Chapter Seven: The Homecoming Wish

"Scooch closer, everyone," Mrs. Wu said, waving her hand around. "I need to get you all in the shot.

Ryan, Jean, Kaylee and I were all dolled up in dresses and tuxedos for the homecoming dance. To be honest dances weren't really my cup of tea, but Jean was so excited about it that I didn't have the heart to say no.

Jean's mom positioned the camera. "Say cheese."

"Cheese," we all said.

"Nick, you look so awkward. Get closer to Jean and put your arm around her."

I did as told, and Mrs. Wu took another picture.

"Aww, you guys are so cute." Suddenly, Mrs. Wu started to cough.

"Ma, are you okay?" Jean asked.

She coughed more and took a seat on the couch.

"Ma!" Jean rushed over to her. "Are you alright?"

Mrs. Wu composed herself. "I'm okay, Jean."

"I should stay home with you."

"Don't be silly," Mr. Wu walked into the room. "Jean, this is the first time you've ever been to homecoming. You can't miss it."

"But--"

"I'll stay home and take care of your mother."

"He's right dear," Mrs. Wu said, forcing a smile. "You deserve to have a little fun. Go on, and take care. I'm fine, okay?"

Jean sighed. "Okay . . ."

There was a honk from the outside.

"Looks like the limo is here," Mr. Wu said. He extended his arm out in front of him towards Jean like a butler. "May I escort you to your carriage, mademoiselle?"

Jean beamed at him and took it.

Ryan had his arm around Kaylee walking over to the limo, behind them were Jean and her dad, and then there was me, hand in my pockets, walking behind.

"Nick," Mrs. Wu whispered to me. "Psst."

I went back into the house. "Yes, Mrs. Wu?"

She held both of my hands. "Please make sure my Jeanie has a wonderful night. You're a real special guy, you know that?"

I laughed nervously. "I don't know about that."

"No, really. Jean's never had this many friends before. She always kept to herself and read her books, even as a child. But once she met you, she gained three amazing people looking out for her. She seems so much happier now."

"Thank you . . ."

"Nick!" Jean called out to me. "You coming?"

"Yeah, in a minute!"

Mrs. Wu squeezed my hands one last time. "Nick . . . Can I tell you something?"

"What is it?"

"I don't have much longer on this earth. Please, once I'm gone, will you take care of Jean?"

"I would do anything to make her happy . . ."

"Good. Your friends are waiting for you. Have a great night, Nickie."

I headed on into the Limo with the rest of my friends. Mr. Wu waved goodbye to us, and we headed on our way to the dance. Kaylee and Ryan were busy making out and cuddling, so that gave me and Jean an opportunity to talk for a while.

"What did my mom say to you?" Jean asked.

"She told me to make sure you had a nice night." I knew the second half of what Mrs. Wu said was a secret, and I respected secrets. At the same time, I didn't want Jean to spend her night worrying.

Finally we arrived at the dance. We weren't fashionably late, so it wasn't very lively yet. Kaylee and Jean went into the restroom to talk, and Ryan and I went into the restroom to pee.

Ryan pulled out a flask in the bathroom, and chugged it down.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Prepping myself up he said." He went to the urinal to do his business.

"Prepping for what, exactly?"

"I'm going to tell Kaylee I love her."

"You've been together for two weeks, calm down."

He finished up at the urinal. "But when you know, you know. You know? You wouldn't get it. You're a soulless robot."

I nodded slowly. "Okay Ryan. Sure."

"Except you're NOT." He turned around at me so hard that some of the alcohol from his flask swished out. "You grew a soft spot for Jean."

I shrugged. "Yeah, okay. So?"

"Do you love her?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"You didn't even think about it. Think about it for one minute and then answer me." He stared at his watch. "Starting now."

For one minute, I did as told.

"Time's up. Now tell me."

"Well it's true that I do have a soft spot for her. I like her company, and prefer it when she's around me rather than when she's not. I admire her bravery. She's shown me so many times that she's a loyal friend that would do anything for me, and I would do anything for her in turn. I can be honest with her without judgment, and she grew close enough to me to be honest too. I'm very fond of her, and I would do anything to make her happy, but to say I loved her would be a bit much."

"Bullshit." Jason came out of one of the stalls.

"Dude, were you listening the whole time?" Ryan asked.

Jason ignored him. "Do you even hear yourself? You're so in love with Jean."

"What do you want, Jason?"

He smirked. "Tell your friend to leave, then we'll talk."

"I'm not going anywhere," Ryan said, leaning on the sink and dozing off. The alcohol was starting to get to him.

"Go ahead, Ryan," I said. "I can take care of him."

Ryan left the bathroom.

"What did you want to say?" I asked.

"Did you make your second wish yet?"

Now that he mentioned it, I hadn't. It hasn't even been weighing on my mind as of late. "I'm still thinking of the right wish to make," I said.

Jason chuckled. "Keep telling yourself that. We both know the real reason why you're keeping yourself from wishing."

"And what's that?"

"You like being with Jean, and you don't want to let her go."

"Excuse me?"

"You're such a hypocrite. You're out there probably talking mad shit about me for keeping Jean with me for so long, but you're doing the exact same thing. Do you know why I never made my third wish? It wasn't because I didn't know what to wish for. It was because Jean has been the only woman that has been nice to me. Even if it was by force. Even my own mother doesn't want me. Jean was the only chance of ever being around a woman that didn't disrespect me. You and I are the same. Face it. You're keeping her around for your own selfish needs."

"I treat Jean with more decency and respect than you ever have."

"Okay. You're the lesser of two evils then."

"How so?"

"You're standing there acting like you're so much better than me, but you're not. Jean isn't around you all the time because she wants to be, she's around you all the time because she has to be, because the necklace gives her energy. If you set her free, do you think she'd still hang out with you? Jean didn't hang out with anyone until that day I stole her necklace. Did you even ask her what she wants?"

I was silent.

"Exactly," he said. "Admit it. You're falling in love with her. That's why you can't let her go."

"Shut up," I said. I walked out of the bathroom.

Jean made her way over to me from the crowd that miraculously got fuller with people during the bathroom drama.

"Nick, what did Jason say to you?" Jean asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," I said.

"Nick." She held me by my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. "Don't let him get to you. Let's try to have a good time tonight, okay?"

Right. I had to remember the promise I made to Mrs. Wu. I had to make sure Jean's first dance would be a good one.

I smiled with pretense. "Yeah," I said. "Let's get something to eat."

She beamed at me. "Yeah. I'm dying to try the maroon-velvet cake." She took me by the forearm and guided me over to the dessert table where we found Ryan and Kaylee.

"Oh my God, Ryan," Kaylee said. "You're drunk?"

He dozed off. "Mmm yeah."

"Why do you always have to ruin everything?"

"I just--"

"Stop." She got up to step away.

"I love you, Kaylee Martinez!"

Everyone at the dessert table looked, but Kaylee wasn't looking at them. She was only looking at Ryan. "I--"

The crowd was at the edge of their seat.

"Everyone thinks I'm an idiot for saying so, everyone thinks it's too soon to feel the way I feel, but I can't help it. I am so in love with you. Don't you love me too?"

"Ryan," she said, sitting back down next to him. "I don't have to rush this thing."

"Huh?"

"We've only been together for two weeks, and they've been great, but I've been in relationship after relationship for the past three years, and every time I've I went fast with a guy, I ended up giving him everything only to be hurt in the end. Maybe you feel like we're taking things hella slow, but I just don't wanna end up heart-broken like I always do. Thanks for telling me, but I don't wanna say it back until I'm sure about you."

Ryan looked back at her, and it's like something inside of him sank. Despite that, he said," it's okay. I'll wait for you."

"Thank you. Don't take it personally, okay? And don't overthink things too much. Whatever happens, happens."

"Sure, okay."

"Do you wanna dance?"

"Yeah."

"What about y'all?" Kaylee asked, looking at Jean and me.

"Yeah!" Enthused Jean.

I stammered. "I uh--"

"Aww please?" Jean asked.

How could i say no to that innocent face? "Of course I will, Jean."

The four of us were on the dance floor for a few hours, occasionally going to get soda, and then returning when we were hydrated enough. The later it got, the more people showed up, and the more hyped the crowd was. There were dance battles, and all those other things that happens on dance floors.

"Let's slow things down a little bit," said the dj. "This is for all you couples out there." A corny slow song started to play.

The majority of the crowd went to sit on the bleachers, but about thirty or so couples stayed and danced including Kaylee and Ryan.

"Let's sit," I said, turning to return to the bleachers.

She took me by the hand. "Can we dance?"

I one-eightied myself back at her.

"Please? I never got to have a slow dance at homecoming before, and I really want to."

I sighed. "I'm a terrible slow-dancer."

"That's okay." She gently placed my hands on her waist and put hers around my neck. She eyed me and beamed, but I turned away. I hadn't been so close in proximity to Jean since that day we simulated her and Jason's relationship. It felt different now than it did back then. It still made my heart-rate spike and filled me with angst, but at the same time it was warm and comforting.

"You look distracted," Jean said. "Are you okay? Do you want to stop dancing."

"No," I said, facing her. If we stopped dancing, I didn't know when the next opportunity to hold her this close would come up.

She shifted the conversation. "Did you know the most famous person I've danced with was Shakepear?"

I raised my brows. "Is that so?"

"Yeah, but I kept stepping on his toes. I've learned since then though."

It got quiet between us again.

"Nick, can I ask you a question?"

"What is it?"

"Have you thought about your second wish yet?"

I thought about what Jason told me earlier, about how I was imprisoning Jean by not making a wish, and how I was keeping her around because I wanted her company. In that moment, I realized that Jason was right. I was dragging her along with me on purpose because I liked being with her. I was afraid that if I let her go, she would have no reason to keep spending time with me. I looked up at the stars and closed my eyes to make a wish: I wish things would always be as they are right now.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Making a wish."

She nudged me. "Hey, should I be insulted? Magical genie right here, and you wanna wish on stars?"

I chuckled. "It's the type of wish that you want to wish for, but you can't without being selfish."

"Most wishes can happen on their own if you just have the determination and patience to make it come true."

"Easier said than done. Have you ever tried wishing on stars?"

"Maybe when I was a kid."

"It's fun actually. It lets you pretend, even if just for a minute. Do you want to try right now?"

"A genie making a wish? Ironic, but sure. Why not?" She looked up at the stars.

"Close your eyes," I said.

She did as told, and in about thirty seconds she opened them. "Done," she said.

I knew what I was going to say next, but I couldn't bare to have the words come out of my mouth. All I knew was I wanted Jean to be happy no matter the cost.

"What is it?" She asked. "Why is your expression so serious all of a sudden?"

"I wish your wish would come true."

"Nick . . ." She stopped swaying to the music and looked at me in shock.

I was expecting some dramatic change. Perhaps a ball of light that would surround her and lift her up into the air and spin her around. Perhaps the necklace would fly off of my body and into hers. Perhaps she would disappear. None of those things happened though. Instead, the wind gently kissed us with a cool breeze, not making any difference to anyone else.

She took her hands off of my shoulders and pulled away. "I need to do something." She rushed away.

I followed her out into the parking lot, calling her over and over. "Jean, what's wrong? What did you wish for?"

"That was really stupid, Nick. You should have warned me first!"

"This wasn't the response I was expecting."

"I'm just . . . I'm so overwhelmed right now."

"Tell me, what did you wish for? Freedom?"

"No, I wished . . . I wished that my mom's breast cancer would go away."

"Aren't you happy?"

"I would be, except I've explained this to you over and over again. Anything you wish for will come back around and even out somehow. My mom's cancer is gone, but now it'll transfer on to someone else."

"Who?"

"I don't know, Nick."

She sat on the dirty parking lot ground. "I can't believe you did that. I can't believe I wished for that. How selfish of me."

"It's not your fault, but mine. Jean I am so sorry if you're facing this moral dilemma because of me. I was stupid to make a wish so rash. I really thought that you'd wish for something else."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, Jean. Something that would make you happy."

"I'm happy with the way things are right now."

You're happy being my slave? I wanted to ask that question, but I couldn't bring myself to.

Jean calmed a bit. "Let's just try to forget about it," she said. "Let's enjoy the rest of the night."

"Yeah. I want that too."

Jean and I went back inside where the couple dances were over, and the party continued on. We met back up with Kaylee and Ryan.

"Hey," Kaylee greeted us. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Jean said.

We danced for the rest of the night until finally it was time for us to go home. The four of us carpooled in a limo that dropped us off back at our houses one by one. First Kaylee went home, then Ryan. It was just me and Jean in the car after that, heading on over to my place.

"Nick," Jean said.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry if I was ungrateful before. Thank you for trying to make me happy."

"I'm just apologetic that it didn't go as planned."

"Either way, out of all the masters fate could have given me, I'm glad I got you."

The limo stopped in front of my house.

"Take care, Nick," she said.

"You too, Jean."

I moped myself inside my house and trudged up the stairs until I fell back onto my bed. Her words replayed in my mind. 'Of all the masters fate could have given her'. Was that it? After everything, is that really all I was to her? Another master?

That brought up more questions. What did I want to be to her? I pondered. I wanted to be as important to her as she was to me. The two of us had a connection stronger than any connection I've had with anyone in a long time. Perhaps I was just too estranged to see a true connection when I saw one.

I thought of my conversation with Jason, how he told me that deep down I didn't want to let Jean go, and that was why I held off making another wish. Upon contemplation, I realized that maybe he was right.

I imagined making my third wish, and letting Jean be free. There could be two outcomes: (a), we would part ways, only to nod politely as each other in the halls, or (b), she would choose our friend group . . . She would choose me.

Oh how badly I wanted Jean to choose me. I wanted things to stay the same, and for us all to be together. I wanted her to stay in my life. At the same time, I wanted her to be happy. These conflicting feelings swarmed my mind and gave me a migraine. That's when I finally admit myself to something I'd been lying about to myself all along: I liked Jean. Romantically. I was completely smitten beyond my own comprehension.

What was I to do? Set her free and never cross paths again, or stay as things were, never knowing what she really thought of me. Or I could ask her directly what she thought of me.

I decided. For one week, I would try to win over Jean's heart. Whether she chose me or not, I would set her free anyway. Actually, I would wish to set us both free--her from her slavery, and me from her memory, which I know I wouldn't be able to bear if she left me.