Raven put her burgundy dress on and slid her feet into silver stilettos. She kept her long black hair down. Her nails—fingers and toes—were immaculately painted a beguiling shade of red to match her pulpous lips. She dabbed some homemade sweet-scented perfume on her neck, wrists, and bosom.
The clock told her she still had a few minutes before leaving for today’s group date—a tango class. She dimmed the lights of her tiny hotel room and lit a candle. Crystal in hand, she prayed to the moon Goddess, willing her to help her win today’s challenge, and the heart of Mack—the most eligible bachelor in the world.
***
Raven could hear the other girls cackling all the way down the hall on her way to the makeshift dance studio. She rolled her eyes at their hypocrisy. None of them truly cared about Mack. They were just there to gain followers, promote their business, and enjoy the perks of being on TV.
It was different for Raven. She had felt compelled to try out for the show despite having never watched it before. Some outer-worldly force had pushed her to do it. Her great-grandmother had always told her that you never ignore the call when it comes—when fate comes knocking, you answer. And because of that, she knew Mack was her one true love.
“Alright ladies,” said the instructor with a thick Spanish accent. “Do like me. Make it seeeexy. Mack, feel free to jump in any time.”
Raven took a deep breath, let the music enter her body, and began swaying her hips. She closed her eyes.
“One, two, three. One, two, three. Un, dos, tres…Ooh la la,” the instructor was saying. Some of the girls were giggling, others were downright laughing. Even with her eyes closed, Raven knew they were laughing at her. Again. They had been doing this from the moment they first saw her, mistaking her mysterious, quiet demeanor for weakness.
Little did they know.
“Oh moon Goddess, I call to thee,
to set the others, away and free.
A hair on the chin, a wart on the nose,
may their true self shine, from their heads to their toes.”
Raven opened her eyes and looked around as the other contestants suddenly grew silent. They began to fall out of step, stumbling clumsily over one another. One even passed gas. Raven smiled and closed her eyes once more.
Raising her arms above her head to draw the forces in, she continued:
“To gain thy love, I cast this spell,
with all my heart, to thee I tell.
Forsaking all others, under the moon,
a true love’s kiss shall make you swoon.”
A cool breeze filled the room just then. The other girls began to fade away, one by one, until only Raven, Mack, and the instructor were left.
Mack, seemingly entranced, walked over to Raven and slinked an arm around the small of her exposed back.
They danced together as she chanted. When she opened her eyes again, an electric jolt crossed both their bodies—the spell had worked.
The lesson was over. Mack was mesmerized. Spellbound.
The instructor clapped enthusiastically, completely oblivious to what had happened.
***
“In breaking news, the world’s most eligible bachelor is a bachelor no more. It appears that Mack was truly smitten by the mysterious Raven, the dark-haired beauty who also happened to be this season’s underdog. I have the happy couple here with me now for their first live interview since the abrupt, unexpected finale.
Mack, Raven, welcome to Entertainment Chatbox.”
“Thank you,” the two respond to reporter Lisa Liu, with literal stars in their eyes.
“Mack, let’s get to the question everyone wants the answer to, shall we? What happened on that group date?”
“I honestly have no idea,” Mack laughs. “I walked into the room and there was just something about the way Raven was moving, swaying her hips…” he trails off for a beat, clearly replaying the moment in his mind. “It was… bewitching! I took one look at her and…”
“The other girls must have felt it too,” Raven jumps in just then. “They just… left. It was strange, but it worked out well for me,” she adds with a laugh.
“Wow, that’s truly something. And the two of you are still very much in love?”
“Oh yes. I’m still completely under her spell!”
“Well there you have it. On that note, I would like to remind you that The World’s Most Eligible Bachelor will be back in the fall. Keep an eye out for auditions near you. Congrats again to the happy couple. Thanks for tuning in. Good night!”
🩷🩷🩷
Sandra Zappitelli is a translator from Montreal, Quebec. When she isn’t living vicariously through the characters who live in her head, Sandra enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with her family. You can find some of her creations on her website: www.sandrazeewrites.com.
Simply adorable. Thanks for this little feel good piece
That was so cute! And, having watched many The Bachelor and The Bachelorette shows, I loved the surprise ending.