L4 Writing Assignment - What If Scenario

Gwen stood before the full-length mirror drawing a brush through her waist length hair. She smiled as Matt’s arms encircled her from behind. The feel of his soft warm lips on her shoulder sent a frisson of pleasure to her core.

“Why are we up so early during Winter break?” The brush of his fingers on the nape of her neck as he gathered the red-gold strands in his hands made her skin tingle.

“I have to work today.”

His fingers tightened around her hair before he separated thestrands and twisted them into a long intricate braid.

“Will you be coming to my birthday celebration with me tomorrow?”

“As long as you can pick me up at the store.”

“You can’t get off early to come home first?”

“Why?”

“So, you can shower and change.”

“I’ll shower in the morning.” She gestured to one of the hand made dresses hanging on her section of the walk-in closet rack. “I’m going to wear that to work.”

“So, you intend to come to my parents’ house smelling like --?”

Her braid whipped over her shoulder as she turned to face him. She folded her arms beneath her breasts and glared up at him. Her lips curved into a sharp smile. “Smelling like what?”

“Like you work in a magic shop.” Matt stepped back.

“I didn’t realize the smell of my mother’s shop offends you.”

“It doesn’t.” He took another step back. “But my parents –”

“Don’t care for the smell of incense?”

“Not the sort your mother burns.”

“Don’t churches burn incense?”

“Well, yes, but that’s different?” He retreated another step.

“Because it is a priest burning it rather than a pagan witch?”

Gwen moved past him into the bedroom they shared. She disconnected the phone he gave her as a gift from its charger and carried it out to the dining room. His foot steps hurried behind her but she did not turn to acknowledge him. She slid the phone into the front pocket of her backpack and pulled it onto her shoulders. She pulled a wool cloak from the closet and draped it over her shoulders. She secured it with an silver pentagram broach with one of five symbols of the elements engraved in each point. The circle in the top point representing Spirit identified her as a practitioner of white magic.

“Wait!” Matt took her by the shoulders to halt her from opening the front door. “I’m sorry, baby. Please don’t leave angry.”

“I’m going to be late.” She shrugged free of his hands and pulled open the door.

“I can drive you.”

“I’m fine with the bus.” She stepped out into the brisk December air pulling the door closed behind her.