xp_logs | Doug and Amanda: Love Potion Number 9

Set Sunday.

Over the course of the month Amanda had been at the school, she and Doug had agreed upon using the student lounge as the place to meet for their tutoring sessions. It was still relatively quiet, and there were ashtrays. It was a tought gig, Doug had decided, and not just because Amanda’s mathematical ability was rudimentary, at best. When bored, she had a habit of distracting herself with the most confronting topics of discussion. Today, a lazy Sunday, was no exception.

"Y'know what your problem is, sunshine? Yer too fuckin' wrapped up in your own little dramas. So the girl wants to fuck someone else? Who cares? Plenty more where she came from..." Amanda blew smoke from her ever-present (at least whilst studying, she claimed it helped her think) cigarette into Doug's face. "You know what you need? Fifty bucks an' directions to the red light district. That'd rid you of that pesky virginity in no time."

Doug sighed and waved the smoke out of his face. "It's not pesky, and I don't see it as something to just be thrown away willy-nilly, Amanda. Besides, it's not just the physical stuff."

She shrugged. "What else is there?" Exchanging cigarette for pen she chewed the top absently and frowned at the paper in front of her. "So, explain this carrying of the decimal point again?"

Doug sighed and scrubbed his fingers through his hair in frustration. "There's a lot more than just physicality to a good relationship, Amanda."

"Sure there is," she replied absently, pen moving slowly over the paper. "There's taking all his stuff when you take off."

Doug shrugged. "What about enjoying each others' company, sharing interests, being able to talk about anything without worrying about being judged?"

"Doesn't happen." Amanda dropped her pen and took another drag on her smoke. "People always judge people, even when they reckon they aren't. Part of the human condition - we're always weighing up everyone around us, tryin' to figure out if they're goin' to hurt us before we can hurt them. Just ask Manny about it – he knows better ‘n anyone. Your true love shite... doesn't hold up in the real world, does it? Love never solves nothin', an' it always bites you in the arse in the end." She tapped ash almost angrily into the ashtray on the table. "An' that's that."

Doug winced. "Yeah. Maybe you're right. What the hell would I know? I've never even managed to make it work."

"We'll make a cynic out of you yet," Amanda said with her trademark mocking grin. "Now, can we get back to the soddin' decimals?"

Another half hour and three more problems passed, before Doug broke the silence.

"Last weekend, you said something about changing people, that you had tricks to do that. You haven’t really, have you? Changed people?"

"Hmm?" Amanda looked up from her worksheet, welcoming the distraction. Any more decimal problems and she’d be turning the paper into confetti… like the last two worksheets. "Yeah, sure. Not usually for meself, but I used t’ make a few quid sellin’ potions t’ the people at school. When I was there."

"Potions? What kind?"

"Love spells, mainly – there’s any number of dozy girls wantin’ this bloke or that bloke t’ notice ‘em, an’ are willin’ to pay for it. Sometimes small curses, nothin’ major, just accidents, people losin’ homework, that kind of thing. Kept me in smokes an’ booze without me havin’ to pinch stuff from the fosters too often." Amanda shrugged.

"But isn’t that wrong? Making people do what you want?" Doug’s expression was a mixture of concern, distaste, and… curiosity? Amanda noted it – no matter what Doug said about wanting things to be real, here was a teenage boy at the mercy of his hormones, and hormones sometimes knew no ethical limits. And she was in the mood to have some fun teasing the eminently-conservative (to her) Doug.

"Ain’t much different than all the usual stuff people do t’ get other people t’ do what they want. Look at it this way – it’s okay for a bloke to try an’ change a girl’s mind, give her shite like flowers an’ chocolate, follow her around an’ pester her just enough, right? Well, this is just a short cut. Saves a fuck of a lot of time."

"But these are people you’re talking about! It’s not like taking a homework short cut by only reading the summaries of a bunch of papers or something!" Doug said, outraged by the thought.

"They get over it – ain’t a big thing," said Amanda. An amused smile crossed her face. "An’ they make right fools of ‘emselves in the meantime. But since it bugs you so much, we can stop talkin’ about it. No skin off my nose." She turned her attention back to the dreaded decimals. "I think I’ve got it? Have a look for me?"

Distracted by the conversation and its implications, Doug didn’t reply immediately. Then he remembered himself. "Uh, sure. Let me see what you’ve done." He reached for her paper, obviously thinking of things other than mathematics. Amanda hid her grin. Testing Doug’s ethics could be quite entertaining.

***
A little later in the day Doug answered a knock at his door. It was Amanda.

"Here," she said, thrusting a small jar containing something violently pink at him. "Just in case you change yer mind. A couple of drops in their drink or somethin’, and you can have whatever girl you pick. Just be careful with it – it’s pretty strong. An’ you use it on me, I’ll make you think yer something small an’ squeaky for a week. I’m late for class so I’ll see you later an’ find out what you did."

Out of reflex more than anything, Doug took the jar. Before he could protest, the witch had gone.

Sitting in his chair, Doug examined the jar. He was tempted. Oh was he ever tempted. But it wouldn't be right. He stood and went to his window to uncap and pour out the jar. But at that moment, a very odd mental image occurred to him of a large group of lovestruck squirrels following his every move upon leaving the mansion. Cocking his head, he stashed the potion in the back of the bottom drawer to his desk, resolving to ask Amanda whether anything particular needed to be done to dispose of the potion safely. That resolved, he turned back to his textbooks.