"I've just been thinking about some things. You know, like is it right to change people with the stone? Even if they don't know I've wished something that changed them I would, and if I mess up they could be that way permanently. And if I change them back does that excuse what I did?" Jon had decided not to tell Samantha. While he'd been developing feelings for her he didn't know who she'd be after this afternoon. It felt like it would hurt more to spill his guts to her, only to have her forget everything in a few short hours.
He'd settled for a roundabout method. He could talk ideology, and maybe get some advice that way. Samantha seemed to be an intellectual type, and while she may infer something was going on she had shown she was willing to wait for Jon to be ready to talk when he was ready with these things.
"That's a mature way of thinking for you. I'm actually impressed." She laughed, but Jon could tell it was in the teasing kind of way someone who'd known a person for years did rather than with any malice. It felt so odd knowing Samantha had only come into his life like this because of his wish. And soon enough she'd be out of it, just another person in the school. She may know him, but they wouldn't be this close to each other.
"The last day or two I've just been trying to think about what kind of responsibility I have with this kind of power." Jon answered back.
"You could be passive like Dr. Manhattan, but the temptation to use the stone would always be there. I don't think you have to worry about going crazy like that time the Joker got infinite power though. You're too nice a guy for that, and even thinking about what responsibility you have without wishing something for no reason means you're a good guy." Samantha was doing her best to encourage him, but Jon knew she wasn't right about him.
He'd wished all the girls i school to swap families for selfish reasons. He'd wanted to see the girls he knew in different roles. Maybe see Sarah McMillan as a chubby nerd, or what it would be like if someone like Nadine was queen bee of the school. He hadn't stopped to think of them until after he'd seen them change, and really only after his wish had gone in a way he hadn't expected.
He hadn't even spared his family. He thought back to Zoe, and how he knew she was now a morbidly obese mom married to a man with a feeding fetish. Reading her profile last night had revealed Mr. Brewer wanted to try getting Zoe so fat she was immobile after Carly left for college, and Zoe was on board for the idea.If he had worded his wish differently Zoe could have been stuck like that permanently.
Even Karyn hadn't been spared from his thoughtlessness. Had he really cared about her enough? He'd just wished her away, and let himself indulge in the fantasy of having a different girlfriend everyday.He hadn't even given much thought to what life she could have ended up with until he saw what she had become yesterday. He'd allowed himself to think things were fine when she'd replaced Zoe, and been in a life still close to him. Now he was just a random student she served lunch to, and she was a middle aged single mom with real worries and responsibilities.
The warning bell rang for class, signaling they'd be late if they didn't hurry.
"We can talk more at lunch. I'll save you a seat, okay?" Samantha gave a worried smile, and Jon nodded.
As Samantha walked away Jon pulled out his phone. He had to know who she had been originally. He looked up her profile, and knew they'd have never been together without the wish.
Samantha had originally been one of the secretaries working under Principal Morse. She looked much more mature in her previous photos, though with the crow's feet and laugh lines of an adult woman that was to be expected. Samantha Weller was a somewhat short woman with small C-cup breasts smaller than she had now. If not for taking on Karyn's life and being affected by Karyn's wish she'd likely be smaller chested than now. She was a nerdy type of woman, having a stash of comics she'd been collecting for nearly forty years. She lived alone, having never married and never had kids. While she had a cute face her lack of curves growing up had led her to intellectual pursuits. By the time her body had blossomed she had given up on love, thinking it just wasn't for her.
Jon looked at Samantha, seeing her turn and check on him. She was so vibrant and playful, but if he let her go back to her old life she'd go back to being a spinster. Was that fair to her? He'd known her less than a day, but it didn't seem fair that she would have to go back to living a lonely life, and have to tell herself she was fulfilled enough. He wanted to keep a lookout for Samantha in the days to come. Even if he didn't act on an attraction to her he hoped he may find a life and family that suited her better than her original. For now heknew he couldn't interfere, or risk making changes he couldn't know the consequences of or reverse.
Instead Jon started walking through the halls again. There were still more classes, and despite himself he was curious what his new classmates were like, and who had swapped with which teachers. He thought ahead to lunch. Of the talk he may have with Samantha, but also of seeing Karyn again. He'd decided against telling Samantha, but should he tell his original friend? She wouldn't be happy if he wished her to know what he'd done, but he knew if he explained how guilty he felt she may forgive him. Either way he wanted to see her in her current life. He wanted to confront what he'd done to his best friend, and see for himself how she was doing.
