Behind the Lens (the owl house au)

Ch. 19 ~ Conflict

Eda led Luz to a rock, nestled amidst the rugged terrain. With a gentle gesture, she prompted Luz to take a seat, positioning her so that she faced the open land.

"And think about what the island is trying to tell you," Eda advised before departing, leaving Luz alone with her thoughts.

Taking a deep breath, Luz braced herself for the task ahead. "Alright, Luz," she murmured to herself, "Look. Look with everything you've got. Focus." Raising her right hand, Luz began to speak, channeling her thoughts through it. But as she did, her inner doubts manifested, taunting her relentlessly.

"Focus? On what? On you'll be stuck in the baby class?" her right hand mocked.

Luz shook her head, refusing to entertain such negative thoughts. "No! Don't think like that!"

But her left hand chimed in, echoing her fears with a bitter edge. "Face it, you'll never get a second spell following Eda's lessons."

Frustration surged within her, and Luz clenched her fists, but as she did, her attention wavered as she caught sight of Amity in the corner of her eye, waiting for her cue.

Just as she began to regain her focus, Luz stumbled over her next line, her words faltering mid-sentence. "Silence, hands! I—um...wait..."

Dana, who had been observing from the sidelines, immediately intervened. "Cut!" she called out, her voice cutting through the air with authority. "Luz, let's take it from the top. We need to get that line right. Reset, everyone!"

Luz felt a flush of embarrassment heat her cheeks as she nodded in understanding, mentally kicking herself for the slip-up.

As Luz finished her scene, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration bubbling within her. Despite her best efforts, she had faltered, her attention slipping when she spotted Amity. It wasn't just the distraction itself that bothered her; it was the fact that it had thrown her off balance.

She replayed the scene over and over in her head, analyzing every moment, every line, searching for where she had gone wrong. But try as she might, she couldn't shake off the nagging feeling of disappointment that gnawed at her. There was a part of her that couldn't help but be drawn to Amity. But at the same time, there was a lingering sense of unease.

As Luz trudged through the snow, she found herself grappling with a familiar sense of self-doubt. Was she really cut out for this? Could she ever truly measure up to the expectations placed upon her? The questions swirled around her mind, taunting her.

As Luz trudged through the snow, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. Startled, she turned to see Eda walking beside her. "Luz," Eda began, her voice soft, "I saw what happened back there. Don't beat yourself up over it."

As Eda walked alongside Luz, she couldn't help but notice the weight of silence that hung between them. Sensing Luz's reluctance to speak, she gently broached the subject that had been weighing heavily on both their minds.

"Luz," Eda began tentatively, "was what happened back there because of Amity?"

Luz hesitated, unsure of how to articulate the emotions that had been swirling within her. Finally, she nodded, her voice barely above a whisper.

Eda's expression softened, understanding dawning in her eyes. "I thought as much," she said gently. "Listen, Luz, I want you to know that it's okay to feel uncomfortable around someone. You don't have to force yourself to be around them if it doesn't feel right."

Luz nodded, grateful for Eda's reassurance. "I just don't know how to deal with it," she admitted, frustration tingeing her voice.

Eda placed a comforting hand on Luz's shoulder. "You don't have to figure it out on your own," she said firmly. "I talked to Dana earlier this morning. I told her about how you were feeling, and she agreed to switch around the rooms so that you're sharing with Emira now."