Chapter 4: They're Adorable and Deserve All the Happiness!

Later that evening, Amity stood despondently in front of the fireplace at home, contemplating the events of the day. She had given up all hope of having any sort of relationship with Luz. Even though she didn't believe Luz felt the same way towards her, she had hoped that maybe they still could've been friends. But after how she'd lashed out with her, telling her she never wanted to see her again, that now seemed impossible. It had been one of the worst days of her life, and it was all her fault.

She pulled the crumpled note out of her pocket. She wished she had never even written it. After all, if she didn't ask Luz to Grom, this whole thing never would've happened. She would still be friends with her. Why couldn't that have been enough? It sure would've made things simpler. If she hadn't written this stupid note, this whole day never would've happened.

She was ready to toss the note into the fire. But before she did so, something stopped her. Perhaps it was her last strand of hope. Perhaps it was a sense of guilt. Even she wasn't sure what it was. But whatever the reason, she uncrumpled the note and unfolded it, deciding to give it one last look before discarding it forever.

At the bottom of the note, she saw one word that changed her life forever. Her heart skipped a beat. She gasped. Her mood shifted from one of despondency to one of euphoria. A single tear rolled down her cheek. The note fell from her hands. She knew what she had to do. She needed to make things right. She ran out the door, all the way to the Owl House.

After Luz had calmed down, she told Eda what had happened. Eda listened attentively. Over the past few months, she had really grown to care for this girl. She saw so much of herself in her. She was more than just a roommate or protege to her. She was family. She had never had kids of her own, or even really wanted to have them, but in those moment when she really thought about it, she had always hoped that she might have a kid like Luz.

"Wow. That's rough, kid. And I've been through rough."

Luz sighed and gave a sad look. "I don't know Eda. I really had no idea that Amity would react this way. But…I probably should've seen it coming. Amity's way too cool for me. I was always the outcast back home. Anyone I've ever asked has turned me down, and they weren't even nice about it. The only time anyone ever asked ME out was for a stupid prank. It really hurt, Eda. It probably would've been better if I'd never responded at all."

Before she could go further, Eda stopped her. "Okay, first off, Amity is not too cool for you. Do you have any idea how cool you are? You're a human learning magic. Your glyphs are a form of magic I've never seen before. And you never give up, no matter the odds. You don't care what other people think. That's pretty dang cool in my book. You might even be too cool for her!

"Also, it's not healthy to think like that, Luz. Yes, today was hard, but you can't let an experience like this shut you off from love for the rest of your life. It's not good. Trust me, I've had some bad experiences. I was once in love with someone. Raine Whispers was their name. I really loved them. But…things didn't work out. It was my fault, mostly. I should've been more open and honest with them. Still, when they broke up with me, which...looking back, they were right to do, I was never really the same. I dated a couple other people after that, but none of those relationships lasted very long, and it was never anything like what I had with them. I was too scared of the potential heartbreak, so I never really opened myself up with any of them. But to have someone who means as much to you as they once did to me is invaluable, and I miss having that. So don't let a day like this turn you away from romance for the rest of your life. I mean it, kid. I don't want to see you give up hope because of this. It doesn't suit you."

Luz started feeling a bit better, but something was still bugging her. Then she asked, "But Amity seemed really upset when I gave her the note. She didn't even open it. It was like I had just done something horrible to her. How can I even show my face at school again? We have classes together, so it's not like I can avoid her."

Eda thought for a minute. "Well, ordinarily I'd just suggest you just don't show up again. But I know how much it means to you, so I know that's not an option. It might do you some good to take a break for a day or two, but when you're ready, I suggest you show up at school with your head held high. Show the folks at Hexside that you don't back down. You don't let a little rejection get in your way! If they don't like it, too bad. Be proud of yourself. You know I am."

Luz was feeling a lot better. "Thank you, Eda. I think I'm gonna be okay now."

"Good. Hey, you know I find always helps after a rough day?" She reached up and pulled down a large jug from the shelf and poured a red liquid into two glasses. "A nice glass of apple blood! What do you say, Luz?"

Luz looked at her, raising her eyebrow. "…Eda."

"What?" She quickly realized her mistake. "OH RIGHT! I always forget this stuff isn't safe for kids, what with the version they give you at Hexside. Oh well. More for me!" She quickly downed both glasses. "How you kids manage without this stuff will always be a mystery to me. I swear you kids need this a lot more than adults sometimes."

Luz said, "It's okay. I find a good cuddle helps too." She looked around and asked, "Hey, do you have any idea where King is? I haven't seen him all day."

"I dunno. He said something about a 'comedic side adventure'?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"No idea. It's like he's living in another world, sometimes."

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. The door swung open as Hooty extended himself towards Luz and said, "OH LUHUZ! THERE'S SOMEONE HERE TO SEE YOU! HOOT-HOOT!"

Luz came to the door to see none other than Amity, thoroughly winded from running all the way from Blight Manor. Luz was thoroughly confused, not to mentioned flustered, but most of all happy to see her, much to her own surprise.

"Amity! What are you doing–"

"I…needed…to see you….Must…talk…about–"

"Hey, why don't you come inside? Sit down, catch your breath. You clearly need it."

Amity's face was already pretty red from running the whole way there, but it somehow got even redder. "Yeah…that sounds good."

After she had time to catch her breath, Luz asked her, "So, what do you wanna talk about?"

Amity was silent for a moment. Then she answered, "When you gave me the note back, I was…afraid to even open it. After how I treated you when we first met, only a couple months ago, I thought it was your way of saying that…you didn't feel the same way." She sighed. "And…I was afraid of what that meant for our friendship."

Luz's eyes opened wide. She gasped a little bit. It all made sense to her now. She replied, "Amity…that was never gonna negatively impact our friendship. If anything, it might've strengthened it. I want to be friends with someone as open and honest with me as you were today. Also, even if I wasn't interested, even if I WANTED to go with someone else, I would never do anything that cruel. Too many people have done that kind of thing to me back in the human realm, and it is the worst feeling. I could never allow myself to make someone else feel that way. And last, you are not the same person you were when I first met you. You've changed so much, and I'm really proud of you."

Amity blushed a little, and said, "But…when I gave you the note, you seemed…hesitant. Like you weren't interested."

"Amity, this is the first time anyone has ever asked me out for real. Back home, people I asked out would always make fun of me, or worse, just ignore me. I had almost given up hope that anyone would ever feel the same way you do towards me. So, when you gave me the note, I was just so…shocked. In a good way, but it still felt weird. The thought that you of all people would want to go out with me didn't even seem possible. And after being rejected so many times back home...I guess I kinda stopped paying attention to my own feelings. When you asked, I wasn't really sure how I felt towards you, but I was also scared to hurt your feelings. But Eda helped me realize I wasn't obligated to say yes. And once the pressure was off…I realized that I do like you. And not just as a friend."

Amity was taken aback by this revelation. She went bright red as she exclaimed, "So you DO have feelings for me!" Luz nodded. She paused a moment then sheepishly said, "Luz, I am so sorry for how I acted today. I was so wrong to go off the handle like that. I don't know what came over me. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, and…the first real friend I've had since Willow. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that. I should've just opened the note in the first place. Can you ever forgive me?"

Luz placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and said, "Of course I can, Amity. I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression."

Amity started tearing up as she finally asked her, "So do you still want to go to Grom with me?" Luz blushed a little as she said, "Yes."

For a moment, they just looked in each other's eyes. Everything was silent. It was as if the universe itself had stopped for the two of them. Then Amity embraced Luz passionately as her eyes welled up with joyous tears. Luz processed this for a moment, then threw her arms around her new awesome girlfriend.

Meanwhile, back at Blight Manor, Edric and Emira saw the note lying on the ground by the fireplace. They picked it up and gasped as they read the note. On it was written nine simple words had just changed the lives of two young girls forever: "Luz, Will you go to Grom with me? Amity." At the bottom of the note was a single word, written in a different handwriting: "Yes". Ed looked at it and said, "Bold move, sister." Em picked up a quill and wrote, "Proud of you, sis. Ed and Em" in one of the corners. They took the note up to Amity's room and placed it on her desk before Odalia could find it and nip it in the bud. Ed looked at Em and asked, "So…should we start planning the wedding?". Em replied, "Bro, I've been planning that since the incident with the Slitherbeast."