Total Eclipse

Chapter 9

DID NOT MEAN TO DELETE

They spoke for hours, late into the morning, Amity slowly opening up and letting her in. She kept herself guarded but was a little less defensive. She never stopped pulling and touching her clothes, so she wasn't exactly free of nerves. And Luz's hands were embarrassingly sweaty. But it was alright. They were awkward and uncomfortable together.

They spoke of the final books in the Azura series and how Hecate should've ended up with her, where everyone at Hexside ended up, Luz's writing. It was still quiet in the house, but the two had never felt more awake.

After a rare moment of silence, Amity got up to wash her face, ready to get rid of any other makeup that lingered and stained.

"Oh, here!" Luz said nervously, diffing through her things to find something to give her.

"Oh, I packed a sweatshirt." She said delicately, pulling out a well-worn but bright sweatshirt, purple on top and white on the bottom.

Amity slipped into it and out the hood up. The seam that held the ear on was slightly torn and left the ear unable to stand up. The colors had faded slightly, but it still smelled like lilac and her mom's old fabric softener.

Luz laughed and smiled. "You kept it? I never thought of you as sentimental,"

"It's warm and soft," Amity said quickly, reddening. "Are those my earrings?"

"Fair point."

She giggled and stumbled her way to the bathroom, her small butterfly tote bag carrying whatever she thought she needed.

Luz leaned against a pillar and stumbled as she dazed out, thinking of Amity.

The way there was a soft reddish tint to her hair and the way her hands were so cold and soft and how her forearms and shoulders were dotted with dark freckles. How boring her own eyes were compared to Amity's, the way they were the brilliant yet dulled gold reminiscent of a fallen king's crown.

Eda knocked on the door in her bathrobe and stared at her. "Rough night?"

It hit Luz that she probably looked as bad as Amity did, if not worse. The eyeliner she prided herself on was faded and spread around her eyes, the jacket thrown on a chair and decorated with wrinkles.

"You could say that,"

Eda was about to continue until Amity walked by her and stopped when she realized what it looked like.

"You know what? Not gonna ask,"

"Eda—" Luz began to draw out. She slapped her bright pink face and facepalmed for a moment.

Eda laughed and threw her arms up before walking out. Luz gave amity some awkward finger guns.

"Erm... breakfast?"

She nodded and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She walked side by side with Luz down the stairs. They were as small as they were creaky, and their hands would occasionally brush before being quickly and nervously pulled away.

It felt like they were awkward teenagers again.

King scattered next to Luz as she opened the fridge.

"Eda!" she called out "We're out of... everything!"

"Not Apple blood!" She said with a shrug and a grin.

"Oh... well, only if you'd like, we can go to my house. There's more food there than I need, and I wouldn't mind the company. Only if you want though." Amity said clearly yet quietly.

Luz smiled. "That would be great."

Eda and King exchanged a look and smiled.

"I'll take King on Owlbert. How about you and Amity share Ghost?"