A Taste of Love

Chapter II

Ungodly banging thrummed in Mira's eardrums, jolting her from heavenly sleep. She moaned into her pillow. Barely any time had passed since she'd sunk into her mattress. It had been past midnight. Who knew what time it could be, or who in their right mind would bother knocking on her door in the dead of night?

It was a dream. That's right. Mira had fallen into the land of dreams after staying up working on a couple of orders. After a day of classes, assignments, and stirring her cauldron until her arm hurt, she'd been ready to knock out for 24 hours had she the luxury.

The banging continued.

Mira squeezed her pillow, hoping they would go away.

No luck.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" she called out before the violent knocking woke up the entire dorm.

Yawning, Mira rolled over and out of her messy bed. She realized now that she somehow slept amongst open textbooks and crumpled papers. She ambled to her door, cursing under her breath. The doors had three locks to unlock, and when she did, she cracked the door open a tiny bit, glaring blearily through.

"Yes?" she grumbled before seeing who it was. Then, her eyes widened. "Calypso?"

The young woman stood innocently outside her door, arms clasped behind her. She blinked her doe eyes, lashes long and thick even without mascara.

"Aren't you going to let me in?" she asked sweetly, as though she hadn't nearly torn the door off its hinges.

"What...how can I help you?" Mira stuttered, opening the door a bit more so Calypso could slide through.

"I waited so long I thought I was in the wrong place," she noted, looking around Mira's room without shame. Mira blushed. The place was chaotic, with items left in various states of use and disarray. A slight fog lingered, an aftereffect of her illicit potion-making in the closet she'd cleared out for her business. She'd forgotten to open her window to air it out.

"I almost went to the RA to ask about the infamous potion maker in dorm D," Calypso continued, flipping through one of Mira's books, "but that would be problematic for you, wouldn't it?"

A weight dropped in Mira's stomach. "Yeah, you could say that."

Calypso made herself at home in an empty space on Mira's bed. "After all, I know this whole thing is pretty confidential, right? I'm sure administration wouldn't be happy to know that a student is selling unregulated potions under their nose."

"Right," Mira's throat made some sort of noise that passed as a chuckle. Her nerves wound tight, sleep forgotten. Calypso was clearly threatening her under the guise of looking out for her. Funnily enough, all she had to was say the word, and Mira would deliver. Not that she had to know. "That is why I have a secret code for...potential customers."

"Oh, that," the woman thought for a moment, pursing her plump glossy lips. She looked innocent, cute even. "Rani did mention the secret code but I forgot. Oops." Not a single drop of remorse was in her sheepish smile.

"Ah, well. It happens." Mira switched on her people-pleasing mode. Calypso had a perfectly curated mask on. Dangerous. It would be better if Mira played it safe. She picked up her notepad where she scribbled orders and sat on the edge of her desk chair. "So I'm guessing you're here for a potion?"

Calypso crossed her legs, fluttering her slim fingers against her delicate chin. She blinked at Mira, pretending to think, jewel-studded nails glittering.

Then, she clapped her hands.

"I need a love potion," she announced in her sweet voice, hands clasped at her chest with barely restrained fervor. "I want Arden Lancaster to be absolutely obsessed with me."