Chapter Text
The cafeteria at Demacia High buzzed with the clatter of trays and a medley of voices, while the harsh fluorescent lights did little to mask the strain they placed on Lux’s temples. Today, however, something felt different.
“Lux, come sit with us!” Camille called out, a mischievous glint in her eye that hinted she was more interested in stirring things up than in genuine conversation. With a hesitant smile, Lux left her familiar seat and made her way toward a long table where two faces awaited her: one belonged to Camille, and directly across from where Lux would soon sit was a girl with wild neon-blue streaks and eyes that shimmered a beautiful violet. That was Jinx.
Lux slid into the seat opposite Jinx, careful not to let the glare of the overhead lights press too harshly on her sensitive eyes—after all, the list of things that triggered her headaches seemed to grow longer every day. They began to eat, but barely a minute later, Camille shrugged, muttered something about having “bigger fish to fry,” and departed without a backward glance. Her sudden absence left an unexpected intimacy in the space between Lux and Jinx, as the surrounding chatter faded into a soft background hum.
“So… what’s your name? I’m Luxanna, but you can call me Lux,” Lux offered, managing a small, tentative smile as the residual tension in her eyes began to ease.
“I’m Jinx,” the girl replied simply.
“Jinx?”
“Jinx stands for Jinx. Durr,” Jinx said with a playful glance at her nose before sticking out her tongue.
Lux giggled at the remark, and in that moment, Jinx realized she had just heard one of her favorite sounds in the world.
Later that day, after lunch, the pair found themselves drifting toward the quiet refuge of the library. In a secluded nook among the books, conversation blossomed naturally. They learned that, despite being in different classes, they were the same age and shared many common threads. Lux admitted that between classes she often crocheted and knit—a calming ritual that she balanced with her love for math, a subject that brought clarity to her busy mind. She also mentioned her beloved cat, a loyal companion who kept her company on long, solitary evenings.
Jinx, in her trademark nonchalance, confessed that she sometimes skipped classes—not out of disdain for learning, but to explore the school’s hidden corners and embrace the freedom of the unscheduled moments. The revelation sparked laughter between them, especially when Jinx cracked one of her notoriously awful jokes, which never failed to make Lux smile.
Their conversation meandered from favorite subjects to the everyday chaos of sibling dynamics at home, revealing that both had navigated the sometimes tumultuous world of family life. Every shared detail wove another thread into the fabric of their budding friendship.
In the days that followed, their interactions grew in quiet frequency. In the bustling hallways, they exchanged brief, familiar greetings—a soft “hi” or a casual “hey”—each encounter charged with the promise of something more.
Lux couldn’t help but blush whenever she caught sight of Jinx, a blush that made her heart skip even amidst the routine rush of passing classes. Yet, amid these tender moments, subtle complexities emerged.
Lux was often seen in the company of Ezreal—a charming presence whose constant proximity made Jinx wonder if there was more to that relationship than mere friendship. Meanwhile, Jinx’s frequent hangouts with Ekko added an extra layer of intrigue to her unpredictable nature.
Still, for Lux and Jinx, it was the understated exchanges—a lingering glance, a whispered joke in the corridor, or a small note tucked into a jacket pocket—that spoke louder than any elaborate confession. These fleeting moments, shared in the margins of their busy school days, slowly but surely deepened the bond between them.