By Maylivia Barrett

Once in a lifetime, a birthday wish came true.

Theo wished his hadn’t.

He surveyed the bustling marketplace and leaned back against the fruit vendor’s stall. Beside him, two women haggled with the farmer over the price of a clementine. He groped forward and plucked two fruits from the basket, fumbling a coin in their place. After six years, he still struggled with coordination.

It is harder when you can’t see your hand.

Theo wove through the crowd of villagers, trying to smile. No one met his gaze, as usual.

He looked down at a sudden jolt. A girl in a green dress stumbled, dropping her basket of flowers. “Oh, I’m sorry. Let me help.” He gathered her pink and yellow asters.

The girl’s eyes widened as she searched for the speaker.

Theo carefully righted the basket, now full again. He sighed and forced a smile. “Be careful now. Sometimes we don’t see our own steps.” He walked out of the crowd.

***

Six years ago, at boarding school, Theo woke on his eleventh birthday to a soaking of artichoke jelly and a fan blowing quail feathers in his face, just like every Saturday. His tormentors sang mockingly as he blew out the candles on his cake.

Theo had wished to disappear.

It came on slowly at first, creeping up his fingers and toes. Then, his hazel eyes grew large in his wispy face. Within the year, he was completely invisible.

But he didn’t want to be unseen.

No one boarded an invisible student. No one hired an invisible workman. No one smiled at an invisible stranger.

***

Amber rays stretched the clouds with color as Theo walked along the beach. He licked the clementine juice from his fingers, watching for moonrise.

“Let me go, you bullies!”

Theo’s head snapped up toward the rocks. Two rag-tag boys shoved a blindfolded girl up a rockpile. She fell with a grunt, tearing the sleeve of her green dress. It’s the girl from the market.

“Happy Birthday, Juniper!” one mocked.

“Yeah, see how you find your way home now!” The bully blew a raspberry and raced after his friend.

Theo scowled. I should have wished that bullies like those two would disappear.

Juniper pushed herself up and ripped off her blindfold. “Just wait till my daddy tans your hide, Colin!” She paused and looked around, her balled fists loosening. Her mouth quavered.

“I’m not lost.”

She sat down on the rock, shivering against the sea winds. “I’m not lost,” she repeated, hugging herself tight. “Or alone.” Tears spilled from her eyes.

Theo climbed the rockpile and sat beside her. “You’re not alone, Juniper.”

Juniper gasped. “Who said that?”

“I did.”

Her brow puckered. “But I can’t see you.”

Theo chuckled. “I know. But that’s my own fault.”

She shifted toward his voice. “Can you take me home?”

Theo sighed. “I could take you to the village, but it might be too dark by then.”

“That’s okay.” Juniper glanced at the hills. “My daddy will find me soon. Will you stay with me?”

“Sure.”

She strained her eyes, trying to visualize him. “So… why is it your fault that I can’t see you?”

Theo stared at a puddle. As their shadows stretched before them and the night wind dried Juniper’s tears, he told her his story.

“That’s why you’ve got to be careful what you wish for, birthday girl. It might just come true.”

Juniper propped her chin on her hand. “But I won’t make a wish tonight. I’ll be too late to blow out the candles on my cake.”

Theo smiled. “I’m sure they’ll wait for you. But, even if they didn’t, I’ve heard you can wish on a shooting star. That’s just as good.”

Juniper grinned and looked up. “Do you think we’ll see one tonight?”

“Maybe.”

They watched the sky darken and fade. Thump, rustle, thump. Theo looked down. Juniper was scattering the rocks between them. What is she doing?

Juniper found his hand outlined by the pebbles and seized it. “Thank you for being my friend, Theo.”

Theo’s throat felt tight. He shook it off. “You’re welcome.”

“Juniper! Where are you?”

Juniper leapt up. “I’m coming, Daddy!” She started to run, then paused and walked back to Theo. “Do you… want to be invisible?”

“No,” Theo admitted. “But it’s all right. Go on, birthday girl.”

Juniper’s eyes flashed with light. She seemed to whisper something under her breath. Then she stared—not through him but at him—and giggled. “I see you.” She turned and ran up the hills to her father.

Theo chuckled. Despite the night air, something felt warm inside him. What a silly girl. Silly, but sweet. As he pushed himself up, he glanced into a puddle. His breath caught.

Two hazel eyes in a wispy face stared back at him.

In the sky above, a shooting star fell to Earth.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Maylivia Barrett learned to lead and stand alone from a young age. As the daughter of first-generation American immigrants, she knows that standards of excellence require strength of character. Today, she writes Young Adult fantasy with depth and adventure to give the whole family dreams for the future. When not studying at the Author Conservatory, Maylivia loves tutoring fellow homeschoolers, creating beauty with music and color, and having late-night worldview dissections with her family.