When you wish upon a star

Chapter 4

Aden's POV~

I heard the front door slam shut and the floor creaked as my father walked across it.
Then there was the routine, "hey honey. how was your day?" exchange between he and my mother followed by a sloppy kiss.
I lay in my bed propped up against the wall by my pillow. not wanting to talk to anyone.
Unfortunately that didn't last long.
My father skipped going to the secret room across the wall from my bedroom and came in, walking over to stand by my bed.
I pulled one earbud out and looked up at him.
"Yes?" i asked and sighed heavily.
"Your mother and I would like to talk to you in the living room." he said solemnly and stuck his hands in his pockets.
"If you're going to try to explain something concerning sex to me save it. i know things." i rolled my eyes and took my other earbud out.
"No its much better than that." my dad chuckled before walking out of the room.
"Whatever." i sighed and heaved myself out of bed.
First i went to the bathroom and stared at the boy in the mirror for a minute or two.
He had flat blond hair that fell over the side of his forehead.
Blue eyes that had long ago lost their sparkle.
And a face that looked as if he never smiled or got a proper night's sleep.
The boy was me.
I am Aden Michael Richards.
Little did i know i was about to embark upon something that would literally change my life forever.
Not in a cheesy way, or like sappy movies use it, but in a literal way.
I ran a few fingers through my hair and yawned before lazily pushing my bedroom door open and walking downstairs to the living room.
"Ah, there you are Aden!" my mother called and patted an empty spot on the couch.
I nodded slowly and started walking.
My dad came barreling out of the secret room behind me, almost knocking me over with the door.
"Margret! We've got one! just in time too!" he shouted and ran out to the couch.
"Got one wha-" i was interrupted by my mother clapping and cheering.
I took my chance at my parents being distracted and peeked into the secret room.
All my life my parents had kept it's contents hidden from me.
"What's so special about it?" i muttered and slipped my fingers in the crack in the door my father had left upon rushing out.
There was a dull blue light making the room darker than it probably should have been.
And screens everywhere.
Lining the walls and propped up around a desk with two chairs.
In front of each chair was a webcam.
The screens were all off except for one.
It was fizzing like when you watched a video tape and it got to the end.
Then i heard the voice of a young girl.
"I wish..." it kept saying before the audio fizzed out.
I started walking towards the fizzing screen to see if i could figure out what the hell was going on.
"Aden!" my dad's booming voice stopped me dead in my tracks.
I rushed out of the secret room and clicked the door shut behind me.
"Dad, i can explain!" i said quickly.
"Forget the awkward talk on the couch with your mother and I, we need to show you something." he put a hand on my shoulder and led me back towards the secret room.
"Before we go in your mother has a few things to say." he said and put a hand on the doorknob.
"Aden..." i felt a hand on my free shoulder and looked up to see my mom smiling at me.
"You're not going to understand right away but i need you to answer these questions." she said calmly.
"O-okay." i stammered.
"Do you promise to never tell anyone but your assigned wish-maker about our agency?" she asked.
Agency? assigned wish-maker? the fuck?
"Sure. i promise." i shrugged.
"And do you promise to never give up on making his, hers or their wish come true?" She asked. was it me or did she grip my shoulder tighter with each question?
"Um, i have no idea what the hell you're talking about but okay, i promise." i replied and nodded. pretending to be reverent and understanding.
"Last question. i promise. and do you promise to never ever let anyone but fellow agents into rooms like this?" she asked.
I nodded but said nothing.
Both parents let go of my shoulders and my father pushed the door open.
"Welcome to the star watch." my dad grinned and waived his arm inviting my gaze to look all around.
"Come again?" i asked and raised one eyebrow.
"Your mother and I are part of a secret agency. it all works sort of on the basis of an alternate universe. each of these screens are connected to a star in our sky. when people make wishes on stars the wishes are recorded and sent to that star's screen for an agent to read. that agent is then assigned to that wish and is not allowed to give up until the wish comes true." he explained as he sat down at the desk.
That must be why my father always wore that stupid 'when you wish upon a star' shirt.
"So you guys stalk people who ask the sky for shit?" i laughed sarcastically.
"Oh it's much better than that." my mother smiled and tapped a few fingers on the fizzing screen.
"We make people happy." she said.
The screen stopped fizzing. first it went black and then it turned on again.
Displayed on it was the image of a girl about my age sitting under an open window with her knees drawn up to her chest.
Her short brown hair was a mess and dark makeup filled tear streaks were running down her cheeks.
"Tonight, one of our star watches picked up this girl's wish." my mother said before turning the screen off again.
"Just in time too." my father stood up again from his desk.
"Tonight, you become an agent. tonight, you are assigned your first wish...."