Free Careful What You Wish For by Shani Petroff Page A

to want to give up her new “power” and relinquish everything she wished for in order to put things back the way they were.
    â€œEverything?” she asked. “I really like the dessert bar in my room.”
    I put my hands on my hips. “I’ll buy you a Twinkies value pack,” I promised. “Now please. Before you do something you regret.”
    â€œWhat if I promise to be extra careful?”
    â€œIt’s too risky.”
    She knotted her fingers together. “Your powers are risky, too, and you manage.”
    â€œIt’s not the same thing. You just have to say or think something and poof, it’s here. I have to have perfect concentration to make anything go right. My passing thoughts don’t make things appear out of thin air.” I took an extra long pause for dramatic effect. “Do it for Max. Do it for all the people he’s bossing around and turning into his servants. Do it for me.”
    My little guilt trip worked. Gabi nodded. “Fine.”
    â€œJust clear your mind and focus on how you don’t want wishes.”
    I watched her. It seemed like she was concentrating. Her eyes were squeezed closed and it looked like she was holding her breath. “Okay,” I said when she opened her eyes. “Try to make a wish.”
    â€œI wish for a diamond—” She paused when she looked at me.
    Way to think small, I thought.
    â€œBracelet,” Gabi finished.
    And the shimmering jewels appeared encrusted around Gabi’s wrist.
    â€œWhoa,” she said, her face almost as bright as the bracelet.
    The reversal hadn’t worked. Gabi was still as magical as before. What went wrong? I watched her hold the jewels up to the light. She looked relieved. “Gabi,” I said. “You have to want to give the wishes back for it to work.”
    â€œBut what if I don’t really want to?” she asked.
    â€œThen you’re dooming Max to be all Courtneyesque for the rest of his life, for everyone in school to worship him for eternity, and for me to who knows what. All because you want a few wishes. It’s totally selfish.”
    She dropped her head. “You’re right,” she conceded. “I can do this. I wish I could undo everything. I don’t want wishes.”
    I hoped that was enough. “Test it.”
    â€œI wish I had a matching diamond necklace,” she said, her voice sounding the tiniest bit hopeful.
    Her neck went from having nothing on it to being covered in jewels.
    Trying to give back the wishes didn’t work.
    Gabi obviously wanted them, and I had no clue how to change that.

chapter 21
    â€œI thought you said you’d give up the wishes,” I said, throwing my arms up in the air.
    â€œI tried,” Gabi said. “Really!” she added when she saw the look I was giving her. “But it’s not my fault if way down deep I want to keep them. How am I supposed to control that?”
    â€œMaybe by thinking about the harm your wishes have caused?! That should make you want to give them up.”
    Gabi scrunched up her nose. “What harm?”
    â€œMax for one. All the name-calling and pushing people around. How do you think his parents are going to feel when they realize their son has turned into a monster?”
    Gabi shrugged her shoulders. “I guess I don’t think it’s so bad. Courtney’s the same way, and she seems pretty happy. She gets whatever she wants.”
    Sounds like someone else I know. “Then what about the danger?” I asked. “If you accidentally wish for the wrong thing? Something really, really bad. Then what?”
    She gave me a half smile. “I just don’t think that will happen.”
    I didn’t even know what to say.
    â€œSorry,” she said. “I can’t help wanting what I secretly want. I’d give up the wishes if I could.”
    She left me with no choice. It was time for a different approach. A