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EMBER SCRAMBLED UP THE stairs and into her room, shutting the door with her foot, a heavy blush on her face. She sighed, leaning against the door, gripping the case tightly. She looked down at the mouse with a glare, walking onto her sleeping mat.
"Okay, little mouse. If you don't want to tell me or Luz about how Phillip or how he made his portal," Ember raised the case to her face, a desperate look on her features. "Maybe you can tell me how to ask out a ray of sunshine personified or a cotton candy-haired goddess?" She presses her face against the glass, the breath from her nose fogging it up a bit.
The mouse looked up at her, and its ear twitched. It walked out of its little cave, only to turn back in, but sticking out. Ember slumped and set the case on the window sill. She gazed at it sadly, unaware of the house demon behind her.
"I don't want to hurt Luz or Amity, but I can't choose both of them." Ember rested her head in her arms, sighing shakily. "I have to make a choice." She stood up straight, running a hand through her hair. "Okay, there's Luz and Amity. Both of them are sweet and fun and kind and... very pretty." Ember blushed, then turned and Hooty quickly hid, somehow evading Ember's sight. She picked up the stuffed bunny Luz had won for her all those years ago at the fair, and smiled softly. "But as much as I want to be with Luz, I'm afraid of ruining our friendship. It means so, so much to me. So, I think I should go with Amity."
She raised the bunny, as if waiting for a reply. The soft breeze outside was only heard. She sighed, and set the bunny on her chest of clothes. The more she mulled over hurting Luz like this, after her father had explicitly stated she had returned her affections, the more tears welled up in her eyes.
"I have to. I made my choice of staying here, and I'm gonna stick with it. I'll just be hurting Luz if we have to be apart." Ember quickly rubbed the tears away and clenched her fists. "Amity Blight, will you do me the honor— No, that sounds lame. Miss Amity Blight, I think you're— No. Not that." Ember rested her arms on the window sill, gazing at the mouse once again. "Ugh, this is hopeless."
"Ember's heart was torn between finding Luz a way home, and the pursuit of love. How do I know all that? I suppose I'm just attuned to other people's emotions. She wasn't gonna make any progress if her attention was split."
"Amity's smart, cool, and classy." Ember counted on her fingers, a small smile on her face. "Asking her out should be... breathtaking! Emotional! And real!" Ember leaned toward the echo mouse, eyebrows furrowed. "Everyone back home said I was cheesy. I can't let Amity think the same."
