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Luz wasn’t the popular girl, she wasn’t even the medium popular girl. She was one of the outcasts, mostly alone while her twin was with the popular students. She was mostly alone but honestly didn’t care. Because she had her fanfics, and her best online friend Witchchick128. But everything changed when she moved to California with her mother and her twin. First, she encountered friends, real friends, named Willow and Gus. Two adorable classmates she couldn’t not love. But her twin, Vee, did what they always do. Be with the popular girls. The ones that were mean with the outcasts, like Luz and Gus and Willow. Just another group of posers with dyed hair and loud laughter. Their leader, a red-haired girl named Boscha, was the worst. Always bringing on herself, always picking on the others, always talking, always laughing, always loud. Among the three of their group, well four with Vee, she was the most in the spotlight.
“I just can’t, Vee.” groaned Luz, two weeks after their arrival in Bonesborough. “She’s so much focused on herself. She’s always picking up on my friends. I don’t understand why she’s like that!”
“I don’t know, I kinda like her. She’s different when we hang out. More chill and soft. She’s nice. You want me to talk to her?”
“I don’t know, can you make the devil stop teasing the angels?”
“She’s not a devil! She just has red hair and a mischievous smile.”
“Like I said, a devil!” replied Luz with two fingers on her head, looking like horns.
Vee rolled their eyes with a smile.
“I’ll talk to her, okay?”
“Thanks…” mumbled Luz to her sibling.
The next day, she watched Vee walking to their friends. She saw Boscha frowned but nodding. She hoped it was some kind of ‘Yes, I’ll leave them alone, don’t worry, you’re so nice and pretty but less than Luz.’ This was nice. They would have a quiet moment at least. Wait, what? Luz froze. The world around her froze. Luz stared into space, wide-eyed. Did her brain betray her? What are you doing, brain? Why would Boscha thinks I’m pretty? It’s stupid! She shook her head and went to Willow and Gus to change her mind.
The week went calmly. Boscha and the popular girls were leaving Luz’s group alone, much to Luz’s delight. With them away, she didn’t have to think about her brain saying stupid things like the popular girls finding her pretty or whatever. Everything was fine, really. Until the sleepover.
Luz loved sleepovers. It was bonding time with her friends, in another place than school. It was different and she loved it. She loved making a nest with blankets and watch movies with snacks. She loved playing silly games like truth or dare just to know more about her friends. And since it was the first friends she had in a while, she would enjoy this sleepover. And she did! Despite the pranks Vee and their friends would throw on them. Because, yes of course, Vee had a sleepover too, in the same house, with the popular girls. It meant Boscha was in the same house, with two other popular girls. And as fun as it was to take revenge on them, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt when Boscha got soaked wet. It’s just because I’m a nice girl and I don’t like hurting others, she said to herself.
It all took a weird turned of events when the night came. She had woken up by a noise in the kitchen. She didn’t like noises in the kitchen in the middle of the night, especially after watching a horror movie and especially after that some teens tried to scare them with said horror movie. She got up silently and grabbed her best wooden spoon as a weapon, she was at least black belt in the spoonish arts. She saw a shadow softly moving in the room, in the dark. She came closer, ready to strike, when the shape let out a frightened scream, which Luz copied. Hold on, I know that scream.
“Boscha?” she asked in a confuse tone.
“Luz?” replied the voice.
The armed-with-a-deadly-wooden-spoon girl turned on the light to reveal Boscha in Vee’s pyjamas (because the previous one had been soaked wet by Luz, oops). She had her red hair down, different to her usual ponytail.
“Seriously?! Again! Have you got a problem?” hissed out the other girl, looking at the spot of water on her clothes.
“I’m sorry! I thought you were a burglar and panicked.”
Boscha let out a huff and placed the glass on the counter and used her right arm to grab some kitchen roll to try and dry the top. Luz did not want to stare at Boscha’s empty eye socket. Instead, her look wandered on the body of the red-haired girl. Luz noticed a splattering of white scars surrounding a long, deep scar that went from her shoulder to her mid-forearm. Luz quickly looked to the floor, again not wanting to seem like she was just staring.
“So, you uh, don’t wear your eye to bed?” She awkwardly asked. She didn’t even have to look up to know that Boscha was giving her a fiery glare - she could practically feel the heat boring into her.
“No. Why would I? It’s not hygienic, comfortable, or very safe.”
“Right. Sorry for getting you wet… twice.”
“It’s fine, whatever.” Boscha started walking out of the kitchen, purposely shoving past Luz as she did. Luz couldn’t stop her eyesight wandering to Boscha’s scars, which the redhead seemed to notice, as she curled in on herself slightly, grabbing her right arm with her left hand. Though she still had confidence as she spoke to Luz again, firmly and calmly.
“This interaction never happened.” With that, Boscha left, not even getting a glass of water to replace the one she - well, Luz - had spilled. Luz stared at the door for a few moments after she left, before blinking and shaking her head with a laugh, and going back to bed.
It was bold to assume Luz got some sleep that night. She just turned and turned again in her sleeping bag, her mind playing the events of that night on loop. The prank played on Luz and her friends. Their revenge. Boscha’s angry scream. Boscha in Vee’s pyjamas, her strong musculature outlining perfectly in her clothes. Her messy hair down and the fire and her eye. Hot. No! Not hot! Besides, she already had a crush on her online friend, she couldn’t be attracted to another person, especially not Boscha the mean popular girl who’s been mean to her friends and who’s friend with her sibling. And this was NOT bugging her. She wasn’t thinking about it AT ALL during the whole day. Because there was NOTHING. Nothing but confusion. Luz was confused. Confused about her thoughts.
“Boscha asked me out.” casually said Vee, one week after the sleepover.
“OH… she did? What did you answer?”
Weird. Weird. Weird feeling. Too weird. Why was it so weird? Why was her throat burning like that? Why was her brain angry? Why were her fists clenched? What the hell was happening?
“I said no… She’s nice but I’m not… in the mood right now.”
“Okay, I understand.”
And just like that, in a blink of an eye, everything disappeared. Her mind eased and she felt better. What the hell was that, brain?
“She also said she would date you, since I don’t want to.”
And now her heart was racing, her cheeks heated and she was trembling in her bed. Wow.
“Don’t worry.” chuckled Vee. “I think that was a joke, besides I know you’re not a fan of the popular girls.”
“Yeah… you’re right.”
And just like that, in a fraction of second, everything went down. Her hand grabbed her blanket and she frowned, as she looked at the ceiling. She was confused. Everything was so wild in her head. Thoughts flying, floating, renting free space of her brain. In the middle of it was a red-haired mystery.
“Eh Noceda.”
“Huh?” Luz jumped hearing her name. She was again lost in her mind.
“I was looking for you.”
“Huh? What? You mean Vee, my twin?”
“No, no, huh… You…”
“What do you want, Boscha?” frowned Luz, her stomach was twisted and weird. Was everything this hot before?
“Talk to you, duh.”
“Well…”
“No… Alone, without… huh… anyone.”
“I’m sure Willow and Gus can hear the thing you want to say.”
“No, it’s okay Luz, we were about to go anyway.”
“Do we?” asked Gus.
“Yes.” closed Willow as she dragged Gus away.
“Well…” sighed the boy.
“So… what’s up?”
“Doyewannagooutwit’me?” blurted out the red-haired girl.
“I’m sorry?”
“Look, I don’t want to repeat myself.”
“But I didn’t understand a thing.”
Boscha sighed loudly.
“Okay… It’s awkward, I’m awkward, I’m gonna go.”
“No, wait, tell me.” Luz pulled her arm to let her stay.
Boscha slowly breathed a few times and looked at Luz directly in her eyes.
“It’s about the sleepover.”
“What about it?”
“You know when you startled me.”
“Ah yes.” Luz chuckled awkwardly. “I remember.”
“Yes, it was wet. Anyway. I couldn’t sleep that night.”
“Because you played games all night long.”
“No… I… You… Thinking… Ugh, why are words so hard to say!”
“Take your time.”
“THE POINT IS… I like you, Luz.”
“Hahaha… wait.”
Luz’s smile fade in a microsecond. Her stomach was now near her heart, it was weird. A really weird feeling. Her brain tried to process the words but it was impossible. Something wasn’t right.
“Are you… Do you…”
“Yes.”
“Is this a prank? Like some kind of sick joke. A revenge for last time?”
“Shut up Noceda. I’m really in a weak position here. Just tell me how you feel, so that I can bury myself quickly.”
“I… I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“I don’t know.”
“Huh… ha… hahaha… hahahaha…”
Boscha’s laugh was nervous, uncomfortable, hurtful.
“That… that’s okay… really… that’s cool… I mean, I’m a bully, I’ve been mean, I deserve it… Rejected by two Nocedas, it’s just karma, right?”
“What about a date?”
Boscha stopped and blinked several times.
“What?”
“You, me, on a date, together, tomorrow night?”
“I…”
“Something cool and nice, or something cheesy, I don’t know. What about it?”
“Y- yeah! Totally, why not, a date is a nice idea!”
“Great! Come pick me up at 7.”
“Right, yes, seven, totally, yes, good.”
“Great!”
Luz left, slightly hopping to the inside of the school, leaving Boscha dumbstruck, standing in the park.
Luz had opted for a cute yellow top and some black jeans. She absolutely did not spend three hours whining and rummaging through her wardrobe to find something to put on. Vee wasn’t of a great help as they preferred to laugh at Luz, panicking for some date. But it was Luz’s first! The first time she actually got the nerves to ask someone out, she didn’t know how and why she managed to pull this through though. But here she was, waiting for a red-haired girl, right behind the door of her house. She absolutely wasn’t standing for an hour ‘straight’ behind this door. The insufferable waiting was… well insufferable. And she totally jumped for the doorknob when a knock occurred.
“Hi!”
“Oh… Uh… Hi Noceda, Luz, hi, yes. I’m here because, well date you know, as promised, it’s…” Boscha looked at her phone. “Seven, yes, almost, right, it’s seven and… well, are you coming or what?”
She was wearing purple eyeshadow which, with her hair and the colour of her eyes, looked like the bi flag. Probably just a coincidence, right? That was definitely not a coincidence. She had a pink tank top, purple pants and dark blue shoes. She was totally the personification of the bi flag. Luz giggled at this view, but not too much because the girl was really gorgeous, which made her gasped. And all of that at once was feeling like she was choking on some air.
“Uuuh… you okay?”
“Yeah, yeah totally, yes.” Luz replied, coughing. “You’re really pretty.”
“Oh… Oh, yes, I… Yes, thank you.” Boscha blushed, screwing up her aesthetic. “You too, by the way, love the colours… and your face is perfect with the rest and all that… ANYWAY, shall we go?”
“Yes…” Luz turned to the house and yelled. “I’m out, take care!”
“Don’t do anything I would do, kids!” Eda replied from the kitchen.
Luz smiled before closing the door and came back to her date.
“So, where are we going? Did you plan anything?”
“Yes, right, the plan, totally, let’s go.”
She grabbed Luz’s hand and began to walk.
“Where are you taking me?”
“You’ll see.”
The streets of Bonesborough were shining under the golden hour, the low sun was a perfect match for this old town with its rusty buildings and alleys of trees. They stopped in front of what seems to be a café with a cute shopfront, pastel colours and little drawings.
“What is…”
“Shush and come in.” grumbled Boscha with a slight blush, the same colour as her hair.
“Alright, then. Keep your secrets.” teased Luz.
“Welcome to Café Belos, what can I do for you?” asked a crystal-clear voice.
“A table for two, please.” answered Boscha with a sweet tone.
“Of course, follow me.”
Luz raised a brow but didn’t say a thing. They both sat and the waitress gave them a menu. Boscha kept giving awkward glares to Luz, which made the Dominican frowned.
“Is everything fine, Boscha?”
“Yeah, hu-huh all fine, yep.”
“Are you sure?”
“Of course, why shouldn’t it be? I’m Boscha, the most popular girl, I’m always fine!”
“No, you’re not.”
“And why should you know? You aren’t me.”
“Point taken, but I feel you are uncomfortable since the beginning of this date.”
“What would you like to order?” asked the waitress.
“A latte please, with a brownie.” ordered Boscha.
“Black coffee, one sugar, and a muffin please.” followed Luz.
The two girls turned their head at the same time and giggled.
“I didn’t know you were a softie, Hieronymus.”
“I didn’t know you had a tough side, Noceda… Wait, how do you know my name?”
“I know everything about you, I’m actually part of the government… Also, I saw the enrolment list.”
“You’re such a dweeb.” Boscha sighed. “But a cute one.” She added, making Luz slightly blush.
“So… why are you so weird?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve been acting strange since we left.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Okay…”
They both ate their pastries in silence. Luz was really lost in Boscha’s eyes, the purest blue she’d ever seen, it reminded her of the quiet sea. The comforting waves rolling on the beach, the soothing sound or them crashing on the sand, the never-ending horizon calling for adventure. The children playfully building sandcastles, the teenagers surfing and swimming, elders enjoying the sun. Fishermen and women coming back ashore with dinner, pleasure boats full of rich people stupidly spending their money. Crustaceans, fishes, sharks, dolphins, corrals, old wreck ships lying in the bottom of the sea, full of unknown treasures from the past. Pirates sailing the seven seas, ships full of men and women longing for a new life in another country. All of that, she was seeing all of that in Boscha’s eyes. The beautiful sea where she was obviously drowning and didn’t want to save herself, she didn’t want to call for help, she was okay with it.
“Luz?”
She softly hummed to indicate she was listening.
“Do you want to go somewhere else?”
Luz obliged her to come to the surface, the water was so peaceful and comforting.
“Do you have something planned?”
“Kinda… but if you want to stay here…”
“No! Let’s move on! I can’t wait!”
“Okay, let me pay first and we’re off.”
Without realising it, Luz gently grabbed her date’s hand and started rubbing the back with her thumb.
“Actually, I didn’t plan anything.” Boscha admitted, sheepishly.
“You lied?” Luz raised a brow, falsely offended.
“Yeah, sorry… I just wanted to walk with you in the park, just the two of us, at twilight.”
“That’s… really sweet Boscha.”
“…thanks Luz…”
She chewed on her lips, she really wanted to know why the red-haired girl was so here and distant at the same time. But she didn’t want to bother the quiet silence that fell on them, as they were walking on the muddy ground, the long shadows of the trees watching over them. In the distance, the sun was slowly retiring, its last sunbeam was wrapping the two girls. They had the park for them alone and it was so much better.
“Sorry…”
“About what?”
“About me, about the criticism I made, the remarks, about today too.”
“Yeah… you weren’t the nicest person when we met but you changed, the fact you’re here with me today proves it.”
“Yeah, but I was still a bad person. Why did you suggest this date?”
“I wanted to understand something.”
“Understand what?”
“It doesn’t matter.” She shook her head but Boscha stopped, her hands still intertwined.
“It mattered to me.” She mumbled.
“Oh…”
“Listen. I might not be the friendliest girl, nor the easiest to live. I’m a popular girl not by choice but by status. This place is pretty wild because you need to keep a straight head, getting straight forward and never fail. The point is, Luz Noceda, you’re my first date. I’ve never been so obsessed by a girl before you because you’re hard to get. I didn’t really ask Vee out, actually, I just asked them how to ask you out. And I still don’t know how you feel. Why are you here, really?”
“To figure something out.” Luz chewed her lip again, nervously. She let go of Boscha’s hand and leaned on a tree. The red-haired girl frowned and followed her.
“Figure what?”
Luz slowly breathed in and out. What was the point of keeping everything to herself, especially in moments like this?
“I… thought about you. Like… a lot.”
“Oh… why?”
“First because you were friends with Vee and I didn’t trust you… but then the sleepover… and you in pyjamas…”
“I was that hot, huh.”
“Well yeah. Totally.”
“I- I was saying this as a joke.”
“Well, I’m not.”
“You think… I’m hot?”
“You’re also pretty, too. You’re not just hot… you… I love your eyes.”
Boscha was moving closer and closer to Luz.
“They’re just blue.”
“And that’s the prettiest blue I’ve ever seen.”
Now there were just inches apart, Luz could feel the warm breath of the red-haired girl on her nose.
“You know what, Noceda?”
“What?” the girl exhaled.
“I love your eyes too. And I want to kiss you so bad.”
“Please do, before I change my mind.”
Boscha’s strong arms wrapped Luz’s waist and she pinned her against the tree. The time was frozen as they looked each other’s eyes. Luz’s look was going back and forth her date’s lips and eyes. It was the moment of truth.
“Kiss me.” She whispered.
Boscha tenderly titled her head and finally closed the gap between them. That’s when the truth hit Luz, when she felt the soft lips of her date on her mouth. Her body experienced the eruption of thousands of volcanos at the same time. Her eyes closed and she drift away in the calm sea of the new feeling that was overwhelming her. Burgeoning love as its finest. Every cliché was there, the butterflies in her stomach, the melting of her heart, the soft sound of their multiple kisses. Luz lifted her arm and spread them around Boscha’s neck. She found herself grabbing the red hair as they deepened their kisses. The last sunbeams of dusk were here for the dawn of their relationship.
“Now I understand.” Luz chuckled when they split apart.
“So, you’re finally gonna tell me what was on your mind?”
“Yes, but I needed this to be sure of it…”
“Oh really? And what’s that?”
“I like you too, Boscha. I really like you.”
Her date’s face took the same colour as her hair. She was so vulnerable at this moment, the popular girl could be such a softie. She was really cute. And those eyes. Titan, those eyes. Luz’s hoped this was the last thing she would ever see. Boscha tightened her embrace on Luz and they kiss again, and again, and again. And Luz was drowning, drowning in that new feeling, drowning in those arms, drowning in the peaceful sea of Boscha’s eyes.