The Downsides Of Popularity ✓

Chapter 02

A NIGHTMARE (?)

  'What in God's name- I- Who are you uh- ma'am?', I manage to ask through my stuttering and stammering. My eyes are transfixed on the lady who has suddenly shown up in my room after the golden sparks of light have subsided. She's standing in front of me, a smile on her face, in purple robes, dark brown hair tied in a bun, and big, round silver-framed glasses resting on her freckled nose. Her cheeks turn pink as she introduces herself, 'I'm Ms Walker, my dear. I'm your Guardian Witch who has come to grant you your wish!'

'My wish? Guardian- Hang on a second... this is a prank, right? Even though I don't have anyone- on my already short friend list -who would prank me though and-' Ms Walker interrupts me and says, 'Oh dear, No, No! This is not a prank! I know it is quite difficult to take in all at once so please have a seat and I'll uh-', she looks around, probably in search of a chair so I ask her to sit on the armchair in the corner of my room and she gratefully accepts the offer. I sit down on the edge of the bed, my brain overflowing with all possible permutations and combinations of a rational explanation.

'Now, as I was saying, I'm a Guardian Witch or more precisely your Guardian Witch. We have a huge coven of "The Guardians" with many sub-covens and even more smaller covens, spread out all over the globe. Each baby, when born, is assigned to a Guardian Witch who is meant to grant protection and good fortune to the child. There is one extra benefit included in it- being granted a wish asked on the night of the date of birth in any month! And since today is the 20th of November and you looked at the stars and made a wish-the exact way to do it- I am here to make it come true!', Ms Walker says accompanied by adequate facial expressions and hand gestures while I sink more into my bed with every word, 'cause of my incapability to understand them.

'This- as much as I feel all of this is a dream, I don't want it to be...?', my sentence ending in a note of uncertainty.

'This is very much real dear', she replies with a gentle smile.

'Okay... But what wish did I make?', I ask feeling a bit foolish for forgetting my own wish.

'To be popular of course! A wish made by many before you including one of your classmates- uh, what was her name? Kriti something-'

'Kriti Oberoi?', I cut her in between and utter her name (bitter on my tongue just like always) in disbelief. 'Yes! She made a similar wish when she was in Grade 4 and decided to continue living in it for the rest of her days,' Ms Walker says, nodding her head.

'That's how she became the apple of the eye?', I whisper to myself, disgusted. 'So you can grant me my wish to become one of the famous girls in the school?', I ask stupidly.

'Yes! I can make you popular for 7 days to give you the experience of it all and then if you want, I'll make you popular for the rest of your life!', Ms Walker says with much excitement.

'So... how do we start?'

***

Birds chirping.
The Sun is shining.
Anything different?