My name is Val Vaughn, until now my life has been boring. Growing up in the sticks with a mum and dad who live at home. Dad works as a statistical analysis and data reconfiguration manager and spends most of his day in his home office. We weren’t rich but we never wanted for much. I had two siblings, both younger who I loved dearly. They were, Link and Kai who were both nine-year-old twins.

Yes, my parents have a weird naming sense. I experienced what most people of my generation have which was depression whenever looking to the future. I was eighteen and unable to go to college since I knew I would just end up dropping out and wasting my parents’ money. And even if I did then, I would be in the same position as I was now. Unable to buy a house or do anything that would make me what social media would call successful.

I was mindlessly browsing my phone as I got a text from Lucas, it asked if I could help Sandra and him to study since they were from the year lower than me, they were taking their final tests in the next few months, and I had gotten a large amount above average. I just sent back a ‘Sure, where?’

A few minutes later he sent back, ‘Were at the library at the moment.’ I just sent a thumbs up and popped my head into the front room where mum was taking her break since both of my siblings were playing on their Xbox’s in the basement while she watched her sitcom. I then said, “Mum, I’m popping out for a bit, see ya.’

She just waved and said, “Bye honey. You know the rules…” While saying this she remained transfixed with her show. Honestly, where was humanity heading. I shook my head as I grabbed my keys as I pulled the screen on the backdoor shut to keep the great mosquito swarm out, that appear between March and October in the South.

I straddled the seat on my bike and pushed down the Kickstarter. I didn’t want a car since it would be a lot more financial burden on my family while me using the car, we already had was also a problem since we lived a way out of town, and I wanted a bit of independence. I pulled out of the drive and my bike made a loud purring noise as it soared down the highway as if it was flying.

I pulled up at the library which had Romanesque pillars of some stone to make it look fancy. I walked in and walked to a row of tables which had several students studying at. Both Sandra and Lucas were studying diligently. They were both going places.

To be honest, I could probably go as far as getting a doctorate in physics or something else interesting, but the school system in general was terrible and I only made it through high school because I didn’t want to upset my parents. I stuck to myself in school but that stopped when I went into my sophomore year where two students joined from a different middle school then I went to.

Lucas and Sandra were both the embodiment of what you would call the kids who grew up next to each other and eventually fell in love with each other, living the rest of their lives happily together, but they were both to nerdy to have realised that yet, maybe I should give them a push.

They both looked at me when I arrived, and they simultaneously had their jaws drop. As I sat next to Lucas he whispered in my ear, “Dude, since when did you have muscles.” Sandra just nodded rapidly with his question.

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“Well, since finishing a year ago I’ve been throwing a few weights around when I get bored. It was better than just scrolling my socials all day.” I said in a hushed tone while shrugging.

Sandra then piped up in a meek tone and said, “But compared to before, you now look like…” She turned away with a blush on his face. I then looked at my arms and realised that it had actually improved a lot from a year ago. I just hadn’t noticed, due to gradual improvement and combined with me usually wearing hoodies or of jumpers probably led to this situation.

I mean they weren’t body builder or even thick, but they were something to be proud of. I just flexed my arms and then said, “Come on, what are you struggling with so much that you had to call me over for.” They showed me an equation and it was a doozy. I rubbed my hands together as we began our tutoring session.

We spent the next few hours with them studying and me explaining stuff to them that was complicated while I read the first few chapters of random webnovel I found since a couple of the ones I read had ended or where on a hiatus. I found one about a guy who had a mysterious app appear on his phone which would give him news articles from the next day. It was pretty much a shallow power fantasy, and I lost interest after the first four chapters and moved on.

I hated most of this stuff but there was something about being whisked off to another world, gaining a strange ability or peeling back the layer that makes a reality like our own seem normal while being completely different on the inside.

Maybe it was the sense that these worlds had a path or a way they went and that provided a comfort in a way, maybe that everything bad that happen in real life was just a plot that led to something better by some being in a higher dimension. I checked the time and realised it as almost seven. I put my phone on the table with some force and said, “I’m hungry, you guys want pizza?”

They both just nod and pack up their study things. As we head out the library, twilight is approaching as I see the sun just about to clip the horizon. By the pond is a girl standing with who I assume to be her dad saying. “Daddy, can we make a wish.”

Both Lucas and Sandra stopped when they saw the well and shrugged as Lucas says. “It can’t hurt can it.” I just slump my shoulders and say, “Dude. If you feel like wasting a dime, go ahead.” I glanced down at the well and saw dozens of dimes which all were covered in green algae or rusting. No one ever used this to through wishes in anymore.

Sandra passed me a dime and said, “Do it with us.” We walked over to the fountain and heard as the little girl said whole tossing the coin into the fountain. “I want daddy to be happy again.” The man just slumped his shoulders as he picked up the ten-year-old and said, “Honey, I’m fine. I just miss mummy that’s all.”

We all smiled slightly at that as the father walked away from the fountain. We each tossed in our dimes and they both wished to pass their exams. I tossed mine in and said, “Free Pizza”. Lucas then shrugged and said, “Even if this doesn’t work, at least it’s a confidence boost for the exam.”

We then all started walking towards the pizza place down the road. As we did the water in the fountain began to ripple as the sun top finally set below the horizon. A purple glow simmered from within as invisible tendrils of energy escaped.

When we arrived at the pizza place, we saw Marco, the owner talking down the landline phone, loudly. “You little shit. You think this is funny. Ho…” He seemed to stop and slam the phone down. As I approached the counter he said, “Ah, kids. How would you like some free pizza. This jerk decided to not show up for his collect order. He pushed two large pizza boxes over the counter and headed back to the kitchen. I just shrugged as I realised that my wish had come true. FREE PIZZA. I chuckled lightly as we sat at one of the tables and I said as they both sat, “Guess, my wish came true. Maybe your will.”

We all just chuckled as we talked about the latest shows and other random stuff. Once done, I waved them off as they got into the old Nissan Micra that Sandra owned and me my bike and headed in opposite directions.

As I tried to sleep, one thought could not leave my mind. ‘What if it actually was a wishing well.’