Sarah Williams made her first wish (since visiting the Labyrinth) on the eve of a particularly vicious final exam during her first year of college, and she needed time to study as well as, write a paper—it was for a class she barely had the credit requirement for, and although fascinating, was tremendously stressful. It was a wish that most people would call wishful thinking but Sarah genuinely hoped her wish would be fulfilled.
"I wish that the Goblin King would re-order time so that I had enough time to finish this paper!"
One explosion of glittering magic that smelled like a basket full of spices later, and Sarah was negotiating with said Goblin King—about what she would need to give him in return. In the past three years Sarah had learned and practiced the exchanging of favors—I'll wash the dishes for you, Toby, if you rake the leaves for me—and had realized that the Goblin King was all about that sort of responsibility.
As well as standing up and admitting it when things were tough—honesty—which is why, she had figured out, she'd had the Cleaners sent after her.
"You'll call me by my name, Sarah, that's my wish."
"Is that all?" Sarah was shocked—she had thought that she would be giving up her first-born or something to him, but that was mostly because she had no idea what he would value her wish at. His odd blue eyes looked back at her, luminous in the afternoon sun streaming through the window—
"My…wish…for that, in my mind is comparable to your desire to pass this class with flying colors. Both your want and my want have about the same weight, Precious—you will live and continue on if you don't get this wish, and I will get over it if I don't get mine." His eyes, despite his reassuring voice, said that what's said is said, and that he could ask for much more than this.
"Thank you, then, Jareth," Sarah said, mouth curving into a smile as she shook his hand.