Second Star to the Fright (Disney Chills 3)

“You’re serious?” Barrie stammered, unable to believe his ears. It was a dream come true.

No homework?

“Of course, you don’t need to do schoolwork, either,” Mr. Bates said, tapping his hands on his desk. “Since you’re never going to grow up. You’re excused from that as well. Just don’t tell the other kids, okay? They might get jealous. It’ll be our little secret.”

Barrie stood there in shock. Had Mr. Bates really just said that out loud?

“Um…okay.”

Barrie returned to his desk as his teacher blinked rapidly as if snapping out of his trance. Barrie’s heart raced in excitement. This wish was even more powerful than he could have ever imagined. He’d expected that staying a kid forever would be amazing. But he didn’t expect his teacher to excuse him from doing homework. Actually, not just homework—any and all schoolwork.

When the school day ended, Barrie hadn’t done a single assignment. He had goofed off in the back of the room all day. He’d doodled cartoons in his notebook and played games on his phone while everyone else, including Michael and John, had worked hard on their lessons.

Right before the final bell, when Mr. Bates passed out their homework, he’d whisked right by Barrie’s desk.

“Hey, wanna hit the skate park?” Barrie suggested with a grin as he and his friends gathered their things.

“Ugh, we’ve got so much homework,” Michael said glumly, stuffing his papers in his bag.

“Fractions suck,” John added.

“Come on, homework can wait—let’s have some fun,” Barrie said. “What do you say?”

Michael and John looked torn. Finally, they both smiled. “Lost Boys forever!” they cheered.

As they headed home to grab their skateboards and hit the park, Barrie could feel the hook’s weight in his backpack. As long as he had it, he wouldn’t have to grow up or do homework. Of course, ever since he’d taken it, some weird, creepy stuff had been happening to him. But there was probably a perfectly logical explanation for all of it, just like in his books.

He felt a stab of guilt. He knew he should still return the hook. It was wrong to take something that didn’t belong to him. But then he thought about all the amazing things that were happening to him now that he didn’t have a birthday. No homework? For the rest of the school year? It’s not like he had to return it right away. It had been hidden for a long time, hadn’t it?

As he skated with Michael and John down their street toward the park, he felt a rush of excitement. He loved being a kid more than anything. He loved playing with his friends.

He was so glad he’d made that wish.

* * *

Barrie and his friends had so much fun at the skate park that they lost track of time. Barrie hurried home but still arrived after his curfew. His stomach twisted as he popped his skateboard into his hand and approached the front door, knowing his mom would not be happy.

The door opened before he even got there. Gulp.

“How’s it going, kiddo?” his mother greeted him with a smile. She handed him a plate of homemade cookies and a sugary soda. “Have fun with your friends at the park?”

Barrie glanced at the clock, wondering if he’d gotten the time wrong. Nope. It was clearly after seven.

“Uh, great,” Barrie said. “But won’t this ruin my dinner?” he added hesitantly. Usually, she would never let him have cookies or soda on a weeknight.

Especially not right before dinner.

“Whatever do you mean?” Mom said, blinking. Just like his teacher earlier, she wasn’t quite looking at him. “These are your two favorite treats! I baked the cookies just for you. Don’t you want them?”

Barrie studied his mother, unable to believe what he was hearing.

This spell just keeps getting stronger, he realized.

“Thanks, Mom!” Greedily, he accepted the treats from his mother. It was almost too good to be true.

“What do you want for dinner?” Mom went on, setting her hands on her hips and smiling at him. “Mac and cheese? Chicken fingers? More cookies?”

She was listing off his favorite kiddie foods, which she never made him anymore. When he was younger and a picky eater, she’d make him separate meals. He’d get chicken nuggets and fries while everyone else ate grilled chicken and rice. But for the last couple of years, he’d had to eat what everyone else was having, including “healthier” adult foods like green vegetables that tasted like dirt…or vomit.