Sunday afternoon, the group planned on seeing a movie. Since he was heading that way anyway, Ben offered to drive Megan, Drew, and Jake. Megan had been a little nervous about it at first, but it was actually no big deal. About five minutes before they were supposed to leave, Jake popped down to the front porch and rang the doorbell. After that, it was just a matter of waiting for Ben to take them.
"Hey, Jake." Drew said when he saw the genie sitting in the living room with Megan.
"Hey, Drew." Jake replied casually.
"You ready?" Megan asked Drew.
"Soon as Ben comes downstairs." Drew shrugged, making himself comfortable.
Megan just nodded. She still felt a little weird about him and Jake being friends, but she was doing her best to get over it. At least she didn't have to wait too long before Ben was ready to go. They piled into the car, and before she knew it, they were pulling up to the front of the theater.
"Just give me a call when you need me to pick you up."
"Ok." Megan nodded absentmindedly as she turned towards the movie theater. Ben pulled away and Megan turned towards Jake.
"You're paying, right?" Megan asked casually as they got in line. Jake stared at her a little coolly for a minute.
"Really?" he asked flatly.
"What?" she feigned innocence.
"So I just pay for everything we do now?" he asked.
"Sure, why not?" she grinned.
"I just don't remember it being something we agreed on."
"Really? I thought it was part of that...second thing." she checked out of the corner of her eye that Drew wasn't paying attention. "Besides, it's not like it really costs you anything."
"True." he smirked.
"Glad that's settled."
"You know, if you're not careful, I could start to think I was being used." he grinned wickedly. Megan just laughed.
"You guys are weird." Drew mumbled.
Since he was already buying Megan's ticket, Jake figured he might as well get Drew's too, which of course made Drew's day.
"Megan!" someone shouted.
Megan looked towards the doors and saw Tara waving her over to where the group had gathered. As they approached, Megan caught herself looking over at Jen. She couldn't help but notice Jen had her jaw set and was glaring daggers at Jake.
"Everything alright?" Megan asked.
"Fine." Jen said, but she didn't look it. She put her hand lightly on Greg, eyes never leaving Jake. Jake just looked at her and grinned.
"I'm glad to hear it." he told her.
His eyes sparked and Megan's went wide. For a second there, he looked like the same trickster she'd first let out of the bottle a little over a month ago. But just as soon as she'd seen it, the look was gone. Jake didn't seem to notice what Megan saw.
"Long time no see." Jake told Greg.
"Oh yeah." Greg laughed. "Actually, I didn't see you last night after Kurt started puking."
"I did not!" Kurt told him, but Greg ignored him.
"Yeah, things got a little hectic around then." Jake nodded. "That's about when I found Megan – I didn't get a chance to catch up with you after that."
"So you went home after the party?" Jen asked.
"Sure did." Jake told her, sounding remarkably casual.
"Where do you live anyway, Jake?"
"Not too far from Megan." he said. Megan cringed.
"You don't say." Jen wasn't impressed.
"Yep – barely even next door." he told her, practically daring her to contradict him.
"Yeah? Next to Mr. and Mrs. Anderson?" Jen asked.
"If they're Megan's neighbors, then yeah."
"So you live in a house over there?" Jen asked, faking surprise.
"No – in a cardboard box." he narrowed his eyes. "What are you really asking?"
"I just didn't think you lived in a place that big."
Jen smiled coldly, and Jake's eyes flashed.
"Really? I thought you already knew where I live since you've actually seen the place." Suddenly his expression matched Jen's.
"Actually, Jake, it occurred to me that we really don't know you as well as we should."
"Well, we'll have to hang out more so we can change that." he said dismissively.
"Where'd you move from?" Jen asked, sounding almost genuinely interested. If Megan hadn't known her for years, she never would have guessed Jen was planning something.
"Walnut Creek." Jake answered instantly.
"You move here with your family?"
"As opposed to what? By myself?"
"Any brothers or sisters?" Jen asked, not quite willing to take the bait on that one.
"Two younger brothers – in junior high and elementary school." Jake said, not even blinking.
"Oh, yeah?" Jen raised her eyebrows. "And what're their names?"
"Farid and Kamran." Jake said, without missing a beat.
Megan tried to keep her face neutral. Really? Kamran didn't sound too bad, but Farid? That was the name he chose? Couldn't he have made up something more normal – like Bob or Frank?
"Seriously? Seems like kind of an unusual name to have picked." Jen said, mirroring Megan's own thoughts. Jake just shrugged.
"They were pretty common where we're from." he said simply.
"In Walnut Creek? That's only like two hours away."
"That's where I moved from, not where I was born." He smiled at her in a way that said he thought she should know better.
"Where's the bathroom?" Megan asked suddenly, looking vaguely around the room.
She knew she had to do something, or Jen was going to push until this whole thing blew up in their faces. Jake might not be the most honest person she'd ever met – or even the easiest to get along with – but that didn't mean she wanted Jen to show all their friends that he was lying. What would happen to her then? And what would they do to him?
"Down that hall to the left." Danielle said automatically.
"Thanks." Megan said. "Jen, why don't you come with me?"
Megan could tell by the look on Jen's face that she really wanted to say no, but she reluctantly agreed anyway. Once the door was shut, Megan turned on her.
"What are you doing?" Megan snapped.
"Me?" Jen looked almost bewildered. "I was going to ask you the same thing."
"What? Why?" All Megan knew was that she wasn't the one putting this whole wishing scheme in jeopardy.
"Are you serious? I saw the way you were looking at him. You were sitting there, joking and laughing – like he's actually a friend." Jen looked aghast.
"Well, why not?" Megan said.
"What do you mean why not?" Jen asked. "I mean, last week you were barely even talking to him. Did you forget he's your fake boyfriend?"
Megan set her jaw, but didn't say anything. Jen, however, seemed to have plenty to say.
"And why are you even letting him tell our friends those kinds of things?"
"Well, why not?"
Sure, most of it probably wasn't exactly true, but at this point, what did that matter? There were so many lies going around, Megan could hardly keep track at this point anyway.
"Because his entire story is at best only half true – and I doubt even that much, really." Jen told her. "Doesn't that bother you at all?"
"It is a little weird." Megan admitted. "But what's he supposed to do? Especially with you grilling him like that."
"I didn't do it to be a jerk." Jen told her, sighing. "I just thought you might want to remember what a great, conniving liar he really is. You saw how easy it was for him – and the way he just made up an entire family for himself on the spot only proves it." Jen just shook her head.
"Why does he have to make up a story at all?" Megan shot back. "I mean, if you hadn't said anything, everything would have been fine, right?"
"You sure you're not getting too close to him?" Jen asked. "I mean, I know he's currently pretending to date you and all, but still."
"What's that mean?" Megan narrowed her eyes. She knew Jen was right, but that didn't mean Megan liked her tone.
"I just mean that he's not your friend." Jen said. And for the first time that night, she actually sounded sincere. "His job is to grant you whatever you want. He might not mind you too much, but you shouldn't assume that means he actually cares about you. Are you sure he's not getting into your head?"
Megan opened and shut her mouth. She wanted to tell Jen of course that wasn't it; after all this time of having virtually everybody fawn all over her, she would have liked to think she was real good at figuring out when people were being genuine. But she didn't say that. The truth was, Jen had a point. And as much as Megan hated to admit it, there was still the possibility that Jake was just messing with her. After all, didn't he make himself her boyfriend just to waste one of her wishes?
Jen saw the look Megan had and instantly knew what she was thinking.
"Look, I have to admit, I kind of like him too. I mean, he is cute. And he's way too charming for his own good. But how can you tell that it's not an act? I mean, he's a genie, Megan – he's not even human!"
"But what would he get out of it?" Megan asked, desperately searching for a reason why Jen had to be wrong.
"If you're not on your guard, doesn't that make it easier for him?" Jen asked slowly. "And his life seems to be getting easier every day he's with you."
"It does." Megan admitted. Suddenly, all she wanted was to go home. "So you think everything that's happened to me has all been a lie?"
"...I don't know." Jen said finally. "Maybe some of it was real, but how can you ever know? I mean, he basically magicked the whole thing into happening, didn't he? You just need to ask yourself – how much of this is for your benefit, and how much is for his?"
"So what do I do now?" Megan asked dejectedly.
"Just try to enjoy the movie, I guess." Jen shrugged.
"Yeah, 'cause that won't be a problem or anything." Megan grumbled.
"Just because you can't really trust him doesn't mean you can't have fun."
"I guess." Megan said.
"Well, we're here now, so may as well enjoy it. Just ignore him if you have to."
"Fine." Megan said as she followed Jen out of the bathroom and back towards their friends.
Jen was right – she was already here and there was nothing she could do about it now. But she still wished Jen had mentioned this whole thing at the end of the day, instead of ruining it all from the beginning.
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