Love Potion

Evelyn was not a believer in magic. She believed in coffee, deadlines, and the healing power of online shopping, but spells and charms? Absolutely not. That changed the day she stumbled upon a peculiar little shop tucked between a bakery and a laundromat.

The door creaked open, releasing a scent of lavender, cinnamon, and something faintly metallic. The shelves inside were cluttered with jars, crystals, and dusty tomes. An elderly shopkeeper with mischievous eyes shuffled forward.

“You look like someone who needs a little… spark,” he said, handing her a vial filled with shimmering pink liquid.

Evelyn raised an eyebrow. “And this is?”

“A love potion,” he said matter-of-factly. “Guaranteed results.”

She laughed. “I don’t even have a cat. Who would I test it on?”

The man leaned in. “Careful, dear. Love is never predictable.”

Evelyn bought it anyway—partly out of curiosity, partly because it was cheaper than therapy. She stuffed the vial in her bag and forgot about it.

The Accident

That evening, her best friend Marcus came over for their usual pizza-and-movie night. He rummaged through her fridge, pulled out a soda, and without asking, poured it into a glass. Evelyn didn’t notice until she spotted the vial on the counter—empty.

Her jaw dropped. “Marcus! Did you—”

“Relax, it was just soda,” he said, sipping happily.

Except it wasn’t.

Within minutes, Marcus began staring at her as if she were a Renaissance painting. His casual jokes turned into poetic declarations. He offered to fold her laundry, fix her leaky sink, and write sonnets about her freckles.

Evelyn froze. “Oh no. Oh no no no.”

Chaos Unleashed

By the next morning, things spiraled. Marcus showed up at her office with a bouquet so large it barely fit through the door. He serenaded her in the lobby. He even tried to fight the barista who dared spell her name wrong on a latte cup.

Evelyn couldn’t take it. This wasn’t Marcus—the funny, dependable friend who once helped her move apartments and carried all the heavy boxes without complaining. This was a lovesick knight in shining armor, and it was exhausting.

She stormed back to the shop, only to find the shopkeeper polishing a crystal ball.

“You didn’t tell me it worked this well!” she shouted.

He chuckled. “I told you—love is unpredictable.”

“I need an antidote,” she said.

“Ah,” he replied, stroking his beard. “There isn’t one.”

Her stomach dropped. “What do you mean there isn’t one?”

He smiled slyly. “Love potions fade only when true feelings are revealed. Until then, chaos reigns.”

The Truth Comes Out

For the next week, Evelyn tried everything to snap Marcus out of it. She ignored him. She yelled at him. She even wore sweatpants with mustard stains, hoping to scare him off. Nothing worked.

Finally, one night, she sat him down.

“Marcus, this isn’t you,” she said. “You don’t actually love me. It’s the potion.”

But Marcus just looked at her, his expression softening. “Evelyn… potion or not, do you really think I’ve been hanging out with you every Friday for the last five years just for the pizza?”

Her heart skipped. “Wait. Are you saying…?”

He nodded. “I’ve been in love with you long before some sparkly drink got involved. The potion just made it impossible to hide.”

Suddenly, the magic began to fade. The desperate gestures stopped. The dramatic serenades quieted. What remained was Marcus—her real Marcus—looking at her with nervous, honest eyes.

A Different Kind of Magic

Evelyn realized then that maybe love wasn’t about grand spells or magical shortcuts. Maybe it was about years of shared laughter, comfort, and little moments that went unnoticed.

She smiled. “Well, in that case, maybe we should test this love thing—without the glittery chemicals.”

Marcus grinned. “Best experiment ever.”

And for the first time, Evelyn believed in magic—just not the bottled kind.