With My Life in Her Hands

Knock.

Kno-

The second knock hasn't even before before I'm standing.

A smile spreads on my face at the noise and I run to the door.

I open the door and the smile on my face widens when I see the Wiccan.

The fluorescent lights in the hallway make Willow look ethereal. Her golden undertones in almost bright red hair make Willow seem enchanted. Pale skin seems to almost glow in those lights. It only takes one step for a total transformation.

Her hair is almost in flames in my room's shadows.

The Wiccan's skin seems even darker in the darkness

I wonder how my heart can handle seeing Willow so much when it either races or stops.

Willow's smile is gentle and shows perfect straight white teeth.

"Hi, Briar."

My cheeks almost ache with how much the sight of Willow makes me smile.

"Hey, Willow. Do you think we'll ever get better at the greeting thing?"

The question isn't meant to be funny but Willow laughs a little anyway.

"Maybe next time we start with a kiss?" She suggests.

I nod perhaps a little too eagerly.

Willow only smiles at my enthusiasm and if my wanting to kiss her makes her happy, who am I to complain?

I love those kisses just as much if not more.

"I have something for us to try," the Wiccan starts and I just now see the book and flower in her hand.

It's a fully bloomed red rose.

"We'll have to sit for it though and be close. Do you mind?"

My forehead wrinkles in confusion.

"Why would I mind touching you? You're Willow," I raise my hand to point briefly at her before lowering my hand. "Who would ever mind touching you?"

Willow blushes at my words and I wonder if she believes them.

I don't have too much time to wonder because Willow plants herself in the middle of my carpet.

Willow looks up at me expectantly.

What does she want me to do?

Willow crosses her long legs and I am distracted by the movement.

A pale hand pats the space in front of her and I realize what Willow is asking for.

Now we will both sit on the carpet.

I settle myself on the carpet trying to get comfortable. It's kind of hard actually. The thin cotton I enjoy offer no protection from the itchy fabric. The beige monstrosity is as irritating as with the 'Wiccan group.'

I really do need to buy some pants.

Willow uses some white chalk from where I don't know where and starts drawing a pentagram in the fabric.

"What are we doing again?" I ask intrigued at the shape on the dorm floor.

"Oh," Willow gets flustered and I realize she forgot to tell me what's happening.

I grin at Willow to show she's forgiven.

Willow was probably too excited to really think.

She's so 'cute'.

"It's a spell," Willow begins to explain.

"It's a test of synchronicity," she continues. " We need to be in perfect sync for this to work," Willow finishes explaining and her eyes are locked on mine.

Does Willow really think we can be in sync?

Does she think we're really that compatible?

It's apparently my turn to redden because I can already feel my cheeks flushing.

" What are we supposed to do exactly?" I ask trying to fight off my blush.

"Right," Willow said embarrassed. "We hold hands and focus on the rose. Then we're supposed to levitate the rose and slowly pick off the petals using magics."

I stretch out my arms toward Willow bending at the elbow.

I show her my palms: an open invitation for hand holding.

Willow grasps them and I feel warm smooth skin.

All air seems to have escaped from the room when I feel Willow's soft hands.

A breeze appears in the room cooling off my suddenly over heated skin.

I close my eyes because now they seem too heavy to keep open.

It's funny how much I can feel right now.

I feel Willow's palm in mine.

I feel the carpet against my feet.

Now I feel something lifting.

I open my eyes and am incredulous that the rose is floating in midair.

Having and seeing your magic are two very different things.

The rose placidly sits in thin air with every rose petal exposed and I see ruby petal slowly fell to the ground.

The peacefulness of the moment is interrupted when the rose becomes violent in the blink of an eye.

One moment, Willow and I are enjoying watching the petals fall and the next watching it fly as if insane knocking over everything in its path.

It flies across the room as if possessed. I duck and pull Willow down as it nearly misses our heads. I hear some of my papers fly and see the white sheets flutter in the wind. Their crinkling is the only sound in the room.

We duck again as the rose once again tries to behead us.

This isn't right.

No rose should be flying in my dorm without my magic. No rose should be trying to hit the both of us in every turn.

We duck in unison as the rose swoops in once more and I've had enough.

At the last turn, I shield both Willow and I.

The only signs we're in my bubble is the muted noise and the blurry vision.

The rose bounces off the shield and crash lands on the ground.

I end the shield but watch cautiously wary of what it will do next.

Willow and I watch the rose in silence when it suddenly moves. Abruptly, the rose suddenly is encased in flames.

The petals are reduced to ash smoldering on the carpet.

The smell of smoke pollutes the cramped space that is my dorm.

All that remains is a single rose petal.

"Was that supposed to happen?"