Charmed... the other way around Chapter 10:
Autumn 1995 Part 9

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I heard a soft knock on the door and I continued to ignore it. I didn't want to see anyone right now. Not Andy. Not dad. Not Claire. The door hesitantly opened several minutes after a second knock. I continued to look into the mirror of my dresser, where I could see the door. I didn't look up at him but kept my eyes fixed on the mirror, where I saw his expression as well. I saw he was shocked, as he eyed the surrounding. I saw how his view shifted from the bed, where my stole laid, to the floor, where the shoes were and then slowly back at me. I right away went back to getting out of the hairclips Claire had fixed on me.

"Prue..." I tried my best to ignore him, though I had loved to leave out all my anger at him right now. I was not far form exploding

"I'm sorry, okay? Whatever I did so horribly wrong... I'm sorry..." he told me as I got myself one of my hair bands and swiftly made a tail of my hair. I heard the floor shifting and knew he was coming closer.

"Prue... please..." he begged and at that I finally exploded

"I hate people who smoke. My dad does it and I hate him for that. I adore my dad more than any human being on this damn earth, but I hate him from the depths of my heart for smoking. Smoking actually kills people. How dare you gamble with your life like this? You wanna kiss me? Get close to me? Quit smoking! I'm certainly not getting close to someone who could die any second for being this irresponsible!"

"I'm not a smoker... I just... when I'm stressed it's something that relaxes me..."

"I don't care why you do it... you smoke! That's what matters and I... just don't wanna date you under these circumstances"

"What? Prue... c'mon... I thought you liked me..."

I closed my eyes tightly, biting my lip. I had turned around while yelling at him, but now turned back to the mirror. I knew he was right. I liked him. I knew already back then, that I eventually loved him, but that second, I just didn't want to admit that. I didn't want more people in my life who slowly would kill themselves. Not in my life and certainly not in my heart.

"Andy just... just go..." I almost whispered

"No! No, I'm not gonna leave this easily, Prue... not until you explained this scene to me!" he said and hurriedly came closer to me. He stood between me and the mirror, clearly just to look at me. He always hated when I didn't look at him when we argued. I kinda do too. When you don't look into the other's eyes you can lie all you want. But not when you look into the eyes. If it's someone you really like, you just can't.

"You can't just throw everything between us away like that... if this is only about smoking... okay... fine... I quit... no problem... I flush the pack down the toilette in front of you, if you want me to... but... let's just go... please" that's typically Andy. Never giving up even if he knows it most likely has no use.

"Why did you never say something about this to me?" I asked somewhat desperately, as I tried hard to look away form Andy again. I didn't want him to see possible tears, which flew already the second I looked away in try to hide my face

"I never expected it to be important" he told me almost same desperate.

"How can something that actually can kill you not be important for our relationship?" I asked disbelievingly. How could he say that? I heard him taking in air and some kind of sound coming out, which all humans had when starting to speak. I just shook my head "just leave, please..." I told him, before he even found words.

There was a huge silence.

"Are we gonna have lunch together on Monday?"

"I... I don't know..."

"Does that mean we're completely over now?"

"Andy, just go, please" he must have noticed the final touch in my voice. And I heard him sigh. I knew he had gotten, there was nothing he could do right now. He leaned closer to me and pecked my cheek, then finally turned back around and walked back outside.

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After Andy had left Claire looked furiously at Victor. This just couldn't be true. She had loved to hit him right then. Okay, he wasn't happy with his daughter's relationship, but how could he just hurt her so much? And all of that just cause he didn't want her dating.

"You!" her anger finally let go as she raised a pointing finger at him

"Are you insane! Prue really likes that guy, for god's sake! Don't you get how much you just hurt her? Not him... her!"

"Well, she deserves to know such things, now doesn't she!"

"Jeez, Victor! He really seemed like a nice guy! And you didn't even notice anything like that, just because your fucking pride comes in the way! You can't keep her from falling in love! You can't and just shouldn't ruin things like that for her! Don't you get... that if it's not Andy, then it's gonna be someone else at some point! Don't you get that she could fall in love with a whole lot worse people!" Victor stayed silent, looking down. Claire just shook her head disgusted

"You really should be ashamed of yourself!" she told him and then left him alone in the backyard again. He didn't stay alone for long, since Andy appeared at the gate to the backyard soon again as well

"Umm... I just... wanted to say goodbye" he said lowly, causing Victor to shoot his head up

"Where's Prue?"

"Downstairs. Date's cancelled" he answered truthfully

"Not, it's not" Victor answered deciding as he got up and went towards Andy "just wait here a second. She'll be here in no time. I swear" Victor directed Andy "just sit... I'm right back..." Andy didn't expect much of it, but did as he was told, praying Victor still could do something there.

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It didn't take long until I again heard steps. I was just about to get rid of my dress to get into something more comfortable, as there was a knock on the door again. I sighed deeply

"Andy, I told you to..." I started, pulling my dress back up, to hide from who I thought was Andy, but stopped immediately at the sight of dad. I starred at him for several seconds, then ignored him and continued to get changed into a pair of sweat pants and some sweater.

"Your date's waiting outside" he said lowly. I didn't answer but continued to tidy. First the dress, then picked up the rest, put my stole and shoes back to wardrobe. Dad followed. I heard him.

"Okay, I know I screwed up... it's my fault, okay? Give him a chance... he really seems nice"

I let out a hysterical laugh and looked at him for a second, then shook my head, just hating him back then. Now, now that he screwed everything, now he admitted Andy might be a good guy? I turned on my heel to tidy my jewellery, get rid of my make up and – I have to admit – to get to the only room in the apartment I could actually lock. Dad tried to keep up, he knew what I planned. I had done it one too many times. I was faster.

"Oh c'mon, Prue! What do you want me to do? I'm sorry... I'm an asswhole... that's what fathers sometimes are... sometimes have to be... they sometimes have to be asswholes... they can't always be the best buddy. I apologize dearly for once acting like a father. I'm sorry you've got a father who's an asswhole. But, you know, you shouldn't spill this just because of me. You shouldn't ruin a great evening. You shouldn't just throw everything you've got with Andy away, just because I'm an asswhole... I am the smoker in this house. He's young. You can still change him, honey..."

I didn't react. but as he made a small break, I already thought he'd try to get to the other door and that way into the bathroom, so I, just in case, locked it on my way from the box I had close to my sink in which I keep all my jewellery to the bathtub, where I sat down. I looked out of the window, seeing Andy still sitting in the backyard. I kinda felt sorry for him. It wasn't his fault, I was complicated.

"Prue, please..." I heard dad and then his deep sigh. I looked down at my hands, got up and walked back over to the door. I unlocked it and almost ripped the door out of its angles as I opened it

"There's only one thing, you can do... quit smoking!"

"Wha... Prue... it's..."

"Quit smoking and I'm going"

I saw dad's famous 'does my daughter have to be so damn smart?'-face. I knew exactly, he knew he was the one screwing up and I knew he'd do anything for my luck, for my happiness. To make up for the mistake he had made.

"It's not that easy..." he finally told me

"You quit, I go, it's that easy, dad"

"You seriously are going out with him..."

"If you promise, not to smoke anymore"

"What about the cigars I still have? I mean... they were expensive... I'm not gonna just... throw them away..."

"alright, then let's say, you're allowed to finished them off... so you also can detox slowly... but you're not gonna buy new ones... and you quit smoking the instant you run out of them"

I saw how dad swallowed. He had been smoking for most of his life. It was hard to just quit. I knew that. I knew even though he'd never admit it, he was addicted to cigars.

Claire had told me he had tried to stop already several times. The first time was when things started to go serious with Claire. Then a few other tries, which really aren't worth mentioning. His best shot, Claire told me, actually was when they were about to see me for the first time. His last try was, when grandpa had died form cancer. He never made it. He just needed the nicotine like he needed the air to breath. But he also knew, he goggled here with my love. I pokered high, but what did I really have to loose?

"Prue..." he started in try to get some more fortunes onto his side

"Deal or no deal?" I asked seriously, not even wanting to hear all his buts and ors. I would not gonna start treating here. Certainly not. I finally had a real chance of making him stop. I didn't care so much about how I got him to do that.

Dad hesitated for a bit. I thought I had his answer figured and sighed, I retreated into the bathroom, again locking the door. I heard a soft hit against the door. I guess it was dad's head hitting it. Like he often hits his head on something when he just knows no way out. I somehow felt sorry for dad in that situation. If he said no, he had screwed my very first relationship. And more, as I know today. If he said yes, it meant he seriously needed to quit. Without buts, ors, ands or whatever else.

"Okay, deal..." he called through the locked door

"Promise?" I asked somewhat challenging him as I opening the door a split again

"I promise to TRY to stop smoking" he said, accentuating the try.

"Promise to STOP smoking on my life..."

"Prue... I..."

I saw the but coming there and without any hesitation was starting to close the door again but this time dad was faster and put a foot into the door.

"Okay" he told me, giving in

"I promise..."

"Promise what?" I asked innocently

"To quit smoking if you go out with Andy tonight"

"On my life."

"Prue..."

"What? What are you afraid of? You intend on keeping your promise, now do you? Then nothing is going to happen to me..." I told him seriously. I knew if I didn't make him say it, the whole stuff had absolutely no use

"It's not just that easy to stop... I'm addicted, honey..." he protested

"We'll help you!" I argued back. Dad sighed again, reciting his vow once more

"I promise to quit smoking as soon as possible, if you go out tonight with Andy..."

"On my life..." I told him, insisting on that part

"On your life" he hesitantly added. I immediately broke into a smile

"Do you really like Andy?" I asked, changing the topic and having the urge to ask it already for several minutes.

"I guess... I don't know... didn't really meet him... but I could meet him... while you get ready again..."

I looked down at myself in sweatpants and t-shirt. Shit! I looked kinda sheepishly back up at him

"Could you... get Claire to help me... before telling Andy to wait some more?"

"Sure..." he sighed. My smile grew again as I wrapped my arms around dad's neck, holding him tight

"I love you daddy... always will."

"You better" he exclaimed. "Now finally get set..." he said pushing me slightly away, pecking my lips and then stalking upstairs to get Claire