Chapter 1
Someone sliced off my ear while I was saving Brody Dorsey.
Brody looked at me, guilt written all over his face. "I owe you everything. Whatever you ask for, I'll do it, no matter what."
I shook my head.
"Just make three wishes come true for me," I said.
For my first wish, I made him give me the craziest birthday ever.
He had the city's biggest electronic billboard light up with birthday wishes for me, and let fireworks fly all night long.
Evie Keith, his childhood friend, was so pissed she drank herself into the hospital over it.
For my second wish, I made Brody publicly vow at his own engagement ceremony that he wouldn't marry Evie within the next three years.
Evie was so furious she threatened to jump off the roof, but Brody still went through with it.
For my third wish, I wanted Brody to go with me to see the aurora.
Brody was curious why my last wish was so simple, but worried I'd take it back, he agreed without a second thought.
"All three wishes are done. We're square now!" I said.
Just like he wanted, I, the manipulative fake, was finally gone from his life.
After a long while, Brody found himself on the run from his enemies again, and this time, he couldn't help but think of me.
But this time, there was nothing I could do to save him.
"Eleanor, you've gone too far this time," Brody said.
Brody's lips tightened in annoyance.
"Today's the day I'm getting engaged to Evie. You shouldn't be causing trouble like this," he added.
I lowered my head, my voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm sorry, but I just can't stand by and watch you get engaged to her," I said.
If he were marrying anyone else, I wouldn't have stirred things up.
But Brody completely missed what I was really saying, acting like everything was just supposed to be this way.
"Evie and I grew up together. Our families are made for each other. Getting engaged is just what everyone expects," he said.
Suddenly, it hit him.
"Eleanor... don't tell me your third wish is for me to marry you?" he blurted out.
I saw the panic on his face and slowly shook my head.
"No, my third wish is for you to go with me to see the aurora," I said.
Brody was genuinely surprised that I'd ask for something so simple, and for a moment, I saw curiosity flicker in his eyes. Then he finally let out a huge sigh of relief.
"Alright, I promise," he said.
"After we see the aurora, Eleanor... we'll call it even between us," he added.
He sounded almost impatient, like he couldn't wait to be done with me.
I lowered my head, forcing a bitter smile.
He was terrified of having anything to do with me, the walking disaster everyone avoided.
Suddenly, his phone rang, shrill and urgent.
"Brody! Are you really abandoning me? Fine, guess there's no point in sticking around..." Evie's voice trembled with desperation.
Brody's face went pale in an instant.
"Evie! Don't do anything crazy! Hang on, I'm on my way!" he shouted.
He hung up, didn't even spare me a glance, and rushed out the door.
I didn't say a word or try to stop him.
After all, they were the real couple.
I walked home in silence, back to my scrapyard.
Three months ago, I first ran into Brody in this very place.
I was crushing plastic bottles under my feet when he staggered in, pale as a ghost, blood dripping down from his forehead.
"Help me, someone's after me..." he gasped.
I looked up, met his eyes, and didn't hesitate for a second. I agreed to help him.
I grew up on these streets, and I knew how to handle myself when things got rough.
So I stashed him away quick, grabbed a metal pipe, started banging it around to make a racket, and took off in the opposite direction.
The guys chasing him caught up fast, surrounding me, four or five of them, all waving gleaming knives.
"Did you see a guy run in here?" one of them demanded.
I pointed in the opposite direction.
"He went that way..." I said.
The leader didn't buy it at all and waved for his crew to start searching the place.
Panic shot through me, and I did something stupid. I actually tried to block them with my body.
"This is my place! You can't just barge in and tear up my stuff!" I shouted.
That set them off. One of them swung his knife in a flash, catching my arm as I tried to shield myself.
"Damn, you've got a death wish!" he snarled.
I was no match for all of them alone. They beat me to the ground, pain shooting through my whole body, hot blood blurring my vision and streaking down my face.
"You don't listen? Guess you don't need that ear anymore!" one of them spat.
The cold steel sliced against my left ear. I screamed, the agony so sharp I almost passed out.
Thinking I was done for, and coming up empty-handed, they cursed under their breath and stormed off in the wrong direction.
Later, Brody took me to the hospital. Every word he spoke was heavy, like he was making a solemn vow.
"I owe you my life. From now on, whatever you ask of me, I'll do it," he said.
I barely managed to shake my head, my voice thin and weak.
"No... you don't have to go that far. Just grant me three wishes, that's enough," I whispered.
That was what my adoptive mom taught me.