When the fall play is announced and Luz is determined to prove herself to Skara, she drags Amity into being the best Romeo and Ghouliet Hexside's drama club has ever seen. But is success more important than honesty? And will their real-life blossomi...
As Luz walked into school the next morning, She could hear the cafeteria buzzing with excitement. A crowd of theatre kids huddled around a small sheet of paper on the bulletin board. The cast list was out. She searched for Amity among the masses, as she didn't want to read the results without her, and found her waiting in the corner for the same reason.
"I'm a little nervous," noted Amity, "What if-"
"Are you KIDDING ME?!?" Amity's anxious muttering was interrupted from across the room by an ear-shattering cry near the middle of the huddle. Skara had gotten her results, and she was far from pleased. She stomped away in disgust, dragging Chadly by the arm behind her. "The human gets a lead, and I get stuck as an extra. An extra, Chadly!" She was complaining so furiously that she didn't notice her new rivals as she passed them.
Luz and Amity turned to each other, eyebrows raised and lips on the brink of smiles. Leads? They rushed to the cast list. Upon seeing them, the crowd fell silent and parted to allow them to get through, all eyes once again carefully watching the two of them. Luz's gaze bounced around the sheet before landing at the very top:
Luz Noceda- Romeo Mantacue
Amity Blight- Ghouliet Catulet
Luz squealed in delight and wrapped her arms around Amity, who stood completely dumbfounded. She didn't think she did that well. And Luz playing her love interest opened up an entirely new conflict: How would her parents react? How would it affect her image? Fear flooded her lungs, her legs began to shake...
"Amity! Are you okay?" Amity's eyes fluttered back open to see Luz kneeling over her, her dark hair haloed by the overhead lighting of the cafeteria and concerned face blurred by the contrast. "You fainted there for a second. Is something wrong? Can I get you some water? Carry you to the healer's office?"
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Amity blinked awake, and her face paled from the shock. "I... I'll be fine, thanks." She sat up and rubbed her head. It was now that she noticed that the crowd of people had gathered around her, making the moment all the more embarrassing.
"Here," Luz said as she stood and reached an arm towards Amity, "Want some help?" She couldn't help but feel a tinge of responsibility. After all, this could have been a side effect of the potion.
Amity took her hand, trying not to let her face flush too much at the gesture, and Luz pulled her to her feet. Seeing the drama coming to a close, the crowd dispersed to their classes.
"I should probably get to class as well," admitted Amity. "I guess I'll see you at the cast meeting after school?"
Luz perked up once again. "Oh yeah, we get our scripts today!"
"And our spirits." Amity added.
"Spirits?"
"You don't know?" Amity felt a pang of guilt for withholding this information. "I thought Willow would have told you."
"Told me what?"
Amity sighed and sat at one of the tables. She patted the seat next to her, motioning for Luz to join her, which Luz happily followed. "Theatre on the Boiling Isles is nothing like you're probably used to. We have rehearsals, costumes, all of the usual trappings, but we aren't actually the ones doing the acting. No one's truly acted since before we were born."
Luz raised an eyebrow. "Then how do you put on shows if no one acts?"
"Well," Amity explained, "Do you know the concept of being 'possessed' by your role?"
"Ohhhh, theatre ghosts!" It finally clicked. "So we get possessed by ghosts that know the roles?"
"Worse. They are the roles. All shows here are based on real events, and the ghosts of the real people possess those deemed the most suitable hosts."
"Huh, so we won't even be lucid for the show. That's kind of a bummer." Luz's face dropped as she realized how much less of an experience it would be.
"Well, Not exactly? I've never had a role big enough to use a spirit before, but I think you stay conscious during it. Like, we can control everything for the most part, there's just another soul inside of you fighting for control." Amity shivered imagining the sensation. "You can imagine why it's not everyone's idea of fun."
Luz nodded solemnly as she absorbed the information. "I'm sure it'll be fine," she shrugged with her usual optimistic denial. She grabbed the bag she had set at her feet for the conversation and walked off to class. "See you later, Amity!"
