A strange yet attractive man appears in the city, offering everyone the fulfillment of wishes for a strange price. But soon he gets the idea to make this business fairer and more profitable for everyone. And a girl who could not find herself in this life meets this unusual man. What this meeting will lead to?

“Did you fight with your mother again?” her friend asks, meeting the girl near the house.
“Lizzy, why are you here? Do you want to argue too, while I’m inspired?” Emma walks ahead, not waiting for her friend.
“I ran into Matt, cycling nearby,” Lizzy catches up with Emma, lightly pressing the pedals so she doesn’t ride past. “He said you broke up. I wanted to hear it from you.”
“You should’ve stayed with him. You two always smile so sweetly at each other,” Emma snipes, casting a sideways glance at Lizzy.
“Why would you say that?” the sharp words hurt the sensitive girl. “We’re best friends. Starting anything with Matt wasn’t even in my thoughts.”
“Tell me honestly, if I hadn’t been dating him, .and he asked you to be his girlfriend, would you have said yes?” Emma stops and puts the brakes on Lizzy’s bicycle.
“Me and Matt?” she asks again, thinking.
“Yes, you and Matt,” Emma repeats with a smirk. “You don’t have to answer. I can tell you would’ve accepted.”
“What girl wouldn’t accept? Everyone knows how nice Matt is,” Lizzy tries to somehow soften her friend’s anger. It only makes things worse.
“Then you can all date him!” Emma kicks the front wheel of the bike. Lizzy tries to keep her balance, swerving into the road. A driver manages to swerve, passing while honking their horn down the entire street.
“You could’ve killed me!” Lizzy protests.
“Sorry, friend, natural selection,” Emma puts on her mask of arrogance again, enjoying her new essence unfolding. “You should go to your Matt. He definitely won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“And I will!” Lizzy turns the bicycle around, shifting gears as she goes, trying to get away from her friend as quickly as possible.
“You’re all the same. The second something happens, you run away, ride away, or fly away. Anything to avoid admitting your weakness,” she takes off her sneaker and kicks her neighbors’ mailbox.
“Don’t touch anything there!” the neighbor shouts from a window.
“As if I need your mailbox!” she puts her sneaker back on, calmly walking further down the street. “And actually, I don’t need any of you! I’ll go far away. We’ll see who remembers me. I definitely won’t remember you. I’ll forget and won’t recognize you if we meet!” she stops at an intersection, choosing a road.
“Will you forget your own mother too?” someone asks behind her back.
“Everyone!” she repeats angrily, turning around. “And I don’t even know you, so forgetting you will be easier.”
“I doubt that,” a man in a suit smiles slyly.
“How could you be memorable? You’re just like everyone else,” she inspects the stranger dismissively.
“It seems to me that someone was just saying they wanted to get away from everyone and forget them,” he reminds her of her words.
“What’s it to you?” she takes a step, wanting to move away from the strange man.
“You’re lucky,” he informs her with a smile. “This is your chance.”
“What chance? What are you talking about? Leave me alone!” Emma walks away.
“Wait,” the man stops her. “Take my business card. When you genuinely want to get away from everyone, call this number,” he shows her the digits on the card.
“Jeremy Hart?” Emma reads the man’s name.
“That’s right,” he holds out his hand with a smile. “A deal-maker for the ‘Compitales’ firm. The name isn’t the most important thing in our line of work.”
“What line of work?” Emma asks, looking at Jeremy’s dark eyes with distrust.
“We grant wishes,” the ‘Compitales’ employee reports cheerfully.
“I wish you would leave me alone,” the girl says with scorn.
“That wish, I’ll grant for free, as a demonstration gift. Who is that? Matt?” he points down the street.
“Matt?” Emma turns to look for her ex-boyfriend. “What Matt? You lied! There’s not a soul here,” Emma turns back, and the man is gone. “Jeremy?” she looks around. “He’s strange,” she walks right, toward where the rain clouds are gathering.

“I didn’t expect to see you so soon,” Matt greets Lizzy with a smile.
“And I didn’t think we’d see each other so soon either,” she stops her bicycle near the guy.
“Did you run into Emma?” he asks, hiding his anger and hurt.
“I wish I hadn’t,” Lizzy whispers angrily.
“What’s wrong? Did you two argue?” Matt is surprised. “That’s not like you.”
“I don’t even recognize Emma!” Lizzy bursts out, forcefully leaning her bike against a post near the diner.
“Here, let me help, or you’ll hurt yourself,” Matt fastens the chain, securing the bicycle to the post. “Don't pay attention,” he reassures her, standing up. “She’ll stress out and then calm down. You’ll make up. Tonight you’ll be laughing. Perhaps at me.”
“And what about you?” Lizzy latches onto Matt’s words. “Will you two also make up once Emma calms down?”
“I don’t think so,” he answers thoughtfully. “No. We won’t make up,” he confirms his decision. “People like her don’t need people like me.”
“And do people like you need people like her?” Lizzy asks with a smile, figuring out what he means.
“No. That’s why we broke up. It’s a shame we didn’t bring this up earlier. Come on, I’ll treat you to something,” Matt invites the girl into the diner.
“I’ll have fries and juice, please,” Lizzy orders.
“Is that all?” Matt is surprised.
“I don’t feel like anything else today,” the girl is modest.
“I’ll have the same thing,” Matt repeats the order.
“What kind of juice?” the cashier clarifies.
“Orange,” the guy says, consulting Lizzy with his eyes.
“Here you go,” the order is instantly in the customers’ hands.
“Thank you,” Matt says gratefully. “Should we eat here?” he looks at the small tables, closely packed together. “Or should we go outside?”
“Outside,” Lizzy suggests. “The weather’s nice today.”
“I knew you’d notice I wanted to go outside,” Matt smiles, walking out with the girl. “There’s a table over there,” the guy remembers. “Don’t worry about the bike. Even the local hooligans won’t touch a chain like that.”
“I sincerely hope so,” Lizzy smiles tensely. “This is my second bicycle. The first one went to another owner. They cut the thin cable while I was in the store.”
“Now I understand what made you buy a piece of metal the thickness of a thumb,” Matt laughs, sympathizing with her first loss.
“It’s better to be safe,” the girl says seriously, sitting down on the bench by the only table in the courtyard.
“That’s right,” Matt approves. “What were you talking about with Emma?”
“Can you imagine, she accused us of looking at each other this whole time,” she looks at Matt uncertainly.
“She actually said that?” the guy clarifies, bewildered.
“Exactly. She also said I should ask you out, since you don’t need people like her,” Lizzy tries to recall all her friend’s words, but fails.
“Did Emma say what kind of girl I need?” Matt asks cryptically.
“No, she didn’t say that,” Lizzy is disappointed. “You can tell me,” she suddenly shows courage.
“I’ll only tell you,” Matt smiles. “I need a girl to whom I can say anything, knowing it will stay between us. I want to trust completely. I want to give all my warmth and attention, not compete for the right to be the leader in the relationship. I need a caring girl who will take care of me just as I take care of her. I want her to feel comfortable and calm when she’s with me. I don’t want her to try to outdo the whole world, trying to show she’s better than everyone else, forcing others to feel worthless. I need someone who values herself properly, and will value me. And I will value her. I don’t know how to say everything I want. It’s complicated.”
“It definitely became clear to me that you just described the exact opposite of Emma,” Lizzy laughs.
“Yeah, I think I based it on Emma’s views, flipping them the way I need,” Matt joins in the laughter.
“What if I try to be the girl you’re looking for?” Lizzy asks cautiously, so she can claim it was a joke if necessary.
“You don’t even need to try,” Matt says softly. “Just add a little self-confidence, and you’ll be perfect,” he says, thinking. “Wait,” the message sinks in. “So you want to be my girlfriend?” he almost chokes on his juice.
“No. I’m just guessing,” Lizzy retreats from the path of confidence.
“Too bad, I would’ve been happy,” Matt turns away, drinking his juice.
“Really?” the girl asks, surprised and pleased.
“Really,” Matt confirms with a smile, putting his glass on the table. “Emma wasn’t wrong when she said we often look at each other. I noticed I looked at you more often than at her. I even thought it would have been better if I’d dated you back then instead of her.”
“Why didn’t you?” Lizzy is upset that a relationship didn’t happen back then.
“Emma showed more confidence. If she hadn’t forced the issue, I never would have dated her. But you looked at what was happening so calmly. I thought you didn’t care. And I didn’t resist,” he regrets what happened.
“So, we had a chance,” she smiles sadly.
“Now we can confidently take advantage of a new chance,” Matt says happily.
“Emma and I are friends,” Lizzy remembers and reminds him.
“She’s no longer a friend of mine,” Matt decides seriously. “And you decide what to do. Date me or go back to your spiteful friend, with whom you just argued.”
“I need to think,” such an easy decision—to start dating a guy you like and who likes you—turns into a real torture of doubts. Only because she’s friends with his ex, whom she’s not even thrilled about as a friend or a person. “If we hadn’t been friends for so many years, I would’ve decided right away.”
“I understand,” Matt accepts Lizzy’s uncertain words.
“What’s there to think about?” Emma approaches the couple. “I always knew you two talked so sweetly behind my back!” she throws a fry at Matt.
“I don’t want to accuse you of anything, but this is the result of your behavior, not ours. While we were together, it never even crossed our minds to start dating. Especially not behind your back. So, I don’t know what you’re trying to achieve. I don’t care. If you value Lizzy as a friend, stop this circus,” Matt says calmly, but inside he’s worried the friends might start fighting.
“A friend, she calls herself!” Emma sneers contemptuously, looking at Lizzy.
“Go settle your argument somewhere else!” the cashier from the diner comes out into the courtyard.
“No argument!” Emma answers sharply. “Everything is clear here anyway. For the mess,” she leaves a bill on the table.
“That’s your tip,” Matt slides the money left behind to the edge of the table.
“You can stay,” the cashier calms down. “Just be quieter.”
“Fine,” Matt shows with his whole demeanor that he’s not looking for trouble. The cashier leaves, taking the tip and the scattered fries. “Is everything clear to you now, or do you still want to talk to her?” he asks the worried Lizzy.
“What if she does something now?” the girl worries.
“If you’re so worried, run after her. My offer is still on the table. You can accept at any time,” Matt reminds her.
“Okay, I’m running,” Lizzy gets up from the bench and takes her backpack. “Thanks for dinner,” she kisses Matt on the cheek and runs off.
“I’ll call you tonight,” the guy says to the girl as she rides away.
“Okay!” she shouts, catching up to her friend.

“I should have gone the way I was going,” Emma is angry at herself, returning to the road toward the clouds that are drawing closer and closer to the houses.
“Wait!” Lizzy catches up.
“What else do you want?” Emma says without turning around. “Do you want to get hit by a car again?” she pretends to want to kick the bicycle.
“No, thanks,” Lizzy rides further away, just in case.
“Then what do you need?” she asks disgruntledly.
“Are you angry at me because I’m talking to Matt?” Lizzy asks softly.
“Do whatever you want,” Emma tries to hide her anger behind indifference.
“Understand, I like Matt. But I don’t want to lose my friend over this,” Lizzy says, justifying herself and seemingly begging for permission.
“You’ve already lost me. You don’t have to worry about that,” Emma turns into an overgrown alley, which is impossible to cycle through.
“Fine,” Lizzy stops. “Thanks for the years of friendship.” She continues walking, pushing her bike alongside her.
“Allow me to introduce myself,” a man holds out a business card, catching up to the girl. “Jeremy Hart.”
“’Compitales’,” Lizzy reads the name. “What do you want?” she returns the business card.
“The question isn’t what I want, but what you want,” he shifts his attention to the girl. “What do you desire the most?”
“I’m sick of all these complications with people!” Lizzy bursts out, venting her frustration. “Why couldn’t he have just started dating me right away, instead of my friend! And she doesn’t understand that I genuinely like Matt. One is calm, as if nothing is happening, and the other is angry at the whole world, as if everyone is set against her. She only thinks about herself!” she lifts the front wheel and slams it against the paved path with the full weight of the bicycle.
“I hope I understood correctly. You want to date the guy, and at the same time continue to be best friends with your friend?” Jeremy formulates Lizzy’s precise wish.
“Why are you so interested in this?” the girl regains her composure after the fit of anger.
“This is my job. I can grant your wish,” Jeremy smiles, persuading her.
“That’s impossible! Not with those two!” Lizzy despairs.
“Three,” Jeremy corrects. “You always forget about yourself. Others don’t think about you. At least think about yourself. I can make everyone think about you, pay attention to you, honor and respect you.”
“You talk strangely,” the girl looks at him suspiciously.
“Why strangely? Wishes exist to come true. Isn’t that right?” he discusses it as if it were trivial.
“Wishes like that don’t come true so easily,” the girl continues to doubt.
“Leave the complications to me. Your job is only to wish and wait just one moment for everything to come true. Easy and simple, something you don’t believe in,” Jeremy continues to convince her.
“Something is wrong. What’s the catch?” Lizzy’s distrust persists.
“Everything is right. Your life will improve. You and Matt will be together. You’ll continue to be friends with Emma. Everyone will love, respect, and honor you,” the man assures her.
“I didn’t tell you my friend’s name,” Lizzy notices.
“I’ll tell you a little secret,” he looks around the intersection. “I know her. Emma is seriously considering agreeing to my offer to make the impossible happen.”
“What does she want?” the girl asks forcefully.
“Forgive me. Every contract is accompanied by an eternal secret that I have no right to disclose without the client’s written consent,” Jeremy answers seriously.
“Fine, do what you say,” Lizzy agrees. “We’ll see what you can do.”
“Excellent. In that case, we just need to settle some formalities,” he pulls a thick sheet of paper with red veins from under his jacket.
“What is that?” Lizzy looks at the paper distrustfully.
“Please review the contract,” he hands it to the girl.
“It’s hot,” Lizzy shifts it from hand to hand. “How are my words on here?” she is surprised by the verbatim conversation on the sheet. “The payment is eternal work for ‘Compitales’?” she is surprised and indignant, giving the contract back.
“Everything has a price,” Jeremy smiles. “You yourself said it was impossible to do what you want. And the impossible is not cheap.”
“In that case, let it remain impossible!” Lizzy rides away.
“Until we meet again! When you find my business card, call anytime! I’ll be waiting!” Jeremy says goodbye, not leaving the intersection.
“Business card?” Lizzy repeats in a whisper, remembering that she returned it, and now it’s in her pocket.

I am not urging anyone to do anything.

All events and characters are fictional.

Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.

I sincerely apologize if I have offended anyone.

Highly Recommended Age: 18+

The author bears no responsibility for the reader's perception of the book.