SECRETS AND SPARKS.
The halls of Starlake High never felt more crowded—or more electric. After the meteor shower and the appearance of the black horse, everything had shifted. And not just in the weird quantum-wish way. It was like the whole school was charged with anticipation, whispers, and tension.
I dodged a group of students clustered around the lockers, their voices buzzing.
"Did you hear? Mia got voted prom queen! And she wasn't even nominated."
"Yeah, I saw Josh asking her out. What's going on?"
"Some say the wishes are turning everything upside down."
I shivered. The chaos was only getting worse—and it wasn't just about the horse or the Wish Engine anymore.
---
At my locker, I was startled when someone bumped into me from behind.
"Careful, Calla," said a smooth voice.
I turned to see Jason Harper—captain of the football team, all confident grin and easy charm. His eyes flicked over me like he was trying to decode some secret.
"Hey, Jason," I said, trying to keep my cool. Usually, he was out of my orbit, but lately, everyone seemed... different.
"Prom's coming up," he said casually. "You planning to go?"
I shrugged. "Maybe."
His grin deepened. "You should. Things are changing. Who knows what could happen?"
Before I could answer, a loud crash echoed down the hall. Everyone turned to see Ellie Morgan, the drama club's star actress, tripping over a stack of books. Her perfectly styled hair went wild as she scrambled up, cheeks flaming.
"Smooth," Jason teased with a wink.
Ellie shot him a glare, but then caught my eye.
"Calla! We need to talk. Now."
---
Later, in the cafeteria, Ellie leaned in close, voice low and urgent.
"Something weird is happening with the wishes. I made a wish—to nail my solo for the spring play—and now I'm supposed to perform tomorrow night. But I don't remember practicing. And I'm terrified."
I nodded, understanding too well. "The wishes are messing with people's memories, their reality. It's unstable."
Ellie's eyes were wide. "And it's getting worse. People are forgetting what's real and what's not."
Before I could respond, Ash slid into the seat next to me, a tablet glowing with data.
"I've been tracking anomalies," he said. "There's a pattern. The wishes are strongest around the school. And they're linked to the Wish Engine—our reality is literally unraveling."
I glanced at Ellie, then back at Ash. "We need to stop this. Before someone gets hurt."
---
Just then, a voice interrupted us.
"Or before someone uses this to get exactly what they want."
We looked up to see Lila Kane, queen bee of Starlake High and notorious for her sharp tongue and ruthless ambition.
She smirked, her perfectly manicured nails tapping on the table. "You think you can control the wishes? Please. This is the opportunity of a lifetime."
Jason, who had followed Lila over, crossed his arms. "Careful, Lila. Not everything is a game."
Lila's eyes sparkled with mischief. "Oh, I'm playing for keeps."
---
The bell rang, scattering the group. I felt the weight of their words settle on my shoulders.
Walking to class, I spotted a new face in the hallway—a girl with wild curly hair and a camera slung over her shoulder. She looked like she belonged in a different time, or maybe a different world.
"Hey, I'm Nova," she said, catching my eye. "I'm the new transfer. Heard about the wishes. Thought I'd check it out."
I hesitated, then nodded. "Looks like you picked the right time."
---
Later that afternoon, Ash and I met in the lab, surrounded by wires, glowing screens, and scattered data crystals—Dad's old equipment mixed with Ash's own tech.
"We need to find the core of the Wish Engine," Ash said, fingers flying over the keyboard. "If we can shut it down or stabilize it, maybe we can undo some of the damage."
I nodded, but the thought of losing the horse—the only friend I'd had since Dad died—made my chest tighten.
"Can we really fix this?" I whispered.
Ash looked up, eyes serious. "We have to try. Because if we don't, wishes might ruin more than just the school. They could destroy us all."
---
That night, as I lay in bed, the glowing dust outside my window drifted down softly.
My phone buzzed.
A text from Jason: *See you at the dance?*
I stared at the screen, heart pounding. The world was changing faster than I could keep up.
And somewhere in the back of my mind, I wondered what wishes I'd made—and what price I might have to pay.