Jon looked around then let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. Nothing had appeared to have happened, but who knew? He looked at the stone and an idea came to him - to avoid it biting him on the ass, why not dictate what was interesting. He stretched his head wondering what to pick when out of the corner of his eye he saw on the to was an anime about a guy who had to pretend he was a girl to go to an all girls school or something like that. He wasn't familiar with the show so didn't know if that was what it was actually about, but regardless it gave him an idea.
"I wish that the interesting thing in my last wish was that starting tomorrow my school was conducting an experiment whereby everyone had to swap lives with a random other student for a month and for the duration of the swap everyone had to treat them as if they were that person. And to make things really interesting no one knows who they're swapping with until tomorrow when the swap will be randomly assigned."
Jon smiled and set the stone down. That did qualify as interesting at least.
******************************
The next day Jon left early for school and on his way he took a detour. He didn't want whoever he swapped with to get their hands on the stone and he knew a place he could safely stash it until after school.
"Hey Jon boy," said Karyn as he turned a corner.
"Karyn?" he asked, not expecting to see her there.
"Figured you'd try to stash the stone somewhere safe."
"Yeah," he admitted "Don't trust whoever I swap with with it and I get the feeling that my locker's not safe."
They walked side by side to the park. Jon knew of a tree with a hole that the two of them had stashed stuff in as a kid. No one had ever found it and he could always wish for extra security.
"By the way, where's your spare clothes?" she asked as they walked.
"Huh?" he replied, not following.
"Err, remember we've all got to take a change of clothes to give to whoever we're swapping with?"
Jon stared at her for a second then swore. There wasn't time to go home, come back to stash the rock and get to school. Digging it out of his bag he tossed the stone and it's box to her and said "Cannyou hide this for me while I run back home?"
"Sure," she smiled "In the tree hole right?"
"Thanks Karyn, you're a lifesaver," he smiled rushing off "See you at school."
Karyn stared after him shaking her head and wondering why he didn't wish for more time or wish his clothes there. Sometimes Jon could be so short sighted in his thinking.
********************
Jon arrived at school just in time. It'd taken longer than expected because not knowing he needed to bring a change in clothes he'd neglected to pack one so had frantically had to get stuff together. Breathing hard, he handed his bag to a teacher at the door who was collecting them and headed inside to find a seat in the audatorium.
The principal was onstage glaring at the latecomers. Presently the doors were closed and the principal cleared his throat.
"As you all know," he droned in his nasally voice "We here at Stoneville High are committed to stamping out bullying and so forth. To this end we will be running a social experiment where you all will live the life of a fellow student for a while. When your name is called please proceed out the door to my left where you will be assigned your switch buddy. Please hand over all personal effects to your buddy and collect your change of clothes. And no complaining, buddies are final!"
He gave them a stern look, then glanced down at his clipboard and started reading out batches of names. Jon patiently waited his turn and when his name was called he hurried to the appointed door. A few students followed and joined him and the group that were already there. The teacher with them rifled through his notes and handed them a numbered card each.
"Pair up. Whoever has the same number as you is your switch budy."
Jon looked at his card "Who's got 76?" he asked.
"I have" said a voice behind him. He turned to see...
