~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The angry boy a bit too insane
Icing over a secret pain
You know you don't belong
You're the first to fight
You're way too loud
You're the flash of light on a burial shroud
I know something's wrong
When everyone I know has got a reason
To say put the past away
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Paige, can I see you in my office please?"
Paige grimanced. Whenever her boss, Mr. Carter, called her into his office, it meant trouble.
"Mr. Carter, I'm so sorry I was late, there was just a lot of traffic-" she began quickly.
"Save it, Paige." he interrupted. She quieted. "Paige, I don't think you've been on time once in the past month. You've called out sick more times than anyone else here, and when you do come in, you're hung over."
"I'll try harder." Paige interjected. "Please, Mr. Carter, give me another chance."
Carter sighed. "I'm sorry, Paige, I can't."
Paige frowned dejectedly. "All right, then, I'll pick up my last paycheck tomorrow."
She left his office and went to her desk. It only took her a few minutes to dump the few pictures and other possessions she'd left there in a box. Without saying a word to her former co-workers, who'd never really liked her anyway, she left.
Paige drove around a while before going home. Then, she paced around her apartment restlessly. She knew she should be checking the classifieds for another job, but she didn't want to. She wanted to go out. She wanted to have fun. She wanted a drink.
Impulsively, Paige grabbed the phone. It was too early to go to a bar, but that didn't mean she couldn't have fun.
Glen picked up after the third ring. "Paige? What's up?"
"I'm bored. Want to go out for lunch?"
"Shouldn't you be at work?" he asked.
"Long story." she responded.
"Paige..."
"Okay, not so long. I got fired. Are you coming or what?" she asked impatiently.
"I'll be there in a little bit." he said, and hung up. Paige tossed her cordless phone onto the couch, and went to get changed.
Glen showed up ten minutes later, and took Paige to a nice restaurant across town. He insisted on buying her a drink, and of course she didn't refuse.
"So, how'd it happen?" Glen asked after the waitress had brought them their orders.
"How'd what happen?" Paige asked, taking a sip of her drink.
"How'd you get fired? And don't play stupid with me, I'm better at it."
Paige smiled at the joke, and repeated what her former boss had said. "Of course, it's total bull. Well, most of it is, anyway. I did so come in on time. Once or twice."
Glen started laughing, and Paige did, too. This was what she loved about their friendship, whenever she was with him, everything seemed okay. She didn't have to think about the fact that she was unemployed, or worry that the rent was due, or any of the other things she knew she should have been concentrating on. With Glen, Paige could just have fun.
"We should do this more often." Paige mused, signalling for the waitress to come bring them another round of drinks.
"It's going to be hard." Glen replied. "Um... I've been meaning to tell you, these guys I met in the Carribean are going to Australia. They asked me to come along, and I said yes."
Paige's face clouded, but then brightened in a show of psuedo-happiness for her friend. "Oh, well, that sounds really cool." she managed.
"I know, I should have told you before." Glen said apologetically.
"Oh, don't worry about it." Paige said, her voice taking on a high-pitched, obviously false cheery tone.
"You should come." he sugggested.
Paige shook her head. "That's okay. I'm not really an outdoorsy type."
"Come on, Paige, where's your sense of adventure?" he asked.
"I sold it to pay the bills, Glen." she responded dryly.
"I still say you'd have fun." he pressed.
She shook her head, and then changed the subject. The rest of their lunch was filled with the usual confortable mindless chatter. When they were finished, he dropped her off at home.
Paige went straight to the kitchen, digging around until she found what she was looking for. She opened the bottle of wine, poured herself another drink, and settled down for the afternoon.
****************
A/N: I know you're all dying for Piper/Leo scenes. Be patient, it'll happen, but you'll have to wait just a few more chapters. Trust me, there is a point in waiting this long, and it's not just to make you all hate me. I've already written up to chapter 20, so the more reviews I get, the faster I'll post the updates. ::hint, hint::
A/N2: Speaking of reviews, after the last chapter, this fic hit the 50-plus mark. That's more reviews than any of my other fics have ever gotten. Thanks to everyone for all the feedback, and I really hope you keep it up. :)
~from the song "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind~
The angry boy a bit too insane
Icing over a secret pain
You know you don't belong
You're the first to fight
You're way too loud
You're the flash of light on a burial shroud
I know something's wrong
When everyone I know has got a reason
To say put the past away
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Paige, can I see you in my office please?"
Paige grimanced. Whenever her boss, Mr. Carter, called her into his office, it meant trouble.
"Mr. Carter, I'm so sorry I was late, there was just a lot of traffic-" she began quickly.
"Save it, Paige." he interrupted. She quieted. "Paige, I don't think you've been on time once in the past month. You've called out sick more times than anyone else here, and when you do come in, you're hung over."
"I'll try harder." Paige interjected. "Please, Mr. Carter, give me another chance."
Carter sighed. "I'm sorry, Paige, I can't."
Paige frowned dejectedly. "All right, then, I'll pick up my last paycheck tomorrow."
She left his office and went to her desk. It only took her a few minutes to dump the few pictures and other possessions she'd left there in a box. Without saying a word to her former co-workers, who'd never really liked her anyway, she left.
Paige drove around a while before going home. Then, she paced around her apartment restlessly. She knew she should be checking the classifieds for another job, but she didn't want to. She wanted to go out. She wanted to have fun. She wanted a drink.
Impulsively, Paige grabbed the phone. It was too early to go to a bar, but that didn't mean she couldn't have fun.
Glen picked up after the third ring. "Paige? What's up?"
"I'm bored. Want to go out for lunch?"
"Shouldn't you be at work?" he asked.
"Long story." she responded.
"Paige..."
"Okay, not so long. I got fired. Are you coming or what?" she asked impatiently.
"I'll be there in a little bit." he said, and hung up. Paige tossed her cordless phone onto the couch, and went to get changed.
Glen showed up ten minutes later, and took Paige to a nice restaurant across town. He insisted on buying her a drink, and of course she didn't refuse.
"So, how'd it happen?" Glen asked after the waitress had brought them their orders.
"How'd what happen?" Paige asked, taking a sip of her drink.
"How'd you get fired? And don't play stupid with me, I'm better at it."
Paige smiled at the joke, and repeated what her former boss had said. "Of course, it's total bull. Well, most of it is, anyway. I did so come in on time. Once or twice."
Glen started laughing, and Paige did, too. This was what she loved about their friendship, whenever she was with him, everything seemed okay. She didn't have to think about the fact that she was unemployed, or worry that the rent was due, or any of the other things she knew she should have been concentrating on. With Glen, Paige could just have fun.
"We should do this more often." Paige mused, signalling for the waitress to come bring them another round of drinks.
"It's going to be hard." Glen replied. "Um... I've been meaning to tell you, these guys I met in the Carribean are going to Australia. They asked me to come along, and I said yes."
Paige's face clouded, but then brightened in a show of psuedo-happiness for her friend. "Oh, well, that sounds really cool." she managed.
"I know, I should have told you before." Glen said apologetically.
"Oh, don't worry about it." Paige said, her voice taking on a high-pitched, obviously false cheery tone.
"You should come." he sugggested.
Paige shook her head. "That's okay. I'm not really an outdoorsy type."
"Come on, Paige, where's your sense of adventure?" he asked.
"I sold it to pay the bills, Glen." she responded dryly.
"I still say you'd have fun." he pressed.
She shook her head, and then changed the subject. The rest of their lunch was filled with the usual confortable mindless chatter. When they were finished, he dropped her off at home.
Paige went straight to the kitchen, digging around until she found what she was looking for. She opened the bottle of wine, poured herself another drink, and settled down for the afternoon.
****************
A/N: I know you're all dying for Piper/Leo scenes. Be patient, it'll happen, but you'll have to wait just a few more chapters. Trust me, there is a point in waiting this long, and it's not just to make you all hate me. I've already written up to chapter 20, so the more reviews I get, the faster I'll post the updates. ::hint, hint::
A/N2: Speaking of reviews, after the last chapter, this fic hit the 50-plus mark. That's more reviews than any of my other fics have ever gotten. Thanks to everyone for all the feedback, and I really hope you keep it up. :)
~from the song "Jumper" by Third Eye Blind~