"Is that everything Jon?" Karyn gave him a critical eye. "I mean, obviously the incident with that woman didn't happen until after school. You couldn't have tried showing me something on your phone if you didn't have it. So, is the only reason you wanted to talk to me tonight really just about helping with that Drucker woman?"
Karyn had been around the block raising Tiffany and her other children. She could tell Jon had legitimate concerns about meeting with the woman who had stolen his phone, and recruiting backup was a smart move. Still, she had picked up on him diverting attention from what she had originally asked him about in favor of something he felt safer with. What was so dangerous he'd back down after getting her alone?
Jon hated how indecisive he was. Rather than committing to a decision he had found an alternate route that left him where things started. Now Karyn was calling him out on the discrepancy in his story. He cast his eyes down, not wanting Karyn to see how ashamed he was of himself.
"Alright, I can see you have a lot on your mind." Karyn let out a sigh as she put her hands on her hips. "I already gave you my word I'd help with things tomorrow. After that situation is handled we can tackle your other problem. Sound fair?"
"Yeah, more than fair." Jon breathed a sigh of relief. He was thankful Karyn was so understanding, and had given him an out for now.
"But when things are settled tomorrow I want all the details. You'll owe me one for my services as a bodyguard." Karyn laughed, causing her belly and breasts to jiggle. "And for keeping Tiffany in the dark. I'll be hearing her asking me for details on your surprise for her for hours after this."
"Right, I'll make it up to you and her." Jon chuckled nervously. She had a point that his theatrics to help get her alone had caused a level of expectation in his current girlfriend.
"You're damn right you will. Now, your mom will rip my head off if we stay in here with your door closed all night." Karyn moved past Jon, turning to give him a reassuring nod before opening the door and leaving.
Jon thought about what would happen tomorrow. He had no idea how the swap would work the next time. The last two had involved adults swapping as well, but there was no guarantee. It was better than waiting though. The swaps after would happen on the weekend when almost no one would be at school. He was sure the rock would cause some kind of mischief those days, but his best chance to ensure the people he had wronged had a chance at being better off was to have them at the school tomorrow.
If things went well Athena wouldn't be trapped as a fat trailer trash slut. Zoe wouldn't be almost too fat to move. Karyn could be young again. He thought of Samantha and the pregnancy the wish had forced on her. Of some of the girls he'd gotten to know before the last swap like Angela, Aisha and Carly. Of Zelda who he assumed was still in Mrs. Getherd's life. Of his former mother Linda who had treated him like dirt that day. He didn't know where many of them were, and how the ripple effects that had caused his ethnicity change among other things affected them. If possible he'd try to get as many of them to the school as he could at the time of the swap to give them a better chance.
'Is that really okay though? Zoe and Karyn do seem happy in their current lives. Athena definitely deserves a chance at a better life, but am I just bringing them there for my own guilty conscience? What if they end up even worse off somehow?' He thought as he stood alone in the room. The stone had toyed with the lives of people closest to him. It had put them out of reach, only to bring them back in ways that had caused him stress and pain. It felt almost too coincidental to be called random effects caused by the wish.
"Jon, is everything okay?" He turned to see Tiffany standing in his doorway. She seemed almost hesitant to approach, and he wondered what kind of expression he had to make her worry like that.
"I just have some things to think about. I've got a lot to do tomorrow." He scratched the back of his head while laughing, hoping to come off as easy going.
Tiffany quickly came to him and wrapped him in a hug. As his girlfriend she had done this a lot, and it seemed to be her usual method of trying to calm Jon down.
"I love you Jon, and I want you to tell me everything. I want you to tell me when you have a problem. I want to be by your side to help you through it all. I don't want to be away from you for a minute, so please don't push me away." Tiffany had begun sniffling, trying to hold back tears.
Jon felt he didn't deserve this kind of affection. Tiffany wanted the version of Jon she knew. The one that loved her as well, and had built a committed relationship with her. Not the boy who barely knew who he'd become that day. Who knew almost nothing about Tiffany's life. He was just a pretender going through these days as best he could.
"Don't worry Tiffany. I won't leave you behind." Jon wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. He was just a pretender, but these were real people. Tiffany's emotions were honest and real, and though he didn't have the history with her to fully be her Jon he would do everything he could for her. He would be her Jon until she stopped being his girlfriend the next day. That was what he had wished for, so it was only right he committed to being her boyfriend until then.
"Okay you two, it is still a school night and it's late enough already." Stephanie was now just outside the room. She had her arms crossed and though her tone was stern Jon noticed her body language was softer.
He wondered if he should try getting Stephanie swapped the next day too. It still felt odd that she was his mom, but unlike Julie he felt a closeness to Stephanie. She wasn't an angry goth girl, but a caring and loving, though strict mother. There were certainly worse options to fill the role for the rest of the wish. He started thinking Stephanie was one person he may try to keep from swapping for now.
"You're right Mrs. Nguyen. We'll have plenty of time to see each other at school tomorrow." Tiffany was once again cheerful and bubbly.
Jon followed her and Stephanie as they walked toward where Karyn was waiting for them. They said their goodbyes, Tiffany giving Jon another kiss on the cheek, and left for home.
Feeling exhausted Jon returned to his room and collapsed on the bed. The latest swap had thrown a lot at him. He had been made to confront many of the people he cared about living their altered lives. From nearly having sex with Tiffany, babysitting Sarah, losing his phone to Athena, visiting Zoe and her daughters and the unexpected recruitment of Karyn he had done more than he could have ever prepared for that evening. He had a plan to help some of the people he'd hurt in place. He'd backed out of bringing Karyn in on the wish again, but hoped that whatever life she got next would allow them to be close again.
He knew he was going into school blind compared to the previous day. With the stone he could make a way to check some of the history of this reality again, but he was too tired for now. If he wished for his phone back it would only ruin his chance to get Athena and Karyn in position tomorrow anyway.
Sleep finally took him, and as he slept the world around him continued moving. The people who had been placed in new lives, and the people who had made alternate decisions through the years due to the ripple ffects went about their lives unaware they'd ever been different. Unaware many of them would be changed once more the next day. Unaware of the boy responsible. Their stories continued to play out.
