would've been nice," she mumbled. "This is really tough for me, Ami. I would stay here forever if it was up to me but I have to at least let my mom know that I'm okay."

"Okay." Was all she said but really it's because if she tries to say anything else she's going to cry.

"But I promise I'm coming back. One day. Then I'll propose to you, Amity. Would you like that?" Luz gently patted her head.

"You're just saying that," she stammers into Luz's shoulder. "You couldn't marry someone like me."

"Watch me, señorita," she says and Amity's heart skipped a beat. That was the moment she decided that she'll try and learn to speak Spanish.

"Okay," Amity pulls away. "I'll hold you to it."

"Si," Luz giggles a little and starts to head to the door, quietly thanking the heavens that Hooty is asleep. "I'll see you later. Also, don't say anything to Willow or Gus about this, okay?"

"I won't," Amity says hesitantly.

—

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Willow screeches, tackling Luz and it takes everything in her to keep her balance.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Gus tried to sound stern but it's just really cute and squeaky like a squirrel.

Luz finds Amity standing nearby and she winces, her ears dropping when they make eye contact. Luz forgives her already.

"Guys! I'll explain everything to you at lunch, okay?"

And lunch couldn't come fast enough. Willow and Gus bickered with Amity about who gets to sit next to Luz and eventually she just opted to sit on the bench opposite them, Willow and Gus get to sit on either side of her.

"Ah," Willow teases as she slid in her seat. "Thanks for warming my seat for me, Amity,"

"No problem," she said, sticking her tongue out for good measure. It was all in good fun though, they were playing.

"Dios mio," Luz shakes her head, giggling.

"Oh! My goodness. It is very warm," came Gus's remark from Luz's right side.

"I never even sat on that side!" Amity blushed.

They were settling in, talking amongst themselves when Boscha came by their table, her tray in her hands. "Hey, human," she stammered, "I heard you're leaving, like, forever,"

Luz glances to Amity who shrugs, then to Willow, who is red in the face.

"I'm gonna miss you too, Boscha," Luz says, stifling a laugh.

"Yeah," she scoffs. "Whatever." She starts to head to her table when Willow stops her.

"Wait-! Boscha?"

Boscha turns red in two seconds flat. "Yeah?"

"Would… you like to sit with us?" She looks to her friends for approval but they're all just staring with wide eyes.

"Hm," she pretends to decipher the question, "Sure, but only because someone already took my seat."

"Okay?" Willow blushes a little as she takes a seat next to her.

"Um. This is weird." Gus says after a deafening silence.

"Very," Luz agrees.

"What-! Fine. I'll leave if you guys really hate me that bad!" Boscha scoffs, already starting to clean up her tray.

"No! It's fine, you can stay. They're all just a little nervous around you, which is understandable," Willow says. "Remember? I promised you could sit with us today."

"You what?" Amity did a double take, choking on her sweet tea.

Boscha groaned, taking her tray and storming off. Willow gave her friends the dirtiest glare and ran after her.

—

A quick trip to the library turned into a long trip to the library. It's Friday and the two week break started that weekend and that means Luz is leaving the next day. The library is empty for the most part. There isn't anyone around campus because the sky is forecast and everyone's scared. Amity says it doesn't matter to her because she wants to feel the rain. She wonders what it feels like. Does it burn slowly through each layer of skin? Does it only burn for a quick second?

And then they got rained in, together. The protective barriers were cast out around the campus and Luz and Amity were stuck together, like always. Luz looks for Good Witch Azura books, stacking each installment in her arms until it hits under her chin and she can't possibly carry any more books. But she's done it anyway, defying all odds just like she always does.

There's two on top of her head somehow perfectly balanced. Amity stares from her spot on the floor as she does her homework, watches as she steadily walks to a table and sets them all down. They're both silent for some reason. Neither of them really have much to say.

Luz walks over to offer Amity a hand. She takes it and stands up. "Why are you sitting on the floor when there's so many tables you could sit at?"

"I dunno." Amity looks away, and she thinks about how she does know why. It's because she feels angsty right now. Something's got her feeling like that, and it's definitely not because Luz is leaving tomorrow. Maybe it's the rain.

"You should come to the table with me." She smiles and Amity wants to cry. If that's what you want, I'll come to the table with you. Anywhere you want.

"How can you act like everything's just… fine?" Amity crosses her arms and avoids eye contact. "How can you just read Good Witch Azura when you're leaving us tomorrow?"

"Amity, I don't have a choice." She sighs. "I'm trying not to think about it. I'm trying to stay positive for you."

"But you do have a choice!" Amity says. "You're choosing to go!"

"I'm choosing to go because I love my mom and I know how worried she gets. I know she thinks I'm dead by now," Luz laughs a little on the last part. "Once I get back, she'll probably ground me for six months and never let me do anything by myself again."

"Then don't go."

Luz is about to say something but she thinks better of it. She gently pulls her in for a hug and Amity lets her, even though she's somehow twisted Luz into the bad guy in her head. She feels kind of betrayed. Why did Luz even bother with Amity if she was just going to leave anyways?

"I'm coming back," she says gently into her green hair. "Remember?"

"No, you're not." She says bitterly. Luz freezes.

"Why not?"

"Because you'll go off and forget about us. You'll forget any of this even happened, and then you'll find someone else. You'll make new friends and you won't ever come back to me." Amity says and Luz is kind of shocked, how she's got all of this so intricately planned out in her head.

"How could I ever forget about this?" Luz asked incredulously, more to herself. "This has been the best few months of my life. I don't think that will be happening any time soon,"

"You won't love me anymore." Amity says it like it's a fact, like it's already happened. Luz pulls away and sees she has a stream of tears going down her cheeks. She wipes them away and cups Amity's face. She doesn't want to look her in the eyes or this'll all be real.

"Ay ay ay, Amity,"

"You don't know the future!" Amity bites back a sob.

"And neither do you," Luz swipes her thumb to wipe away more tears as they stream down like waterfalls. It's heartbreaking.

"So?" Amity asks.

"So, I'm saying I love you and I could never forget about you," Luz says.

"Can we kiss?" Amity asks and Luz blinks. She just did a huge 180 but she really can't stand it anymore, she wants to be mad but she can't.

"Okay," Luz says slowly like she's confused. She slowly leans in and the kiss is just soft as if to say I'm here. It's okay. Amity kind of wants to giggle now, the good feelings fill her up and her head is tingling, all feelings of anger melt away and Amity tries to kiss back.

Luz pulls away and looks at her like, is that better? And no, it's not better. "Could you give me another kiss?" She asks and Luz is quick to oblige even though she is still very much confused.

"Another," she says when Luz pulls back again. "Another," and, "Another," and, "Another," until she finally has to ask.

"How many more do you want me to give you?"

"At least… enough so I don't miss you as much when you're gone."

Luz looks away, ashamed. Amity is not going to let her live this down, is she? "I'll kiss you as much as you like, would that make you happy?"

"No, but it'll help."

Luz leans in again and Amity's eyes flutter closed. They kiss, kiss, kiss, until Luz is convinced she's kissed the problem away and Amity starts to believe it too.

—-

Luz walks through her neighborhood, it's familiar and the same as when she left it, she realizes that the earth kept turning even without her here. There's her missing poster nailed here on a tree and there on the power line and they flutter in the wind.

When she comes up the steps to her house, there's her missing poster there on the front door too. She knows that when she knocks it won't be how she's imagined it for all these months. But she sucks it up and does it anyway. Shortly after, the door swings open and there's her mom in her nightcap and pajamas.

"Mija?"

"Holà, mami," Luz chuckles nervously.