As John was mumbling and crying with his head against the pillow, cursing himself for being so dumb, his mom went to check on him. She'd been worried for a while now. She knows life for a teenage girl can be tough, and even though they had never been very close, Susan was aware that Jen had some self esteem issues. Just today she had seen Jen looking into a mirror with a sorrowful expression, almost existential angst.
"Oh, honey, what's up? Was that mean girl Sarah bullying you again?" John was surprised at his mom's comment, apparently Sarah was even more of a bully to him and Karyn in this reality. He chose not to reply nor to lift his head off the pillow. He could feel his mom walking around his room, tidying up, picking up dirty clothes, small things like that, before she sat down next to him on his bed.
"Jen, honey, I know it's hard. She's like the queen bee of your school, but you should just ignore her comments. You and Karyn are beautiful girls on your own right... Yeah, maybe a little nerdy, but you shouldn't mind Sarah's comments." John didn't know if his mom wanted to make him feel better or worse...
"Sometimes I wish you could be and feel just like everyone else sees you, the wonderful woman you're becoming." John didn't need to lift his head up to know that, somehow, his mom was holding the stone while she said that. The changes in his body told him enough.
"Mom, what did you do? Why are you holding my rock?" John said finally pushing himself up. His new voice sounded... wonderful... if only it weren't his. Of course, Susan didn't even realize her wish had been granted, as the only person who could've noticed anything was John himself.
"Huh, it got warm all of a sudden. This was your grandpa's, right? I remember him carrying it everywhere. I never understood why he loved this rock among all the others in his collection. You should keep it safe, not lying around on the floor of your room. For whatever reason, it was very valuable to your grandpa and he chose you to inherit it."
John, er, Jen, couldn't hold it anymore. Her life had been changed beyond repair now, her mom putting the final nail on John's coffin. She cried, wailed, and asked her mom to please leave her alone.
