Chapter 2

First Wish

Wait what, you can actually make my dream a reality, you can end all of this suffering?" I state in a being of total shock. He then removes his hand from my thigh but never leaves my eye contact.

"Haven't I been telling you that since I walked in the door? Yes of course I can, it is my job to make you into the person you are meant to be. You are meant for great things in this world. I may not know what they are but the agency told me that this was no normal case, it is more important."

If I wasn't confused before I am now. I put my head in my hands and try to align my thoughts in my head. How can someone like me be destined for more than working in an old shack? He must have noticed my thoughts because he looked at me with what seemed to be true empathy, "I am so sorry that I can't tell you more, I wish I knew. Like I said this case is different, I was not allowed to know your future unlike the others."

I look up at him and just smile, having no words. The thought that his empathy could be fake is always at the back of my mind, the fear that it might be fake always tugging at my thoughts. I just sat across from him on the beat up couch, we said nothing for a long time, just looked around then back at each other. The quiet felt good to me, I couldn't tell you why, just the thought that someone out there didn't hate who I am, or how I look, wait I take that back, he is here to fix me, he might hate me too. "Elle, tell me, what is your biggest wish, what will make you into the person you are destined to be." he says while he spreads his arms as he says the word "destined."

"I uh... I want to be different." I reply looking down, almost embarrassed that this is the wish that I have wanted for so long.

"Different how?"

"Well, I want to be like the other girls, taller, tan, beautiful hair, even a slimmer body."

"Wow, you would think we would get more wishes like this but you would be surprised. I know your body is not your fault, it was just in your parents genes, unable to grow and unable to be thin, just a side effect of drunkenness I guess."

I just stare at him wanting him to do something, anything to prove that what he said he was here to do was not a lie. We then make eye contact again and he is still calm and doesn't seem to understand the disbelief that is running through my body. He breaks the silence, but never the eye contact. "The only thing I need from you is somewhere to stay until the wish is complete, it can be somewhere nearby. I just need to be able to finish the wish in a time that it seems natural to the world, this way no one can be suspicious of your changes."

"Umm yea, you can just stay here I guess, not like anyone is going to be coming back anytime soon." I reply, not even thinking about my answer.

He looks at me in disbelief, "wow that took even shorter time then I thought, I thought at first you would give me a hotel option then eventually, but slowly, would I move in for a couple of months."

"It would just be easier, just do me one favor. Don't kill me in my sleep ok."

He gives a soft chuckle and a bright smile. "I think I can manage that, but you do the same ok, I don't want to wake up with a fucking knife in my chest."

We sat there and laughed at the earlier comments, and as I look out the window, I notice the moon has replaced the sun, with almost regret I decide that it is time to show him where he can sleep. We get off the couch, almost longing to just go back and talk about any and everything, but we start to walk to the only hallway in the house. The floors creaked underneath of our combined weight, the worn down walls, almost too thin, hearing everything from every corner of the house. We walk to the one room in the house that has never been used, my parents bedroom.

I used to clean the room all the time when I was a child, in hopes that they might actually sleep in their bed and become a happy family, but like always I was wrong. I still keep the room picked up because it gives me something to do when nothing is going on. When I am done working I hide the computer under my bed so my parents can't come in and take it to sell it for more alcohol or drugs. We come closer to the door that guards the room. Without hesitation I opened the door and walked in, looking around I see the dresser that has never been used, the light grey bed sheets still lay neatly on the bed. This is the only room in the house, no one has been here since I last cleaned it.

Each day that I cleaned I lost a little hope to have a happy family that you

would see on TV, in the papers, even on posters hanging on the school walls. The realization that I will never have this family hit, and I froze, I couldn't move I just stood there unable to say anything in fear of letting the burning tears stream down my face. Suddenly a hand on my shoulder shocked me back into reality, I forgot Nic was still behind, I forgot anyone was here. He must of felt my shudder because the hand on my shoulder tightened, almost to keep me sturdy. "Are you okay? I don't have to stay here, I can stay on the couch."

"No no, you can stay here, no one has slept in this room for years."

He looked like he wanted to ask me something else but it seemed he decided not to. I moved out of the way as he walked past me and set his black briefcase on the large bed that lay in the middle of the room. He turns to me and a small smile is planted on his face. "Wow it is really nice in here, how is it kept so clean if no one has slept here for years?"

"Well I used to clean all the time in this room, just waiting for something new to happen I guess. I am not really big on being bored."

"Makes since, but oh before I forget we need to start making that dream come true before the first night."

"Umm okay..."

"C'mon don't sound so questiony about it, it is really easy, each day I make something different, and with this wish it might take a couple of days."

I looked down at my feet, wow finally letting someone in they already have something to say about it. This wish would probably take a couple of days because of my fat body, my short stature, maybe even my ghostly pale skin. He noticed me looking down at my feet, refusing to make eye contact. "In any wish that I have to change even the slightest physical feature it takes a couple days, that way the person can say they like the new change and get used to having it as a permanent feature."

I immediately felt better, something about how he explained himself made me feel better about this whole situation. "Okay, so how are we going to do this, making my wish come true."

"Well all you have to do is look directly in my eyes and think of the biggest part of your wish, it is important to be as specific as possible that way there is no confusion. If you do this you can get the wish you actually want."

I took a minute to think, what was the one thing that I wanted to change, what was at the top of my wish list? The truth was I didn't know, I have been wishing to be different for years, but I never thought of what I would change first. Then the thought came, I looked down at my short stubby legs and knew the wish I wanted to make. As I was ready to make my wish I took a step back and looked directly into his eyes, never losing the thought of my wish. After what seemed like hours- but was only three minutes- I began to grow, My legs began to extend, but I never looked away from Nic, not until he told me too. "All right all done." he explained.

I ran to the mirror in my house and I finally looked like a normal sized girl, not only was I taller than I used to be, it seemed that as I grew my once overweight body began to shrink. I walked back into the room and found Nic still waiting for me, I couldn't stop myself from hugging him, I was just too happy to care about what he might say about me. "Woah if you're going to do that everytime I grant you a wish I might do more in one day."

I was so happy I didn't care what he said, I didn't really care about anything at this moment. I took a step back and looked at the mirror that hung on the wall of the room, the mirror that I have avoided for so many years. "Why does my body seem slimmer?"

"Well you might have grown in height but your weight remained the same throughout the transformation. Let's get back to that hug shall we?"

"In your dreams."

"Oh don't you worry your head about that, it will be in there tonight."

"Thanks for the image of you dreaming about me."

"Not about you, about that hug."

I rolled my eyes and started to walk back out the door. "If you need anything I'll be in my room, the house gets a little hot at night so you can use my fan for the night."

I couldn't stop smiling as I walked into my room, grabbing the fan and walking back. Holding the handle on the heavy fan, this began to be challenging as I kept walking, but I had no care in the world, if this is a dream I am going to be so mad when I wake up. I walked into the room and plugged the rusty heavy fan in, as I turned back around it almost seemed like he was staring at me from behind. "What are you doing?"

"Oh umm, I was just thinking, would it be ok if I put my clothes into the dresser, I don't want to over step ya know."

"Oh yeah, like this room, that damn dresser hasn't been used in years. I will get out of your hair now, just come get me if you need anything."

"Anything?" He said with a wink and a small smirk on his face.

"Hmm anything important, not in your pants important." I say back with a small smirk playing on my lips.

"Dang, fine well goodnight Elle. See ya tomorrow."

"Night Nic."

With that I walked back to my room, and as I closed the door behind me, knowing the lock won't work due to years of it being busted open, but at least it will still close, mostly. I didn't care about my memories anymore, I cared about my body, I finally was an average height, I couldn't wait to see how tall I actually am. Just the thought of being taller than 5'1 was making me glow with happiness, the smile could not leave my face no matter how hard I tried. I took off my clothes to get ready for bed, unable to stop myself I looked in the mirror, I looked slimmer, with longer legs, and everything looked normal. I wasn't the smallest girl but I was happy, I looked healthy, I looked beautiful.

I slowly walk to the old beat up dresser that holds all the clothes I have ever worn, neatly folded throughout the years, some never to see the light of day. I open the bottom drawer, inside are clothes that have not fit me for years, they are just packed away, like a memory being forgotten. Digging in the forgotten drawer, I find a pair of red shorts with strings to help make them fit better while wearing them. With further digging I found an old, grey tshirt, on it I read "WJHS Athletics," my old Junior High gym shirt. Seeing the old shirt brings back the memories of all the times I was picked on in the old gym, the taunts echoing off the wall, with a shudder I come back to reality. "That is not my life anymore, I am different" I say to myself.

I throw the t-shirt over my head, and slip the shorts on and look at myself in the mirror just one more time before I close my eyes for the night. I see the shorts fitting me perfectly, the t-shirt hugging my body just right. No matter what the memories the shirt brought back no longer mattered, I looked amazing, and the smile on my face kept growing the longer I looked at myself. I walk over to the light switch and with a flick of my finger I turn the light off, then I walk over to my bed and lay down, letting the light blanket cover my body. Slowly drifting off to sleep, the thought of my new body unable to leave my mind, the smile still plastered on my face.