Sophie: A Story of Change

Screen-lit Rendezvous

Heather McGinn had to admit that her friend's organizational skills were impressive. Making plans for Spirit Week could easily turn into a chaotic mess, but under Heather S.' leadership, the meeting was smooth and thankfully brief. Soon the trio was stepping back out into hallway. They were met with a frantic-looking Sophie and her friend, Chloe. Heather sighed inwardly. What new crisis had Sophie brought her?

"You have to take me to the Well," Sophie said, panicked. "We have to undo the wish."

"Sophie!" Heather snapped.

"Did you say 'wish?'" Chloe asked.

Thankfully, Heather S. was there, pulling Chloe aside. "You know, with the softball team doing so well this year I have some ideas that could really..."

With Heather S. distracting Chloe, Heather M. turned to Sophie and hissed. "What is this about? Why do you suddenly want to be a guy again or something?"

"No, not that wish. The other one. The one that makes people see who I really am. It's affecting Chloe."

Heather cocked her head. "I don't see the issue. Do you not want her to see who you really are?"

"No!" Sophie replied, then shook her head. "I mean, yes. But not like this. I didn't know it would be like mind control."

"You didn't seem to mind it when it was your parents and teachers. Why does it matter with her?"

"I don't know," Sophie admitted. "It just does."

Heather exhaled in frustration. She had to admit she understood where Sophie was coming from. It wasn't like she had never had to undo a wish before. "Okay, fine. We can undo the wish for Chloe. But remember, the first rule of making wishes is know what you want. Actually, no, that's the second rule. The first rule is don't tell anyone about it. What were you thinking, blabbing about it in front of her?"

"Well, I figured it didn't matter since we're going to take her to the Well anyway."

"What? We are absolutely not taking her to the Well."

"But I have to make sure the wish works."

Heather K., who had until this point stood by so quietly that Heather M. had forgotten her, spoke up. "You were already going to tell her about the Well, weren't you?"

"No I wasn't," Sophie replied hastily. "I was just-"

"Yes you were," Heather K. interrupted. "She's your best friend. And you weren't planning on your wish affecting her, so you were going to have to explain to her how you suddenly became a girl. You were planning to tell her everything."

"I-I..." Sophie stammered before taking a deep breath, "Okay, I was, it's just... this amazing thing happened to me. And I tell her everything." She hung her head.

Heather M. stared down Sophie, hoping to impress on the girl that she was weighing the decision carefully. Of course, there was only one answer. Sophie was going to tell Chloe no matter what Heather M. said, at least this way she would have control over the situation. She'd have to make absolutely sure that didn't change.

"Fine," she said finally. "It's not like she can do anything without the coin, anyway. But she has to keep it a secret."

Sophie eagerly led the others back to Chloe and Heather S.

"Hey, Chloe. We're going to take you somewhere that will explain everything," Sophie said in a needlessly soothing voice.

Chloe glared suspiciously at Heather M. who returned the look. "Yeah, I guess I have a few questions."