Paige's POV – Emelie172

21. Lying

If love is nothing but a fairytale – then my life is a fairytale gone very, very bad…

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The room was dull, really nothing to make it fun or exiting…just plain dull. The woman was dull as well; I guess they kind of matched - her and the room that was.

"Paige, how nice to see you" she smiled a big smile, showing a small smudge of burgundy lipstick on her left front tooth.

I didn't answer her but stayed by the closed door. I knew I should play happy, I should do what she says and then I can go live with Prue…but somehow I was just not feeling like doing this. I wanted to run…a really bad habit of mine lately.

"My name is Agnes" the woman said and brushed her dark hair behind her ears. "Why don't you sit down and we can talk" she showed for the giant green sofa before her. It was one of those that looked like it could eat you if you so much as sat down.

I slowly sunk down towards it and soon felt the fabric and the softness start to pull me down. I fought and grabbed hold of the arms on one side and managed to stay in a somewhat comfortable position.

"You were one hard girl to find, you know that" Agnes laughed.

"Blame it on those sisters" I mumbled.

"It was good that you came back though" she said with a smile.

"Yeah" I didn't mention how Glen had yelled at me and how he had dragged me back to Piper's house…she didn't need to know that.

"So…" Agnes smiled at me, the lipstick still smudged and for some reason I couldn't stop starring at it. It was as if that small purple spot was calling out my name. "How do you feel about your sister trying to get custody?" she asked and I forced myself to look away from her tooth.

"It's alright" I said.

"Just alright?" Agnes asked. "Would you rather stay with the home you're in now?"

"No" I shook my head.

"You know Paige you will have to tell me what you're thinking or I can't help you" she said and actually sounded a bit sweet…though just a bit.

"I love my sisters and I would love to live with them" I said it like a machine, no emotions. It was what I had practiced in Piper's bedroom an hour before and it was what I was sticking to…no matter what I was feeling.

"Okay then why?"

I looked up surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Why do you want to live with your sisters?" Agnes asked.

The question took me off guard. I was prepared to say I liked Prue and that was it…this woman wanted to know why, how do I know that?

"She's my sister. She knows what's best for me. She lo…she cares of me" I tried to say love but it would just not come out. I guess she heard it too because she took her glasses out and looked closer at me.

"Paige, she loves you….I know she does" she said.

"Well nice that you do" I replied quietly.

"Paige" she removed her notebook from her lap and moved closer to me. She placed her hand on my head, letting the soft auburn strays slid through her fingers.

"Get your hands off me" I cried and jumped back. I didn't want her near me, no one should touch me. No hugging no holding – I don't do that anymore.

"Sorry" she said and leaned back.

I didn't answer but pushed the hair back behind my ears. I had colored it that same day, just an hour before I left. I knew Piper probably wouldn't care but I had to wait until she was gone. It wasn't very different, just redder and less brown…less like them…

"Maybe you could try and thin back to how it was when you last lived together" Agnes suggested.

I did that. I thought back, on the mother I never met, on grams, Sevron…magic. I saw Phoebe and me playing pranks, me and Piper making pancakes at four in the morning getting flour all over the kitchen. I saw Prue holding me when I had a bad dream…and I saw her face before me when she saw my father's name…and I saw her face before me as I was dragged away…when she did nothing to stop them…

"I love Phoebe…and Piper is great" I started knowing I was stalling.

"And Prue?" she asked.

"Prue would be a great guardian. She knows the rules and sticks to them. She knows right from wrong and she takes care of us" I said.

"Like a big sister should be" Agnes smiled.

I bit my lips slightly and looked away, past Agnes and let my eyes travel the room. The diploma on the wall – not one of the big schools actually, big surprise there. The picture frames on her desk – the people in them looked like they had come with the frames, I bet they even did. The rug on the floor was stomped on too many times and the one and only tree in the room stood by the door – screaming for water in its last breath.

"Paige" Agnes said and brought me back.

"What?"

"Is Prue a good sister to you?" she asked. Such a simple question, and she waited for such a simple answer.

"Prue knows what she needs to do and does it" I said.

"Not what I asked" Agnes reached for her notebook again, probably to write this all down…and then I would have messed everything up – again.

"I…love her" the words were hard and seemed to get stuck half way out but I did get them out, that was what mattered right then and there.

"That's good, so you want to live with her again?" she asked.

"Yes" there you have it ladies and gentlemen – I liked. I Paige Halliwell lied her straight in the face…not once but twice in one day.

"That's great" Agnes said. "Then I should give this to the judge and we'll see what your sisters say" she said with a smile.

"Okay" I grabbed hold of the arm stronger and actually managed to pull myself up from the sofa.

I was free, I was going towards the door yet I stopped. I stopped with my hand on the door and turned around.

"If you loved someone once, you can love them again, right?" I asked. I didn't know why but it felt as if the question would never leave that room.

"Most of the times, yes" Agnes answered. "But some love is always worth fighting for, even if it doesn't work out."

"Thanks" I said and opened the door.

I guess I wanted to try – I wanted to love my sisters like I used to. But it seemed impossible; I can't love in that – perfect, nothings wrong kind of way anymore. Because things are wrong – very wrong, and I don't know if we can fix it…but I knew I was willing to try – even if that mean lying to a judge…

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You can't have the perfect life or the perfect family – but if you give it all you have you can get that imperfect dysfunctional family that is always by your side…