Chapter Ten: Loophole

Once class ended, I didn't go home right away. I sat at my locker and thought. I thought for an hour to be exact. I thought until finally the custodian kicked me out, and I had no choice but to head to my car.

I moped over to my transportation, when I saw a familiar face there waiting for me.

"Mrs. Wu?"

"Nick . . . I've been waiting for you. This is your car, right? I tried to get into contact with you, but I didn't have your number. I don't want Jean to know that we're talking. Can we get a cup of coffee or something?"

What choice did I have but to say yes? Mrs. Wu and I drove to a coffee shop and sat down together. What made me uncomfortable was that I had absolutely no idea why she wanted to speak with me.

"I wanted to thank you, Nick," she said, smiling cheerfully.

I was confused. I was my own worst enemy at the moment. I was a person that was to blame. How could someone thank me?

"I . . . I don't understand," I confessed.

She didn't reply right away. Instead, she looked outside the cafe window admiring at the sunset. It was still autumn. There was a gust of wind outside, a gust of wind that reminded me of the wind that somehow always took place every time I made a wish. Leaves that were yellow, green, and not quite, but almost maroon, gracefully danced off the tree with it. It was honestly a beautiful site, a site I wouldn't have looked at twice if I hadn't noticed Mrs. Wu admiring at it first.

"It's such a comforting atmosphere outside," she said.

"Yeah," I agreed. "It really is."

She turned her head back to me abruptly. "I know it was you, Nick." Her eyes swelled up with tears, and she took me by both my hands to squeeze them mercilessly. "I know you saved my life."

I was confused, but then I recalled the night I wished that Jean's wish would come true. With everything going on, I hadn't even thought of it--about how the same night Mrs. Wu confided in me about being terminal was the same night the wish was made. To be fair, it wasn't really me that made the wish, I gave a wish to Jean technically. But there was one thing that was a little more pressing than this issue.

"How did you know?" I asked. "Or . . . do you know?"

"I've known for quite some time that there was something . . . special about Jean. Something different. Something supernatural. I think a part of me always knew. Then the day came where I met Jason, and as much as I hated him for destroying my daughter when I saw that he was wearing the necklace, I just . . . knew. That necklace was a gift to me when I was pregnant, and I wore it because the woman who gave it to me promised I would be blessed with a daughter, and I was. During those nine months wearing it, I felt . . . odd. I felt a presence in it. It was like the necklace was watching me. More than that, it was watching Jean. The whole time I couldn't help but be angry at the necklace as ridiculous as it sounds. I could sense it communicating with me somehow, mocking me. It claimed my daughter as its before she was even born. My daughter, was its. I wanted to dispose of it, or get rid of it, but I knew no one else could have it. When Jean was born I gave it to her immediately like the woman that gave it to me told me to, but every time I looked at that necklace since then--and I mean, really looked at it--I felt as if that was her collar in a sense. I knew they had an inseparable bond, but I couldn't understand. One day Jean walked through the door and introduced me to Jason and the necklace was around his neck. She wasn't right that day, or any day since, and I knew the necklace being in Jason's possession was the reason why."

"You . . . You really know then."

"I can't explain it . . . But yes, I do. And I want to thank you once again for using its power to save my life."

I frowned and turned away. "I don't deserve any gratitude if I'm being honest. I didn't even know what wish I was making. I just wished that whatever Jean's truest wish was would come true."

She smiled harder and leaned in to say something that only I could hear. "I like that even more."

I couldn't do anything but sit there, baffled.

"I did invite you here to thank you, but I also needed to ask something from you to be honest," she said. Her smile faded and she got serious.

"What is it?" I panicked.

"I don't know how, or why, or care for the details of what happened even, but for heaven's sake, please, save Jean."

I remembered the failed attempt to free Jean Jason and I had in the principal's office, and how he told us to go to the police. "Actually Mrs. Wu, now that I know you're aware about what's going on, can you help me save Jean? We had a plan that you could tell the police that Megan stole a family heirloom, then she would have no choice but to--"

"--No matter what I tell the police," she interrupted. "There will always be a hole in the story. There will always be something that doesn't add up. There will always be a reason why they can't help us."

I thought about how the principal turned us away when things didn't make sense, and I understood why she was right and this would never work, and make things worse even.

"What . . . What should I do then?"

"I know you're a smart boy, Nick, and I know you'll come up with something."

"My mind is well-endowed, but that doesn't mean it always knows the answers."

"Maybe not, but you will come up with an answer. Not because you're smart, but because you have to. You care for her, I can see that. The woman that gave me the necklace told me 'only one can truly set her free, as she has set him free'. I know that person isn't Jason. I know that person isn't Megan. It must be you."

"I know it has to be me too Mrs. Wu . . . But I wish that kind of pressure didn't have to fall on me."

"It's time to stop wishing for things we don't have, and start working with things that we do."

"I suppose you're right."

I decided to have a confrontation with Megan the next day. I wasn't sure what that would accomplish, but I couldn't stay still. The only problem was Megan was nowhere to be found and neither was Jean. I heard 4th or 5th hand from rumours that Megan moved to Los Angeles. Some say she got cast a new major role on that Gloriana Florea show. Others say she was given a lot of money by a famous billionaire that happened to be her long-lost relative, and used the money to live out the rest of her days in lavish in Beverly Hills. Most people think you'd have to be a fool to believe any of this nonsense, but being an insider of what's going on, I know it could all very well be true.

It wasn't until an exclusive interview with a Hollywood show surfaced a few days later that the truth came out. Megan was interviewed on TV wearing expensive designer clothes and makeup, being awed at and praised by the hosts. She told her insane, unbelievable story. She said her video audition of herself singing got her a role on the Gloriana Florea show. She cried, talking about how Gloriana Florea happened to be her long lost cousin, and how she started living with the Floreas, them treating her as one of their own. She told everyone watching that she wanted to change her last name to 'Florea' in their honor. I didn't know that honor and clout were interchangeable words. Oh wait, they aren't.

I knew this either meant we were hit with the biggest coincidence on earth, or it meant she's been wishing. In the interview despite all the fancy designer clothes and makeup and jewelry, there was one thing that remained constant: the necklace. This meant she still had Jean. This meant Jean had no choice but to follow her to Hollywood. I was willing to bet she already used up two of her wishes, but was hesitant to cash in her third just like me, and just like Jason. But for how much longer?

I spent a week thinking about the possibilities. How on Earth could I stand up to a girl with boundless power? She had one wish left. I was afraid that if I made a move that was too rash, I would press her into making her final wish, enslaving Jean with the object once and for all, dooming her forever. It was like a hostage situation. Reason wouldn't work with her either. I was at my wits end.

"Nick," Kaylee said to me from across the lunch table. "You don't look good."

I brushed myself off as if it would make me good as new. "I'm just stressed."

"I'm not gonna lie, I'm concerned about you, man. Have you been eating? Sleeping? You look awful."

Kaylee reached over from across the table and swiped her hand over my head a few times, unhealthy amounts of hair fleeing from me. "Your hair's falling out."

I tugged myself away from her. "Okay. I get it. I look terrible. Why are you telling me this? Do you think I don't know? Do you think you aren't pointing out the obvious? Do you think you're helping by telling me this? Because you're not. You're only making me feel even worse than I already do, thanks."

Kaylee fell dull and silent at my remarks, and confided her head on Ryan's shoulder, turning away from me. Ryan glared at me.

I sighed. "I apologize if I was harsh just now. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."

Kaylee looked back at me. "You know, you aren't the only one having a hard time with Jean gone. You aren't the only person that misses her. She was the only real girl friend I had. It sucks so much without her here, and we've been eating at this table every day trying to ack like it's all normal, but it's not. I want her back as much as you do."

"Me too," said Ryan. "Whatever you need, I'll back you up. You know that, Nick. Or at least, I hope you do."

All this time I've viewed Ryan as a person that I've had to deal with, when in reality he's been one of my only true friends. Even when he didn't understand or was annoying or whatever, all he ever did was try to help me. People aren't always going to understand where you're coming from, but if someone doesn't understand you yet tries to and sticks by your side anyway, that's how you know you've made a true friend. I didn't know why, but I understood it all of a sudden just then. I wished I could've told him 'sorry' or 'thank you' or anything meaningful, but I didn't know how. I only nodded. He nodded back though, and for the first time I felt he understood what I really meant.

Just then, a rather loud and annoying ring went off on Ryan's phone, instinctively sending my hands to guard my ears.

Kaylee staggered back at that atrocious noise as well. "What is that?" She asked.

"Sorry guys," Ryan said. "It's my game. A few new features were added, and that noise whenever someone attacks my base is one of them."

I rolled my eyes. "Did you read the terms and conditions of these new features?"

"Of course not. No one reads that stuff."

"See, this is an example of why you have to read them. You're agreeing to things that you don't even know you're agreeing to."

"Here we go."

"Hell, the terms and conditions could even ask you for your soul and--"

That. That's when it all clicked. That's how I would be getting Jean back. That was the loophole. I wasn't sure if it would work, but my heart and brain gushed in conversation with one another having come to a compromise, and having come to a real plan for once.

"Earth to Nick," Ryan said, waving his hand in front of my face curiously.

"Ryan, I know how I can free Jean, and I need your help."

He grinned a thousand yard grin across his face, and slammed his hand on the table in excitement and anticipation. "Now we're talking."

"This won't make any sense to you, but this is what I need you to do."

I was in my driveway with my car, saying goodbye to Kaylee and Ryan.

"You sure you don't want us to come with you to Hollywood?" asked Ryan.

I shook my head. "I don't want you to get too involved in what's to come." I wasn't quite sure what to do next. What were the social norms when you were going on a six hour drive to Los Angeles to confront the one who stole your genie away from you? No, not genie. Not anymore. Friend. She stole my friend away from me.

I awkwardly nodded at them and opened my car door, but Kaylee swooped me up and hugged me from behind. "Get her back," Kaylee said. She let go, and when I turned to face her, she nodded at me. It was the kind of nod the person gave when they were going off on the battlefield, the kind they'd give the main character in movies when he or she was off to fight the final boss.

I nodded back at her. "I will, Kaylee. I have to."

I tried to get in the car again, but before I could, Ryan spun me around and gave me a 'man hug' as he called it. The kind where two people would grasp one hand, pull each other in, and pat each other's backs with the other. Usually I'd pull away from these, but just this once, I decided to engage.

���Just text me once it's time to do my thing," he said.

"Will do."

Okay, for certain, it was time for me to go.

"WAIT!" my father called out to me rushing over with a jug of pink fluid and a lunchbox. "Nick, you didn't tell me you're going to Los Angeles."

"Yeah . . . It's kind've a long story."

"Hey. You gotta tell me these kinds of things, okay? You don't tell me anything these days."

"I didn't think it mattered."

"Well, it does. I'm your father. Now here." He handed me the lunchbox and jug. "Peach tea and pastrami sandwiches."

I had to admit, I wasn't even thinking about food when I was going on this trip. I hadn't packed much of anything actually. It was quite rash. He annoyed me at times, but I was grateful for the thought. "Thanks, dad."

"Do what you need to do, son," he said, and walked back into the house.

Okay, now I was going to go. For sure. There's no one else that could possibly interrupt me with a meaningful goodbye this time.

"Well," I said. "See you guys."

"I'm coming with you," Jason said, walking up to me all nonchalant.

"You're kidding," I said.

"It's partly my fault Jean's gone. I was too careless. I'm gonna help get her back."

"No way in hell are you coming with me, Jason. You just want Jean for yourself."

"That's true, but I really don't intend on using my third wish. I want to keep her with me. I won't let her end up a full-fledged genie again. We're on the same side here. We both want Megan out of the picture. We both want to keep her from making wish number three. We need each other here."

"There are no compromises, Jason. I'm setting Jean free. We definitely don't want the same things. I'm going to Los Angeles by myself."

I expected Jason to break out in rage, or try harder to convince me, or insult me. I expected him to try to get in my head again. To my surprise, he did none of those things. "I see," he said. "Well then Nick, whatever the plan is, I wish you well." He walked away.

"Weird," Kaylee said.

"There's something not right about that," Ryan agreed.

"Whatever," I said. "I already have things to worry about. I don't even want to think about Jason of all things."

That time I really did say goodbye, and I really did start my drive over to Los Angeles without any other interruptions.

By the time I reached L.A., it was midnight. I didn't have enough money to sleep anywhere, but that was alright. I drove to an empty curve and parked. I put my seat back, and my tired consciousness effortlessly glided my state into a deep slumber, gathering energy for the next day.

When I woke up it was 9 a.m. I chomped down on two pastrami sandwiches and chugged some of my peach tea because I needed to build up my strength. I needed to drive down to Hollywood and be there by 10:30. I found out on social media that there would be a talk show interview for the Floreas regarding controversies in their reality TV show, and finding Gloriana's long lost sister who just so happened to be Megan.

I've mentioned before that I had no money to stay in a hotel, and there are two reasons why: (a) would be gas, and (b) would be that I bought a ticket to be a member of the talk show's audience. All my savings, down the drain. All my savings to save Jean. This plan absolutely had to work. It was all I had left.

I made it to the studio at long last, and made my way to my seat, in the very back. That was okay. I didn't want to be seen. I had to stay hidden. I had on a pair of glasses and a baseball cap, but security made me take it off. I put it all back on when I was at my seat though.

The audience mumbled amongst themselves, until some guy went to the front going over the rules of the show, what to do, what not to do, yada yada yada. I didn't care about any of that. I hardly paid attention.

I needed to text Ryan to initiate the plan on my command, but before he did that I needed to be completely sure Megan was here with the necklace because that would mean Jean wouldn't be too far away.

The Floreas made their way to the front of the stage for a practice run. No Megan. Why wasn't Megan there? Wasn't this interview partly about her? My body was self-destructing itself in crumbling angst and anticipation. Was this all for nothing after all?

About a minute later, Megan rushed as fast as she could in those six inch heels to the stage. I thought I would be relieved that phase one was complete, but I wasn't. If anything, I was more of a nervous wreck that before. I shook in my seat. Seeing Megan again shook up some loose feelings in the pit of my stomach. I was angry for sure. Definitely outraged having to look at her face. But I was also afraid of her seeing me. I had to be invisible. No suspicion was to be detected.

"Sir," a tall, bulky security guard walked up to me. The audience members around tore their attention away from the stage to look at us.

"Yes?" I asked.

"No hat, no sunglasses. If I have to ask you again I'm afraid you'll have to leave."

"I understand." I reluctantly took off my hat and sunglasses, and when I faced the stage again Megan glared directly at me.

Shit! By trying to be invisible I've revealed myself. Why was it that the most important time it was for me to be invisible was the one time I got caught? As casually as I could I lowered my head and hid the bottom of my face. Megan bobbed her head back and forth trying to get a better look at me, but it was time for the show to start and she had no choice but to take a seat.

I texted Ryan to go through with the plan, and he responded back that it was ready to go. It was now or never.

The show started. I shook my leg repeatedly, only half paying attention to anything that was going on. They went into Megan's family history and how she felt like there was something missing, but then she met Gloriana when they got cast on the same show, and as fate would have it, they ended up being sisters. The audience ate this all up, but I knew the truth. I wonder how many memories and records Jean had to change just to make this story plausible. Or perhaps she changed the past itself. I couldn't wait to ask her.

I was waiting for commercial break. I was waiting for Megan to be on her phone. The entire plan depended on Megan's cellphone. Come on, commercial break. Hurry up.

Finally. Commercial break. I kept my hands in my pocket, waiting for the moment of truth. Waiting to see if it would actually work. As soon as it was time for the break, the Floreas and the host all seemed to go off in their different directions. There was a security guard off to the side that Megan went off to talk to, and as soon as she did, she pointed at me and the man spoke something into his walkie talkie. Not long after, the bulky security guard from before asked me to leave again and I tried to argue saying I paid to be here, but nothing I said worked.

They ended up having to take me by the arms and escort me outside.

"JEAN!" I shouted. I couldn't see her, but I knew she was nearby. She had to be. "I'M HERE, JEAN!" I'LL BE OUTSIDE!"

The entire audience was looking at me in dead silence. I screamed it at the top of my lungs. If she was in the audience, or even backstage, I know she would've heard it.

"That's enough," the security guard said, bringing me outside.

Once I was outside, they practically had to throw me out of the building so hard that I lost my balance and fell on the ground.

"If you cause any more problems, we're going to have to call the police," the security guard said with that firm, as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

I checked my pockets again. Shit. Still nothing.

I paced around in circles, not thinking of anything else.

All of a sudden, Megan came bursting outside, grasping Jean by the wrist with her. "WHERE IS IT, NICK?"

The producer came rushing after her, telling her there wasn't much more commercial break time and she had to get back inside for the show, but Megan ignored her. Security called for backup.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. The necklace, it's gone!"

Paparazzi gathered around and splashed camera lights and question in all our faces. Our private heated moment was being recorded, but it was all too intense for any of us to have discretion.

Jean pushed Megan away. "Let go of me! You have no power over me anymore! You made your third wish!"

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did," I said. "You just didn't know it."

"What are you talking about?"

I smirked. "You didn't read the terms and agreements for your last phone update, did you?"

She widened her eyes and shook her head at the realization of what I was saying. "What did you do?"

"The fake terms and agreements of your phone update had some pretty standard stuff, but there was a clause in there that you didn't pay attention to. 'Here by clicking agree, you agree for your third wish being for Jean's necklace to now be in the possession of her previous master, Nick Matthews'."

She exploded in anger, and tried to hit me, but the security guards ran up and held her back. The paparazzi took so many pictures that the flashing lights of the camera going off in every which way made me dizzy. They kept calling after Megan, asking all too many difficult questions at one.

"Where's the neckalce?" Asked Jean.

I couldn't see her. I couldn't see the ground. Everything was blurry. "I don't know," I admitted. "I think I must have dropped it or something when they threw me out of the studio." I knelt to the ground and tried feeling around, looking for something gold and shiny, but with the chaos of the paparazzi stomping all around and my eyes being blinded by the flashes, it was hard to trace. Jean got on the ground and looked with me too, but to no avail.

"Oh no . . ." Jean muttered to herself, getting up.

I got up too and got myself out of the sea of reporters, and once I got I hold of myself Jason stood right in front of me, wearing the necklace.

"Jason?!" I shouted. "What are you doing here?"

"I followed you," he said. "When you rejected my offer to team up, I followed you down here with my car to see what you were up to. When security threw you out, the necklace fell out of your pocket and I picked it up before all the chaos that just took place." He looked at Jean. "I'm your master again."

Jean balled her hands into fists and fell to the floor, sobbing. She sobbed at the top of her lungs. "Give me a break, Jason!"

Jason watched her cry, and the look on his face was blank and unamused.

I wanted to threaten to kick his ass. I wanted to fight him. I wanted to tell him off. But before I could do any of those things, Jason turned to me. "It's time I faced the truth," he said. "I was kidding myself this whole time. She never loved me. I knew that. I fooled myself into thinking I loved her, but seeing her now I realized I've never even known her. I saw what I wanted to see. I was lonely, and she was there. That's it, that's all."

He threw the necklace over to me. "I thought once I found her everything in my life would feel whole somehow, but I don't. I never did, not even with her around. Not even with the wishes that were granted. I don't care what you do, but I don't want anything to do with this anymore," he said. "I'm out." He walked away.

I quickly put the necklace on before anything else could happen. There it was. Jean was mine again, but not for long.

Jean who was still on the floor looked at me, calming down. She was relieved.

"I told you," I said, sitting down next to her, "that I wouldn't let anything bad happen to you."

"I knew you'd come back," she jumped on me, wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Let's get you home," I said. "Do you have a suitcase or anything you need to get?"

"Forget the suitcase. It's only clothes. I want to get the Hell out of here now."

I smiled.