Third Time Charmed

Enter the Witch (Part 4)

After Prue put the finishing touches on the base potion, still asking herself why she was participating in this ridiculous charade, the doorbell rang. They weren't expecting anyone, were they? Deciding that the impending evil wasn't likely to announce itself, she went to answer the door. Upon opening it, she found a handsome young Black man looking at her expectantly. Unable to place him, she asked, "Can I help you?"

He chuckled in response, flashing a dazzling smile. "Sense of humor. I really like that in a girl," he said. "So, you ready to go, Paige?"

Comprehension dawning, Prue's eyebrows disappeared into Paige's hairline. Was the girl handing out their address to her dates? How presumptuous of her. She already had one foot in the door of the manor. Did she have her eyes set on Phoebe's room, too? "I'm going to need a rain check," she said curtly, closing the door.

"Mason, hi! How are you?" Paige called out, crossing the foyer at a trot.

The young man looked confused as he took in the overly familiar leather-clad stranger, placing one hand on the door being shut in his face. "I'm fine. Do I...know you?" he asked.

"No, no. But I know you! At least, I feel like I know you, seeing as how Paige can't stop talking about you, 'Mason, the boss's son.' He's as cute as you said he was."

"Isn't he just?" said Prue robotically. "But we have that thing to do, Prue."

"Oh, that? That can wait!" Paige waved off dismissively. "You kids, go enjoy yourselves. Aren't you going for dinner?"

"Well, yeah, I was thinking Italian," said Mason apprehensively. "If Paige feels up to it, that is?"

"Chinese! You must have Chinese. Chinatown Chinese, even better!"

"That... That's cool."

"Fine," Prue begrudgingly acquiesced, seeing the girl's thinking, accepting Paige's coat as it was thrust upon her. A trip to Chinatown would allow her to kill two birds with one stone. She would deal with this third, very annoying bird when she got home.

"Okay, have fun," said Paige, before dropping to a stage whisper. "And keep my face out of the sun!"

Prue glared at her before she and Mason departed.

Paige gulped. As clever a solution as it was to both of their current problems, she was going to pay for it later; she just knew it.

"Who was at the door?" Piper asked, coming down the stairs.

"Um, just Paige's date," said Paige, popping her hard candy into Prue's mouth.

"She's still going on her date?" said Piper incredulously. "Ugh. What's with the lollipop?"

"Paige sort of got me into them."

"What, during the collective five minutes you two have spent together?"

"I guess," said Paige, trying to put herself in Prue's uncomfortable shoes. "She's not so bad, that Paige."

"Really? Because I gotta be honest. I'm really starting to worry about her."

"Why? What's wrong with Paige?"

"Well, first of all, she's made me realize that any vague idea I had about one day becoming a teaching chef isn't in my future," Piper bemoaned. "And for another, she doesn't listen to me!"

"Oh, she listens...sometimes."

"Really? Cause she's got me fooled. And you know what, it's a shame because she might actually have a lot of potential. But the problem is, I don't think she cares. About anything."