A Little Bit of Both (Lumity)

Twenty Three

"I just wanted to c-come say hello, and u-uhm-"

"Ugh." Amity cut through her like a sharp butcher's knife almost immediately, giving her no chance to even speak. This surprised Luz to a certain extent, but not in a good manner. "Look, just save it. You said your hello's and now you can say goodbye, okay?" Amity said with a snap but in a casual tone, as if she didn't care. This kind of hurt Skara, as if it hit like a bus. She was mad about it, of course, but her anger didn't show, only sadness was plastered in her expressions.

"O-Oh." This caused Skara to start walking away from their table while looking at the floor, her hands playing with one another.

"No, Skara," Luz interjected as she called back to her, gesturing her to come back. Amity shot her a look of confusion and distaste but Luz didn't break her eye contact with the bard witch. "You can finish what you had to say, okay? Don't stress yourself too short." Luz gave her a warm and welcoming smile wide enough for almost all of her stress and fear to completely disappear.

"Uhm, as I was saying, I wanted to actually say that," Skara said with a stutter in her voice, hardly being able to get any words out. Amity's glare wasn't really helping at all. "That me, personally, am really s-sorry." This statement alone had everyone letting out a gasp except for Luz; she kind of predicted it. "For everything."

"Why are you doing this?" Willow spoke out. "Is this some kind of setup?"

"No! Nonono it really isn't!" Skara said frantically, her hands starting to flap subconsciously before she calmed down. "It's just I came to realization after you had apologized to me a bit ago, that I can't keep doing... this! I can't keep being somebody that I'm not and being just a follower to Boscha!" She exclaimed, a bit of strain in her voice as she spoke. "Just the other day someone told me I was her lackey, and that I was wrapped around her finger, blinded by fame throughout Hexside but that was all because of her. People only acknowledged me for be around her!" Skara looked back at where Boscha was sitting only to see Boscha had been staring her down the entire time. It made her heart drop but she knew she couldn't stick by Boscha's side anymore to just throw people around; that wasn't her!

"But, you are?" Amity shot back nonchalantly.

"No I'm not!" Skara yelled desperately, drawing some eyes from around the lunchroom, leaving Luz, Amity, and their friends, wide-eyed. Skara was slightly shaking, and Luz noticed.

"Amity!" She shot back to her girlfriend. "How could you?"

"What?!" Amity hissed back.

"How could you say that so rudely?"

"How could I not?"

"You're being really hypocritical considering you aren't acting any better than me when I had to face Mia in my realm!"

"I-" Amity started but only backed down and went back to drinking her juice once she realized that Luz wasn't wrong.

"It's just that-" Skara started again as she kept tripping over her own words, trying to be as vocal to them as she could. "Being around her only dragged me through the mud... I never meant to h-hurt anyone! I just-" Skara spat out as her bottom lip started to quiver. "I just was scared to be alone! She was the first and only friend that I was given, and I panicked, and-!"

"Given?" Luz whispered to Amity who was looking away, guilty.

"She was like me," Amity whispered back. "She was forced to be friends with Boscha. Like me."

"Skara!" Willow called out, moving over in her seat so there would be some space for her. "It's okay! It's okay." She reassured the bard witch in front of her who was practically on the verge of tears. "Come sit down, please." Willow said quickly with the acceptance of open arms. This immediately had Skara glowing ever so brightly, her bottom lip no longer quivering as she walked her way towards Willow and sat down. As soon as she did, she was pulled into a very tight embrace from Willow as she whispered sweet nothings into her ears to calm her down. This act left Skara to finally let out the water works as she clung onto Willow as if she had never received such affection before.