[M4F] A Warlock's Wish

Hey Jinx, want to know a secret?

(laughs) You're a cat. So, I know that you won't tell.

Hmmm, I'll take your silence for yes.

Well, it's not that much of secret. Everybody knows that a warlock meets his soulmate on Halloween night. But only if his birthday falls on a full moon that year.

(sighs) That's why I've been waiting for so long. Some warlocks grow up knowing their soulmate, but not me. My birthday just never seems to fall on the full moon.

I've tried to be patient, but it's been hard watching all my friends meet the love of their lives.

[Optional cat meow]

(laughing) Of course, you're great Jinx. Buuutt...life is a bit lonely when your best friend is a cat.

(excited) But that's all about to change. This year is *the* year. My birthday is on a full moon. I even ran the lunar calculations to be sure. Twice!

Well, okay, actually I ran it five times...

I just had to be sure. I didn't want to get my hopes up for nothing.

But there is no denying it anymore. The math is right. I'll meet her this Halloween.

(nervous excited) Oh, I'm so nervous. I hope she likes me.

I mean, she has to like me, right? She's my soulmate. I've never heard of somebody not liking their soulmate. I don't think that happens.

(pause)

But it could still happen to me though. Oh, what if I'm the first warlock to have a soulmate who hates them?

Oh, I would be so mortified. I doubt I'd be able to even look at her.

And how would that even work? I suppose we would just go on leading separate lives. It's not like I want somebody who hates me following me around everywhere. I doubt that she would enjoy that either.

How sad would that be? Two soulmate bound together forever, except all they ever want to be is a part.

(pause)

What? With my luck, it could happen!

[Optional cat meow]

(sighs) Oh, stop giving me that look. What do you know? You're just a cat.

[Optional cat meow]

(laughing)Oh, knock it off. What are you doing, anyway? Are you trying to get me to stop from catastrophizing?

Get it? Because you're a cat? You want to stop me CAT-astrophizing?

(pause)

Hmhm, whatever. My sense of humor is lost on you.

(sighs) I hope she would have thought that was funny. She'll definitely hate me if she doesn't enjoy puns.

Although, hating puns is the good kind of hate.

Yeah, there is a good kind of hate. I don't think cats know it, but I do.

It's safe kind of hate. It only happens with people that know each other well. You can drive each other crazy because you both feel safe with one another.

....And secretly, you kinda of like it when they drive you crazy.

Yeah, I guess it is actually is kind of like owning cat. But there is just something special about it happening between two humans. Maybe even something almost magical.

I bet soulmates tease each other like that all the time. (sighs) It must be nice.

(laugh) Yeah, I've thought about her teasing me. And sometimes I pretend to look mad, but then I end up wrapping her in my arms. Or that's how I imagine it at least.

(sigh) Sounds nice, doesn't? I know that I should expect too much. But it's been hard not to imagine her from time to time. I've been waiting for so long.

Oh, don't give me that look. I haven't been imaging what she looks like or anything. Just what she might be like. You know, her personality?

In truth, I don't care much about her appearance. All women are beautiful in their own way. And I know that I'll probably find her lovely if she's my soul mate. But that's not the important part.

I just want her to love me. And I want to love her. It's as simple as that.

I want her to look at me and see me for who I am. All of me. I want her to know all of my strengths and weaknesses. I want her to understand all of my mistakes. And I want her love every inch of me. Me just as I am.

(laugh) I hope that's not asking too much even of a soulmate. I do the same for her, of course. I'd love every inch. No matter what.

(sighs) It would just be so nice to have that kind of connection with somebody. To feel totally and completely safe with them? It happens so rarely.

And, for some, it never happens at all.

I guess warlocks are lucky in that respect. At least we get a chance at love.

I just have to not mess it up. No pressure, I guess.

I hope that I make a good first impression. Heaven knows, I've practiced it enough times.

(laughs) I couldn't stop myself from imagining how we would meet. When I was younger, I always thought that I would first see her on the playground. Maybe I would chase off a bully for her or catch her as she fell off the swing.

But we're too old for that now. The vision has shifted as I've grown up.

I still want it to be outside though with the fall colors all around us. Maybe we'll meet by the fountain in the park. She'll be reading on bench, when a strong gust of wind blows away her hat. She'll chase after it and nearly fall into the water. But I'll catch her just in time.

And she might look a bit embarrassed, but I won't mind. Then, she'll give me a shy smile...and I'll melt a little inside.

And I'll blush and ask her about her book. And it turns out that it's my favorite book too.

And then, we'll talk about the book. And once we can't anymore, we'll talk about nothing particular. Just because we want to keep talking.

We'll get so lost in each others thoughts that we'll forget the time. After hours have passed, we'll look up and realize that the sun is setting. And neither of us will want to leave, but both of us will have somewhere to be. There will be some party to go to or friend that needs attending.

But I'll offer to walk her home, so I can be by her side just few moments longer. And she'll let me because she's not ready to say goodbye just yet.

So, we'll walk, as slowly as we can, back down the winding streets to her home. I'll offer her my jacket when I see her shivering against the cold. And she'll ask, as coyly as she can, if I minds keeping her hand warm by holding it. And once her hand touches mine, I'll never want to let go.

Once we finally get to her doorstep, I'll try to stumble through goodbye because I won't want to upset her by asking anything more. And she'll say goodbye too because she's too shy to ask for anything else.

But, as I'm walking away, I'll feel pang of regret. I'll be so worried that I've missed my chance. So, I'll turn my head back just in time to hear her calling out 'come back here and kiss me'. And I'll turn back to her with laughing eyes. I'll run straight back into her arms. And I'll pick up her and twirl her around.

And I'll kiss her as the leaves swirl around us. It will be magical. I won't be able to move or even breathe. All I will able to do is enjoy the taste of her sweet lips and wish that moment would never end.

(sighs)

As I set her back down, I'll look up into her eyes. And I'll want to love her already, but my head will tell my heart that it's too soon. And I won't know what to say, so I'll just kiss her again instead. She'll kiss me back. And it will be just as magical as the first time.

Maybe then she'll know that she's my soulmate. Maybe her head will be trying to talk her out of it too.

She won't say it yet, of course. All of it will be too crazy to speak about.

So, I'll just enjoy holding her. Part of me will wish that she would invite me in, but even if she did, I just wouldn't be able to tear myself away from her arms. Even for moment.

So, we'll stand there together in silence. But it will be the good kind of silence. The intimate kind that only happens when you're so close with somebody that you no longer feel any pressure to speak. And we'll watch daylight fade and all the jack-o-lanterns slowly light up. And it will be beautiful.

(sighs)

But all good moments have to end. As children start running around the street in costumes, I'll realize that I have to go. She'll see in my eyes that I don't really want to leave, but she'll know that I must. So, she'll assure me that she has other plans too. And I'll linger just a few moments longer as we exchange phone numbers and I try to pursued myself to let go of her. Then, I'll gently kiss her forehead and bid her adieu.

And I'll feel her eyes watching me as I walk away. But I won't turn around again, because otherwise I know that I would never leave. As I finally turn a corner, I'll realize that she still has my jacket. But I'll resist to go back for it because I want an excuse to see her again.

(laugh) And the possibly of meeting her again will be well worth shivering the whole way home.

And that's how we'll meet. Maybe it's asking too much, but in truth, I don't care about the details. It doesn't have to happen exactly like that. I just hope that it's magical. And I really *really* hope that she loves me.