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Of course, Grom Night didn’t end after Grom itself was defeated. The party had barely started by then.
Luz and Amity were carried the entire way back to Hexside. Once there, they were put down. Luz had stumbled, and Amity had instinctively reached out, and then they were holding hands for what felt like the hundredth time that night.
Not that Amity was keeping count.
Before she could dwell on it, they were caught up in the wave of witches heading inside the gym. Everyone was looking forward to enjoying the rest of their time without the looming threat of a nightmare shape-shifting creature over their heads. Or – more accurately – under their feet.
Luz whooped, dragging Willow and Gus from the crowd. They were all laughing.
Amity had wanted to disappear – today had been too much and too close – but then Luz had caught her eye and given her that annoyingly lovely smile.
“Come on, Amity! Let’s go raid the snacks!”
Afterwards, the night passed by in a blur. Amity had stuck with Luz & Co as they moved from one activity to another. People kept stopping them, congratulating Luz and Amity on defeating Grom and being Grom Queens. Amity had tried her best to be pleasant, accepting the pats and handshakes. She tried her best to avoid thinking about the fight. The dance. The dance-fight.
Luz – ironically, but expectedly – kept her distracted from thinking too much about what had happened. She told awful jokes, and one of them had slipped past Amity’s defences as she drank the bright green punch. Amity had choked, the punch spewing out from her nose. Usually, she would’ve been mortified. And she was, a little. But as Luz, Willow, and Gus cracked up around her, she couldn’t help laughing along. Her nose felt like it was on fire, and her chest felt warm.
At some point – a little while after their pictures were taken – the group broke up. Willow and Gus had to head back home before it got too late, so they’d said their goodbyes, hugging Luz and smiling at Amity. Then some horribly upbeat song started playing, and Luz wanted to go dance. Amity had declined the offer to go join her, saying that she was too tired. Which was true.
And now, here she was. Sitting in the corner by herself and watching everyone else. She’d lost sight of Luz, last seen doing some...interesting dance moves, and was now wondering what King and Eda were bickering about.
Her thoughts were interrupted as Luz stepped into view. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
Luz gave her another one of those adorable annoying soft smiles. “I know you’re tired, but I was thinking, as your official self-declared Grom partner,” she pointed at herself, looking proud of the fact, “I owe you a dance. One where we don’t have to, you know, fight anything. A real dance. What do you say?”
Amity looked up at Luz, hand outstretched.
She should say no. She was crossing over into dangerous territory, putting down her walls too often. Being too selfish and open.
She smiled and took Luz’s hand, pulling herself to her feet. As if she could say no.
The music had become slower as the night wore on. There weren’t a lot of witches on the dance floor now, and Amity knew that there would be people watching Luz lead her there. Knew they would talk.
Let them talk, she decided. They didn’t have to face Grom.
Luz stopped and turned around to face Amity. She didn’t unlink their hands, but she did slip the other one around Amity’s waist.
Amity ignored the blush she felt creeping onto her face, putting her own hand on Luz’s shoulder.
They swayed together – not really dancing. Amity’s heart was somewhere in her throat. This didn’t mean anything, she knew that. Luz had said it herself: That’s what friends do. They were friends. Amity was lucky Luz wanted that. Anything more was...impossible.
Luz was good, kind and sweet and funny.
Amity was a Blight. More than just in name. She was something harmful. She’d hurt people. She was a coward.
Suddenly, Luz sighed, leaning forward until her head was on Amity’s shoulder. Both her hands were now on Amity’s waist. A small, hopeful part of Amity – one she hadn’t managed to burn away – couldn’t help but notice how well they fit together.
She held Luz closer. “You okay?”
Luz shrugged. “I’m tired. Not just party-tired. I’m, like, drained-tired. Facing that Grom guy really was...something.”
Guilt spiked itself through Amity’s chest. “Luz, I-I’m sorry. For everything. For asking you to fight Grom in my place. I was a coward.”
“Woah.” Luz wrapped her arms around Amity. “You’ve got nothing to apologize for. I made my own choices. And you weren’t a coward, Amity! You were so brave! You faced Grom in the end. I could have never defeated it without you.”
Amity hates how happy this makes her feel. “Really?”
“Really really. ‘Sides, it was kinda – I dunno – enlightening. Who would’ve guessed that my biggest fear would be my mom? I wouldn’t have. I guess something about knowing what you’re afraid of makes you realize a few things.”
“Yeah.” Amity agrees. It makes you realize a lot of things.
She’d felt Grom searching her mind for her worst fears. It had plenty to choose from; her parents, her future, the Emperor. But it had known that what would sting the most, what she dreaded the most was Luz’s rejection. Forget all the things she’d been putting up with her whole life. When it came down to it, a human had power over her.
She’d been aware of that, of course. But she hadn’t been aware of how much it would hurt. She hadn’t been aware of how much Luz had actually come to mean to her until she threw herself in front of Grometheus.
And then – fighting with Luz. Dancing. She’d be lying if she denied the fact that she had felt so much stronger with Luz by her side. It was like everything Luz made her feel seeped into the magic she did.
Luz wouldn’t hurt her. But Luz could. And that terrifies Amity, because she was failing to keep Luz at arm’s length.
The song ends and Luz pulls back. She looks at Amity. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Just – like you said, tired. It’s late. I should be going.”
“Oh. Yeah, me too. Have you seen Eda around?”
“She’s by the bleachers. Also, um.” Amity reaches out, takes Luz’s hand again. Just today, she promises herself, I’ll hold her hand as much as I want today and then never again. “Thank you. For the dance.”
Luz grins, and it makes everything worth it. “You’re welcome, Miss Blight. We make quite a team.”
Amity grins, too. “We really do.”
Luz hugs her. Amity lets herself cherish it. She says goodbye when they pull apart, and watches Luz race over to Eda and King. She only stumbles once.
Holding her arms across her chest, Amity turns to find her siblings.
Luz could hurt her, yes. But maybe Luz could make her happy, too.