On Love Potions and Charms (Slow Editing)

Chapter 27: Lemon Kisses

*Chapter Twenty Seven*

(*‘-‘*) Annie's POV:

                A kiss, as defined by Encarta dictionaries, is a gentle or passionate touch with the lips.

                Wrong.

                Similarly, Oxford dictionary says that it is a touch with the lips in kissing.

                Like before, wrong.

                Another one? Merriam-Webster’s dictionary says it is to touch with the lips especially as a mark of affection or greeting.

                Wrong! Just wrong!

                Last definition given by Mr. Google, a kiss is a touch with the lips as a sign of love, sexual desire, reverence, or greeting.

                What the sweet lemon!? This is freaking wrong!

                There might be a hundred definitions that would give life to the meaning of kiss but no matter how hard I try, I can’t just get them to go inside my brain right now. Kiss, in my opinion, is something that should be given to someone you love without any act of force or threat.

                Now, this, my friend, the thing that I have to do in order to seal is not a kiss… it is an act against my own free will. This is gypsy slavery! I could sue the government for this! Hard labor! Human trafficking! Unwanted sexual assault! And don’t think that I won’t.

                “That is disgusting!” I resented the idea of sealing. Mom still has that smug smile in her face and it sent shivers down my back.

                “Oh come. It’s not that bad. I was able to kiss four different guys before for that very same reason” She smiled warmly and closed her eyes. She must be remembering her past along with the sickening memories of doing those.

                “That is even more disgusting.” I bent over to fake gag.

                “Come to think of it, I even got to kiss two girls because of it.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully. Oh my sweet lemon…

                “That is the most disgusting thing ever!” I stood up. Frustration was sprawled all over my face. My mom laughed at me. It wasn’t an insulting laugh though but it still got me a bit mad.

                “Oh honey, this is what we have to do and you can’t change that.”

                “I never signed up for this. Why can’t it be just be Heaven Scent or Titillating Tisane?” I spat out the random suggestions in my head. Those were the usual love charm and potion that I always make.

                “But this is different and you know it.” She stood up and placed her hands on her hips. Wow, this is her usual angry-mother-mode. I think she’s going to pull the full-name card on me any minute now, “Anthony Courice,” Why am I not surprise? “You listen to me and you listen well, young lady. Whether you like it or not, that is how you seal. You came for my wisdom and you have to accept that now.”

                I curled my toes in and placed my hands on my back as I placed my head down. This is my usual stance every time she reprimands me or something. It’s for respect, really, not some position of defeat.

                “You understand me?” Her voice was dominant so I feel really small because of it.

                “Yeah.” I mumbled under my breath.