Anne burst through the front door, her cheeks flushed with excitement and adrenaline.
"I wish—ugh, I wish—I could just rewind that whole day!" she groaned, tossing her bag onto the couch and pacing the living room. "I wish Brittany would trip over her own ego, I wish Daniel had actually shown up, I wish—"
A swirl of golden mist shimmered in the air, and Zahir materialized mid-float, arms crossed and eyebrows raised.
"Careful," he said, voice smooth and teasing. "You're throwing around 'I wish' like confetti. You're out of magic, remember?"
Anne froze. "Wait… what?"
Zahir landed gently on the floor, his robes fluttering around him like silk. "Three wishes. You've used them all. Confidence, perfection, and Brittany's flu. That's the full set."
Anne blinked. "Seriously? That was the last one?"
Zahir nodded. "No more reality-bending. You're officially just a girl again."
Anne groaned and flopped onto the couch. "Great. So now I have no magic, no date, and no clue who I'm going to the fair with."
Zahir tilted his head, watching her with a curious expression. "You still want to go?"
Anne shrugged. "I mean… yeah. I bought tickets. Mira's going with some guy from her old school. Daniel's probably going with his teammates. I don't want to sit at home like some tragic wallflower."
Zahir floated closer, his expression shifting into something unexpectedly soft. "You could take me."
Anne blinked. "You? But… you can't go outside. People can't see you."
Zahir grinned, and then—without warning—his body shimmered with golden light. The robes vanished, replaced by dark jeans, a fitted black shirt, and a leather jacket that looked like it belonged in a magazine. His hair tousled perfectly, his skin glowed faintly, and his eyes—still that piercing amber—sparkled with mischief.
Anne's jaw dropped. "What the—Zahir?!"
He gave a mock bow. "Ta-da. Human mode. Temporary, of course. But convincing enough for a night out."
Anne stared at him, her heart doing a weird little flip. "You look… different."
Zahir smirked. "Handsome? Ravishing? Devastatingly charming?"
Anne rolled her eyes, but her cheeks were pink. "You look like trouble."
He stepped closer, offering his hand. "So, what do you say? Want to take your genie to the fair?"
Anne hesitated, her gaze locked on his. This was insane. This was reckless. This was… kind of perfect.
She took his hand.
"Let's go."