Rachel’s delicate jaw clenched, but she was silent. After a few seconds, she finally stood up, holding out her hand. “We’ll agree to disagree. But for now… you’re coming with me because your birthday surprise awaits you.”
Ari smiled despite it all. “What did you do?”
Rachel grinned. “You’ll see.”
“Uh… why is there a half-naked hot guy in my living room?”
Sitting on top of a table that was covered with a vibrant blue silk tablecloth with gold tassels on the end was some buff guy dressed as a… genie?
“Strike that. Why is there a genie in my living room?” Ari turned wide-eyed to Rachel, who grinned at their surprise guest; their surprise guest who at present was holding Staci’s palm and murmuring something to her. Behind Staci was a line of girls. The guys were scattered around the room, looking a little doubtful and pissed that someone had turned the Playstation off.
“He’s here to grant us all a wish.” Rachel clapped her hands together. “Isn’t it cool? We thought we’d get, like, a psychic or something, but we came across this guy. I tried to convince him he was really a stripper trapped in a genie’s body but he wasn’t having any of that so what’s left of his clothes will unfortunately stay on.”
Thank God, Ari blushed at the mere thought of having this super tall, buff man with the bald head and gold hoop earrings naked in her house. Her father would kill her. “Question,” she murmured, her eyes washing over his bright red harem pants and Arabic curly-toed slippers. “Since when does a genie do palm readings?”
Rachel shrugged. “Oh, he’s like a psychic too.”
“I see.”
“Birthday girl is here!” Rachel suddenly announced, grabbing her by the arm. “Make way, make way.” She pulled her to a stop, shoving Staci none-too-gently out of the way. “Here,” she said to the genie guy. “This is Ari. The birthday girl.”
When Ari finally stopped glaring at Rachel for shoving Staci, she turned to look up at the guy perched crossed-legged on the table. His dark eyes sucked her in and Ari lost her breath at the sudden feeling of intensity between them. His beautiful features tightened and he reached out to her, taking her hand without permission.
“I am Rabir. What wish may I grant beautiful Ari on this special day?”
She heard giggling all around, but Ari didn’t find it so funny with his abnormally feverish hand clasped around hers. His energy seemed to flow into her, holding tight, begging her to make a wish as if it were life or death to him she did so.
“What do you wish for, Ari? Wish it inside, no words necessary, and I will make it a reality.”
Her conscious told her it was a lot of crap but her heart… her heart held on to this gimmick genie/psychic guy and it wished for something she had never even known she wanted until today.
I wish I could see my mother.
As soon as she thought it, the genie let go, a wicked smile stretching his lips. Ari stumbled at his expression, a spark of fiery red glinting in his eyes. He looked… evil.
That’s ridiculous. He’s not evil. Right? She narrowed her eyes, searching his expression for light. There was none.
She laughed nervously, shrugging it off, turning to Rachel.
“What did you wish?” Rachel grinned.
Ari took a few more steps back. “If I told you it won’t come true.”
“Oh boo you.” Her friend turned to the genie. “My turn!”
Feeling hot and thirsty, Ari snuck out of the room as the girls grew more animated about getting their wishes granted. She pulled the refrigerator door open and enjoyed the chill that wafted over her skin, trying to shake off the weird guy in her living room.
“Did you like your surprise?”
Nick. She shut the door and turned to him. “Typical Rachel to pull something this weird on my birthday.”
Nick chuckled. “The girls seem to like him.”
“That’s because Rabir is built and half-naked.”
He laughed. “Yeah.”
An awkward silence fell between them and Ari took a gulp of Diet Coke, hoping when she drew breath he’d go away. He didn’t. Still unsettled, Ari pulled out a chair and flopped down into it. “You enjoying the party?”
“I was until Rachel shut off the PlayStation.”
Ari snorted. “Yeah, sorry about that. When Rachel wants something done a certain way…”
“Yeah, I know, she was my lab partner this year.”
That made her laugh. She could just imagine how much torture that had been. She smiled sympathetically and watched his eyes brighten.
“God, you are so special, you have no idea.” Nick shook his head.
Uh oh. Ari felt her stomach roil. She did not want to do this again. “Nick—”
“No, don’t.” He held up a hand to interrupt to her. “I know you just want to be friends, Ari. I do. And I know it’s because of Creagh. So fine. Let’s be friends. Let’s hang out this summer?”