text: When in high school, I was secretly in love with a classmate named Evelyn, who had beautiful round eyes, pinkish white skin and smooth black hair. She had a face of angel so that a lot of guys like her, even the guys from upper class and colleges. Meanwhile, I was neither a handsome boy nor an outstanding student. I was not a rich kid or an excellent basketball guy either, just an average teenager so that I thought there was no chance for me to be her boyfriend. I enjoyed watching her secretly, especially when she tied her hair up or took her hair down. I sent my love for her to my songs and poems. I even wrote long letters to her yet dare not to send. Whenever she smiled or talked to me, even just a simple “Hello”, she made my day and I would recall that conversation again and again. Sometimes, when being upset, I would ride my bicycle to her house, just to see her shadow on the wall. The secret love made me happy but miserable at the same time. I wanted to tell her that I love her and ask to be her boyfriend but also scared of her answer. What if she said “No”? It would be my apocalypse. Thus, I would rather live with a little hope than nothing. I tried to be an excellent student and a great basketball player to get her attention but there were guys who also liked her was better than me in every field. I was being stuck in a hopeless situation. One day, I wandered around the city pondering about my life. I arrived at a marketplace, then suddenly heard a woman’s voice. “Are you being desperate in love?” I startled turning my head to the source of the voice. It was a strange middle-aged woman who was the owner of a weird stall. There were a big crystal ball, a skull and an owl in the cage at the stall, which reminded me of the stores at Diagon Alley, a wizard shopping centre in London hidden from Muggles. “Yes, I am.” I replied. “You don’t dare telling her that you love her, do you?” “How do you know that?” I asked surprisingly. “I can see it in this crystall ball” “I see nothing” “You don’t have the third eye” “So how can I make her love me?” “What you need is the love potion number 9,” She replied with a wink. The strange woman gave me a potion of purple fluid, which cost 50 bucks, a large amount of money to me at that point. After taking my money, she whispered in my ear how to use that magic water. I decided to try it with Amee, another classmate of mine. Firstly, I asked her to go to the cinema. She accepted. When we were already sitting on the seats, I drank a sip from the love potion number 9, which had a bad taste, and poured a bit into my right hand. Then I use that hand to grasp Amee’s left hand. She startled and trembled but did not withdraw her hands. “It works! It’s magic!” I thought to myself. Then I kissed her. It was my first kiss and it tasted so good. Amee enjoyed it, too. “I don’t know kissing is that great” she said shyly. I almost fell in love with Amee for she was pretty and adorable. Yet my heart belonged to Evelyn. And I had a plan. I would make her mine with the love potion number 9. Next day, when the school closing bell rang, I followed Evelyn to her house. “Evy!”, I called her. “Kevin, what are you doing here?” “I have a gift for you” “Oh, really? It’s very kind of you” I brought a gift but instead giving it to her, I grasped her hand. “Your hand is wet” Her face turned red. Yet she did not withdraw her hand. “I love you, Evy!” Then I kissed her and she kissed me back. It was even better than my first kiss with Amee. All of a sudden, a scream ruined my glorious moment. “Kevin!” “What are you doing here, Amee?” “That’s what I have to ask you,” Amee smirked. “Yesterday you kissed me, now you kissed Evelyn. What kind of man are you? I thought you are a nice guy but I’m totally wrong.” Tears were falling from Amee’s eyes. Then she ran away. I turned to Evelyn but she stared at me strangely. “I also thought you are a nice guy so I gave you a try”, she said sternly. “But you disappointed me, Kevin” “Listen, Evy!”, I said desperately. “Please let me explain. All these things happened because of this love potion number 9” Yet she did not listen. Evelyn suddenly slapped on my face. Teardrops were falling from her eyes. And my love potion number 9 fell into the ground and broke into pieces. That was the end of my relationship with Evelyn, right after it began. Next day, I came back to the stall of the mysterious woman. “Please give me the love potion number 9!” I told her. “The potion you bought three days ago was the last one.” She said coldly. “When will you have it again?” “Nevermore.” “Please!” I said desperately. “I need it to make Evy love me again.” “I’m sorry. I forgot to mention that it only works once to each person. If you break one’s heart, the love potion won’t have any effect on her anymore.” “What a useless magic!” “You’re right. It’s not magic water, just some forest fruit juice.” “What? I want my money back” “I’ve never said love potion is a magical thing. That’s what you suppose. The point is it works.” “What should I do now to get Evy back?” “I have no idea,” the strange woman said and gave me a wink. “I guess you have to try another way without love potion number 9.” Oh, I wish she were a real ugly old witch instead of a weird Muggle.