Storm Warning

by Nellie Wilson

She’s a witch, I remind myself. Is she a good witch or a bad witch? She’s a pretty witch, my traitorous brain says.

She’s so fucking pretty and she’s so fucking smart and she’s so fucking good at kissing.

“What?” Violet asks. Her lipstick is smeared and her hair is tousled and she looks like sin. “I need a moment,” I pant. Dear god, I need to work out more if a make-out session is getting me this winded. “We don’t have a moment,” she whisper-shouts at me, shimmying her skirt up over her hips.

“Oh sick,” Julian says, turning off the car. “I’ve never been to one of these.” “That is literally the most offensive thing you could say to me,” I respond. “Waffle House is a cultural institution. It’s cheap, it’s filling, they’re everywhere down here, and they’re open twenty-four hours a day.”

“You’ve noticed all this about me?” Julian asks. “I thought you hated me.” “Even when I hated you, I still noticed you.”

“I am taking it back. I, Violet Lynn Franklin, do not love Julian Ashley Lehrer.” “Mmm.” Julian is deep in thought. “And I, Julian Ashley Lehrer, do not love Violet Lynn Franklin. I have not spent a million nights thinking about her voice and the dirty things she’s said to me. I have not almost driven off the road this week when she stretched a certain way. I have definitely not realized that she was the best part of every conference I’ve been to. Yep. Definitely don’t love her.”

She pulls the covers back and relaxes in a way that says paint me like one of your French girls. Or rather, paint me like one of your Oklahoma storm-chasing girls.

“You were supposed to keep her in line.” I push down the desire to laugh in his face. As if anyone could keep Violet in line when she decides on a plan of action. “Hey, fuck you. She’s killing it this summer,” I say, flushing. “She’s a brilliant forecaster and knows more about storm chasing than basically anyone and —” “No, Julian.” Violet puts a hand on my chest, and I want to hold it there forever. “I have something to say.”

God, she’s pretty. I think I’ll be thinking that same thing every time I see her for the rest of my life.