“For the last time,” he warned her when they spoke on the phone that morning.
Molly decanted the wine in the kitchen and poured a glass to drink while she waited. When the doorbell buzzed, she shivered and went to let Charlie inside.
Each was on their best behavior after the initial awkwardness of their hellos. When Molly offered wine after a few minutes of small talk, Charlie smiled and nodded. “Be right back,” she said as she placed her glass on the coffee table and went to the kitchen.
“I know I can't change your mind about us, and I'm sorry about that,” she called out as she poured the wine and opened the drawer to her small desk. “I just hope we can be friends at some point?” She sighed as she took out the vial of Everlasting Love Trap potion. Two drops.
“Um. Yeah. If you would want to be just friends, why not.” Charlie answered as he took a miniature cellophane envelope from his pocket and leaned forward. Two shakes of the odorless, colorless, flavorless granules dissolved quickly in Molly's glass.
Earlier, an aged man at a rundown shopfront took his money and promised Charlie that in only a few days, the Repel Thee Forever powder would dissipate Molly's inconvenient attraction to him, never to be stoked again. A goodbye gift from Charlie. No sense in having her suffer needlessly, he thought.
Molly returned with his glass. Charlie stood and stretched his hand to her. She gave him the goblet and let her fingers linger on his for a moment before she let him go. He smiled and lifted the glass slightly above his head and waited for her to pick up her own from the table. They faced each other.
“What should we toast?” Molly asked. “To friendship?”
“Well, let's see.” Charlie said. He thought about the luscious Anita waiting for him at the bar. “May all our wishes come true. How about that one?”
Molly nodded. “Perfect,” she said and raised her arm.
They clinked their glasses and laughed for a moment before they each drank deeply.
Hah! Neither one of them know the rule about not leaving their drink unattended. A perfect ending for both of them!
ReplyDeleteOh so much better than rohypnol (the date rape drug poured into drinks). Devious little critters. Love to read the sequel (sort of being in love limbo forever). peace...
ReplyDeleteThat made me laugh out loud. I feel sorry for both of them while also laughing at them for getting what they deserve. A well-crafted tale!
ReplyDeleteWow, great stuff. Careful what you wish for Charlie! HA! Very nice!
ReplyDeleteI love this. It's like the opposite of those stories where the boy sells his boat to buy the girl a hair comb, and she sells her hair to buy a bell for his boat. This is much more modern and fun.
ReplyDeleteSo good - I was expecting her to do 'something' to the drink - but his action was totally unexpected! Great stuff :)
ReplyDeleteVery good story - I second the vote for a sequel - and what happens to luscious Anita! Heh heh
ReplyDeleteLove potions (and their opposite): always a bad idea! Yes, I'd like a sequel, if only because this explosion is going to be too good to miss.
ReplyDeleteLOOOOOOOOVE Iiiiiit!
ReplyDeleteOh how the tables will turn! Too funny, Marisa! Oh, how I wish you could really buy such potions. Wouldn't that be great?
ReplyDeleteYour story has such a modern, cosmopolitan flavour to it - really nice work.
Very impressed :)
ReplyDelete"Two shakes of the odorless, colorless, flavorless granules dissolved quickly in Molly's glass."
Smiled when I caught on what was going to happen!
Thanks for the kind welcome to the #FridayFlash Community :)
Very clever! I had to read bits again before the penny dropped. And like many of the other comments, I'd like to see what happens next!
ReplyDeleteThank for the welcome to #fridayflash too.
Ohhhh! The agony! Never mess with the path of love. This was so clever.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I agree with Jen B. I'd love a sequel to this. Great stuff, Marisa!!
ReplyDeleteLoved it. Sort of a reverse Gift of the Magi...
ReplyDelete"Repel Thee Forever" potion? Oh, where can I get some of that? :)
ReplyDeleteFun, fun story Marisa, and I too want the sequel - next week at the latest! Um, please. :)
Oh, I feel sorry for them, actually, even if they aren't the nicest people. But then, that's what you get for messing with magic!
ReplyDeleteAnother great tale Marisa... I will also jump on board here for sequel...
ReplyDeleteJim
Real men don't need a powder to repel women... just our personalities. But I'm looking forward to the sequel too.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw where the story was going, I thought "brilliant!" (Not out loud thankfully because I'm at work.) Sort of a twist of "Gift of the Magi." Very nice work, Marissa.
ReplyDeleteHilarious! Made me think of one of my three sons. I won't name any names here (you know who you are). He could use some of that powder. Instead he just disappears for a few days. Or pretends to have lost his cell phone.
ReplyDeleteThis reminded me of the scene from The Princess Bride when the Dread Pirate Roberts is up against Vizzini - "odorless, colorless, flavorless" dissolves instantly in liquid and is amongst one of the most deadly poisons known to man.
ReplyDeleteLots of fun.
Adam B @revhappiness
This was great! All the places my mind is taking it afterwards is even better!
ReplyDeleteA new twist on the O.Henry classic. Love it!
ReplyDelete(~Tim's comment is too funny)
ReplyDeleteLove potions, always disasterous. Funny thing, I felt the desperation of both characters, and I liked how neither was 'the bad guy'. Or maybe they were both 'the bad guy'; heck, not accepting their realities.
I enjoyed this from beginning to end.
Loved this Marisa. It was perfect. Still giggling.
ReplyDeleteoh the patterns we weave, the games we play in the guise of love. I actually misread the last line as "before they drank each other deeply" that's how much I was sucked in to your tale and the devious whiles of this pair!
ReplyDeletemarc nash
Lawd! laughing! ....!
ReplyDeleteOh Marisa, I love this. LOL! Let me tell you..... Anita is going to be in for a looong wait. Haha!
ReplyDeleteGret storytelling!
I chuckled :)
ReplyDeleteWhat makes me really smile though, is that in a world where "love potions" and "repel potions" exist, next week she will be giving him the "repel forever drug" and he will give her the "love potion".
You could almost see the sequel to this where they both grow old swapping potions every week for the rest of their lives...
Good Grief! A Puck-worthy fiasco for both of them! Awesomely done, Mari.
ReplyDeleteAll right, this is going to be a fitting ending for these two. Well conceived, well written!
ReplyDeleteHahaha! Great story. People are always asking me for such potions & spells and I always decline. I want to know what happens next to these hapless characters.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, what a end. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteThis will not end well. At all. But that's what makes it a fun story, right? I'd read a sequel if you write one, but I like where this ends.
ReplyDeleteHaha, double cross. Good setup, Marisa.
ReplyDeleteLOL. I'm now wondering, did both the potions work, or neither? What happens next?
ReplyDeleteHa, that's just perfect! As John said, a double cross, and a damn good one at that.
ReplyDeleteMarisa, I liked the premise of this piece and enjoyed the pacing where everything slows down as they exchange glasses and look forward with anticipation to the results of their potions.
ReplyDeleteLove is a harsh animal... Well done!
ReplyDeleteThat was awesome! The irony! Well yes, swapping potions is in order. It's why they outlawed them centuries ago.
ReplyDeleteLike Michael said, this feels like a piece that's going to go on in perpetuity. I love it.
ReplyDeleteOh, that's just so cruel, but -dare I say it?- poetic justice.
ReplyDeleteI adore this. Great work!
I have a feeling things are going to get worse between them! Great story and I could see this expanding into a novella or novel.
ReplyDeleteThat was awesome!
ReplyDeleteFantastic!
ReplyDeleteWell deserved to both of them, hehe. I too would like to see a sequel Mari-girl. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah, glad to see you're showcasing your numerous blog awards. ;D
ReplyDeleteAnd they both get to suffer forever. They should have stuck with roofies.
ReplyDeletethis was superb. i highly recommend turning this into an "adult" fairy tale of sorts. a longer story, not just a sequel!
ReplyDeletelots more details can be added to make it even a richer experience before revealing what is going on...
absolutely brilliant, alice.
love,
the hatter.
Hahaha! Nice twist, and I loved the "Repel Thee Forever" powder.
ReplyDeleteCecilia
Nice one! I'd love to read a whole story with these two.
ReplyDeleteLife works similar magic sometimes all on its own. :)
ReplyDeleteGlad ya dropped by for Tasty Tuesday! Hugs
HA perfect ending! Great job on this one.
ReplyDeleteHee Hee Hee. The tables have turned forever.
ReplyDelete