Chapter Twenty-Six

                                    

                                          

Amity
The school day had been rough. I barely saw much of Luz and I couldn't tell if it was for the better or not. My head was killing me and all I wanted to do was go to Press Club and go home to rest this migraine away. Walking into the room, the fluorescent lights were unavoidable and troublesome, I fell into my seat while rubbing at my temples. 
"Just be careful with that door. It tends to jam shut sometimes. The lock has been acting up but I'm getting the administration to send someone to fix it." I heard Gus mumble to someone as I deflated and the room fell into its usual casual conversations about Press Club and school as well as our lives outside of both. This time, however, I actively chose not to join in as participation in such interaction would only make the pain in my head worse. 
"Hey Amity, you okay over there?" I overheard Gus's voice speak out from his spot next to the board. I groaned giving him a weak thumbs up and he looked at me with unconvinced wide eyes. The fluorescent lights shining down from above me didn't help much for my situation so I let my head fall once more. 
"Okay, we'll just come back to you." He said and I continued to rest my head in my arms against the table as Gus went on discussing who was doing which article for this week. I listened as people began to volunteer for each and I just laid there not having the energy to do the same. And my thoughts drifted to yesterday and I recalled a memory as it surfaced in my mind. 
... ... ... ... 
I followed my sister into the house before falling back against the door trying to stop my unrelenting, racing heart. Flashes of Luz, memories from the night, had me biting back a smile. "Mittens? Are you good?" My sister asked and I looked into the living room at her from my place against the door. I saw my father on the couch wearing his glasses and holding a copy of the school newspaper  I had brought home also looking toward me curiously. He'd been reading my articles lately saying how proud he was. I loved how he cared to do that for me. 
"I'm...I don't know." I placed my head in my hands as heat spread onto my face. "I'll be in my room!" I called out before rushing up the steps feeling out of breath like I'd run a marathon. I heard my sister speaking with my dad sharing concerns and questions about my actions. 
I fell on my back onto the bed and stared at the stars on my ceiling. Stars Edric and I had hung on my bedroom ceiling a long time ago together. My stomach flipped as I thought about her and I turned over to scream into my pillow. It felt as if my heart was beating out of my chest; leaping, stuttering, and then continuing on as I tried to catch my breath. I wasn't entirely sure what to do about this feeling as I turned back over to stare at my ceiling once again. A moment later; maybe it had been a second later or a few minutes I wasn't sure, my sister entered my room and sat on the edge of my bed. 
"So, given that you are smiling and screaming uncontrollably I take it your night went well?" Emira speculated and instead of responding with words I threw my pillow over my face and screamed into it again. "Correction, I take it your night went amazing." She mumbled instead and I placed my pillow beside my head as my eyes caught sight of Emira again. 
"I have no idea." I let out airily and she gave me a small smile. 
"I am curious to know who has the power to make you smile like that. I'd say Hunter but this doesn't feel like the smile a best friend would put on your face."  She tilted her head as she thought about it more. "You were at the park instead of the party so I'm assuming you left with someone you knew. Couldn't be Gus I don't think." She mumbled squinting her eyes. 
"You look very flustered and the only one who has the power to make you that way from my knowledge of the past is Luz, but-" She cut herself off as I groaned at the mention of her and she looked at me surprised. "Luz? But you look happy, not angry." She said confused.