Jon hurried down the hall. Karyn was waiting by his locker already - they shared class together during second period. Well, thought Jon, I bet I can't hide these wishes from her for long.
Karyn was in an irritated mood as Jon started to turn the locker's combination lock. "Tiffany complimented me on my sweater during first period," she complained. "She has never complimented me once on my clothes in all the years she's known me. So you know she's just making a comment about how my chest is more... present."
Jon glanced at her. "Didn't the wish before school mean that she shouldn't have noticed anything?"
Karyn shrugged in annoyance. "Probably means that complimenting me is more regular behavior, now my breasts are on par with hers? I don't know and don't really want to know." She glanced down at Jon's notebook and noticed the purple pen. "Where did you get that pen, and why? It's ridiculous."
Jon didn't look Karyn in the eyes, and tried to open his locked. Jammed, like had been happening too often lately. He'd gotten the combination right, but that didn't mean anything with the age and condition of some of the lockers. He pulled on it and it wouldn't budge.
Karyn leaned in. "Jon, what's up with the pen?" When Jon continued yanking at the locker door, Karyn's eyes narrowed, then suddenly widened. "Oh hell, you made a stupid wish, didn't you? Jon, what the hell did you do?"
Jon yanked one more time, failed to open the locker, and finally looked at her. "Yes, okay? I did. It was impulsive and stupid and I'm already kicking myself for it, okay?"
Karyn's tone softened. "What did you accidentally wish for?"
Jon kicked his locker, and started to answer, but was cut off by Sarah McMillan's voice next to him. "Oh, look, Biff, poor little Jon can't get his locker open."
Karyn and Jon both turned, and there was Sarah, posed as smugly as she ever was, perfectly dressed in her cheerleading uniform with her hair in a high ponytail. Guess there's a game later today or something, Jon thought. Biff smiled in amusement next to her. Whatever t-shirt that Sarah had convinced him to wear today was emphasizing his arms in a way that showcased his ripped muscles.
Biff barked a laugh at Jon and the locker that he himself had basically kicked out of shape. "What's the matter, Jon? Not strong enough to get it open?"
Jon didn't have time for Sarah and Biff right now. "Yeah, Biff, that's it," he snapped saracastically. "It's not that you've dented my locker so much that it doesn't open smoothly anymore. I guess I actually just need a little more strength, not that things would be better without a jerk like you around."
Jon heard Karyn catch her breath, and he grimaced. Now I'm going to get it, he groaned internally.
Biff rolled his eyes. "Ugh, fine, loser. You need more strength? Copy off me."
Biff grabbed one beefy arm with his other hand, and pulled. Jon stared as a mass of skin and muscle - just a blob shaped like a male torso with muscular arms - appeared out of nowhere. Biff pulled it through his clothes as if they didn't exist, then in one smooth motion, shoved it at Jon. Jon felt the force slam into him, and when he looked down, he saw what looked like defined pectorals underneath his shirt. Glancing at his arms, he saw thick biceps and forearms that filled his shirt's sleeves far more than they had just seconds ago.
"Let's get moving, Biff, we've got better people to see," Sarah practically sang, as she took Biff's arm and pulled him along. Biff gave Jon and Karyn one more sneer, and then headed off with Sarah as if nothing had happened.
Karyn, of course, had noticed. "What the HELL was that, Jon?"
Jon flexed his arm, and pulled on his locker. It popped open easily. He'd never been able to bench more than 100 lbs in gym class. What could he achieve now? Biff's muscles appeared to be resized for his body so at least he didn't looked disjointed and freakish, but he still had easily double the upper-body strength that he'd ever had.
He grabbed a different notebook out of his locker and after a thought, a different pen as well, tossing the first period's notes and purple pen inside. Jon shut his locker and turned to Karyn. "I forgot my homework after yesterday, and accidentally wished that I could copy off of other people if I forgot or needed it."
Karyn's eyes bulged. "That's how you worded it?"
Jon closed his eyes in frustration. "Yes, I worded it way too broad, and the next thing I knew, I got a purple pen from Holly Raymond when my pen died, and some other kid fixed a paper cut on my finger."
Karyn grabbed Jon's arm, pausing briefly as she felt the muscle under her hand. "You realize how poorly this could go? Jon, forgetting things is one thing, but who decides if you 'need' something? Now you're ripped like Biff and..." she paused again, slightly rubbing her hand over Jon's new arm. "Okay, this is... Jon, I..." She stumbled for her words, then sighed. "I'll admit your arms are kind of turning me on right now." She glared at him. "How are you going to get through the rest of the day if things like this keep happening, though?"
Jon sighed. "I don't know. Hopefully I can get through school without 'needing' anything else, and then you and I can head back to my place and spend the entire afternoon figuring out how to solve our combined stupidity."
Karyn gave him a sympathetic smile. "Well, I've got next period with you. Maybe I can help keep things calm and regular for a bit." She held her notebook against her chest, then looked down and realized what she'd done, reminded of her bad wish from the previous day. "Would be nice if we could limit how much we both upend our lives."
They shook their heads in acknowledgment of their collective situations, and headed off to second period together.
