My Word-of-the-Day Challenge

Directions: Use the Word of the Day from Merriam-Webster.com from the month of August in a scene; each day’s post must be a continuation of the previous day’s post.

Word count limit: 150 words

---

August 17, 2021, Merriam-Webster Word of the Day: tousle (v.)

Definition:

: DISHEVEL, RUMPLE

---

Susan stood frozen beside the table with dessert plates in her hands, waiting wide-eyed for Roar’s reaction.

Roar recoiled in crestfallen disbelief. “W-What?” he stammered, imploringly. “The usual guys at the Carie Police Department like me. Detective Dufort. Detective Roshan. They aren’t scared of me… they like me.”

To Susan’s further mortification, Zaida smirked, absently tousling her hair. “Liking you and not being scared of you aren’t the same thing. I love venomous snakes—love, love—but they scare the hell out of me in person and you couldn’t pay me to touch one.”

Roar opened his mouth to object but found himself at a loss for words as he realized the validity of what she’d said, more shocked at himself for not fully acknowledging it before that moment, and it stung more.

word count: 130