Space & Time (A What If Fanfiction)

XV. Night of The Collector (Part III)

Luz was fast to arrive back in town after running away from the school grounds. Luz walked down the street still with her hood up as she passed multiple buildings and a few other pedestrians walking on the same sidewalk.

A few of the people passing her were confused as to why a student would be roaming the streets of Bonesborough at the time of day. They knew it was even minutes after schooltime started, but they decided to let her be and mind their own business.

Meanwhile, Luz was so fixated on her emotions riling up she suddenly collapsed on the sidewalk floor. What she did not notice is that she stepped on a hole in the sidewalk, covered with muddy water so that it was not visible.

Luz grumbled in irritation, and got back up with ease. As she was cleaning herself up, beside her was a glass window that she glanced at, with herself reflected on the window's surface. Luz placed her hand and wiped the dirt off the window as she admired her own look.

"You've come a long way, Noceda." Luz commented.

"First thing you know, you have powers and the next, you're... leaving behind... your own.. friends?"

The realization finally hit Luz, the horror she saw in her own expression in the reflection was indescribable. Luz almost regretted how she lashed out to her friends earlier, her hands shaking at the exact feeling.

Luz shook her head, rejecting the feeling as she thought it would only slow her down and make her vulnerable.

Luz scoffed, "Who am I kidding? I don't need them. I still have King and Hooty by my side. And I got a cool new cloak."

"Can that cloak of yours bring your mentor back?"

A voice from behind Luz suddenly taunted her. She turned around, and encountered an unexpected face: Boscha, with her usual mocking smile while leaning against the glass with her arms crossed.

"You." Luz snarled.

"What do you want?" She asked in a threatening tone.

"Relax, I don't want any trouble." Boscha replied.

"Really? Because every time me or my friends talk to you, it's always trouble." Luz mocked.

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" Boscha asked.

"Speak for yourself." Luz replied, her impolite response only made Boscha chuckle.

"You really think someone like me wouldn't skip classes?"

Knowing Boscha as the rude and mean scum she is, Luz could not do anything but agree to her statement.

"Fair point." Luz rolled her eyes.

"I saw your little talk with your 'friends' earlier." Boscha gestured her hands in quotation marks.

"Oh, here we go. What are you gonna do? Guilt-trip me? Don't you even dare." Luz pointed at Boscha in an insulting manner.

"I'm not! I'm just speaking the truth when I say that you're pathetic. A weak... pathetic human. Pushing away your friends like they're just another gum under your shoe. Gotta say, not even I would do that. You can't even see when your friends are just trying to help."

Judging by Luz's change of expression, Boscha figured that she already said enough, and just walked away from her without any more words, leaving Luz with her lips parted in disbelief.

Some part of Luz wanted to ignore what the triclops said to her, but at the same time, a part of her kept Boscha's words close to the heart.

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