Chapter 6
The school week went by rather quickly, much to Luz's elation. She found that actively paying attention and participating in class actually helped the days to fly by in addition to making them more bearable. Each day after school she would plan out things for the upcoming party and went about doing as many chores as she could around the house. A little promise she had made with her mother in exchange for getting many of the items she'd need for the party when the time came.
By the time Friday arrived, Luz was beyond eager to get home once classes had ended for the day. Not only did she have the dance that evening, but the next morning she would be setting out for the trip to Skullbury with all of her friends. After Luz got home, she went straight to the bathroom so she could shower and get that out of the way. However she discovered that Vee was already occupying the room, preparing a bubble bath for herself. As Luz suddenly barged into the room, Vee let out a cry and almost fell into the tub.
"Oops, sorry Vee." Luz said.
"You're supposed to knock if the door is closed!" Vee replied. "What if I was already bathing?!"
"It's not a big deal. You disguise yourself as me so we… wait a second. Do we look exactly the same?" Luz wondered aloud before shaking her head. "Never mind, not important. How long are you going to be? I need to take a shower so I can be ready for the dance tonight!"
"I thought it didn't start until six."
"Yeah, well that doesn't mean I want to wait until the last minute to get ready!" Luz said. "Please don't take too long, okay?"
Luz left the bathroom to allow Vee her soak. She decided to pass the time playing a little Candy Crunch on her phone. The minute Vee returned, Luz was out the door and off to wash up. After her shower, she dressed in a pair of black sweatpants and a fleece pullover hoodie in the colors of the bi-pride flag. She didn't want to put on her new outfit until it was almost time to leave for the dance, after Amity arrived. While she continued to wait, Luz read through the latest volume of Monster Hunter Academia while lounging on the couch beside her mother who was reading a mystery novel.
Before she knew it, her phone alarm went off and she jumped in surprise. Luz retrieved the portal case from beneath the couch and opened it with the key. The door opened, showing the woods just outside of Amity's house. Shortly after the portal had appeared, Amity came through it, stepping into the living room and making Luz's eyes widen when she saw what her girlfriend was wearing.
Amity was dressed in a red and black plaid skater dress. It was long sleeve with a lapel neck and woven by hand, giving it a bit of a vintage look. On her feet were a pair of stylish black boots, each with a strap near the top that went across the side, through a golden, star-shaped buckle. Luz looked her girlfriend up and down, her mouth hanging slightly open in awe.
"Dang, hermosa… you look amazing!"
"Thank you." Amity replied, smiling from the compliment. "I was a little worried that the color of this outfit would clash with my hair though."
"It kinda does." Luz admitted. "But in a really nice way!"
"Mija, why don't you hurry and go get changed?" Camila suggested before turning to address Amity. "Did you have a coat, Amity? It's going to be very cold out tonight."
"Yes ma'am." Amity replied with a short nod. She reached into her dress pocket and took out what looked like a pencil case. "I have my winter coat, earmuffs and gloves in here. Along with some healer's patches and a pair of warming stones in case we need them to fend off the cold."
Amity took out her coat and used her magic to return it to its true size. Then she did the same with her other cold weather apparel. She donned the warm clothing and tucked the case into a pocket on the inside of her coat before she fastened the coat's clasps and tightened its belt. Now ready for the lower temperatures outside, Amity stood patiently while awaiting Luz's return.
A few minutes later, Luz came back down the stairs. Her attire for the event was a red corduroy overall dress with a white long sleeve shirt with pink stripes. She had matching leggings and a pair of black, sensible shoes. Her mother had been quick to comment on how cute she looked when she tried it on at the mall. It had to be the case from what Luz could tell, as Amity hadn't been able to keep her eyes away since Luz had returned in her new outfit.
"You're adorable." She commented, not even realizing she was speaking until the words had already passed through her lips.
"Thanks." Luz said, blushing quite a bit. "Although compared to you, I feel like I look kinda childish."
"There's nothing wrong with that." Amity replied, reaching out to run her hand through Luz's hair. "To be completely honest, I think that's one of the things that makes you so endearing. You aren't afraid to be yourself."
Luz felt her face getting warmer as her blush grew. She looked down at her feet, starting to fidget a little. She gently took Amity's hand and moved it so she could rest her cheek in Amity's palm, nuzzling it just a bit. Amity giggled and took a moment to admire how cute Luz was being. Luz was enjoying the attention and stared back at her girlfriend happily.
Camila smiled at the couple for a moment and then gently cleared her throat. "Alright you two. We need to be going if you don't want to be late."
"It's not like they won't let us in if the dance has already started." Luz said. "Besides, we're just going long enough to have a little fun and then come back. We have an early start tomorrow."
"Don't be silly, Cariño. This is a special occasion, you have as much fun as you can tonight!" Camila insisted. "Now hurry and get your coat. You're keeping your novia waiting!"
Luz rushed to the downstairs closet and retrieved her winter coat. It was black for the most part, with white in the middle around the zipper and it had a hood designed with a penguin face about the brim. She put it on and hurried back to her mother and girlfriend so they could head out to the car.
Both Luz and Amity got into the back seat, Luz assisting Amity with her seat belt since it was her first time in a human vehicle. As Camila started her car and drove towards the school, Luz began having some doubts. She realized that it might be a bit too different compared to what Amity was used to in the Demon Realm. As well as how the other students at the dance might react to her. There had been too many times where Luz had gotten confronted about her own weird behavior in the past. Amity, with her limited knowledge of human culture, could so very easily find herself in a similar situation and it worried Luz tremendously.
When Camila pulled up alongside the school, Luz got out very hesitantly. This was the first time she had been to a school social event since she had started attending human school again. Having Amity going with her wasn't feeling so much like a comfort as it was seeming more like another reason for her anxiety to rear its ugly head.
After the couple bid Camila a quick farewell, Luz began leading Amity towards the open gymnasium doors. They could already hear the music from inside the building and could see a massive crowd of teens dancing to the beat. Luz felt her nerves starting to wind up even more as they got closer. It had been so long since she had gone to a dance at her school and the memory of the otter suit incident came bubbling up in her mind.
They got to the entrance of the dance, Amity taking in the surroundings. While there were many things very much the same as what she could see at Hexside, it still all felt very new to her. As they stepped inside and dropped off their coats and other winter clothes, she noticed she was getting a few odd looks for an obvious reason. Her eyes went to Luz, locking onto the girl's round ears. Amity knew that her own must've seen so foreign to all the humans present and would certainly gain her unwanted attention. She paid them no mind though, wanting to simply focus on sharing this new experience with the girl she cared for so deeply.
"Is everything alright, Amity?" Luz asked.
"Yes, everything is fine." Amity replied. "Why do you ask?"
"Oh, nothing. It's just that this must be a bit overwhelming for you." Luz told her. "I mean I get it. You don't know anyone at this school except me and it's just so different."
"That doesn't matter. I don't need to worry about any of that." Amity said softly, smiling at her girlfriend. "I've got you by my side and that's what's important."
"Thanks." Luz said with a light blush. "But just let me know if you start to feel like…"
Amity cut Luz off by pressing one finger to the other girl's lips. "Shut up and dance with me!"
She took both of Luz's hands and led her out into the crowd. A new song had started to play, just as upbeat as the preceding one. Following along with the rest of the teens in the gymnasium, Amity let her movements be influenced by the rhythm. She actually surprised herself a little, having been only ever taught to dance through a series of steps, performing one after the other. This more freeform style was not only proving to be as easy as it looked, but far more fun than she anticipated. Luz joined in, complimenting Amity's movements and forgetting the concerns that had just been bothering her.
A few minutes later the music changed again, a slow song starting up. Some of the students left the mass of dancers, not having a partner for the current song. Luz held out her hand for Amity to take, glancing up at her in an uncharacteristically shy moment. Amity took Luz's hand and placed her other hand onto Luz's shoulder, pulling her closer. Their eyes locked and they, like the many other couples on the dance floor, began to sway to the more romantic music.
A good while later, after a lot more dancing, a visit to the photo booth and a few too many snacks from the food table, Amity and Luz stepped outside for a bit of fresh air. The change in temperature was more drastic than they expected and the chill got to them even with their coats on, so they got nice and close to help each other stay warm. Amity turned her gaze up to the clear night sky, mesmerized by the sight.
"It's amazing how different it looks from back home. I don't see any of the same constellations. Even the moon doesn't seem quite the same." She noted, before shifting her gaze down to some of the nearby houses which were all decorated with colorful lights. "And those are nice to look at too. It must be amazing to just go for a walk with all of those set out on display like that."
"It's actually one of my favorite things to do this time of year." Luz said. "My mom takes us out and we just go around the neighborhood to look at the lights and other decorations that everyone has put up. If you want… maybe you and I could take a little walk around town sometime next week? We could get some hot cocoa at the local Robin's Roast and just stroll up and down a few blocks until we make our way back to my house."
"That sounds like a date to me. I'm in." Amity replied, leaning against Luz. "Let me know what would be a good day and I'll be sure to be ready to come over."
"You got it, Am-Am!"
Luz threw her arms around Amity, pulling her in for a big hug. Amity blushed, the affectionate gesture seeming to completely ward off the cold. She returned the hug, letting out a happy sigh and loving every second that it lasted. After Luz let go again, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and checked the time.
"We've been here almost three hours." She informed her girlfriend. "What do you say? Should we call it a night?"
"That's fine with me." Amity replied. "We have a long trip to Skullbury in the morning and we don't want risk sleeping in at all."
"I'll let my mom know we're almost ready to head out." Luz said, texting on her phone. "Want to go check out a couple of the tables they set up inside while we wait?"
Amity nodded and they ventured back inside, heading to the cafeteria which was situated very close to the gymnasium. There were similar decorations there and the music could easily be heard from the main area of the dance . A few tables had been set up with more food and drinks, but they were fairly crowded at the time. Not that it mattered to them as they were more interested in the other things within the large room.
The couple went over to a series of tables and makeshift booths on the far end of the room. All the clubs at the school came up with different things to do for the dance. While many had contributed to either raising money for the event or working towards decorating, a few had taken the opportunity to bring something more unique to the event. One table had festive holiday socks, hats, and accessories. Another had been set up so the students could craft their own ornaments. Some of the booths had creative holiday themed games that could be played to win adorable little plushies or various types of candy. Both Luz and Amity were at a loss for what to do first.
Amity saw an interesting booth in the corner of the cafeteria while she and Luz looked over the options available to them. Some students had set up a strange looking game or sorts. There were many prizes set out, all of which were tied with a long piece of ribbon. The ribbons went up and over the booth, the ends dangling down in front and all bunched together like a large tassel. Becoming curious, she approached the booth with Luz following alongside her.
"Oh, I know that this is!" Luz told her. "This is a rope lottery. You pick out just one of the ropes, or ribbons in this case, and pull it. Then you get whatever prize is on the other end."
"That sounds kind of fun." Amity noted. "Let's give it a try."
She stepped up to the booth, taking a closer look at the prizes. There was a reindeer plushie, a few different children's books, a box containing a ceramic tree, various candies and other things. Luz let out a gasp and pointed to a larger box that was towards the back in the center. Amity focused on it and squinted as she read the words on the box.
"Funtendo Split? What in the world is that?" She queried.
"One of the coolest game consoles ever!" Luz excitedly told her. "I've wanted to get one ever since they came out, but even after the price went down, it was still a little too expensive for me to ask my mom to get me one. She works hard just to pay the bills and feed us, and now we have Vee living with us too. So I really feel like it's a lot to want from her."
"Well this seems like a good opportunity to try and get you one for free." Amity stated confidently.
She stepped up to play the rope lottery. According to the rules posted on the booth, each student or their plus one for the dance was allowed only a single chance. Amity looked carefully at the many ribbons dangling in front of her. They were all the same color and it was absolutely impossible to tell which ones were attached to what on the other end. It was obvious to her that trying to employ any amount of thinking into the probabilities of getting the right one would do her no good. This was something on which she had to rely on chance alone.
Amity took hold of one of the ribbons and pulled. Among the many prizes a box was lifted up, just not the large one which Luz had been hoping for with bated breath. Instead it was a box with an assortment of fruit flavored candy canes. Luz stepped up next after Amity took her prize and moved aside.
Luz reached for the numerous ribbons with both hands, letting them drape over her fingers while she looked at them. She closed her eyes and took a breath, leaving her choice completely up to fate. Slowly, she began letting the ribbons slip from her hands until only one remained. Taking it firmly into her grip, Luz opened her eyes again and gave the ribbon she had selected a pull. From among the many objects in the booth, a children's book was pulled up into the air.
"Aw, chestnuts." Luz muttered.
The book she had gotten for her prize was a classic from her childhood, Dr. Spruce's 'The Scrinch Who Stole Christmas'. Luz noticed Amity seemed a bit curious of the story and gave her a quick summary. It occurred to her that the book would be something that might be entertaining for the little witchlings that Amity read to at the library. So she offered to let Amity have it and Amity gave her the box of candy canes she had won in exchange.
There was still a little more time left before Luz expected her mother to arrive and pick them up. She and Amity slowly strolled around the room to see what else there was to do in the meantime. They browsed through one of the tables with handmade ornaments, Amity fascinated by the little baubles. Neither of them bought any as Luz hadn't brought any money, not having thought she would need any that evening.
Continuing their browsing around, the two stumbled upon a table where students could fashion their own holiday themed charm bracelets. Like the rope lottery, the activity was free but also limited one to each person. Luz seemed very eager to make one and Amity was more than happy to oblige. They sat down and began working on stringing the assorted beads, bells and little charms in the shapes of stars, wreaths, angels and other appropriate symbols for the season.
After a couple of minutes they each completed their bracelets. Just as they had done with their prizes from before, they exchanged their finished accessories, each putting them on and admiring them as they got up from the table. Luz bumped into someone who was about to sit down and went to apologize, but froze momentarily when she recognized the other person. A blonde girl with a pink streak in her hair.
"Amy… um, hi…"
"Hey Luz." Amy replied. "Sorry about that."
"No, I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."
"Luz, who is this?" Amity inquired. "Someone you know?"
"Kinda." Luz answered. "This is Amy Feldman. We've known each other since we were really little. Amy, this is my girlfriend, Amity Blight."
"Girlfriend?" Amy repeated, looking surprised. "Really? You're dating someone?"
Amity frowned a little and stepped closer to Luz, linking their arms. "Yes, she and I have been together for a few months now." She said, an almost undetectable trace of iciness in her tone. "It's nice to meet you."
"Uh, yeah… same here…" Amy replied, starting to seem a little uncomfortable under Amity's gaze.
"Anyways…" Luz said. "We were just about to head out. I guess I'll see you around after winter vacation. Hope you have a Merry Christmas."
"You too. And hey, congrats on getting a girlfriend." Amy commented. "I'm happy for you…"
Luz smiled awkwardly and waved, not entirely sure of how to respond. She and Amity began making their way back to the doors, Amity taking a quick peek over her shoulder as they went. Seeing that Amy was preoccupying herself at the charm bracelet table, Amity leaned a little closer to Luz to whisper to her.
"I don't really like that girl." Amity told her. "I'm sorry to say that, I know she's your friend."
"We used to be friends…" Luz whispered back. "When we were still too little to go to school we played together all the time, but a couple of years ago we drifted apart. She was making new friends. Cooler ones who didn't like me. So she decided to stop hanging out with me so she could hang out with them instead."
Amity's eyes widened momentarily as she processed what Luz had said. It sounded disturbingly familiar to her, not too different from how she had treated Willow once. The thought of it made her scowl and she pulled Luz a little closer to her.
"If that's the case, then I hate her." Amity stated flatly. "You didn't deserve to be treated that way. No one does."
Luz giggled. "Aw, it's cute how you're so protective of me!"
"I am your awesome girlfriend, after all." Amity said, smiling proudly. "It just comes naturally to me."
The two stepped back outside and waited for Camila to pick them up. Luz opened the box of candy canes and selected a watermelon flavored one for herself. She then held the box out for Amity, who picked at random, getting a peach flavored one. Luz's mother arrived shortly after they finished their sweets and they got into the back seat, buckling up and getting comfortable beside each other.
Camila began the drive back to her house. She was about to ask the girls how the dance was, but had to hold off when she saw them in the rearview mirror. Luz and Amity were snuggled close as could be with their seatbelts on, leaning against one another with their eyes closed and little smiles on their faces. Choosing to let them be, Camila continued the drive in silence. She even took a different route back too, so the couple could have their time together last just a little bit longer.
To be continued.