The principal's secretary looked up at John in shock as her shout reverberated in the room. John blushed furiously.
This was useless. She had hoped that, since Carl was under a similar wish, he would remember John as a girl, but apparently that wasn't the case. Everyone in the world now thought John was a boy. Probably even Karyn. And as long as Sarah had the stone, there was nothing John could do about it. She HAD to get that stone and try to set things right, or at least as close to right as possible. There HAD to be a way to work around Sarah's wish.
If she was going to get the stone from Sarah, though, she would need an ally. And right now, it seemed like Carl was probably the only person in the world who would be likely to believe John was really a girl. After all, everyone in the world thought HE was a girl, even though he knew he was really a boy. Their situations were identical, if reversed, and so John was sure she could get Carl to believe her, given a little time.
"Carl," she said softly, "you've been having a very strange day. It started out normal. It was probably normal until you got to gym. But then Sarah Macmillan came into the boys' locker room, claiming to be a boy. And then a few minutes later, everyone started treating you like a girl, even though you still see yourself as a boy, and you KNOW you're a boy. And now we're here in the principal's office together, and I'm claiming that I'm really a girl, even though I look like a boy to you. You act like a tough jock, but I know you're a smart boy. You can figure it out"
Carl didn't say anything, but John could tell from his eyes (his gorgeous eyes!) that he was digesting everything she had said. After a moment, he turned to her. "You're telling the truth, aren't you? You're really a girl under all that."
John nodded.
Carl tilted his head toward the secretary. "And everyone else--except you, apparently--sees me as a girl?"
"Boobs and all," John said.
He was quiet again for a moment. Then, "How'd this happen?"
John opened her mouth, then hesitated. Did she want to tell him the truth? Did she want to alienate the boy she'd had a crush on for years, now that they were having their first real conversation? And could she risk alienating her one potential ally against Sarah? And for that matter, did she really want to risk getting punched in the face? She was sure Carl wouldn't stoop to hitting a girl, but she wasn't sure he was convinced she WAS a girl yet.
"Sarah has a wishing stone," she said. "I know it sounds ridiculous, but it can actually grant her real wishes, like a genie. She must have accidentally wished herself into being a boy, and now she's done the same to you and me."
She wasn't sure Carl was buying it. He looked skeptical, like he wasn't sure what to believe. "So wait," he said. "Everyone thinks he's--SHE'S--a boy, even though she's really a girl. And everyone thinks I'm a girl, even though I'm really a boy. And everyone thinks you're a boy, even though you're really a girl."
"Right," John said.
"So how do you know all of this?" Carl asked. "Why are you the only person in the world who knows I'm really a boy and Sarah's really a girl?"
John's eyes widened. She was stumped.
Fortunately, she didn't have to provide an answer, because at that very minute, the principal walked up to them. "Mr. Smith, Miss Rockford. It sounds like you two have been getting into some mischief."
