I dashed into the chemistry lab, barely making it before the teacher and slipped into the seat next to Tom. He was doodling what appeared to be a goat with a brick for a head on his notebook. I gave him a reproachful look.
"What? I just follow what the pen tells me to draw," he claimed.
I shrugged and grinned and settled down to listen to what we had to do for today's experiment. It was the usual mix X with Y, titrate and remember not to throw the wrong test tube of liquid down the sink. Tom and I got to work, not paying much attention to the quantities we used.
"Can we swap seats?" Tom asked, after about five minutes.
"Why?" I replied, puzzled.
He grinned. "I can get a better angle on Tanya from where you're sitting."
A better angle meant profile view. Tanya was a favourite observation target of Tom's in his hopelessly over-optimistic quest for a girlfriend. Tanya was way out of his league; he profile view was generally considered best by the majority of young men in the year, mainly because it gave the best view of he rather large bust. For my tastes, she'd reached rather pleasant dimensions the summer before. When she returned after the summer break and it was clear her breasts had made no effort to stop growing in the intervening months, I was forced to reclassify her as top-heavy--getting a little much of a good thing. Tom had no such limitations on the dimensions of his desires and was quite clear about it.
The experiment was taking care of itself quite nicely, so I told Tom about my conversation with Steve, omitting the piece of paper I'd yet to look at.
Tom sighed, "Poor guy. I can't believe she spread those rumours either - that is really hitting below the belt. Literally."
I agreed.
Tom went on. "What he really needs is something to dispell the rumours. Somehow arrange for a girl to accidentally see his thing. Of course, for that to work, the rumour has to be false! He actually has to have an enormous schlong!"
That got me to thinking. I had no idea about the actually enormity or otherwise of Steve's endowments, but I could make sure of it easily enough. I excused myself and went to the bathroom to get a moment to think. Sitting in a stall, I took the opportunity to read Steve's idea for his revenge.
I was quite shocked. "Oh. That is harsh." I wasn't sure whether I could bring myself to use the stone to do that to anyone. I'd have to have a think about it and maybe talk to Steve. I put the paper away. The problem of the rumour I could solve, though, by making it patently untrue, as Tom suggested. I pulled out the rock, thought for a moment and wished. "I wish Steve was incredibly well-endowed and that this fact would be clear and obvious to all, meaning that the rumours about him are put to an end." That sorted that.
I returned to the lab to find Tom gingerly stirring a thick brown liquid which I was sure was not what we were supposed to be making.
I thought about giving Tom his heart's desire. I was pretty sure he'd wish for Tanya to agree to go on a date with him, but I wanted it to be a surprise. Carefully, I brought out the stone, concealed in my hand, and put it down next to Tom's hand so that the edge of the stone was just touching him.
He looked grumpy. "Gym is next--I don't fancy running around in the cold. I'd rather just watch everyone else run around." I knew by everyone he really meant Tanya.
I shrugged. "Not a lot we can do about it. Unless we wish for it."
"Wish for it. Yeah, funny."
"Seriously, though," I probed, "if you could wish for something--anything--what would it be?"
He laughed quietly, "Oh, that's easy. I'd just wish to get a look in the girl's locker room while they're changing for next period!"
"Oh boy," I muttered as I was forced to look away. The sound of breaking glass shortly afterwards confirmed my worst fears. Slowly I turned to look at Tom...
