A Wish Upon A Shooting Star

I sat outside and looked up into the sky. Nothing is going my way today, I thought. My parents kept going on about how much more I was supposed to work. They wanted me to do chores and study for school. You need to work more Kaya. Kaya, you aren’t working. Study properly, Kaya. Kaya this, Kaya that. 

What do they know? They always nag about useless things, but nobody else’s parents do. Valerie’s didn’t. She had everything she wanted, and her parents were really nice. I really envied her.

“What a horrible day,” I said. I looked back up, and my eyes widened. A shooting star! At that moment I wished for something crazy. 

“I want to be like Valerie!” I said, squeezing my eyes shut. Nothing happened. 

“...What was I thinking anyway? It’s not like they actually grant wishes or something.”

Disappointed, I walked quietly into the house and slid into my room. I laid down on my bed and waited. Still nothing happened. I turned over angrily and shut my eyes. Hmph. 

*****

“Wake up! It’s 7:45! Wake up! It’s 7:45! Wake up-” 

“UGH!”

I woke up to the unpleasant voice. Scanning the pink room dazzled with awards, I saw a familiar glittery purple alarm clock. I clicked snooze and went back to sleep. Wait. I jolted and looked around once more. Pink walls? Purple alarm clock? Awards on the walls? This is Val’s room! 

“Wait...I’m in Val’s room? Not in my own home? Did my wish actually come true?” 

I looked down glumly at the covers. I got up and inspected the room. It really is Valerie’s room.

“How come?” I said, quietly. “How come...I didn’t do this kind of thing before?”

Excitedly, I jumped around the room, touching everything within my reach. Everything was real. I couldn’t believe it! I went back to the bed and bounced on the soft, bouncy mattress. At last, I ran out of energy and rested. This is actually real. It’s real. Wow! I was so excited to live my life the way I wanted. I jumped out of bed and rushed downstairs. 

“What will I get for breakfast?” I whispered, cheerfully. “A huge stack of pancakes? French toast. Bagels and fruit? Cake?” 

I stepped into the huge dining room and saw the familiar faces. Mr. and Mrs. Carter. And that’s her younger brother, Victor. 

“Valerie!” Mrs. Carter exclaimed 

It took me a moment to react. Oh right! I’m Valerie!

“Mrs. Cart- I mean Mom!” I started nervously. Much to my surprise, she started glaring at me. Did I say something wrong?

“What do you mean Mom?” she said angrily. “You were supposed to be ready by 8:15! It’s 8:35 now! Did you forget about your math class?”

“Uhh...” 

I had no idea. I just realized that I didn’t know Valerie’s schedule. But things shouldn’t get too out of hand right? Val’s parents are really nice.

“Y-yeah. I forgot. Sorry, mom.”

“What? How can you just forget? I can’t believe you are this irresponsible!”

“Sorry?”

“Sorry doesn’t change anything. Go to your room. No breakfast for you.”

What? I looked longingly at my plate of bacon and eggs before I turned around and went back upstairs. 

“There were even waffles! Ugh.”

I didn’t know Val’s parents would do that. Maybe they aren’t in a good mood. After waiting a couple minutes, they should call me back. I waited for two minutes. Ten minutes. Twenty minutes. Nothing. No one called me. I decided to go back down and check. The people disappeared and so did all the food. No! I tried to find my “mother”. I found her in the living room on a call. She turned around and sighed. 

“Fine. Gosh. I left some on the counter. There’s also orange juice. Finish quickly. Your next class will start at 9:45. Don’t forget that too.” 

I devoured everything on the plate and didn’t even leave a crumb. Looking at the clock, I let out a deep exhale. 9:25. I have to find a schedule. I went back upstairs and ransacked the room. I was about to give up, when I saw a mini whiteboard on the wall with words on it. Ah. I’m blind. I started reading it out loud. 

“8:30 to 9:30 is math,” I began. “9:45 to 10:45 is chess. 11:00 to 12:00 is piano. 12:00 to 12:20 is lunch. 12:30 to...”

By the time I finished reading the schedule, the time was 9:30. I ran downstairs and Mrs. Carter was there, waiting for me. 

“Finally! I was starting to think you forgot this class as well. Get into the car.”

I was confused and upset at the same time. It was a Saturday, so I expected a calm day. But no. I had classes until 6:30. I glanced back at the schedule in my hands. If the math class was 8:30 to 9:30, why didn’t I just join late?

Curiously, I asked Mrs. Carter. She stopped the car and turned around. 

“You need to learn to be responsible, Valerie. If you’re late, then why attend at all? It just makes us look bad.”

“Ok?”

The car halted to a stop and I got down. I waved to Mrs. Carter and entered the unfamiliar room. Inside, there were students playing chess with a weird timer. The sound of pieces clicking and hands slamming on the timer filled the room. 

“Valerie! There you are!” a woman said. “Take your seat.”

I sat in the chair closest to me and waited. I tried my best not to be noticed. Valerie played chess with me once before. Of course she won, but I absolutely sucked. I don’t even know the names of the pieces! I picked up a piece on the board in front of me and inspected it. Weird horse. 

“Valerie! Pay attention!” the woman said. 

I perked up at the voice and looked straight ahead. 

“What...are you doing? Come play your game with Haley! Hurry up!”

No. This isn’t good. I got up and walked awkwardly towards the seat. The blonde girl in front of me smirked and whispered to me. 

“I’m gonna beat you this time, loser.” 

“Excuse me?”

What was that? Weird, I thought. Wait, Ha-ley? Blonde? This was the “annoying girl” in Valerie’s chess class. Every time we met, she would tell me a new story. Don’t worry, Val. I’ll get victory for you.

“Start playing already, slowpoke,” I said, confidently. However, the girl started laughing. 

“Haha! You’re white, loser.”

“I’m white? Ok?”

“No, I mean your piece color. Geez, what’s with you today?”

“Oh...”

I was going to die. I picked one of the stubby pieces in the front and moved it one square forward. I didn’t know too much about chess, but I briefly remembered things Valerie taught me. 

I will win. If not for me, then for Valerie.

An hour later, Mrs. Carter came to pick me up. I trudged into the car. 

“So? How was class sweetie?”

“...Awful,” I muttered.

“Huh?” 

“I mean...aw-some! Haha…”

“Oh that’s great to hear! So how did your games go today?”

My eyes gawked open. Please don’t make me tell you.

“Well?”

“Great! Also, Mom, how was your call?” I said, in an attempt to divert the topic. She stared at me weirdly and ignored it. 

At least she isn’t asking about the matches anymore. This annoying class ended! Now I can go home! 

“Get ready for piano. I put your book in the back.”

“Another class?!”

“Shush, Valerie!”

At the end of the day, I could hardly feel my legs. At the dining table, Mr. Carter looked over at me. 

“So...Valerie,” he started. “How were your classes today?”

“Good. Great. Grand.”

“Ok..then. Victor, how about you?”

“My day was pretty good. My taekwondo teacher even told me I did exceptionally well today.”

Then, he looked slyly towards me and smirked.

“And unlike someone here, I didn’t skip any of my classes.”

Why that little!

“I know, Victor. I know,” Mrs. Carter said. “See, Valerie! Even your younger brother has more sense than you!”

I wanted to say something, but I couldn’t. I was so tired that all I could do was curse in my head. After dinner was over, I went into the backyard and looked at the sky. Familiar, huh? 

I looked up intently, waiting for a shooting star. And I saw one. It was shining brightly. I closed my eyes. 

“I want everything to go back to normal.”

I went inside and pounced onto the bed. My wish better come true. The next morning, I felt something oddly cold on my face. I woke up. My eyes were glued shut, but with the cold feeling they opened. A woman holding ice cubes stood in front of me.

“Mom!” I exclaimed.

“Wake up! It’s 9:00!”

I ran up to her and hugged her tightly. I couldn’t believe that I was back. After the day I had, I was just happy to be home.

“Mom, I missed you!”

“Kaya! M-my back! Ow! Let go!”

When I finally let go, I scanned my room. Yep. It’s my room, alright. The normal white bedsheet and blanket. The empty wall. The soft, carpeted floor. I’m home!

“Kaya, will you do the chores honey? You didn’t do them all week-”

“Of course! What kind of question is that?”

I got up and ran to the kitchen. Picking up each dish tenderly, I scrubbed them down with the dish soap on the counter. I carefully placed each clean dish in its place. I turned around and saw my mother happily watching me. I smiled at her. Everything was normal. Then, something came to my mind. 

“Hey mom? What’s for breakfast?”