Three weeks after that night, Alex felt like she was slowly going crazy. Justin didn't remember anything about that night. Of course. He wasn't supposed to. But Alex did. After their parents had returned, Justin had acted normally. Or that's what she kept telling herself, but it was so hard, when she couldn't stop watching him, or wanting to be around him -- or wanting him to touch her again, to kiss her.
Every time another girl talked to him at school, she felt insanely jealous -- and trying not to scream at Harper was daily becoming harder. She'd thought that things would be okay. She'd thought that one night would at least give her something to remember, to cherish -- but she wanted more. She needed more.
It was Wednesday afternoon that it happened. She was walking home from school. She'd made some excuse about an errand, so she could get away from Harper -- and even more to get away from Justin. She ducked into a little boutique, tried to distract herself, looking at tops. And then a hand touched her shoulder.
She turned, annoyed, and then froze. It was Justin. He looked at her, smiled. "There you are," he said, the trace of a smirk in the smile now.
"What?!" Alex snapped it out, the day's frustration cresting in her, but Justin just kept smiling.
"Alex, there's something you should know. When people sell genies on Wizbay for really low prices, it's generally because they're defective. Because the wishes don't work right."
"What? I... I don't know what you're talking about." She backed a step away from him, her mouth suddenly dry, but Justin stepped forward, keeping the distance between them close.
"The most common defect is that the wishes are temporary -- they only last, say, a couple of weeks." He paused, then continued, more quietly. "I remembered everything two night ago. Everything. First I thought maybe I dreamed it -- but it seemed too real. So I went looking. I found the lamp in your room. I found the notebook with your wishes in it."
Justin's hand snapped forward, and he grabbed her by the wrist. "Alex... you know what kind of trouble you'd be in, if Mom and Dad knew?"
She nodded, unable to speak, tears starting to come up. Oh my God. They're going to send me away somewhere. Or send him away. It doesn't matter. I'll die either way.
And then Justin said one more thing, before he left. Alex stood there, feeling dizzy, and grabbed the clothes rack beside her to keep from falling down.
"So," he'd said, "I guess I'll just have to punish you myself. Set your alarm for two o'clock in the morning. And be in your underwear."