Time to Shine

Chapter Twelve

FINALLY! I'm back. It's a short chapter, sorry.

After Mr. Peterson left and closed the door, Luz started to nervously fidget with her hands. Amity could see scars scattered across her knuckles, some faded, some were much more recent. Probably from fighting. Willow sat down in a chair near the door, and Amity sat next to Luz. Taking the other girl's hand, Amity traced her thumb over the scars.

"What's going on, Sweet Potato?" Luz squeezed her hand, and placed her head on Amity's shoulder.

"I...don't really know. I just got scared, I guess. I'm not really used to this." She gestured to the two of them with her free hand. Willow raised an eyebrow.

"Used to what?"

"Having friends. Being around people." She chuckled dryly. "God, I've been having too many meltdowns around you guys. Gotta quit doing that, we've already had two conversations like this."

"Don't worry about it." Luz looked up surprisedly. Amity was smiling softly.

"It's okay to be upset and to break down. But I do think there are better ways to tell us what's going on than getting angry and storming out." Willow nodded.

"Yeah, I agree. We're not therapists or anything, but we are your friends. You can talk to us." Luz smiled, the expression reaching her eyes.

"Alright, I guess I can try talking more." Amity squeezed Luz's hand.

"Can we let Hunter and Gus inside? I think we can all afford to skip one class today." Luz shrugged.

"Yeah, that's fine." She turned to Amity with a smirk. "Never took you for the type to skip class, Miss Top Student." Hunter and Gus stepped inside. Amity rolled her eyes playfully.

"It's human school, nothing that important." Luz snorted.

"Yeah, maybe for you guys. But me? I'm failing most of my classes." Hunter chuckled.

"Doesn't really surprise me. You did sleep through the one class we've seen you attend." Luz raised an eyebrow.

"How about you spend more than two days in human school, and then you'll have a very different perspective." Hunter scoffed.

"Please, I could study circles around you." Luz grinned, and Hunter glared back.

"Is that a challenge I hear?" Gus loudly stated. Amity rolled her eyes and looked at Willow who had a similar expression. They looked at each other, both knowing where this was going. A smile then broke out onto Hunter's face.

"Yeah, it is." He approached Luz, thought for a moment, then snapped his fingers. "Bet that if you don't get an A on any test, then you have to clean Hooty's skin for the next year." He shuddered, as he was usually the one who had to do that. Luz snorted.

"Fine. But then if I do get an A, then you have to wear Eda's dresses to school for a whole week." Luz cackled at the mortified look her owl brother bore. His face turned red when he saw Willow silently snickering into palm of her hand, Gus also joining her. Amity also looked thoroughly amused.

"Deal." Hunter held out his hand, which Luz enthusiastically shook. The five of them spent the rest of first period just sitting in the old music room. Luz was grateful that they weren't trying to pry anymore. By the time second period rolled around, the others decided to leave. Amity kissed Luz goodbye, and went to her next class. Luz sighed. What was she going to do now? Maybe going to class wasn't such a bad idea, she could get started at beating Hunter on the bet.

She stood up and stretched. Her mind was heavily protesting going to class, but her stubbornness to win this bet with Hunter won out. She also really didn't feel like practicing for the musical. Fine, but only for the bet. Sighing, Luz shouldered her backpack and walked down the hall to math.

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A week later, Luz found herself in the auditiorium once again.

"Okay, everyone. First rehearsal! Let's make it a good one. Are you all ready?" Mr. Peterson was way too enthusiastic. Luz leaned against the back wall and rolled her eyes. The other students were currently prepping their instruments, and Sarah was currently stretching. Luz sighed and pulled out her phone, scrolling through her messages. Then the she-devil called her.

"Noceda! You need to stretch!" Sarah called. Luz looked down at her outfit.

"Dude, I'm wearing jeans. No way." Sarah stood up straight, and smirked, walking over to her gym bag. She dug around inside until she pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt.

"Which is why I got you these." She threw them at Luz, who caught them, then went back to her stretching. Raising an eyebrow, Luz looked at the dancer suspiciously.

"How did you know my size?" Sarah didn't bother to look at her, she just kept at her warmup.

"It wasn't hard to guess." Luz grumbled to herself as she slinked off to the bathroom to change. When she finished, she came out to find Miss Psycho done with her stretches. Now she was practicing little twirls. How did it come to this? Sarah nodded approvingly when Luz walked up to her.

"Alright, loser. Let's get this started."