Chapter Text
The abomination class was rough. I had to write sixteen essays on the different ways to summon the abominations and how useful they are to the coven. As you can imagine, I had a worse sleep since I was up all night doing the essays. Thankfully, it was the weekend, or at least I consider it a weekend. My parents have always been the meanest witches to walk on the Boling Isles, but the universe was on my side when hearing the good news from my mother.
The sun was barely on the horizon, and none of my siblings, Edric and Emira, were awake yet. I was not much of a mover when I slept, but things were different because of my massive homework. The blankets barely covered my legs, and my entire torso was exposed. The creaking door sound is what made me awake, but what startled me was the footsteps afterward. I initially thought it was a robber, but I saw my mother's face, which was even worse. She gave me the evil grin and stuck out her arm to play with my hair.
"Darling, you look lovely on this fine morning. I hope you can get along with your twin siblings because your father and I are off to the other side of the Isles for an important business trip." She said this while still trawling my dyed hair around. Then her eyes went around the room. "I see you have plenty of assignments to keep you company, but do not forget my golden rule." I'm not too fond of that ignorant phrase. My mother continued, "No gatherings of any kind. You are permitted to invite friends into our beautiful manor. We'll see you in two days tops." She let go of my hair and exited the room. I was relieved that she was gone, but I was enlightened that my parents won't be here for two-night cycles.
It felt like an eternity, but my parents were finally prepared for their trip and are ready to head off. They were off on their staff, waving goodbye to each of us, and we did the same in return. Once they were out of view, Edric and Emira looked at me with their own version of evil grins. I stared back for a little bit, "Why do you guys look creepier than usual?"
"Oh, come on, Mittens," Emira was the first to give me an explanation. "We all know you want to invite those three little friends you always talk about!"
I look at her with disgrace, "Talking about? You guys always break into my privacy and read every page of my diary like it's your job!"
"But what about that skinny short hair girl that you keep becoming red for? She's pretty fun and pretty." Edric adds on while taking a step towards me. This time I was filled with rage. "Like I said red for. Or maybe you're angry." Edric wouldn't shut up.
I need to get out of here, which reminds me, I need to pick up a few ingredients to complete my abomination assignment. It was stardust, which is a substance that can blend into any magic you can make. They are super expensive for no reason because it only acts as a decoration to make your spells have a gold aura around them.
I took a deep breath to decrease the redness of my face, "None of that is true. Anyway, I need to get to the market to buy something for school." I teleported my bag from my room because it's my only source of money. "Unlike you two, I have priorities." I walked away from them with confidence, knowing that they too are angry.
Packed like always, the market had so many useful resources that I can use for my future school work. I searched for the stardust, but all I can see are elves, fruits, and eyeballs following your every move. It was hopeless. I need to come tomorrow, or else my grade will plummet.
When my anxiety increased, I noticed that Gus was in attendance. He was in his own stand and holding what appears to be the substance I so desperately need. He was with his father, who is the local reporter for Boonesborough, but whispered into Gus’s ear and left him alone in the stand. I walked towards him and had a better view of the stand’s sign, “ILLUSIONS AND MORE!” kind of cheesy, but not bad.
“Hey, Augustus,” I had to say it so awkwardly. Augustus was bending down, fixing the miscellaneous items within the wooden box before giving me eye contact. He replied, “Oh hey, what uh... what are you doing here, Amity?”
“I’m just walking around to see if there is Stardust, and it appears you have some.” This conversation was going slower than I anticipated. Then again, Gus and I never had a real conversation before, despite having great connections with Luz and Willow.
Gus focused back his attention on the wooden box and stood up before handing me the same Stardust glass bottle he had before. “Lucky for you, it’s the last one in stock. Funny, these dust particles’ sole purpose is to make your aura magic have a pretty appearance and don’t serve any real purpose. Yet, they sell out so quickly.” I stared at the bottle and saw myself through the yellow reflection.
Even though my cruel mother informed me about her golden rule, I decided to commence my sleepover plan. “Augustus, I was thinking if you can invite Luz and Willow to a sleepover at my manor. You are welcome as well, but we need to clean up before my parents arrive.” This time Gus looked at me with excitement, “You mean it! That’s so cool!” He said with a little hop. I laughed a little.
He opened up his scroll and wrote to Willow only because Luz does not have her own scroll. After only a few seconds of sending the invite, Willow responded with a yes but questioned the time. I told Gus before sundown today, and it will end before the evening on the following day. “Good news, Willow said she and Luz will come over today.” His smile was bigger than before, and so was mine.
“Alright thanks, Gus,” I said with a blush, “Then it’s settled, see you later.” I took a couple of steps before halting and realized that I didn’t give Gus any snails for the Stardust. “Wait, I forgot to give you….”
“Don’t worry, it's on the house. The only payment I want is to have the best sleepover I’ve ever experienced in my life!” I was relieved when hearing this from Augustus. After reassuring him that it would be, he leaned forward to hug me. It was a wholesome moment, but I would never think of Augustus’s act as a romantic gesture. He let go of me, and I took off with the dust after waving goodbye.
After spending hours and hours on the Stardust magic, I’ve finally had a presentable magic aura that can accelerate my grade to an even higher standard. I took a break by laying out the extra decorative blankets on the floor of my room and pulled a couple of my stuffed animals. While preparing for the sleepover, Emira barged through the door without knocking again. She chuckled as she glazed around the blankets and toys.
“So you are having a sleepover with your three lonely friends.” She said while smiling and crossing her arms, “go ahead, Mittens, I won’t tell mom or dad as long as you don’t tell them that I’m going out.” I was still setting up the blankets and adding pillows before asking her, “Going out with who?”
“That part is classified.” She gave a more enormous grin before exiting my room. Sometimes my siblings can be the weirdest witches to roam the Isles, but I still love and care for both of them at the end of the day. I hope they feel the same way about me.
Emira and Edric were off to their separate adventures, and the sun was about to set over the dangerous, boiling ocean. So far, none of my companies showed up yet, and I didn’t even bother putting out snacks. I used my scroll to see if they were coming, but it appears that my mother did the unthinkable by installing a restriction on my scroll. This restriction prevented me from calling or writing to anyone. She and my father are the two dictators in my life.
Finally, I heard a knock at the front door and rushed towards it. After opening the long 12-foot tall doors, I was met with Gus alone again.
“Thank goodness,” I said with relief, “I thought you weren’t going to show up. Where are the others?” Gus pulled out his scroll to show the message, “Willow and Luz are running a little late, but said I can keep you company before they arrive.” I was a little heartbroken that Luz wasn’t the one giving me company, but I was happy Augustus made this mansion less lonely and less scary.
After letting him inside, Gus and I both collaborated to make snacks, and it was pretty fun. It turns out he knows how to bake, mix different ingredients, and knows how to add extra flavor to every snack. Usually, I helped Augustus with pouring and lifting heavy containers, but overall, he did everything while I sat on a stool, admiring his baking skills. We could have simply put out chips and other pre-made food, but we both wanted the sleepover to be grand, especially for Luz’s since it is her first time coming into the manor.
Someone else knocked on the door, and I opened it to be greeted with Willow and Luz’s lovely eyes. “What’s up my wicked sleepover peeps!” Luz said with excitement. She was holding her own sleepover bag from the Owl House, and of course, brought her animal costumes.
When taking a few steps inside, she was amazed by the manor’s architecture and the great size. Our manor was around five stories tall and had many rooms, but most of them were owned by my parents. Even Willow admired the scenery despite already being here, but thankfully she no longer associates this place as a place of friendship breakup.
After taking the prepared snacks to my room, we talked for hours about various subjects, but it felt like only a few minutes. Soon we were all getting sleepy, and we took turns in using the bathroom. Yep, a giant mansion with dozens of rooms, but my parents also put restrictions on what bathrooms we can use; Edric, Emira, and I all use the same bathroom while my parents have one bathroom for each of them.
Willow asked to be first, and then it was my turn. After Willow was finished, I walked into the bathroom and was introduced to my reflection. At first, I hated my dyed hair, but I got used to it like anything unfair in my life. I was happy that I actually have a sleepover with witches that care for me, including Luz.
When I stepped out, Augustus was trying to find his toothbrush because it was his turn. “Hey, Amity,” Willow said from behind, “can you come with me downstairs, maybe Gus left his toothbrush downstairs.”
“That’s a great idea. I’ll help Gus up here, you two can search downstairs.” Luz said with a smile; I love her smile.
When we were on the ground floor, I darted towards the kitchen because that is where Gus spent most of his time when I was alone with him. However, Willow grabbed my wrist and pulled me to the living room, where no one could hear us. “What are you do-” Willow put her finger on my lips before I could finish my sentence. “I know you like her. You like, like Luz”
Insanely my face turned into a pure red. “You..you don’t know that!” I kept my mouth closed hard and gave her an angry yet embarrassed expression.
Willow didn’t care what I gave her as she pulled out an old torn-up wedding dress from underneath the couch. “Why are you hiding clothes underneath our furniture?” She dusted the dress off and also pulled out another object from the bottom of the couch, her personal makeup set. “When you were in there, in the bathroom, I told Gus and Luz about an urban legend of the lucky kissers.” When explaining this, my face was no longer red, but I was now confused. Willow expanded, “Lucky kissers are lost ghosts that come out in the middle night, and can only appear when there is no source of lighting. Instead of harming you, lucky kissers kiss you to give the person a lifetime of luck, so it is best to not wave them away. Because if you do, you can have endless nightmares for all eternity. I made it up.”
Even though she explained what the lucky kissers are, I was even more confused, “Okay, but how does this urban legend connect with my crush for Luz, and how does it connect with you pulling that ugly thing out?” She answered my question with a smile and squinted her eyes as she was hovering over the dress in front of me. Now I know how they are all connected. “Oh no.”
I put on the dress, and Willow made my face paler, nearly white, to fit the image of a ghost. I was going to dress as a lucky kisser and kiss Luz in the dark. I know it is a cowardly move; she won’t recognize me, and she is only letting me kiss her for the reward of a lifetime of luck, but I want to give Luz affection so badly. Willow was finally done with the makeup, “Alright, you know the plan?” I nodded with determination. “Good. I got that dress from the market a week ago before ripping it for this special occasion. This was supposed to happen when we were asleep, but conveniently, Gus lost his toothbrush, which gives us extra time.”
We heard the upstairs bathroom door close, meaning Gus found his toothbrush. Luz is now alone in my dark bedroom. “Remember, just walk in there and do not speak, I also said lucky kissers have no tongue.” Willow comes up with the most random things, but I like it.
I opened the door upstairs, and it was near pitch black, but I have muscle memory of everything in my room. As I closed the door behind me, my eyes got used to the darkness, and I saw Luz in one of the sleeping bags. I walked towards her but woke up when I sat down. She was still a black figure in a black room, but I knew it was her. I saw the outline of her head turned towards me, but she did not scream, for she knew it was the made-up urban legend by Willow. She sat up and was prepared to kiss, and so was I.
I learned first and met her soft lips with mine. I still couldn’t see her eyes, nor could I see facial features, but it was her because it was Gus’s turn to use the bathroom. Luz leaned in more, and before you know it, she placed her hand on my arm. I did the same, and her tongue was going around mine; it was so amazing. All the stress that I had with my family before disappeared.
Both of my hands were now on her, and soon they were on her back. As my hands were moving, Luz made her little moans but finally paused before continuing the kissing. This was truly the best day of my life, and nothing can beat this. My right hand made its way to Luz’s neck and then her hair. Her soft, soft hair. Actually, it felt shorter than normal, but it felt good to brush it nevertheless. I finally made it to the top, probably the softest part, and it was curly. Wait...it was curly? I pressed off of her and just stared at her for about half a minute before casting a light spell.
When the medium-size light ball lit up the room, I could see the sleeping bags, the snack platter, Azura books laying around the floor, and I saw, GUS!
His expression was a lot like mine; we were both shocked and frozen in our positions. His eyes were bigger than ever, and it took over two minutes before he said a word. “Am-Am… Amity, you were the...lucky kisser?” I didn’t say anything; I was still frozen in space. Gus repeated my name, “Amity, are you a ghost?” That’s when I teared up.
I stood up with tears in my eyes and walked towards the corner of the room, grabbing my hair. I sobbed and wept, thinking that I was kissing Luz. I stopped my behavior when Augustus grabbed my shoulder. “Amity, what’s going on? Did Willow make it up? About the lucky kissers?” There were still tears going down my cheeks, but I needed to give him an explanation. “Yes, yes she did.”
I don’t know how long Luz took in the bathroom. Now that I think of it, she did have some dirt on her legs. She’s probably taking a shower, for all I know.
Gus and I both sat on my bed. Gus summarized what I told him. “So, you have a crush on Luz and that is why Willow did this, so you can finally kiss her.” I slowly nodded, still feeling sad for myself. “And now you are crying because instead of kissing your crush, you kissed a little kid, who is also a loser.” When he said this, my head turned to him, “No, Gus, you’re not a loser.” My voice changed a little because of the sobbing. “I’m crying because...because…” it took more courage to finish my sentence, “ because...because I liked it.”
Gus turned to me with a surprised look in his eyes, “You liked it?” I nodded again but was close to tearing up again. He turned his vision around the room, trying to comprehend what I just said. “Well, what’s wrong with that?”
“You’re not even a teen yet, I know you’re in our grade because of your success, but still. It’s weird to like a kiss from a younger witch. I was afraid you were going to spill it to everyone and you...would stop hanging out with me.” I curled up like a ball and tilted my head to see only my legs. “You, Luz, and Willow will stop being my friends. I would go back to...being alone.” My tears come back.
As I wept again, I felt his arm around my shoulders and soon hugged me. “I don’t think you’re weird. It was an accident. Luz and I had such a hard time finding my toothbrush that she insisted that she would go first and we would try to find it again in the morning.” Gus’s voice is calming. I’m relieved when he said this. “I promise I won’t tell anyone, it will just be you and me.”
“Wait a minute,” he stopped hugging me, and I turned my whole torso towards him, “I kissed you when you didn’t brush your teeth?” Gus was embarrassed, “Well did you smell anything?”
“No.” I replied. Surprisingly, I didn’t smell bad breath at all. “Well maybe it was the mint chocolate cookies because you ate like half of them.” I said, pointing towards the last three remaining cookies on the platter. We both laughed and soon smiled at each other.
“Amity, you liked the kiss right?” I nodded, still smiling. Gus looked down and back at me. “Do you...want to do it again?” My face turned red again, and it took a while before answering. “No one's watching.” We stared at each other before doing it again.
The second time was better than before. I can tell Augustus was more confident in how he moved his tongue, feeling my top lip more, and he even put his arms over my shoulders. I thought to myself that this isn’t weird. I mean, yes, this is my first kiss, maybe Gus’s first kiss too, but we were still friends in the sense that nothing can come between us. I honestly wouldn’t mind if he had secret kissing moments if he’s cool with it.
I was leaning more towards him before both of us fell to the ground. That ended our kiss and cracked some of our bones. He and I both moaned in pain before laughing again. I looked around the floor and saw a blue plastic container. My arm felt stiff when moving it, but I managed to grab the container and saw a toothbrush within it. “Hey, Gus, I think I found it.” He sat up and took it. “ Thanks Amity!” I sat up and was greeted with a hug. Unlike the hug he gave me in the market, this one felt like a romantic gesture. “No problem, Gus. No problem.” I closed my eyes, knowing this felt right, knowing that I will not be left alone for my mistakes.
When the pain from falling went away, I turned off the light spell, Gus went back to his sleeping bag, and I exited the room as if nothing ever happened. Willow was still in the living room, pacing back and forth. She was thrilled to see me. “So, how did it go?”
“It was...amazing. Got to hand it to you, this was a flawless plan, Willow.” After saying this, Willow couldn’t contain her excitement, she hugged, and we both jumped up and down. “But it’s best if we don’t Luz about it.” Willow agreed with me.
Morning came, Luz, Willow, and Gus were all packing up. That’s what makes them great friends; they listen and follow what I say. Willow was the first to finish packing, and soon Luz was ready to head off as well. “Bye, Amys, this sleepover was a killer! Well, none of us were killed, but, you get what I mean.” She too gave me a hug and soon left, but I no longer see her the same way I did before. I guess that night made me stronger.
Gus was the last one to pack. “Alright, I think I have everything. I promise to not tell anyone in Hexside about...you know what.” He lowered his voice even though it was just two of us in the big manor. I helped carry his bags to the long, big front doors.
“Gus, I just want to say that we’re still friends, and I don't want to become a couple because I don’t want our relationship to be complicated.” Gus understood my words before saying, “Amity, there is something I want to say about that night.” There was a short pause before he jumped up and kissed me on the lips again, causing me to blush. “See you later, alligator!” He ran with his bags before I could catch him.
I was mad but still laughed. I close the doors, and now I have the whole manor to myself again. I walked up to my bedroom to clean up the mess. When the entire room looked spotless, I scanned the place before seeing the blue plastic container. It was Gus’s toothbrush again! He used it this morning, but now he left it behind again. However, it was no big deal because I will find him in Hexside and give it to him in person.
I played out the scenario in my head. He and I would laugh again, then we would hold hands in the third-period class that we share, and maybe he can comfort me again. I heard my heart bump louder within my chest. Oh no, I think Gus is my new crush, but I was still daydreaming.