“Wait, tell me who you are!” I call out after him. What’s with all the secrecy? “I don’t know what’s so hard about this. I wish you’d give me a straight answer!” I throw my hands in the air and turn to go back to the kitchen with a sigh. Boys.
I hear the boy inhale; then he gives a halfhearted laugh as I head down the hallway.
“As you wish,” he murmurs.
I turn around.
I know that. I know something about that.
I return to the greenhouse door. The boy is still standing on the opposite side of the room. My eyes dart to Lawrence, who is staring at me with a hopeful glint in his eyes.
“I know that,” I say. “I know that, but not you. But it’s familiar.” I step into the greenhouse, and the scent of honey and spices floats around me. “I know all of this,” I murmur. Something strange is happening; it’s like Lawrence and the stranger have dredged up memories that are hidden, veiled, like the memory of a dream. The harder I try to remember, the more the memory escapes me.
“I know…” My voice is shaking a little in confusion. Lawrence’s eyes flit between me and the boy. “I know…Caliban. Something named Caliban.” Caliban? What’s a Caliban? Why can’t I remember…?
“Yes,” the boy says breathily and takes several steps closer.
“And…” Something else. There’s more—what is it? “And…the carnival. And me and Lawrence, our campfire a few weeks ago. I want to say you were there…”
“Yes.” He takes another step. I stay put.
“And…” I hesitate.
“There’s more,” the boy says.
“That’s it. That’s all I remember,” I reply, shaking my head. I look down at the bouquet of roses, still sitting on the end table. When I raise my eyes to look at the boy again, he’s gazing at me with incredible intensity. His eyes are strange, almost like an animal’s eyes—perhaps a deer’s or a wolf’s. He extends a hand toward me, palm open.
“That’s all I remember,” I repeat, but my voice is now a whisper. There’s more, I know there’s more. I just can’t see it. I look at the boy’s hand and realize that, without intending to, I’m lifting my own hand. The boy watches my fingers hungrily as they near his.
I don’t know him.
My hand makes contact with his. He wraps his fingers around mine and takes a step closer. Why am I doing this? I don’t know him. He looks down into my eyes like he’s reading something off the back of my irises. He takes my other free hand into his own.
I shake my head. I don’t know him. But his eyes are deep, his skin soft….
“Viola,” he says, in a voice so soft, I almost don’t catch it.
I inhale sharply.
“Jinn.”
The word leaves my mouth as a hopeful whisper. Jinn. I know this, I know all of this. I remember. Feelings and thoughts and memories slam into my mind, so overwhelming and brilliant that I can scarcely breathe.
I gasp for air. “Jinn,” I repeat, though this time the words are pleading.
Jinn’s concerned expression dissolves, and he wraps his arms around me. I bury my face into the blue silk of his ifrit uniform. Lawrence gives a content sigh as Jinn runs a hand over my hair, and I laugh because if I don’t, I’ll sob.
It’s several moments before I can even speak. “I forgot you,” I say between shaky breaths.
“No, you didn’t. The memory was just covered up. No magic can truly erase memories; it just…disguises them. Unless something is strong enough to reveal the truth.”
I nod, but can only get one sentence to emerge from my lips: “You came back.” I look into his eyes, very aware of how much like a little girl I sound. I don’t care.
Jinn smiles and shakes his head, then touches my cheek tenderly. He looks into my eyes for a moment, then glances at the end table. “I was going to get you light pink roses. Admiration, friendship, romance.”
“I always wanted someone to bring me flowers,” I say. Though of course, he already knew that. “Why roses in every color then?”
Jinn blushes so deeply that it’s visible despite his dark skin. He looks at the ceiling. “Because you…” He looks back into my eyes. “Because you’re more to me than a single color of rose can express. You’re my missing piece, Viola. I love you.”
My heart swells. I inhale and pull Jinn so close that I can feel his breath on my face.
“I thought jinn didn’t fall in love?” I murmur, unable to contain a smile.
He laughs lightly, eyes glittering. “So did I.”
And then we kiss, holding each other, while above the greenhouse roof the stars gleam in the night.
Acknowledgments
THE ACT OF writing might be a solitary process, but the act of becoming a writer most certainly is not. A handful of people is responsible for aiding me on the journey from novice storyteller to published author, people whose guidance I would be lost without. So, I’d like to thank:
My parents, for their continued support, love, and enthusiasm, and for always encouraging me to hold fast to my dreams. Also, for doling out books like candy and allowing me plenty of late-night writing sessions. You made me strong enough to handle the journey.
My sister, Katie, for her support, laughter, and a lifetime of good memories.
My grandparents, for believing I can do anything—and convincing me of the same.
“The Box” group for making my high school experience beautiful and never doubting my ambition.
My students, both past and present, who are the greatest teachers I could ever ask for.
Jaclyn Dolamore for her wise words and support for As You Wish from its very first incarnation.
The 2009 Debutantes and everyone at the Blue Boards for providing shoulders to lean on and a pat on the back when I needed it most.
My agent, Jenoyne Adams, and my editor, Kristin Daly—co-conspirators in making my childhood dreams come true.
Michael O. Riley and Susan Atefat-Peckham, for giving me faith in the young-adult genre and in myself.
John Hersman, Jason Mallory, and Elizabeth Hartman, for their long-term acceptance of my craziness and their continued support from one manuscript to the next.
Copyright
AS YOU WISH. Copyright © 2009 by Jackson Pearce. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Pearce, Jackson.
As you wish / Jackson Pearce.—1st ed.
p. cm.
Summary: When a genie arrives to grant sixteen-year-old Viola’s wish to feel she belongs, as she did before her best friend/boyfriend announced that he is gay, her delay in making wishes gives her and the mysterious Jinn time to fall in love.
ISBN 978-0-06-166152-5
[1. Self-esteem—Fiction. 2. Popularity—Fiction. 3. Genies—Fiction. 4. Wishes—Fiction. 5. High schools—Fiction. 6. Schools—Fiction. 7. Artists—Fiction. 8. Homosexuality—Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.P31482As 2009 2008044033
[Fic]—dc22 CIP
AC
EPub Edition © March 2010 ISBN: 978-0-06-201106-0
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
25 Ryde Road (PO Box 321)
Pymble, NSW 2073, Australia
http://www.harpercollinsebooks.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
55 Avenue Road, Suite 2900
Toronto, ON, M5R, 3L2, Ca
nada
http://www.harpercollinsebooks.ca
New Zealand
HarperCollinsPublishers (New Zealand) Limited
P.O. Box 1
Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
77-85 Fulham Palace Road
London, W6 8JB, UK
http://www.harpercollinsebooks.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022
http://www.harpercollinsebooks.com
Jackson Pearce, As You Wish
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends