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The cafeteria bustled with the kind of energy that could only exist in a high school. Clattering trays, shouted conversations, a veritable cacophony of noise all competing for attention. And in the center of it all, Lux sat at a table, picking at her food while she watched Ezreal laugh at something one of his friends said.
To everyone else, he was her boyfriend, but the truth was that he was just her boy friend. Being with him was convenient, for the both of them. It was a way to sidestep the social pressure that plagued every teenager’s life. And, for Lux at least, it was an excuse for her not to get involved with anyone else. It was easier to have a boyfriend than to constantly ward off the people too thick to realize that she wasn’t interested in them.Besides, being with Ezreal was simple. She could bring all of her concerns to him, whether that be venting about her teachers or complaining about her family, and he would sit there and listen. She couldn’t want anything more in a partner.
Yet, despite everyone’s assumptions, they both knew the truth. The practical arrangement they’d made with one another was always going to be temporary. There had been a time when she’d let herself hope that Ezreal might be the one, but the spark had never arrived, no matter how hard she wished for it. She’d just never been able to make herself feel that way about him, and she knew he felt the same about her. They’d both end up with other people eventually but, until then, they had each other. It was the perfect relationship.
Well, she thought, there is that one issue…
It all began with Jinx.
She glanced over at Ezreal as he regaled their group with a story about his weekend adventures in Zaun, his face glowing with excitement.
“...and then Jinx found this ridiculous jacket. Like, straight out of a scrapyard. She swore it wasn’t radioactive, but I wasn’t so sure. I don’t think leather is supposed to glow like that…”
Jinx was all Ezreal ever talked about these days. It was always her name nestling in Lux’s ears, always her name on the tip of Ezreal’s tongue. Lux didn’t even try to hide the exasperation creeping into her expression. She stabbed a piece of fruit with her fork. Even that, with its vivid pink color, reminded her of Jinx. Lux stabbed it again. Every conversation she’d had with Ezreal seemed to circle back to Jinx. He didn’t even notice how Lux bristled every time her name he mentioned the other girl.
It wasn’t fair, the way Jinx slipped into her thoughts so easily. And it wasn’t just that Jinx was dragging him into whatever delinquent nonsense she got herself involved with. It was more than that. It was the way Lux’s skin prickled every time she so much as thought about Jinx. The way her chest tightened when she saw them together, of Jinx laughing as she placed a careless hand on Ezreal’s shoulder, as she glanced in Lux’s direction with that insufferable smirk flashing across her face. The way it left Lux feeling…she couldn’t begin to explain it.
“Lux?”
She blinked. Ezreal was looking at her now, his eyebrows raised. She must’ve zoned out again.
“I’m sorry, could you repeat that?”
Ezreal’s brows furrowed in concern “Are you okay? You’ve been quiet.”
Lux forced herself to smile. “I’m fine,” she said, and then, because the words were already at the tip of her tongue, she asked, “Do you have any plans after school? Maybe we should go see a movie or something.”
She tried to make it sound casual, but the way Ezreal squinted at her told her she’d failed.
“Uh, actually, I’m heading to Zaun again,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck in sheepishness. “Jinx wanted to check out a new spot. And I already told her I’d go. Sorry.”
Of course Jinx had already ruined Lux’s plans. It was like she knew what Lux was going to do before she did!
“I just don’t get it,” Lux said, trying to keep her voice even. She wasn’t entirely successful. “Why do you even hang out with her?”
Ezreal shrugged. "I know she’s a lot,” he began, “but Jinx isn’t all bad. She’s actually kind of fun to be around after you get used to her…you know.” Ezreal waved his hand in front of his face. “Her antics.”
“Fun?” Lux clenched her jaw. “She’s a terrible influence! What if her bad habits rub off on you?”
Ezreal laughed at her concern. "Relax, Lux. You don’t have to worry about Jinx."
Lux sighed. Ezreal clearly didn’t understand where she was coming from.
“I know Jinx isn’t your favorite person in the world,” he said, sensing her frustration. “But seriously, you have nothing to worry about. She actually talks about you all the time when I’m with her.”
She what?
“You don’t think that’s weird?” Lux asked.
Ezreal tilted his head. “What do you mean?”
“You don’t think it’s weird that she’s constantly bringing me up? To you? Her boyfriend."
Of course, Jinx would be talking about her. And Ezreal, bless his oblivious heart, wouldn’t have the good sense to stop it. No, he’d just let her keep going, let her say whatever she wanted about Lux without a care in the world. He’d even decide to go tumbling through Zaun with her! He was probably looking forward to Jinx bringing her name up while they rummaged through junk together.
Lux let out a breath and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. How could he not see it? It was always Jinx. She wasn’t just some peripheral figure in Lux’s life like all her other classmates. Jinx was everywhere; and now she was spending time with her boyfriend! Talking to him about her without the slightest care in the world!
“Doesn’t that bother you?” she asked.
Ezreal brushed her off with the same laugh as before. “Why would it bother me? She’s…I don’t know. Jinx. It’s not like she’s dragging on you or anything. She’s harmless.”
Lux’s stomach flipped. Harmless? There was nothing harmless about Jinx. Not with the way she always seemed to be lurking in the background of Lux’s thoughts, or the way her very presence made it hard to think straight. Jinx was the opposite of harmless.
“I just think it’s weird,” Lux muttered. “She probably says all kinds of things about me, and you don’t even care.”
“I don’t care because it’s not like that,” Ezreal said. “You don’t have to worry about Jinx.”
Lux opened her mouth to argue, but before she could even form a coherent response, a weight dropped onto the bench beside her.
Her teeth ground together. She didn’t need to look to know who had decided to squeeze themselves into the seat next to her. Nobody else would think it was proper to sit this close to someone else.
But then, nobody had ever accused Jinx of being proper in anything but being a menace.
The warmth of Jinx’s body was so immediate and intrusive that it sent a shiver through her. She tried to shift to the side, but it didn’t matter. There was no space left to maneuver.
“Hey,” Jinx said cheerily. “What are you two lovebirds talking about?”
“Oh, nothing important,” Lux muttered, averting her eyes to stare at the remains of her lunch. The fruit was too mutilated to warrant stabbing again. Lux did it anyway. If she didn’t, she might decide to stick the fork in someone else.
Ezreal showed none of her unease. “We were actually talking about how the two of us are going thrifting later.”
“Really?” Jinx turned her gaze on Lux, her grin widening. “Are you coming with us?”
The words were innocent enough, but the way Jinx looked at her made Lux’s skin crawl.
“I don’t think that’s really my thing,” she answered.
“No?” Jinx cocked her head, pretending to be surprised. “But I’d love to see you knee-deep in a scrapyard. You know, really getting your hands dirty. Maybe you’d even break a nail!”
Lux could feel her face heat, but she wasn’t going to let Jinx get to her. Not today. “I’ll pass,” she said in the politest tone she could muster.
“Shame,” Jinx clucked, her tone not changing an ounce. “You might actually have fun for once.”
“I’m busy,” she answered, gathering her bag as she rose to her feet.
Ezreal’s brows knitted together as he looked up at her. “Wait, didn’t you just suggest we catch a movie after school?”
Lux shrugged. “Did I?” She let out an airy laugh. “You must have heard me wrong. I’ve got plans.”
“Suit yourself.” Jinx’s voice followed her as she walked away. Lux could practically feel Jinx’s gaze on her back, could just about see that self-satisfied grin she always wore whenever she got her way. The image in her head was as clear as if Jinx were standing in front of her.
Even as Lux found herself in the library later that afternoon, the memory of what had happened at lunch continued to simmer in her mind. No matter how many times she tried to focus on her notes, she kept seeing that infuriating smirk on Jinx’s face. It wasn’t helping that a group of Zaunites had gathered outside the window and were loudly chatting with one another.
“—you going to the party tonight?” one of the girls asked. “You know, the one at Sevika’s place.”
Lux’s ears perked up despite herself. She didn’t know Sevika personally, but she knew of her. A few years older than Lux, she’d become a big name in Zaun after graduating. It was a favorite pastime of the Zaunites to tell one another about how well they knew the woman, and how they would be just like her once they finally got out of school.
“Hell yeah,” another one of them answered. “Everyone’s going. I heard Scar’s even bringing a keg!”
The first girl giggled. “You think Ezreal’s going to show up? I heard Jinx invited him.”
The mention of Ezreal's name made Lux stiffen.
One of the other girls snorted. “You mean that cute Piltover boy? I’d kill to see him there.”
“Oh, please. He’s more than cute. He’s dreamy,” another chimed in. “Imagine him showing up, with that perfect golden hair and those eyes —ugh, I’d die.”
Lux’s pencil threatened to crack within her clenched fist. She’d heard this before. She knew Ezreal was attractive. Everyone did. But the way they talked about him made her stomach twist uncomfortably.
One of the girls snickered. “Too bad he’s with her, though.”
“Ugh, I know, right?” Lux could practically hear the other girl rolling her eyes. “Luxanna Crownguard,” she mocked in a nasally voice. “Miss Prim and Proper. I swear, she’s so uppity .”
“She probably thinks doing charity work is a good date,” the first girl quipped, her words eliciting a series of giggles.
Lux’s face flushed in embarrassment. She wanted to stand up, to march over and tell them how wrong they were, that she didn’t make Ezreal do anything and that he liked hanging out with her. That he’d sooner go deaf than spend five minutes listening to their pointless, insufferable drabble. But she didn’t stand up. She didn’t confront them. It was the same thing she’d heard her entire life; she wouldn’t let them be the ones to finally make her snap. They had no idea what she was like or what it felt like to be trapped in the same neat little box everyone put her in.
Just then, Ezreal slipped into the chair beside her, setting his bag down with a soft thud that brought her out of her thoughts. She pulled her face closed, but he seemed oblivious to the direction of her thoughts.
“So,” he asked, not even bothering to pull a book from his bag. “What are you doing this weekend? Got any big plans?”
Lux hesitated. She chewed on her lip as the conversation she’d just overheard played in her head. “I don’t know,” she said before glancing over at him. “I heard there’s some kind of party down in Zaun. That could be fun, don’t you think?”
Ezreal raised an eyebrow. “A Party? Lux, you don’t even like going out to eat.” He shook his head. “And did you say a Zaunite party?”
“Yeah.” Lux made a vague gesture. “I hear everyone’s going.”
Ezreal’s eyebrows creased. “I don’t know. Those parties can get out of hand. I’m not sure it’s the best idea for you to go.”
Lux crossed her arms. “And why’s that?”
Ezreal looked at her like the answer was obvious. “It’s just that, well, the crowd’s a little… rough.”
“I won’t bring my pearls and silk, then,” she huffed. “I can handle it, Ez.”
“Hey, I didn’t mean it like that.” He raised his hands defensively. “I just don’t want you to feel out of place, that’s all.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “You’re going, aren’t you?”
“Well, yeah, but—”
“I’m coming with you.” The words came out sharper than she intended, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t going to stand by and let Jinx pull him into trouble without her there to make sure Ezreal would make it out alright.
Ezreal hesitated. “I just don’t think it’s your thing, Lux. You won’t—”
“It’s fine,” she snapped. “Just…just pick me up, ok?”
“Lux. It’s really not your scene.”
“I want to go.”
She couldn’t explain the sudden need to prove herself. Maybe it was the way those girls had spoken about her. Or maybe it was the way Jinx seemed to constantly be hovering in the background lately, always pulling at the edges of Lux’s thoughts.
Ezreal hesitated, his brows furrowing as he considered her. “Are you sure? You’ve never wanted to go to these types of things before…”
“I want to try,” Lux insisted, her voice firm despite the knot in her stomach. She hated that she had to justify herself, that she had to prove something instead of being accepted without thought. It was all the more reason why she needed to go.
Ezreal gave her a long look before finally sighing, and conceding defeat. “Alright. If you really want to, we can go. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
The moment Lux stepped into the party, she knew she’d made a mistake. The music hit her first, the thumping bass rattling her teeth and vibrating through the floors of the old house deep in Zaun. Bodies moved in time with the music and the air was thick with the sharp cocktail of sweat and booze. People were crowded into every available space, clustered together on battered furniture and spilling across the floor. She thought she recognized a few of her classmates, laughing and passing a bottle between them. They didn't look up at her as she walked past them. Lux wasn’t sure they’d remember anything of the night.
She had thought that having Ezreal next to her would make it easier, but no sooner had they arrived than he’d drifted off, his attention caught by one of his friends waving him over to join them. He’d promised to return soon, but Lux had seen the look on his face as he’d joined his friends. He wasn’t the one that didn’t belong here.
He wasn’t the one that felt like they were left to drown in a sea of faces.
She wasn’t used to this. She didn’t know where to stand or what she should be doing. She definitely didn’t know how to blend in.
Why did I even come here?
Lux lingered at the edge of the room and tried to make herself as small as possible, not that it seemed to matter. No one was looking at her anyway. She was alone, her back pressed against the peeling wallpaper of a stranger’s house, pulling at the hem of a jacket she’d spent hours looking at in the mirror.
She squinted through the smoky darkness in search of anything that would offer her a taste of familiarity. Nothing answered her. The air was thick, every breath she took suffocating her; her clothes were already pressing against her skin, and all Lux could think of was how much she wanted to be away from this place.
How long had it been since Ezreal left? Five minutes? Ten? Everyone around Lux continued to ignore her existence, laughing and dancing with one another as she watched from the sidelines. These were people she’d shared classes with. She’d known some of them since they were little kids, but now it was more clear than ever how little she really knew them. Every glance that fell on her made Lux shrink back a little more, wishing that she could blend into the wallpaper. If someone approached her, she might faint.
The bass continued to pound away at her skull. Lux couldn’t imagine how anyone would actually enjoy this. It was something out of her worst nightmare.
She could hear snatches of their conversation over the music, shouts, jokes, the sound of glass shattering somewhere in the distance, but none of it made sense to her. She glanced back toward the door they’d come through, the urge to leave growing stronger with every second.
But Ezreal said that he’d be back.
She couldn’t leave without him. Not only would she have to walk back to Piltover by herself in the middle of the night, but if he came looking for her and she wasn’t here—Lux couldn’t put Ezreal in that position. Not after she was so adamant in making him bring her along.
It would have been better for everyone if she hadn’t come at all.
Her legs felt unsteady beneath her, like they might give out with every beat that pounded through the floor. She ducked her head, hoping to slip past unnoticed, but every burst of laughter seemed to sharpen in her direction, every glance feeling like it carried a hidden judgment. Her gaze darted around the room, looking for anything to keep her anchored.
The punch table was a poor refuge, but she scurried over anyway, wrapping her hands around the edge like a raft to keep her from drowning. She stared hard at the bowl of punch, pretending that the distorted reflection staring back at her wasn’t what she actually looked like, but the feeling wouldn’t go away. She didn’t belong here. Even the punch knew it.
This was a mistake.
Lux let out a shaky breath. Her eyes darted around the room again as she poured some of the liquid into a cup. There was no sign of Ezreal. Why would there be? He was probably somewhere off with Ekko and the others, laughing and blending right in with everyone else while she stuck out like a sore thumb.
You can’t keep standing here. You look ridiculous.
Lux swallowed back her nervousness and walked toward the nearest corner she could find. All the while, she peered at the passing faces, hoping against hope that Ezreal would be staring back at her and that they could finally leave this nightmare. When she reached the corner of the room, she leaned against the wall, fixed her eyes on the door, and watched as people filtered in and out. Eventually it would be Ezreal coming through that door. She wouldn’t even need to tell him that she wanted to leave. He’d read it straight from her face, and the two of them would be gone in a matter of minutes.
She wanted to leave so badly that she was convinced he would be the next person that came through that door.
But it wasn’t Ezreal who entered the room. Jinx was the one who swaggered into the party as the newest demon in Lux’s personal hell.
A can of beer dangling loosely in one hand, she looked entirely at home in the throng of people, barely registering the chaotic eddies swirling around her. The party seemed to mold itself around her. People shifted out of her way, rippling around her as she cut through the crowd.
Lux hated how effortless Jinx made it seem. She pressed herself further against the wall and hoped that the dim lighting would do enough to conceal her.
Jinx’s eyes flicked to her with the same precision as a shark smelling blood. With no hesitation, she sauntered over. Lux’s heart hammered in her chest with every step Jinx took, her throat tightening as she struggled to maintain her composure.
Don’t look at her, her mind urged. Pretend you're busy with something else.
She couldn’t. Her body wasn’t listening to her. It was frozen on the precipice of flight. Jinx wasn’t a shark. She was a viper, and her hypnotic gaze had already sunk its venom into her.
The music throbbed around them, but it was muted compared to the roaring in Lux’s ears. It felt like the room was shrinking, like everything else was falling away except for the girl now standing right in front of her.
“Fancy seeing you here,” Jinx drawled. “I didn’t think something like this was your scene.”
Lux forced herself to meet Jinx’s eyes. “Maybe I wanted to try something new,” she shot back, though the words felt weak even as they left her mouth. Her fingers tightened around the plastic cup in her hand, nails digging into the plastic.
“Really?” Jinx took a swig from her beer and tilted her head, eyeing Lux with an unreadable expression. “Because you look like you’re about to pass out.”
Lux grit her teeth. “I’m sure that’s common enough at these types of parties.”
“Sure it is,” Jinx agreed. “I just don’t think anyone would expect it of you, though.” Her eyes raked over Lux’s outfit. “You're like Cinderella in reverse, Lux, trading your fancy dresses to slum it with the rest of us down here.” She gave the room a once-over. “Did Ez seriously leave you all alone?” She scoffed. “You better hope that little golden retriever didn’t find a new bone to spend his time with.”
“He’s around,” she defended. “I don’t need to have Ezreal next to me all the time.”
“Good for you!” Jinx stepped closer until they were just inches apart, and Lux could smell the alcohol on her breath. “You really shouldn’t worry about him so much. He’s a big boy. He can take care of himself.”
Lux swallowed, her throat dry. “I’m not worried about him,” she lied again.
Jinx only chuckled. “Could’ve fooled me.” She took another sip from her can, her gaze never leaving Lux’s. “If you’re not worried about Ez, then what are you so worked up about?”
The answer formed in her mind with glaring clarity; after all, it was the cause of every single one of Lux’s problems in life. Jinx . The sharp looks, the veiled whispers, the heat that buzzed in the air whenever Jinx drew near. No one else ever seemed to see these things. Only she was aware of them.
That, too, had to be Jinx’s fault, she decided.
Lux opened her mouth to respond, but nothing came out. Jinx’s eyes flickered to her lips, waiting for her answer. That alone was enough to push Lux into action, and finally find the words to—
“Anyway,” Jinx said, her smug eyes lifting to meet hers. “Enough chit chat. There’re only so many hours in the night and for a Cinderella like you, that means even more.” She winked at Lux. “Who knows what you’d look like without your beauty sleep, eh?”
She turned on her heel and disappeared back into the crowd, leaving Lux standing there, alone once again.
Lux stayed rooted in place long after Jinx disappeared into the throng of bodies, her fingers tightened around the rim of her cup until it crinkled in her hand. She should’ve said something. Anything . She should have shut Jinx down, put her in her place like she always told herself she would. But instead, she had stood there and let Jinx play with her.
Her heart thudded dully in her chest as she stared blankly at the chaos churning around her. The same question that had plagued her all night repeated itself. Why had she even come? She didn’t belong here. She wasn’t like everyone else at this party, who actively sought out this chaos. She’d told herself that it was because of Ezreal, but that seemed hollow now, when she couldn’t even spot him in the crowd.
Ezreal wasn’t the real problem.
She was .
The thought hit her suddenly. It wasn’t Jinx that made her spiral until she was foaming at the mouth, it was her inability to make sense of her own feelings. Her obsession with Jinx wasn’t just about Ezreal. It wasn’t even mostly about him. She was the one who wouldn’t let her obsession scab over and heal. The realization made her stomach twist in knots. She hated the way her mind kept drifting back to Jinx, the way her skin tingled whenever Jinx got too close. She hated how Jinx’s words stuck under her skin, even when she tried to push them out of her head. Lux had always prided herself on being in control, on being rational and level-headed, but when it came to Jinx, her control splintered into a million pieces.
She couldn’t figure Jinx out. The more Lux studied her, the less she understood. Maybe that was what scared her the most. When she was around Jinx, she didn’t feel like herself. Every time Jinx was near, it felt like she was walking on a tightrope. Nothing was ever certain with that girl.
And that terrified her.
Lux took a shaky breath and ran a hand through her hair. She needed to pull it together. She couldn’t let Jinx get to her like this. By the aspects, she wasn’t even talking to Lux anymore.
But it was hard. It was so hard .
Lux took a hesitant sip from her cup. The punch coated her tongue, lukewarm and sickly sweet. It didn’t help. Nothing was helping. Not the dim corner she’d tucked herself into, not the vague effort to blend into the wallpaper, and definitely not the way her gaze kept finding its way back to her .
Across the room, Jinx threw her head back and laughed, her hair waving behind her like a comet’s tail. Some boy Lux didn’t recognize was watching her with stars in his eyes, utterly captivated. Not that Lux blamed him. How could your attention not be drawn to something like that? She was certain it was one of the reasons Jinx even kept her hair so long.
Lux bit her lip and tried to tear her eyes away from the scene unfolding across the room. She felt like a child who’d lost track of their parent and wandered into the wrong place unsupervised. A flash of jealousy curled burned in her chest. It wasn’t fair. Nothing about Jinx was fair. She had no right to be so captivating. And she had even less right to be having fun with everyone else, acting like what she’d done to Lux earlier hadn’t mattered at all.
Lux clenched her cup tighter as Jinx winked at someone. She could almost imagine that she was directing it at her , that Jinx was still tormenting her even surrounded by other people. Jinx tilted her head back to laugh again at something the boy next to her said. He was grinning too. Lux tried not to think about what they might be talking about, or why it bothered her so much that Jinx was paying attention to someone else. She should be relieved that Jinx was done prodding at her. Instead all she felt was irritation as Jinx demonstrated to the world just how much of an outsider Lux was.
As if she could feel Lux’s gaze burning into her from across the room, Jinx’s eyes slid over to her. For a split second, their eyes locked.
That was all it took for Jinx to sniff out another opportunity to torment her.
Jinx’s expression shifted, her laughter fading as she finished whatever quip she was delivering. She flashed the boy a parting grin, before stepping away from the conversation.
“Still lurking around in the shadows?” Jinx asked once she’d arrived. “I’d have bet that you would have hightailed it out of here by now.”
Lux narrowed her eyes. “Just because you can’t stand still for more than a few minutes doesn’t mean it’s uncomfortable for everyone else.”
Jinx shrugged before leaning against the wall next to her, her shoulder brushing against Lux’s and sending a jolt of electricity down her arm. Lux hated that Jinx could make her skin prickle with so little effort.
“I just didn’t think you were the type to hang around a crowd like this,” Jinx said. “I mean, this party doesn’t exactly scream Crownguard, does it?”
Lux bristled. “I’m allowed to be wherever I want.”
“Sure, sure.” Jinx took a swig of her beer. “I’m just surprised you’re here instead of sipping champagne at some fancy gala.”
The comment hung in the air between them. Lux didn’t know how to respond, not when Jinx was right. She had only come to this party to keep an eye on Ezreal, to make sure he wasn’t getting dragged into whatever reckless scheme Jinx had planned. That’s what she kept telling herself, at least. There was no other reason for her to be here other than that.
Jinx’s smirk widened as if she could sense Lux’s inner turmoil. “Come on,” Jinx said, her voice low. “Admit it. You’re not here for the party.”
Lux huffed. “I’m not playing your games, Jinx.”
“Games?” Jinx laughed. “You’re the one who’s trying so hard to blend in.” She leaned back and smirked at her. “I’d say you’ve been playing all along.”
Jinx plucked at the fabric of Lux’s jacket. “You even dressed up for this,” she murmured. “Don’t tell me you did all this for little old me.”
Lux flushed as she jerked her sleeve out of Jinx’s grasp and clamped down on the urge to squirm under Jinx’s amused eyes. Jinx would find any opportunity to make her blood boil in her veins.
“No,” she growled. “I’m not playing your games, Jinx. Stop twisting my words.” Her glare deepened as Jinx’s smile grew. “You think this is funny, don’t you?”
“Funny?” Jinx chuckled. “It’s absolutely hilarious . You’re acting like I’m some sort of villain just to make you feel better about yourself.”
“Any one who looks at you would feel better about themselves.”
Jinx laughed. “If you actually let your hair down for once, you’d realize what it really feels like to enjoy life. Who knows, maybe you’d even like it!”
“You think I could ever like something like that? To be someone just like you?” she asked incredulously. How could anyone be interested in someone so…so volatile? “The only thing I’ll ever like about that is watching you crash and burn.”
Jinx’s grin twitched wider, but there was something darker hiding behind her eyes now. “Really?” she asked. “You’ve been staring at me like I’m a bug on your windshield all night just because you can’t wait to see me get shot down? Geez, Lux, I didn’t know you were into that kind of thing.”
“It’s so I can see the moment you drag Ezreal into whatever mess you’re getting into next,” Lux snapped, her entire face hot. “You think I enjoy this?”
“I don’t know.” Jinx shrugged. “You seem a little too invested in what I’m doing for someone who doesn’t care.”
“That’s because you make it impossible not to notice you! Every time you’re around, you’re loud, you’re disruptive, you don’t care about anything but causing trouble.”
“Trouble?” Jinx’s smile widened as she leaned closer. “Is that what you think? That I just run around making a mess of everything because I’m bored?”
Lux’s fingers curled into fists at her sides. “That’s exactly what you do! You push people’s buttons like it’s a game.”
“What can I say?” Jinx laughed. “Everyone likes a good game. Some of us are just better players than the rest.” She waggled her eyebrows as if it were something to boast about.
Lux crossed her arms and huffed. Jinx wanted someone to play with? Fine. She’d just have to go somewhere else for attention.
“Oh don’t be like that!” Jinx lifted her can of beer, waving it in front of her face. “Want some? It’ll loosen you up.”
Lux’s nose wrinkled. “Keep it. I can smell the booze from here.”
“Suit yourself.” Jinx shrugged, taking another long gulp before letting out a satisfied sigh. “But maybe you should. You look like you could use it.”
“I said I’m fine.” Why wouldn’t Jinx take the hint and leave already?
Jinx leaned closer, her voice dropping to a low murmur. “You’re so stiff. Why don’t you just relax for once?”
Lux glared at her. “I don’t need advice from someone like you.”
“Someone like me?” Jinx echoed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Lux faltered, realizing how her words had sounded. “I didn’t mean—”
“Oh, I think you did.” Jinx interjected. Though her tone was still light, Lux could imagine the edge hiding beneath the surface. “Don’t worry, I’m not offended. I know exactly what you think of me.” Jinx watched her closely. “Why don’t you let it out, Lux? Come on. I know you’re dying to tell me what you really think. Or are you too afraid to ruin that perfect little image of yours?”
Lux didn’t care about her image. Even if she did, blowing up on Jinx of all people wouldn’t ruin it. The more distance she put between them, the safer her reputation was.
Before she could tell Jinx exactly that, the girl straightened, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Come on. Let’s get out of here and find somewhere quiet so you can really let loose.” She raised an eyebrow. “Unless you want everyone out here to see you explode.”
Without another word, Jinx turned and walked away, cutting through the crowd with the same effortless grace as before. Lux stood frozen for a moment, her mind warring with itself, before finally forcing her feet to move.
It was a mistake. Lux knew it was a mistake, but she wouldn’t give Jinx the satisfaction of being proven right. She could handle anything the girl threw at her.
Lux’s footsteps felt heavy as she followed Jinx down the hallway. The music from the party grew muffled the farther they ventured further into the house, and th e lighting dimmed until it barely illuminated the walls, leaving shadows to twist and coil around them. Jinx walked ahead of her with the easy confidence of someone who’d gone through these halls a hundred times, but there was something calculated in the set of her shoulders. Lux’s eyes caught on them before tracing the straight column of Jinx’s back, down to the casual sway of her hips. Like usual, everything Jinx did was designed to snare her attention.
And, like usual, it was working.
They reached the end of the hall, and Jinx pushed open a door, revealing a small, empty bedroom. It was dark, save for the faint light creeping in through a small window over the bed. Lux followed her in, the lock clicking softly behind her as Jinx leaned against the door, cutting off her only escape.
Lux realized her mistake too late. She should never have agreed to come here, especially not with her .
Jinx's eyes gleamed as she tilted her head,the grin on her lips nothing short of triumphant. “What’s the matter? Not so keen on talking now?”
Lux’s spine stiffened. She was so close to snapping, to unleashing everything she’d been holding back. But that was exactly what Jinx wanted.
“You’re not so tough when it’s just us, are you?” Jinx continued. She took a step forward; Lux’s legs hit the edge of the bed as she tried to make up the space. There was nowhere to go. “What happened to all those little speeches, Luxie? Don’t you have any left for me?”
Lux glared at her. Her whole body was tense, her skin crawling with pent up emotion. She clenched her fists, feeling as her nails dug into her palms. She didn’t even know what she wanted to say, just that her composure was about to boil over. Every second Lux stood there, she was losing control, and Jinx knew it.
Jinx leaned into Lux’s space, so close that she could see how Jinx’s pupils were drowning in a sea of lurid pink. “C’mon, I let you drag me in here. The least you could do is let me hear what you really think about me.” She tilted her head, that stupid grin still on her face. “Or are you afraid to say it?” Her smile turned sickly. “C’mon, princess. I can take it.”
Lux's pulse raced in her ears, the pounding so loud she could barely think. All the while, Jinx had the audacity to grin that same infuriating smirk Lux had grown to hate.
"You think you know everything about me?" she hissed. "You don’t. And I’m not worried about you. Ezreal told me not to worry—he’s said it time and again."
Jinx’s brow lifted. The mockery left her breathless.
"And you know what?" Lux continued, the heat of her anger driving her closer despite her better judgment. "He’s right. I understand why he doesn’t want me to worry about you. You’re so—so infuriating that nobody could stand to be around you!”
Jinx’s grin faltered for a split second. Lux seized the moment.
"I’m not scared of you," Lux spat, her heart thumping wildly in her chest. "But I get why everyone else is. You’re reckless. You don’t care about anyone or anything. You’re just a—"
The words caught in her throat as Jinx’s gaze sharpened, that smug, knowing glint settling deeper. Lux’s anger sputtered in the face of it.
"Oh, don’t stop now," Jinx purred. "It seems like you’ve been holding that in for a long time."
Lux’s throat went dry as she suddenly became aware of how isolated they were. She fought the urge to step back, to escape that unblinking gaze, even as it stirred something in the pit of her stomach.
"Go on," Jinx pressed, her voice low. "Let it all out. What am I?" She smiled indulgently. “Say my name.”
Shadows danced over Jinx’s skin as she slinked closer, elongating her silhouette in the dim light. “Jinx,” Lux breathed, taking an instinctive step back. She’d meant it as a warning, but the way Jinx’s eyes lit up with glee proved how little power she had.
"You think I’m infuriating, huh?" Jinx echoed, her voice laced with amusement. She took another step forward. Lux wanted to step back again, but she was already pressed against the edge of the bed.
The grin on her face stretched wider. "You know, you might be right," she mused. "But Ezreal? He’s not wrong either."
Another step closer. Lux pressed tighter against the bed frame, her hands reaching behind her to support herself. They met with empty air.
"See," Jinx continued, her tone almost a purr now, "he’s smart, your little boy toy. You don’t have anything to worry about." Her gaze flicked down to Lux’s knees, which had begun to buckle against the bed, before rising back up to her eyes, her smirk never faltering.
Lux shrank back, collapsing onto the mattress as unease twisted in her stomach. She fought the urge to raise her hands to her chest as Jinx looked down on her.
“If anyone should be worried about me,” Jinx drawled, “it’s Ezreal. ”
A chill ran down Lux’s spine. "What do you mean, Ezreal should be worried?"
Jinx had a way of twisting reality, of dragging people into her chaotic world without them realizing until it was too late. What if she had her sights on Ezreal the entire time? The idea gnawed at her, and she felt more trapped than ever. She was stuck here while Ezreal—she couldn’t even begin to comprehend what Jinx might have planned for him.
Jinx moved closer, her body growing sinister in the moonlight. The tension sharpened in the space between them, and Lux’s pulse spiked as Jinx closed the gap, bringing herself inches from Lux’s face.
“Ezreal should be worried,” Jinx murmured, her breath brushing Lux’s face. “Because he brought his pretty little girlfriend to a party and he didn’t even bother keeping an eye out for the jackals circling around, just waiting to pounce.”
Lux felt the walls of the room close in around her, even as relief rushed through her. It was so obvious. Ezreal wasn’t the target—he’d never been the target with Jinx. It was always about her. Everything Jinx ever did was designed to provoke a reaction out of her. This was no different.
Except Lux had never been alone with Jinx, before. She’d never been at the other girl’s mercy. This was different from every other interaction she’d ever had with the girl.
“Do you have any idea how hard it is to get you alone, Lux?”
The question hung in the air, the weight of it pressing down on Lux as her heart pounded in her chest.
Jinx was millimeters from her now, close enough that Lux could feel the warmth radiating from her body. A dark inevitability hung over her. There was no escape. The door was locked. No one could see them. No one was coming to save her.
Lux’s mind spun, trying to reconcile this nightmare with the girl she’d seen laughing across the room earlier. It couldn’t be the same person. Jinx was something else now. Something more dangerous. A shadowy figure stepping out of the stories people whispered about her, come to collect on all the things Lux had been warning others about for so long.
“You’re still waiting for something to happen, aren’t you?” Jinx whispered, her breath tickling Lux’s neck. “Still waiting for someone else to make the choice for you.”
Lux felt her pulse quicken. Her body itched with the desire to flee, but her legs wouldn’t respond. Instead, she swallowed, her chest tight with the weight of the situation.
Jinx’s voice dropped even lower. "If you don’t do anything, Ezreal isn’t going to like where this goes."
Lux’s breath caught, and her heart hammered against her ribcage as she processed Jinx’s words. It felt like every inch of her was slowly unraveling. Ezreal isn’t going to like where this goes. Was that a warning? A threat? She couldn’t tell. Jinx’s expression only made everything worse.
"Ezreal should’ve kept an eye on you," Jinx continued, edging slightly closer. "But now, you’re all alone with me. And you know that’s a dangerous place to be."
Lux's heart pounded in her chest as Jinx’s breath grazed her neck, every word sent shivers shooting along her skin. Jinx tilted her head, watching her with eyes that made Lux feel small.
Jinx was picking her apart piece by piece and she was enjoying every second of it.
Jinx leaned a fraction closer, her lips brushing the air between them. "What’s it gonna be, Lux?" she murmured, eyes locking onto her own. “Are you finally going to do something?”
Her body was on fire. Fear and something else coiled inside her chest, so tight it felt ready to burst. She wanted to scream, to shove Jinx away and demand she stop playing this game, but she couldn’t move. Every inch of her body was frozen, trapped by the gravity of Jinx’s presence.
"Maybe you do like it," Jinx whispered. "Maybe that’s why you’re so scared, huh?" She leaned even closer, her lips brushing Lux’s ear as she spoke, breathing a trail of goosebumps down her spine. "You’re afraid that you want this just as much as me."
Lux’s mind spun in a thousand directions, but the sharpness of her fear cut through everything else. She felt like she’d been stripped bare, her defenses crumbling under the weight of Jinx’s presence.
Jinx pulled back slightly, her eyes searching Lux’s face, daring her to say something. Anything. Lux trembled. Something feral stirred inside of her, a raw surge of energy so foreign that she barely recognized it.
There was no room to think, no space left for rationality.
Lux's hand shot out before she could stop it, grabbing onto the collar of Jinx's shirt. The fabric was rough in her fist. It gave her something solid to latch onto as everything else spun wildly out of control.
Jinx's eyes widened, the bravado in her gaze replaced with shock. For the first time, the uncertainty was in her eyes instead of Lux’s.
Lux didn’t have time to preen at the sight. Without another thought, without any further hesitation, Lux yanked her forward. Her lips crashed against Jinx’s, hard and desperate, as she released everything that had been simmering just below the surface. All the tension, the fear, the fight. Everything poured into that one reckless moment.
Jinx’s lips were a livewire, sending electric sparks shooting against Lux’s mouth. Her pulse raced in her veins, her grip tightening on Jinx’s collar. The room seemed to collapse around her, nothing else mattering except for this wild, reckless moment.
The kiss wasn’t soft or sweet or anything like she’d imagined a proper kiss should feel like. Her lips moved against Jinx’s with a hunger that surprised her, and as the kiss deepened, she could feel Jinx start to respond. Lux tasted the alcohol on Jinx's lips. The burn of it made her feel dizzy, and she could barely tell if it was the kiss or the alcohol that made the room seem to tilt.
Maybe it was both.
Jinx pressed closer; Lux refused to yield any ground, her fingers pulling at Jinx’s collar as she matched Jinx. But it wasn’t enough. Jinx's body pushed against hers until both of them tumbled onto the bed. Her back hit the mattress with a gasp, but her grip on Jinx didn’t loosen, and she pulled Jinx down alongside her.
The press of Jinx’s body against her own sent her into overdrive. Every inch of her was aware of Jinx, from the way her leg slid between Lux’s, to the intoxicating scent of her skin, to the taste of her lips on Lux’s tongue. Lux’s mind melted into a haze. She couldn’t think about anything except the heady rush that drowned out everything her brain was supposed to be telling her. Nothing else mattered. Not where they were, not who might see, not even the storm building inside her. Lost in the moment, she gave in fully, her hands moving from Jinx’s collar to grip her waist and pull her even closer.
Jinx chuckled, her eyes gleaming with something wild as she pulled away just enough to speak. "To think, Ez spent all that time digging through junk without ever realizing the treasure he had at his side the whole time."
Lux’s pulse thundered in her ears, but she reached up, fingers curling around the back of Jinx’s neck, before pulling her closer until their foreheads nearly touched. Her voice came out in a breathless murmur. "Now isn’t the time to be talking about Ezreal."
Jinx’s grin sharpened into something wicked. Her lips crashed against Lux’s with a renewed intensity that chased away any lingering thoughts. Lux barely had time to breathe, the heat of the moment sweeping her away as everything else faded into the background.
J inx’s lips never left hers as she trailed her hands down Lux’s sides , igniting trails of fire in their wake. Lux's mind was swimming, caught somewhere between wanting to push Jinx away and pull her even closer. Everything Lux had thought she understood about herself shattered under the pressure of the moment.
Her breath hitched as Jinx’s hands slid under her shirt, fingers tracing over her skin in a way that made her entire body ache with something she couldn’t name. Lux’s hands tightened around Jinx’s waist, drawing her even closer, but uncertainty wavered inside her. She pulled back, just enough to breathe, and stared into Jinx’s eyes.
“What do you really want, Jinx?” Lux asked, her chest heaving. “Is this just another game to you, or do you want something more?”
Jinx’s hands stilled. Her expression was softer than Lux had ever seen. “Everything I do is a game, Lux,” Jinx murmured, looking down at her. “But you, you’re the one I’ve been playing for this whole time.”
Lux took a breath, the tension rising in her chest. “And now that you’ve got me?” she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper. She wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer, but the question escaped her anyway.
Jinx’s grin widened, her mischievousness returning instantly. She leaned in until Lux could feel every exhale on her skin. “Now?” Her voice dropped to a low rumble. "Now, I get to enjoy my winnings."
Lux’s heart twisted, her skin burning under Jinx’s touch even as uncertainty gnawed at her. The words echoed in her head. Winnings . She swallowed hard. “So I’m just something to be won, then? What happens when you get bored of me?”
Jinx tilted her head. “You think I’d just toss you aside?” she asked with genuine sincerity.
She brushed her fingers against Lux's cheek, the touch startlingly tender compared to the way they’d been roving over her just moments prior. “You're not some toy, Lux. You're who I’ve been after for so long. And now that I’ve got you…” She trailed off as her eyes locked onto Lux’s own. “Why would I let go of the one thing I actually want?”
Lux took a steady breath and willed her desire to dissipate. “If you want me, you’ll have to take it slow,” she said firmly. “I’m not rushing into something that could turn into a wreck.”
Jinx’s smile twitched, but she withdrew her hands from beneath Lux’s shirt before leaning in to place a teasing kiss on the tip of Lux’s nose. “I’m not really wired to go halfway. It’s usually all or nothing with me.” Jinx leaned back slightly, her fingers brushing a strand of hair out of Lux’s face. “And slow might be your thing,” she added, “but I’d hate to think that’s all you want.”
Lux felt her cheeks flush, heat prickling under her skin as the tension between them thickened, just as heavy as before. “Slow doesn’t mean boring,” she countered. “And maybe a little self-control wouldn’t hurt you.”
“Maybe not,” Jinx conceded cheerily, her fingers still playing with Lux’s hair. “But why change when you already know what’s exciting?” Her other hand trailed down Lux’s side, coming to a stop on her hip. “Especially when it works, too.”
Lux narrowed her eyes even as she fought back the thrill shooting through her. She gripped Jinx’s hand with her own, lacing their fingers together to prevent the girl from pulling a reaction from her. "Are you ever going to be any less infuriating?"
If anything, Jinx’s amusement grew. She let out a low, breathy laugh. "I doubt it," she said "You’d miss it if I did."
Lux opened her mouth to protest, but the words caught in her throat. She hated that Jinx was right. She scowled. "I might miss it if you acted differently."
Jinx’s smirk widened immediately at her confession. "I thought you said I was so infuriating that no one could possibly like me," she taunted.
She hated how easily Jinx could twist her into knots. "Shut up," she snapped.
"Make me.”
Lux exhaled sharply through her nose. “Would it be too hard for you to be compliant for once in your life?”
“You should know better than to ask that!”
“Well, someone’s going to have to make you comply, then.” Lux tightened her grip on Jinx’s collar and brought her closer.
Before either of them could say anything more, Lux pulled her into another kiss. And finally, finally, Lux found peace as Jinx’s voice stopped ringing in her head.
The café Lux had picked for brunch looked like it belonged in a postcard. Sunlight painted golden rectangles on polished wooden tables and the air was thick with the smell of freshly brewed coffee. It was the kind of place Lux and Ezreal were supposed to belong. It should’ve been an ideal setting for a date, but today, it was the last place Lux wanted to be.
Her fingers tapped against the edge of the menu, trying to shake loose the nervous energy she felt building inside of her. She couldn’t even begin to think about eating. Not when the anticipation of how Ezreal would react was eating at her instead. Both she and Ezreal had known from the start that what they had wasn’t meant to last forever. That didn’t make what she had to do any easier. This wasn’t how either of them had envisioned their relationship ending.
Ezreal’s not the type to dwell on anything for too long , she reminded herself. He’ll be over it by the end of the day. The words did nothing to abate her worry.
The door chimed and Lux went rigid as Ezreal walked into the café.
He had no idea what he was walking into.
"Sorry I’m late," he started, brushing a hand through his hair as he slid into the seat across from her. "You know how it is with the—" He trailed off, his smile falling off as he looked at her. "Is everything alright? You look a little tense."
Lux swallowed, squeezing her hands together underneath the table to stop herself from fidgeting. “Ez, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”
Whatever remained of his casual demeanor dissolved as he caught onto the seriousness in Lux’s voice. “What is it?” he asked.
This was it, the moment she had been dreading since last night. Lux took a breath to steady herself. “Ezreal… we need to break up.”
Ezreal tilted his head in confusion. "What?" he muttered. "Why would we…Is it something I did? Was it the party? Did something happen that I missed?"
“No, it’s not you,” Lux quickly reassured him. “It’s not anything you did at the party or anywhere else. This isn’t about something you did wrong.”
Ezreal’s frown deepened. “Then why now? Why all of a sudden? I don’t get it.”
"It's not really about you," Lux began, her pulse beginning to race. “It’s about Jinx.”
A flicker of disbelief crossed Ezreal’s face, and for a moment, he just stared at her. “Jinx?” He ran a hand through his hair, before giving an incredulous laugh. “Look, whatever you think happened at the party, it’s not—it’s not that . I wasn’t with Jinx.”
He hesitated before continuing. “I mean, yeah, she invited me, but I didn’t ditch you for her.” His voice softened, as though he thought that would reassure her.
Lux’s stomach churned. She knew he was trying to be logical, but the misunderstanding only made everything more complicated. He clearly thought she was about to launch into another tirade about Jinx being a reckless, disruptive nuisance, like she’d done a million times in the past.
“I’m serious,” he continued, his confusion melting into frustration as he tried to defend himself. “I don’t know what she’s done to get into your head, but whatever you're thinking, it’s not like that. I wasn’t off with her somewhere.” He shook his head, still trying to grasp at a thread that wasn’t there.
“Ezreal,” she interrupted, reaching across the table to cover his hand with hers. She glanced up at him, her lips curving into a faint, almost resigned smile. "I know you weren’t with Jinx. You couldn’t have been, not when Jinx was with me ."
Ezreal’s mouth opened. "What do you mean she was with you?"
“Last night,” Lux began, forcing herself to speak the words to life. “Jinx found me after you’d left. And…" she paused, unsure of how much she needed to explain before it clicked.
"Wait." Ezreal's brows furrowed. "Jinx found you? Like, at the party?"
Lux nodded, her expression more serious now. "Yeah. We got to talking,” Lux felt her face flush as memories of what had happened when they weren’t talking shot through her mind. “And one thing led to another and, well, I’m sorry Ez, but this just isn’t going to work out for us anymore."
"But I thought you..." Ezreal’s voice trailed off. “You’re always going on about her, and I always thought that…” Ezreal sunk back into his chair, a blank expression on his face as the weight of Lux's words finally settled in.
A sudden laugh broke through the surface as Lux watched him struggle to comprehend what had happened. "Maybe you should’ve listened to me,” she said, unable to stop herself. “I’ve been telling you that you should worry about Jinx.”
Ezreal groaned. "I didn’t think Jinx would take my girlfriend," he muttered, slumping further into his seat dramatically. "Do you have any idea how much damage that’s going to do to my reputation?"
Lux finally allowed herself to relax at the sight of Ezreal’s pouting face. Everything was going to be alright between them. It was so much of a relief that she didn’t even notice the new arrival to the café until a sudden presence slid into the seat beside her. She turned, startled, as Jinx plopped down, grinning wickedly at the two of them.
“Wow, Ez, you look like a golden retriever who lost his favorite ball.” Jinx tilted her head, her eyes glinting with mischief as she trained her gaze on Lux. “Don’t tell me I missed the news?”
Before Lux could react, Jinx dangled a camera in front of her. “I wanted to get his live reaction. Now all I’ve got is a lost puppy dog.”
With a flick of her wrist, Jinx aimed the camera at Ezreal and snapped a picture, cackling as Ezreal blinked, still too dazed to do anything but stare at her. "Don’t worry, it’s a good look for you," Jinx added. She angled the camera to show Lux the photo. “Girls love lost puppies, you know? Way better than that goober look you had going when you were pretending to be all, I don’t know, cool or whatever." She waved her hand dismissively. "Indiana Jones isn’t exactly your style, Ez.”
Ezreal groaned again, rubbing a hand over his face as he leaned back into his chair. “I wasn’t pretending…” He trailed off, glaring at Jinx as she snapped another picture of him.
“Sure you weren’t.” Jinx winked. She leaned into Lux’s side with a grin, nudging her with her elbow. "Who needs live reactions when you’ve got gold like this?"
Lux, for her part, tried not to laugh, though the sight of Ezreal's resigned expression coupled with Jinx's antics made it impossible not to crack a smile.
“Now it’s our turn,” Jinx declared, looping an arm around Lux’s shoulder and pulling her in so close their cheeks pressed together. Lux could only blink as the flash blinded her.
In that moment, it hit her: Jinx had always acted like this around her. It was only now that she realized she’d been the one too oblivious to notice what was really going on the entire time. Her body had been trying to tell her for ages. The racing heartbeat, the way her skin prickled every time Jinx was near, the restless energy that buzzed in her veins whenever Jinx turned that wild, unpredictable gaze on her. The way she couldn’t ever stop thinking about the girl. Lux had just been too thick to notice it for what it was.
It wasn’t annoyance or frustration that had made her feel that way.
Ezreal shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping him before he grew a bit more serious. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as he looked at Lux. “So, this is really what you want?”
Lux glanced at Jinx, who was grinning wide enough for Lux to count every one of her teeth. She reached over and grabbed Jinx's hand, twining their fingers together. "Nobody gets under my skin like Jinx," Lux admitted, her voice warm despite the frustration that usually accompanied that statement. She smiled, giving Jinx’s hand a gentle squeeze. "But I wouldn’t have it any other way."
Jinx's smile seemed to soften for an instant before returning to its usual sharpness. Her arm slid down from Lux’s shoulder to her waist, her thumb slipping just beneath the waistband of Lux’s jeans.
“And I get under her clothes like nobody else too,” Jinx declared. Her eyes flicked furtively at Lux. “Or I will. Eventually.”
Lux leaned back, feeling Jinx's thumb rub circles over her skin, and shot her a side-eye. Her breath hitched as a shiver ran down her spine. "I'm doomed," she muttered.
Maybe she did have something to worry about with Jinx, after all.