“You weren’t in school yesterday.” Jen said, catching Megan in the hall on the way to chemistry. Megan was just glad Jen had decided to wait until after lunch to bring it up; she really didn’t want to draw her new friends’ attention to what was happening any more than she had to. But she couldn’t help wondering darkly if part of the reason she wasn’t discussed was due to the fact that everyone had been too concerned with that senior dance they were all going to. Maybe she really was that replaceable after all.
“I know. I stayed home.” Megan told Jen, trying to push those doubts aside.
“Were you sick or something?”
“No. Just didn’t feel like coming.”
“You can’t just not go.” Jen told her matter-of-factly.
Megan resisted the urge to tell her friend that, yes, apparently she could. And the fact that none of her teachers had mentioned it, and no one from the office had called her parents seemed pretty conclusive to her. But there was no point in telling Jen all that. Instead, she decided to change the subject.
“So how was your date this weekend?” she asked.
She’d kind of thought someone would ask about it at lunch, but no one did. It hadn’t been until it was almost time to go back to class that it finally occurred to Megan everyone else probably asked all about it yesterday – while Megan was pretending to be sick. Suddenly, Megan felt guilty about not being a better friend.
“It was great!” Jen beamed when Megan remembered.
Megan had never seen her so excited; she was so happy, it looked like she didn’t even care about Megan’s ditching anymore. Which was perfect, since Megan wasn’t sure she was ready to admit she’d voluntarily spent her entire day with the genie.
“Yeah? What’d you do?”
“Dinner and a movie.” Jen said.
Megan nodded – if she’d ever been on a date, that’s what she’d have expected. It’s what everyone always seemed to do in the movies at least.
“Actually, he let me pick what we saw. And I was really glad because I thought we were going to see that stupid car movie – you know the one I’m talking about right?”
“Yeah.”
Drew had been talking about it non-stop. Megan was about to point out that she thought it looked kind of good, but she didn’t get the chance.
“Who’d want to see that? It looks so boring! Anyway, he said he didn’t care what we saw, so I picked the movie. Of course, I let him pick where we ate. I mean, that’s only fair, right?”
Megan nodded, barely paying attention as Jen chatted away. She tried her best, but it was a little hard to focus; Jen was rambling almost non-stop. And even though Megan really did want to know how Jen’s date went, she wasn’t sure she cared about exactly how she chose the movie. Or about what they had for dinner.
Megan smiled and nodded along, glad for her friend. But in the back of her mind, she couldn’t help but wonder how much her own genie had contributed to that fact that Jen even had a date. After all, he’d made Tara’s whole group like her just because she’d asked for it. Even though she really didn’t want to admit it, there was an excellent chance that they’d never talk to her again if she wished not to be popular anymore. And Jen was in the same boat. So Megan had to wonder – would Greg still feel the same way about Jen if it wasn’t for their fake popularity?
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After she got home, Megan went up to her room and opened the bottle, just like she’d done every day since she found it. She figured the genie probably didn’t care either way; after all wasn’t it his job to stay there and wait for her wishes? But she thought it would be nice of her to let him out for a bit.
Once the bottle was opened, he appeared in front of her like usual. She wasn’t even surprised by it any more.
“Thank you.” he said, a bit grudgingly.
“For what?” Megan asked absentmindedly.
She was already pulling books out of her backpack, getting ready to do homework. She thought vaguely about asking him to do her English paper for her, but she wasn’t stupid enough to waste a wish on something so dumb.
“It gets boring in there.” he told her.
“Really?” Megan had never really thought about that.
“Being all by myself in a very small space? Yes.”
“Oh.” Well, when he put it like that, she figured he had a point. “If you want to stay out here with me, you can. But I have a paper I need to work on.” she told him. He gave a short nod.
“What’s it on?” he asked.
“What? Oh. Just some book we’re reading in class.” He must really be bored if he cared about her paper. “I wish–” she stopped suddenly. She’d been about to say she wished she didn’t have to do it.
“Yes?” he asked.
“Nothing.” she said quickly. “I just don’t want to do it. But I’m not wasting a wish on that.”
“Good choice.” Megan thought she saw him grin for just a second.
“Anyway, I still have time. It’ll just take a while.”
“School isn’t so hard.” the genie said, giving a slight nod.
“Oh yeah? What do you know about it?” It wasn’t like he’d ever been.
“I just meant that I don’t think it’s really a problem.” he shrugged. “I could prove it to you, if you’d like.”
“Really?” Megan asked skeptically.
“Let me go to your school, and I’ll show you. I’ll even do that paper for you.”
“I’m not wishing for that.” she told him flatly.
“You don’t have to – this one’s on me.” he told her.
“So you do my paper, and I let you go with me tomorrow, and I don’t have to give up a wish for this?” Megan thought for a minute, trying to see his angle.
“I get to go to your school for the rest of the year.” he corrected. “But otherwise, yes. If you let me.”
“Why would you do that?” she asked finally.
“I’m just really bored here.” he admitted. “Your school has to be more exciting.”
“Ok.” she told him. “But no tricks.”
“No tricks.” he promised.
“If you’re lying to me, deal’s off. And I get to keep my finished paper.” she added.
“I told you – I can’t lie to you. It’s against the rules.” he reminded her. “So we have a deal?”
“...Deal.” Megan said slowly.
She was still suspicious, but she tried to ignore the feeling. Besides, even if it didn’t work out, she’d still end up with a finished paper. And if it turned out bad enough, she could always just stop letting him out altogether.
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