Monsters Under Mistletoe

3. Willow

Chapter 3

Willow

W illow slunk home that night, leaving the school at precisely 5 with the help of a suspicious Ogar. She wasn’t sure she could manage to fight him on staying even if she wanted to.Her bones ached. The problem with teacher’s week was all the grand plans of what she was going to get done … and the reality that half of that was wishful thinking. There physically weren’t enough hours in the day, and it was starting to ruin her sleep.

No one ever thought of elementary school, or school teachers in general, as being a high stress job. Until they actually worked with children and sawthe need they required, and itwas a lot. Honestly, it was just a lot, and without someone to talk about it with, it made it more draining. Because it was just Willow and the empty abyss of her apartment. She could yell at the walls about it all she wanted— thanks silence charmed wall paint— but that didn’t help.

The ache in her chest that grew deeper during the winter holidays was extra painful this year… she was lonely. Being hyper independent meant no one ever thought to check in. There goes Willow Bronte, the weight of the world on her shoulders and not even a flinch. Her parents only cared when she called to check in with them. Her siblings all assumed she was fine. She was fine . Everything was fine.

Well… everyone except Ogar Mantinelle. Which was bonkers! Not to say he didn’t come whenever he pleased to incessantly annoy her all the time . But, recently he’d been… thoughtful? She recalled over the last week something changed.

Usually he came, would rile her up, they would yell at each other, and he’d stomp off like he usually did. Or he’d find her doing something and just be annoying nearby. Then, that afternoon, he’d come to seek her out and was kind. Helpful. Supportive. She wanted to feel suspicious, like it wasgoing to be some mean prank, but Ogar wasn’t a prankster. Annoying, stubborn, goofy, unprofessional, a meathead… but not a prankster.

As she sank into her bed, having barely taken off her clothes before the weight of the world crushed her into the sheets, she couldn’t stop replaying it. His big, chestnut brown eyes, the soft look on his face, even the soft touch of his hands. Willow tried not to imagine them again but as she rolled over to stare at the empty space in her bed, there he was.

Lying on his side, his stupid horns carving up her wall, hands wrapped around her. That goofy smile on his face turned her insides to mush as he pulled her close. Lips against her throat, then her ear. “ Atta girl, I want the neighbors to hear how much you like it. ”

Willow clenched her thighs harder together as she ripped herself out of the fantasy. No! Nope! Nu-uh! Not happening! She wasn’t fantasizing about a coworker.

She flipped back over in her bed. The tingling in her core started again. As she tried to force herself to drift off, she could hear his chuckle in her ear again. “Guess you’ll just have to wait and find out Friday.”

Goosebumps broke out across her skin like hives. Her toes curled as the feeling of a hard, warm chest pressed against her back. One of his hands ghosted across her sides, down her stomach, and slid between her clenched thighs. Her mind, a cruel and traitorous thing, replayed snippets of his voice to fill the fantasy. “ Making me work for it, huh? Atta girl. ”

She was weak. She was horny. She wasn’t getting sleep without addressing the issue. Defeated and needy, she threw open her bedside drawer and removed the rabbit she had within. Wiggling out of her underpants, she kicked them down into the sheets, threw herself onto her back, and sighed as she teased herself with the soft hum of the toy. Her mind already replacing it with strong, thick fingers stroking her.

Willow arched into it, pretending his mouth covered her breasts in kisses. This is it, after this, we stop thinking about him! She would get the fantasy out of her head, because there was no reality in which Ogar and her worked out. Just once, then the craving is done, and I can move on. She cried out as she sank the thick end of the toy inside and pressed the shorter head against her clit.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t help but hear him snicker in her ear. Atta girl, come for me.

Willow remembered having the wind knocked out of her, tingling sensations running down her body. She remembered turning it off and throwing the toy onto the bed side table. What she didn’t remember was how she fell asleep so quickly after.

Morning came quickly, much like herself last night. Only morning came with her alarm. It screamed near her ear, and she nearly chucked it across the room. Willow got up slowly, her bones cracking from a long, restful slumber. Staring at her mess from last night, she grew warmer internally till the blush almost engulfed her in flame. Oh fuck.

She didn’t have time to analyze the psychological damage that masturbating to a coworker did. First, a shower. It was the last day and the party tonight, she needed to be presentable. A hard scrub of her hair, deep condition, exfoliating face scrub, the whole kit and kaboodle. She came out of the shower red as a lobster but fresh. After opening the bathroom door to let much needed air in and a blow dry later, she crackedopen her foundation.

I can see your freckles . She stared at herself, daring her reflection to put foundation over the smattering of barely visible freckles across her face. It wasn’t that she needed it. Willow didn’t think she looked ugly without it. It was just a part of her routine. And yet she grabbed her eyeliner and skipped the foundation. Sure, she’d go with her fresh face, it was better for her pores to have a break anyway.

“But I’ll be damned if I don’t wear liner and mascara.” She even added a swirly little detail at the ends of her liner and a little dab of glittery eye-shadow. Out came the face stickers and the highlighter. Before she knew it, she had a shiny tip of her nose and little holly berries decorating her cheeks, and green tinsel wrapped around her eye-liner. It filled her with giddiness before she scrambled out of the bathroom and dove into her closet for something work appropriate, yet on theme.

It took her a smidgen longer than she would like to decide on a sweater dress. It went down past mid-knee but it was soft and off the shoulders. The belt kept it in place around her waist, and she pulled on ankle boots to complete it. However, as someone who always wore slacks to work, because young children, she felt practically naked. It’s just the teachers, we can wear what we want!

Coffee in a travel mug, just her lunch and lesson plans in arm, and her keys in hand, she was out the door. Willow wasn’t paying attention too much other than not tripping over herself and getting as much caffeine as she could into her blood. Which resulted in her promptly knocking into the brick wall that stepped in front of her like a flashing sign. Thankfully, her mug was out to her side and her binder took the brunt force of the blow.

“It’s still kicking in, I see.”

Willow audibly groaned and rolled her eyes while lifting her attention from the concrete to the minotaur looming over her. “I am mere seconds from kicking you in, Mantinelle. What do you want?”

“Principal Grislow wanted me to remind everyone we’re in the cafeteria today.”

His giant, I wake up fully awake like a fucking bundle of sunshine , smirk made her left eye twitch. Some people aren’t even awake enough to yawn good morning to others. Despite being awake and comprehensive, Willow wasn’t Ogar awake.

“I know; I have ears, and despite your insinuation, a decent memory. I am not, in fact, a goldfish.”

“A very sparkly goldfish,” He chuckled with a wiggle of his fingers.

“I look festive!” She huffed, tossing her hair back over her shoulder.

“You do. I like it.”

Willow’s heart fluttered, the angry butterflies proceeding to raid her stomach and make her knees weak in their traitorous assault of her insides. She cleared her throat, shifting her binder and keys as a way to distract from the red prickling at her cheeks. “You do?”

“I think it’s fun, and I can see your freckles again.”

Suddenly, her brain reminded her she’d gone to sleep last night with the illusion of him between her legs and her throat closed. Right, you horny, HR nightmare. She pushed past him. “Hurry up and get back to work. I’m sure Grislow has many other fun, meathead jobs that need your attention.”

Willow ducked into the school and refused to look back. It’s just a weird phase. It’s a crush. It’ll go away! Before she could talk herself up, or talk her horny brain down, someone caught her with a flash of their hand.

“Oh! Ms. Bronte, You got a delivery. Looks like your secret Krampus present?” Principal Grislow called from the front of his office as he signed for multiple deliveries and other people’s paperwork. “I’m having all delivered presents stacked in my office for safe keeping since everyone’s rooms are off limits. Come and grab yours before the party.”

“I will, thank you!” She was glad she wasn’t the only one who procrastinated to the point of having the gift delivered. Which meant when she got home, there’d be a special treat waiting for her.

And hours later, after what felt like an eternity of nodding along to other people’s stories, explaining her sudden festiveness, and the drain of trying to work in a loud environment, Principal Grislow proclaimed it was party time. Many people rushed to his office to grab their presents. He’d labeled everyone’s boxes with sticky-notes so Willow didn’t even look past the one box. She completely missed the second box with her name on a sticky-note behind it.