Free Sealed with a Wish by Rose David

be weird that you’ve got two cars all of the sudden?” I said.
    “I’m going to tell my mom it’s a gift from my dad. They hardly ever talk anymore, so it’s not like anyone’ll notice.” His mouth twisted, and I felt my eyes dart down to the floor.
    After seeing all the happy, glossed photos in the living room, I had just assumed Sean’s parents were still married. I hoped my confusion wasn’t too obvious.
    “Umm... Is it okay if yours doesn’t come with rocket launchers?” I tried to smile.
    Sean uttered something between a scoff and a chuckle. “Sure. You ready?”
    “In a minute. I kind of need to ask you something first.” I took a deep breath. After lunch, I had spent the rest of the day thinking of ways to say this that didn’t sound too desperate. If I let Sean know just how much power he had over my future (never mind my present) who knew what could happen?
    But as I saw the concern on his face (I hoped it was concern and not just a bad taco at lunch), the unedited words spilled out of me. “Can you promise not to give my ring to somebody else after we’re done with your wishes?”
    A deep frown spread over Sean’s mouth, then up to his narrowed eyes. I could have kicked myself. Maybe passing me off to someone else hadn’t even been on his mind until two seconds ago when I had told him about it.
    I grappled for some wish to make him forget, but, with a lurch in my stomach, I remembered that none of my wishes would work.
    Crap. Crap. Crap.
    Just then, Sean’s warm hand landed on my shoulder, cutting off my frenzied thoughts. My eyes were probably bugging out of their sockets, but I couldn’t stop the surprise from showing on my face.
    “Layla, I’m not going to tell anyone,” he said. “I wouldn’t do something like that.”
    “Oh...” I wanted to talk, but it was like my vocal cords had short-circuited. I nodded dumbly as a stray realization poked at my mind.
    Sean does have really pretty eyes...
    What the--? Ew, no. I swatted the thought away like a buzzing insect. If I could have, I would have crushed it under my shoe. After three years, I must have sat through too many of Natalie’s love-rants. “Thanks,” I mumbled, looking away. I took a small step back, focusing on the glossy magazine page. My face felt suspiciously warm, and I lifted up the paper to cover everything but my eyes.
    “Right, umm...” Sean cleared his throat. “I wish for an Aston Martin DBS Volante.”
    I took a long breath, letting the wish tingle through my fingertips, up my arms, and through my chest. Cold cement chilled under my hand as I braced myself against the wall. The mingled smells of gasoline and new leather filled my nose and, already, I could feel the buttery softness of the seats whispering over my skin. The high sparkle of its chrome danced like stars underneath my eyelids.
    I wasn’t sure how long it took, but when I opened my eyes, the Aston Martin was parked a few feet away, like a dream zapped to reality.
    Which I guess it sort of was.
    Sean was too busy staring at me to notice the car. His eyes were wide with fear or amazement--maybe both.
    What’s the matter? I told you I was a delicate flower, I wanted to say, but my tongue was too sluggish to pull out the words.
    “Prest-o-change-o,” I mumbled, pointing to the car.
    “Whoa.” Sean approached the Aston Martin as if it were a skittish animal. As he brushed his fingers over the metal, a sigh whooshed over his lips. “I can’t believe it.”
    I tried to smirk, but it came out more like a smile. (No harm in taking a little pride in your work, right?) “Get in,” I told him. “It’s really real.”
    He opened the door and sunk into the driver’s side. After a moment, the engine roared to life. “Keys in the ignition.” He tilted his head. “Did you do that?”
    I honestly wasn’t sure, but I shrugged humbly. “I like to think I’ve got pretty good attention to detail.”
    Sean revved the engine, grinning widely as a smooth