that from me.”
I believe him.
The SUV is parked between streetlights. The battery’s on, so the dashboard lights glow dim. The radio plays softly. I have a feeling I could lean in close and try to kiss him, and he’d kiss me back. I can practically feel it, and it’s absolutely perfect … but I can’t do it until I ask him something, even if it kills the mood.
“Do you know who started it?”
“No idea.”
“You don’t think it was Reenzie?”
He jumps back a little and scrunches his eyebrows. The soft caress leaves his voice and instead he scoffs.
“Reenzie? Why?”
Because she’s in love with you and hates that you seem to like me
will only ruin the moment completely; plus, it’ll probably kill any shot for moments in the future. He alreadytold me Reenzie’s like a sister to him. Obviously her evil side isn’t on his radar.
Sean might be interested, but he’s just like Mrs. Dorio. He won’t believe me without proof.
“No reason, really,” I say. “I was asking around. Her name came up.”
“You shouldn’t believe everything you hear,” Sean says. “I don’t.” He puts his hands on the steering wheel like he’s ready to drive away. If I tried to lean over and kiss him now, I bet he’d duck and I’d end up with my forehead pushing down the horn. Instead I open the door.
“I should get going. Thanks for checking on me.”
At least I get a smile. “See you tomorrow.”
I watch him as he drives away.
This would all be much easier if Reenzie weren’t in the picture. I wish …
Oh my God.
I walk across the front lawn and sit on the stoop. I pull out the journal from my canvas tote bag.
Dear Dad, I write,
Today was pretty awful. What Reenzie said about you … I’m guessing you can’t hear stuff like that where you are or you’d make sure she got struck by lightning. NOT that I’m wishing for that. I’m NOT.
I read over that section twice to make sure I didn’t mess up any letters and actually wish for her to be hit by a bolt from the sky. I did not.
I do have a wish, though. I wish Reenzie would get over Sean and stop doing evil things to me. I feel like this one’s not much to ask, and it would make everything a million times better for all of us, even her.
I shut the journal and smile, completely satisfied.
How did I not think of this before?
Now everything will be simple.
Finally.
As I enter Ms. Knowles’s classroom the next morning, Reenzie waves, smiles, and pats the chair next to her. I turn to see who’s behind me.
“Autumn,” Reenzie says, and does the whole show again.
Sean’s on Reenzie’s other side. He’s smiling too.
Subtly, so they won’t see, I wipe my hand over the seat. No tacks, no glue, no ketchup. Okay, then.
When the bell rings, Reenzie gets up, smiles wide, chirps, “Bye, Autumn! See you at track practice!” and zips out of the room before I can even stand up.
That can’t possibly be from the journal. The journal grants wishes; it doesn’t brainwash people.
“I talked to Reenzie on the way in to school,” Sean says as we walk down the hall.
I’m dying to ask if they stopped off for a quick brain transplant, but I’m kind of walking on eggshells. “Oh, yeah? What did you say to her?” I ask instead.
“I asked her to be nice to you.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. But not because I think she had anything to do with starting that rumor. I don’t.”
I look at him. “Then why bother?”
He smiles and the corners of his mouth twitch and it’s hard to stay on my feet. “I like you. So I want her to like you too. See you later, Autumn.”
He lopes off to class.
Sean likes me. The fear slips off me and I relax. The Reenzie thing’s more complicated, but I have faith in the journal. Maybe the forced-by-Sean nice-itude is simply the first step to her getting over him and giving up her evil ways.
Now if I can just avoid monkey’s-paw backlash, everything will be fine.
I watch my back for the next few days, but it
I believe him.
The SUV is parked between streetlights. The battery’s on, so the dashboard lights glow dim. The radio plays softly. I have a feeling I could lean in close and try to kiss him, and he’d kiss me back. I can practically feel it, and it’s absolutely perfect … but I can’t do it until I ask him something, even if it kills the mood.
“Do you know who started it?”
“No idea.”
“You don’t think it was Reenzie?”
He jumps back a little and scrunches his eyebrows. The soft caress leaves his voice and instead he scoffs.
“Reenzie? Why?”
Because she’s in love with you and hates that you seem to like me
will only ruin the moment completely; plus, it’ll probably kill any shot for moments in the future. He alreadytold me Reenzie’s like a sister to him. Obviously her evil side isn’t on his radar.
Sean might be interested, but he’s just like Mrs. Dorio. He won’t believe me without proof.
“No reason, really,” I say. “I was asking around. Her name came up.”
“You shouldn’t believe everything you hear,” Sean says. “I don’t.” He puts his hands on the steering wheel like he’s ready to drive away. If I tried to lean over and kiss him now, I bet he’d duck and I’d end up with my forehead pushing down the horn. Instead I open the door.
“I should get going. Thanks for checking on me.”
At least I get a smile. “See you tomorrow.”
I watch him as he drives away.
This would all be much easier if Reenzie weren’t in the picture. I wish …
Oh my God.
I walk across the front lawn and sit on the stoop. I pull out the journal from my canvas tote bag.
Dear Dad, I write,
Today was pretty awful. What Reenzie said about you … I’m guessing you can’t hear stuff like that where you are or you’d make sure she got struck by lightning. NOT that I’m wishing for that. I’m NOT.
I read over that section twice to make sure I didn’t mess up any letters and actually wish for her to be hit by a bolt from the sky. I did not.
I do have a wish, though. I wish Reenzie would get over Sean and stop doing evil things to me. I feel like this one’s not much to ask, and it would make everything a million times better for all of us, even her.
I shut the journal and smile, completely satisfied.
How did I not think of this before?
Now everything will be simple.
Finally.
As I enter Ms. Knowles’s classroom the next morning, Reenzie waves, smiles, and pats the chair next to her. I turn to see who’s behind me.
“Autumn,” Reenzie says, and does the whole show again.
Sean’s on Reenzie’s other side. He’s smiling too.
Subtly, so they won’t see, I wipe my hand over the seat. No tacks, no glue, no ketchup. Okay, then.
When the bell rings, Reenzie gets up, smiles wide, chirps, “Bye, Autumn! See you at track practice!” and zips out of the room before I can even stand up.
That can’t possibly be from the journal. The journal grants wishes; it doesn’t brainwash people.
“I talked to Reenzie on the way in to school,” Sean says as we walk down the hall.
I’m dying to ask if they stopped off for a quick brain transplant, but I’m kind of walking on eggshells. “Oh, yeah? What did you say to her?” I ask instead.
“I asked her to be nice to you.”
“You did?”
“Yeah. But not because I think she had anything to do with starting that rumor. I don’t.”
I look at him. “Then why bother?”
He smiles and the corners of his mouth twitch and it’s hard to stay on my feet. “I like you. So I want her to like you too. See you later, Autumn.”
He lopes off to class.
Sean likes me. The fear slips off me and I relax. The Reenzie thing’s more complicated, but I have faith in the journal. Maybe the forced-by-Sean nice-itude is simply the first step to her getting over him and giving up her evil ways.
Now if I can just avoid monkey’s-paw backlash, everything will be fine.
I watch my back for the next few days, but it
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