Feeling Whole and Wearing the 'Heels of Death'
Disclaimer: I don't own W.i.t.c.h. or any of the characters.
Will Vandom was locked in her room, perched firmly on her bed. She had just put on a pair of pastel jade green stilettos with four inch heels. Rolling her eyes in a perturbed fashion, she glanced down at the shoes, which she had dubbed the "heels of death" the first time that she tried them on at the bridal store. Will's mom, Susan, who was getting remarried, had been thrilled, grinning exuberantly in a way that tempted Will to make a rude remark when she emerged from her dressing room. She donned a clover green ruched ball gown that clung to her petite curves. To top off the look, she was wearing matching heels, crystal flower drop earrings, and a necklace. Will's straight red hair flowed down to her pale shoulders, brushing against the spaghetti straps on the dress.
Grimacing at the pain that shot through her feet, she had looked herself over in the attached full length mirrors and scrutinized her appearance. She was a far cry from the diminutive tomboy that usually glanced back at her on a daily basis. Will loved how the color of the dress complimented her hair and complexion; and her eyes widened joyfully as she realized that the satin was figure flattering.
Will's happiness turned out to be short lived. Not too long after she finished admiring her reflection, her mom had asked her to walk around and tell her how the shoes felt. Her feet ached, a sharp sting seared throughout her ankles. It was identical to the soreness that she felt now as she curled the end of a mauve sheet around her pointer finger. She sighed, dropping the linen and listening to the faint rustling sound it made as it fell.
Will knew that Matt was waiting outside of her bedroom door. They had finished their homework a half an hour earlier, and Will had made a dry joke as she unceremoniously shoved her books into her backpack, asking Matt if he wanted to see what she looked like in the infamous "heels of death." He chuckled and told her that no, he wouldn't mind seeing her in her bridesmaid shoes.
So she had gone into her room, shoving the damned shoes on her feet, before walking around a few times, hoping it would diminish the pain. It hadn't; so she settled on her bed, dreading having to get up again and even take one step.
"Come out, Will. They can't possibly be that bad," Matt called out to her, softly rapping on her door.
"'Kay. Coming, Matt."
Will stood up, cautiously treading to the door and opening it. Matt was leaning against the taupe colored wall, gazing at her expectantly. "So… How do they feel?"
"Like someone is stabbing my feet with ten thousand knives. My mother is ruining my life. Death by high heels… What a way to go!"
"Someone's being a little melodramatic."
"No, I'm not. You'd be saying the same thing if you put these babies on. You should feel lucky to be a guy."
"I do. The shoes look really nice on you. They're very pretty," Matt complimented, smiling at his girlfriend.
"Thanks. I wish they felt as good as they looked. At least they make me taller. That part is kinda cool. Now I'm five foot eight instead of five foot four. You've only got me beat by three inches." Will beamed, carefully easing up onto her tiptoes and giving Matt a brief kiss. She ruffled his black hair.
"Want to go for a walk at the park and try to break your shoes in?" Matt questioned, curving his arms around Will's waist and pulling her close.
"Heck no. I'm only going to have to wear them once. I'll deal with the pain in a few weeks and that'll be the end of it. For now I want to take off these shoes and not feel any more aching."
"And after all this time, I thought that my girlfriend, Wilma Vandom, was a fighter. She assisted her friends in kicking Cedric's pathetic butt, Nerissa's pathetic butt, and helped restore peace to a war torn and impoverished nation. I guess it's only the "I.t.c.h." in "W.i.t.c.h." that are the true troopers. Tisk tisk." Matt smirked playfully, backing away from Will when she started throwing punches at his chest.
"If you're going to use the tough love tactic then of course I'm going to want to prove you wrong, Matthew." Will leered, her honey brown eyes narrowing in a sense of purpose.
"You sound like my mother when you call me Matthew." Matt winced.
"Then don't call me by my full name!" She smiled impishly.
"Got it. Here, I'll make you a deal. If you go on a walk with me then I'll give you a piggyback ride home. Deal?"
"Deal!" Will grinned.
"Cool. As long as you promise not to kick me in the stomach with one of those lethal shoes when I'm carrying you back."
"I promise," Will affirmed, winking and kissing Matt's forehead.
"Let's go then. We'll take this slow, and I'll hold you the entire time so you don't fall." Matt released Will, and rearranged his hold so that he only had one arm around her waist. Will clutched Matt's shoulder, leaning against his body for support. They strode down the length of the hall at a leisurely pace and Will smiled appreciatively.
"Now this is my kind of walk," she commented slyly as Matt closed the front door behind them. Will let Matt hold her protectively as she fished around in her jean pocket for the keys and then locked the door. Once that was finished, he supported her, and the couple walked out into the temperate autumn air. Will felt a little out of place as she dragged her feet, noting that the dark purple hoodie her boyfriend had given her clashed with her shoes.
Two days later, the "I.t.c.h." in W.i.t.c.h. were nestled on the Vandom's couch. Caleb was seated on the arm of the red sofa with his arm draped around Cornelia's shoulder. The blond shrugged him off. She had an impatient look on her face. "Matt," she prompted, "What is taking your girlfriend so long?" She cast the dark haired boy an anxious glance.
"I don't know, Cornelia. She's probably in pain again. I hardly doubt that she's doing extra primping like you would," Matt retorted, plunking down on the other couch arm and staring down the corridor. "You know what? I'm going to see what's up with her. She never spends this much time getting ready."
Matt left the small group of people alone and briskly crossed the hall. He knocked on Will's bedroom door. "You okay in there, Will?" he inquired moderately.
"Yeah. I'm just in the process of stumbling over to the door, but don't worry." A few moments later, Will's door swung open and she was standing in the doorway. The green bridesmaid dress that Susan had purchased for her hugged her slender frame and emphasized her figure. The cool color of the fabric accentuated her vivid hair and warm eyes. Matt's eyes widened in awe. He had always thought that Will was beautiful, but she currently transcended her normal beauty. She possessed an elegance that she didn't normally have when she wore her casual attire.
"Wow, babe. You look gorgeous!" Matt captured her lips in a kiss. He felt his heart speed up.
"Thanks," Will said graciously, smiling after she had parted from him.
"Let's go show the others. Do you need help walking?"
"Nah, I'll be fine."
"All right. Stay behind me, I want to announce you."
"I don't think you'll have to worry about me passing you up," Will quipped sarcastically.
Matt laughed and walked back to the living room.
"So, what's the deal? Is she done or what?" Hay Lin asked.
"Ladies and gentleman, put your hands together for the gorgeous, the incredible, the enchanting, Miss Wilma Aislin Vandom!" Matt said in a melodramatic manner, gesturing enthusiastically to his side. Will sped up, appearing beside Matt in a few seconds, and curtsying to her audience of friends. A grin slithered over Will's face as she listened to their various reactions.
"Will, you look amazing! You're so beautiful!" Hay Lin gushed, her cocoa brown eyes lighting up.
"Ooohh! You look fabulous! I love the dress! I'm jealous! My outfit doesn't look half that good." Taranee smiled, winking at her friend.
"Oh my gosh, my girlie is going to look incredible when she is strutting her stuff down that aisle!" Cornelia effused, clapping her hands and beaming widely.
"You mean 'your girlie' is going to look incredible when she's staggering down the aisle," Will said wryly.
"You'll get used to the heels. I can help you if you'd like."
"Thanks, but no thanks, Cornelia."
"Have it your way. You're still going to look drop dead gorgeous. You'll look almost as good as me." Will chortled, stopping abruptly when Irma flattered her.
"Daaaaannnggg! My best friend is a hottie with a body!" Irma remarked energetically and wolf whistled.
"Are you hitting on my girlfriend, Irma?" Matt sneered, folding his arms over his chest furtively.
"Nope. I don't swing that way, Matt. Just because a girl thinks that her friend looks hot doesn't mean she's a lesbian."
"I beg to differ," he snickered, his blue eyes alight with mischief.
"Hello, I have a crush on Jack Lee. You know, the jock? His abs are kickin'!"
"No offense, Irma, but I don't think Matt and Caleb want to hear about Jack Lee's 'kickin' abs." Hay Lin smirked at the brunette.
"Just making my point." Irma stuck her tongue out at Matt.
"The others are right. You look really good, Will. You actually look like a girl for once," Caleb said slyly from his perch on the couch.
"Haha, very funny! Shut it, Mr.-I-Have-Machismo-Issues," Will responded, resisting the urge to flip off the older boy.
"Now you two have to dance," Irma ordered, gesturing to Matt and Will.
"Uh, no. Not unless I can take these shoes off."
"That's fine." Matt nodded.
Will crouched onto the hardwood floor, removing her heels and sighing in relief as she put them aside. She rose, letting Matt gather her into his arms, and clasping her hands at the back of his neck. Will giggled as he dragged her around the small living room in a sloppily executed tango. Her body swayed with his, and she took the lead, trying to make their motions smooth instead of half hearted. With Will leading, their dancing looked much better, and she felt graceful as they glided around the room.
After a few minutes, Matt resumed leading, and this time he was much more refined. He twirled her under his arm and dipped her exaggeratedly, laughing as their friends whooped and cheered. Will spun herself back into her beau's arms, a grin making its way across her face. She hoped that they would dance like this at the wedding, knowing that they would have just as much as fun as they always had. As Will gazed into Matt's eyes, she couldn't help but admire him.
They had been through a lot together in the duration of their relationship, and Matt still hadn't left her. In fact, he had done just the opposite. Matt had remained by her side, acting unyieldingly loyal after discovering that she and her friends were Guardians of the Veil. He was selfless, assisting them with missions, and constantly putting his life on the line. Matt had come back to her with open arms after defeating Shagon, and he hadn't let the disaster create a rift in their relationship. But the thing that Will loved the most about Matt was that he understood her, even when she acted irrationally jealous. Will's smile expanded as another thought crossed her mind.
What she treasured the most about their relationship was the way they were able to find solace in their antics as a couple. Will showed her appreciation for Matt and everything that he had done for her throughout the past three years by leaning in and kissing him passionately. She ignored the symphony of cacophonous "awwws" that came from her friends, and focused on the one thing that would always make her feel whole: being with the boy she loved.
