Please Be Careful With My Heart

Disclaimer: 'Charmed' is not mine. I just love it so much so I did this. So, please don't sue me.

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Linn-LovesPiperLeo - here it is! a chapter full of leo! read on.

Chapter 18

Abusive Performance

Leo arrived the cafeteria, his eyes scanned the room for Piper. At one table, he saw a bunch of guys trying to impress some girl he didn't know. He averted his gaze to the rest of the room, and saw Paige by herself.

"Hey, Paige!" Leo greeted with a smile. He's happy and excited to talk to Piper, to get her back. "Have you seen Piper?"

Paige looked up, annoyance on her face. "I'm not sure." She received a confused face from Leo. "I mean I'm not sure if I have seen the real one."

Still Leo was confused. "What?"

"Why don't you check it out for yourself?" Paige tilted her head to the direction where the bunch of guys is.

Leo looked up, to his surprise, Piper emerged from the circle of those guys he just saw, she was wearing something Missy would usually wear. 'Oh god! She's divine, to die for. Beautiful.' Leo was in a daze staring at his love. Her lips shining with gloss. The memory of their first kiss came rushing to Leo's head. But his daydream was cut short when he saw a guy's arm around Piper. Arm not his! "WHAT THE HECK!" Leo was wide-eyed. "She's the girl they're all trying to impress? MY GIRL?" Leo asked Paige frantically.

Paige was shocked by Leo's reaction and looked at him in a funny way.

Piper looked up to where she heard his voice, the voice she will never forget. The moment she saw him, longing and hope surged through her, the exact feelings she saw in his face. 'I'm sorry for what I'm about to do.' Her face was instantly filled with sadness and Leo saw it.

Leo stood up and walked closer. Everyone was staring at them. This was their first encounter ever since that infamous fight. "Piper." He whispered looking into her eyes, absorbing her. It's astounding how he could put so much emotions in there, by just calling her name. That one call could be translated into so many proclamations. 'I miss you.' 'I'm so sorry.' 'You're so beautiful.' 'I love you.' These statements came through from Leo to Piper with just that one call and that one look. Piper could melt right there, that exact moment. But then, she reminded herself of the task at hand. Suddenly, the yearning and desire to fall into his arms was replaced by a cold stare. "Hey." She called. She didn't even say his name. 'I don't want to risk it. If I say his name again, right when he's here in front of me, I will never be able to pull myself together.'

'That's it? 'Hey?' Leo thought with hurt. "I think I deserve more than that." Leo replied, he was looking at her. 'Is this the girl I fell in love with? Not fell, because I am still falling.' He corrected himself.

Then she turned to the guy whose arm was still around her, she laid her hands on his chest lovingly and smiled to him. "Can you give us a moment, please?" The guy nodded and walked away smiling like a puppy dog.

"Follow me." She commanded Leo and walked away. Leo did, all he wanted to do was get her back. Maybe she's not herself at the moment, but it won't change his plan, and that is to get her back.

Paige followed Piper and Leo with her gaze. 'I hope Leo could finally get her to snap out of it.' She thought.

On the way, Piper was giving herself a pep talk. 'You can do this. You have to. It's for his own good. If I get him back, sooner or later, I'm just gonna be putting him in a very painful situation, the possibility of losing me. No, I'm not gonna let that happen. At least this way, I could hit two birds in one stone. Making Phoebe happy, and keeping Leo from hurting.' She sighed deeply. 'Now, focus!'

Outside the school building, Piper stopped by a big tree. She turned around. "Fire away." She gave Leo an awaiting look, crossed her arms in front of her and leaned on her back against the tree.

"First of all, what's all of these?" Leo was referring to Piper's not usual outfit and to her sudden change.

"Don't tell me you don't like it." She grins teasingly.

Leo stopped. 'She got me there.'

Piper decided to change topic. "What's the 'second of all'?" Piper asked, she seemed to be busy checking out her nails, boredom in her features.

"I'm sor-." Leo said softly but was cut off.

"Don't." Piper interjected. "I'm not." She shrugged. Leo scrunched his forehead in return. Last time, Piper was trying desperately to explain to him everything just to get him back but now, what happened?

"You see, what happened. They're all true. Yeah, I slept with Seth, yes, I cheated on you." Piper was saying it as if she was telling some old boring story. Leo was just staring at her, his face full of hurt and confusion. Piper stopped talking when she saw Leo's face, she was starting to falter from the act. She turned her back on him and closed her eyes. 'This is really hard.' She thought with strain. What Piper was doing required every skill in acting and every nerve not to stumble. She breathed deeply and faced the wounded Leo. "You want the truth? I'll tell you the truth. Actually, I was planning on ending it with you for another week or so but then you figured it out ahead of time." She chuckled with a smile. "Well, you figured ME out. So, there. I played you. By the way, it was fun!" Piper talked with enthusiasm as if she was chatting with her girlfriend about something so funny.

Then she walked closer, caressed his cheek, looked into his eyes and smiled. For a moment, Leo thought he saw something true and real, the old Piper he was used to. But that moment passed like a lightning when she started talking again in an antagonistic manner. "You must be proud of yourself. For not falling into my trap… almost not." She tilted her head sideways. "See, I know guys like you, EASY guys like you. The puppy dog eyes, the wide grin cheeky smile. On both counts, you're a hit! But I must admit, you're worth keeping. I almost fell in love with you… almost." She raised her right eyebrow and smiled.

Leo was staring at the ground while shaking his head no. "No, this couldn't be." He mumbled then looked up at her. He grabbed her hand on his cheek. "Why are you doing this? WHY!" He burst out.

"I'm sorry… I guess." Piper apologised with obvious insincerity. "Oh, come on, chill out, pal! You see, we are part of this ecosystem. There are preys and there are predators. Between you and me, I guess I was the latter." She smiled.

"No! This - this is wrong! I love you! And I know WE both know that you felt the same way, too. You love me." Leo was trying desperately to bring Piper back, back to the warm, compassionate girl, but it was SO hard. She was so hard.

"Are you sure about that?" Piper dared him. "Players only love you when they're playing."

Leo backed away from her, staring at her, agony in his eyes. He looked at her as if he was seeing a monster. 'Did I make this? Did I do this to her? Is this my punishment for hurting her? For not believing in her? For doubting her love?' He asked himself.

"Who are you?" He whispered, weariness in his voice.

Piper stared at him. "This is the real me. Get used to it." She started to walk away but stopped and turned around. "By the way, I heard that uhmm… Phoebe got the hots for you." She talked about it like she really didn't care, when in fact, it's the other way around. "Maybe you should give it a shot." She suggested.

"Phoebe? You're sister?" Leo didn't know where this was going.

"Mmm-hmm." She nodded.

"The mere fact that you rejected me was enough damage. Too much damage, actually. And now you're giving me up to your sister?" Leo was hurt and confused, but Piper's not stopping, she kept pushing him down.

"Look at it this way, I'm giving you a favor. I don't want you to waste your 'alleged' love for me. Why don't you just focus it on Phoebe? Don't worry, it won't hurt. I promise." Piper said softly.

"You're crazy." Leo whispered looking at Piper.

Piper gave him a look that says, 'That's me.'

"Who are you to tell me who to love?" Leo asked.

"If you really love me, you will love her." Piper challenged.

"Are you saying, you want me to prove my love for you by hooking up with your sister?" Leo was suffering from Piper's crazy ideas.

"Maybe." Piper smiled slyly.

Leo was contemplating on what to do. 'I must change her back. Back to the sweet, innocent girl everyone admires. I will do everything. Even if it means not being with her.' Leo looked up to her. 'This is gonna hurt me more than it's gonna hurt you.' He thought.

Then the hurt in his face moments ago was replaced by intense anger. "Ask and you shall receive. Want to play? Let's play your game." He challenged her. "Now, that's a good idea. Maybe your sister can return the love and attention I will try to give her. One thing you never did." Then he started to walk away.

Now the tables have turned, Piper was the one broken by Leo's words. The sly smile suddenly disappeared.

Then Leo stopped and looked back at her. "By the way, that act you just tried to pull off? It didn't work." He shook his head. "Because I still love you. More than you know. It didn't falter. Not a chance." Then he turned around again on his way to execute his plan. To Phoebe.

Piper watched Leo walk away from her. "Me too. More than you know." She whispered softly. Her vision began to blur, now that she's alone, tears started to run down her cheek, it was unstoppable. All she wanted to do was run and follow Leo to stop him. But she reminded herself that it was for good. HIS. Her plan worked. Leo was furious at her and now he's pursuing Phoebe. Those were the purpose of her act.

'It hurts. It hurts so much. I'm sorry Leo. I'm SO sorry.' She thought as she stared at the exact spot where Leo was standing moments ago while crying bitterly.

This time, Leo's giving her a taste of her own medicine.

UUUUUU

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