(So. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse was amazing-)
The hospital visit lasted a few more hours before Luz was given the okay to go back home. Although, she couldn't get the sudden muscles she now had out of her head.
Had she really just been getting stronger without noticing? She always had weak nerd arms as far as she could remember.
"You're sure you're well enough to go to school tomorrow, mija?" Manny asked suddenly, looking at his daughter with soft eyes.
Luz smiled. "I'm sure! I feel better! I promise!"
"Well...okay. Let's just hope your mom and I can survive another heart attack if something goes wrong." Manny said, joking to light up the mood.
Manny always had this playful demeanor about him. That's probably why Luz got along with him so well. Neither of them cared how others saw them as long as they were themselves.
Camila lightly hit her husband. "Please do not give me that fear again."
"I kid, mi amor. I kid." Manny reassured.
Luz and Vee smiled before heading into their room, with Luz stretching a bit before sitting on her bed.
Vee then took a seat on the bed across from her before looking at Luz. "You...sure you're okay?"
"Vee, relax! I'm fine!" Luz smiled as she sat up, but for some reason, her hand was now stuck to her hoodie. She pulled slightly, but her hand didn't budge.
Was it still sticky from the lollipop? Was the hoodie sticky?
"If you say so." Vee said. "Expect to be smothered by everyone tomorrow."
Luz then tried to take off the hoodie and managed to pull it off her...but it became stuck to both of her hands. Her eyes widened as she waved her arms around to try and get the hoodie to let go, but nothing was working.
'What's going on!?!?' Luz thought before quickly laying down right before Vee looked back at her.
"I mean, Willow was always overprotective. You know that." Vee giggled. "Maybe you'll get lucky and get smothered by Miss Blight!~"
Luz blushed lightly, but seemed to be more focused on getting the hoodie off her hand. "Uhhh, y-yeah! Right! A-as if that would ever h-happen!"
"Still such a stuttering mess whenever I say her name." Vee said before looking out the window. "Oh, wow. We were at the hospital for a while, the sun's going down. You wanna binge a show before heading to sleep?"
"I-I'd rather not be late again, y'know?" Luz asked as she put the hands and hoodie beside her, continuing to try and pull in secret.
Vee hummed. "If you say so. One episode?"
Luz kept pulling before she got one hand free. She then tried with the other...only to get the hand that was just free stuck again. "S-sure! One episode!"
"I'll get some snacks!" Vee smiled as she left the room.
Once Luz made sure Vee was gone, she rolled right off the bed and set her foot on her hoodie as she pulled with all her might.
Then, finally, her hands were free. Luz laughed in triumph before looking at her hands. "Okay...what just happened?"
She then looked at her shirt and very slowly placed one of her hands on it and pulled. Her hand came off normally.
"...maybe it is just my hoodie..." Luz whispered, not even believing herself. "T...this will go away by morning...just calm down, Luz...you don't need to freak out."
The next day, school was normal as always. But Luz seemed to be almost acutely aware of everything that went on in every class.
She could hear someone tapping their pencil. The sound of a marker was louder than usual. And the bell legitimately startled her.
However, she brushed this all off as normal. Her hands weren't sticky when she didn't want them to be and maybe it was some kind of reaction to the spider-bite from yesterday.
...it had to be...unless-
"LUZ!!!" Familiar voices cried.
Luz jumped and then turned around as Willow suddenly hugged her tight. "W-whoa, Willow!"
"You had us worried sick!" Willow exclaimed as they all began walking to lunch. "What happened to you!?"
"Vee said you passed out! How are you feeling?" Gus asked.
Hunter then set a hand on Luz's shoulder. "Please tell me you're okay."
Luz smiled, feeling most of her worry fade away. "Guys, I think I'm okay. I'm gonna have to say that a lot, huh?"
"Yes, yes you are." Vee said. "We care a lot about you, sis."
"Awwwww!!! Vee!!! You guys!!!" Luz smiled. "See, this is why we're best friends."
Later, after getting their lunches and beginning to walk to the table they usually sat at...Luz's head suddenly began to ring.
She groaned a bit. "Stupid headache- YIPES!"
Luz's foot suddenly went upwards as she slipped on a spill and her tray went flying into the air...but what at would've normally been a disaster for everyone to see became something Luz didn't even know she could do.
She suddenly caught the tray and moved it around until each piece of food she had landed perfectly and safely on it.
Everyone else stared in surprise...before a few students actually began to clap.
"Nice catch, Noceda!" One called.
Luz blinked, her eyes wide at what she had just done. She then stood up, looking down at her food.
"...what did I just do...?" Luz whispered before turning around to her friends, who looked more impressed than shocked.
Hunter laughed. "You're gonna have to teach me that trick! Seriously, how did you do that!?"
"I...uhh...don't know." Luz said.
Gus blinked. "What do you mean you don't know?"
"I-I don't know!" Luz cried as they began walking again. "I just...reacted!"
Vee then took a seat. "Luz, you're a bit of a klutz...seriously, how did you do that?"
"What part of 'I don't know' don't you get!?" Luz cried as she also took a seat.
Willow hummed. "Well...this kinda thing has happened before. Maybe you just somehow knew how to prevent it this time? It's the only thing I can think of."
"I'd have to agree with Willow." Hunter said, sitting down as well. "I mean...you can always trust her whenever she has an explanation."
"Awww, H-Hunt." Willow said with a light blush, tapping her fingers together. "S-stop-"
"No seriously, stop. Willow has some insane ideas, she is not always right." Gus said.
Willow turned to him. "Hey!"
Then, someone all too familiar walked over. "Hey, Luz and gang!"
Luz's eyes widened and her face went red as she whipped around, leaning her elbow against her food. "A-Amity! Heyyy!"
Amity smiled. "I can tell you're feeling better...you honestly scared me back there."
"Psh! I'm, uhh, stronger than I look!" Luz said. "B-but thanks for checking u-up on me, it's good to stalk to you-"
She then quickly sat up after realizing her mistake. "I MEAN TALK. IT'S GOOD TO TALK TO YOU."
Amity blinked before giggling. "You're a dork, Luz Noceda. But, I mean that in the absolute best way possible. Hopefully I'll see you around."
She then looked at everyone else, specifically at Willow. "Hopefully all of you around."
Willow was about to speak before Amity walked away. She sighed a bit, but Gus just patted her shoulder.
"...you don't actually stalk Amity, do you?" Hunter asked.
Luz turned to him, still blushing from the encounter with Amity. "I may have a gigantic crush on her the size of our city, but I know what personal space and privacy is, dude!"
Hunter raised his hands in surrender. "Just making sure, Luz."
Luz sighed. "It's sad you'd think I'd do something like that."
Hunter just grinned. "I'm one of your best friends, I have the right to make fun of you."
"As do I, gap tooth." Luz smirked.
Hunter's eyes narrowed. "Okay, let's stop talking."
"He can dish it, but he can't take it." Luz laughed. "It was a joke, Hunt. You make it look good!"
"Willow definitely thinks so-" Vee said before Willow quickly covered her mouth.
Luz hummed to herself as she went to her locker. Amity talked to her. This was the second time they actually had a conversation without her running for the hills or at least wanting to.
Amity didn't even seem to mind her incredibly loud correction of her own words. Maybe that meant she didn't mind weirdness.
Luz smiled at the thought. This was as great a start as any-
Then, her head suddenly began ringing again. Luz's eyes suddenly widened as the ringing started to sound like...a warning?
Suddenly, reacting out of instinct again, she whipped around and dodged a hand trying to grab her. She looked at the owner of the hand and her eyes widened.
Amity Blight's ex-girlfriend and one of the most 'popular' students in school.
Boscha.
Luz's eyes narrowed and she backed up a bit. "Boscha...I doubt you're coming to see if I'm alright..."
"No. And I could care less if you are." Boscha sneered. "Look, whatever happened to you is sad and all...but stay away from Amity. Got it?"
Luz's eyes widened and she quickly got defensive. "You still aren't over her, are you? Boscha, you and her broke up a year ago!"
"We didn't break up! We're just taking a break before we get back together! Either way, it's none of your damn business!" Boscha snarled as she tried to grab Luz by the shirt, only for Luz to suddenly dodge again. "Just stay away from her! I saw how you were talking to her, making googly eyes...she's mine."
Luz scoffed. "She's not anyone's. Maybe this is why you broke up! Cause you treat her like property!"
Boscha was silent before she swung her arm at Luz.
Luz swiftly dodged and started backing into the middle of the hall for everyone to see the two.
Students began walking over or even backing up, clearly wondering what was going on or were somewhat excited to see a fight.
"Boscha, I don't wanna fight." Luz said, raising her hands to surrender. "Can we just get to class and move on?"
"Of course you don't wanna fight." Boscha snarled. "You'd lose."
But then, a voice screamed. "BOSCHA!!!"
Boscha turned and then her eyes narrowed. "Amity-"
"Don't even start!" Amity cried as she shoved a few students out of her way. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
"What am I doing!? What are you doing talking to someone like her?!" Boscha exclaimed, pointing at Luz.
Amity clenched her fist. "Someone like her? This is exactly why I broke up with you!!! You kept me too close and forbid me from talking to anyone!"
"You didn't know how good you had it with me!"
"You didn't even know what good meant!" Amity shot back. "I don't even care if you don't wanna change...just walk away. Leave Luz and everyone else alone."
Luz then stepped in and grabbed Boscha's shoulder. "You heard her! Just leave-"
Boscha then shot her fist right at Luz...but much to everyone's surprise.
Luz actually caught her fist, causing everyone to gasp.
Boscha's eyes widened and she tried the same with her other fist, only for Luz to catch that too.
Luz's eyes were wide at what she was doing...she felt strong, yet terrified all at the same time. Her hands even trembled, but not from Boscha pushing back, just out of shock and confusion.
She then pushed Boscha away and there was silence for a moment...but arrogantly, Boscha tried to shove Luz onto the floor...only for Luz to suddenly front flip into the air and right behind Boscha, even sticking the landing perfectly.
The students all gasped and some of them even took a photo.
Amity stared at Luz with an expression that she couldn't quite name. "L...Luz...?"
"...I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I JUST DID." Luz said, standing up and looking around before she quickly lost sight of Amity when the other students started to surround her.
Question after question or picture after picture happened...but there was only one question Luz wanted answered.
What happened to her?