«Ginger, where are the sauces?» my mother asked, craning her neck «They were right here the other day, now they moved them»

«They didn't move them» I sighed «There's always been toilet paper here»

«Don't you remember?»

«No, Mom, I remember, that's why I know there's always been toilet paper here and not sauces, and look? That's right: there's no sauce. The sauces are four aisles away»

«Listen, smart-ass» my mother gritted her teeth, her voice rising, full of acid notes like a bottle of lemon juice «If you're going to answer me like that, then you better not answer me at all!»

«But... what did I say?»

«You know what you said, don't play dumb. And don't look at me with that face»

«What face?»

«That asshole face of yours».

Of course, the sauces were actually four aisles away. My mother grabbed a few cans of her favorite, a tomato sauce so sweet it was almost ketchup, with bacon bits.

«Can I...?» I asked, pointing to a sauce I liked, with tuna and basil.

My mother's eyes blazed, the wrinkles that creased at the sides of her lids looked like cooking lines, a Maillard reaction happening right there, before my eyes.

«What's that rubbish?» she asked, almost hissing

«Tuna sauce»

«With fish? Disgusting. It'll stink up the house. Oh my God, how come you always like these disgusting things with fish?»

«Fish is very good for you. It's rich in omega-3s and has a lot of protein...»

«Don't get so cheaply philosophical with me» she growled, passing behind me with the cart «That disgusting thing has no place in our house».

"That disgusting thing." She was talking about a tomato sauce with tuna and basil. Well, she must have been offended because I was right about the sauces, so I let it slide, while I kept telling myself that soon, very soon, I would leave that horrible place.

My brothers had moved away, they had gone to look for bait to fish. They had never taken me with them, even though I had asked, and they even excluded me from discussions about fishing, dodging, asking me stupid questions about things they didn't care about, making me understand that I was not, and never would be, welcome.

«Go get the tampons» My mother ordered me, as the phone in her pocket began to ring.

I understood: she didn't want me to hear her talking to Jess; she was probably going to gossip about Dad and me. I gladly walked away, hands in my pockets.

The supermarket was one of the few places I could be alone, even if only for a little while, and for that I was grateful: among walls of fruit juices and energy drinks, I could finally breathe. A little.

And it was there that I met the person who would change my life. Literally.

By accident, I hit a can of energy drink with my shoulder. It was a... strange mistake. I didn't feel like I was that close to the shelves, yet I hit the can, and it fell to the floor with a thud, dented, rolled, and began to spray pressurized liquid.

I cursed under my breath, hoping no one had seen me, and bent down to grab the can, but something other than the strawberry-mango flavor was gushing from inside: light. A red light began to grow, rising and shaping into the shape of something solid.

A goat, it looked to me, but only for an instant, because the shape of red light rose on two feet and appeared like a human body, which slowly darkened, until I had before me a person who seemed to be made of flesh and blood.

He stood with his hands in his pockets and looked at me from under a fringe of curly, defined, perfect hair; he wore it cut short at the sides. Incredibly elaborate gold earrings decorated his pointed ears.

He wore Turkish trousers, and over the trousers what appeared to be a short black skirt, all decorated with red and gold arabesques. His torso was covered by a shirt, cinched at the waist with a thick gold sash from which hung jewels, and over the shirt a vest that seemed encrusted with rubies and diamonds. I had never seen anyone dressed like that.
I swallowed. I must have been completely crazy, because I really felt like someone had come out of an energy drink can I'd accidentally thrown on the ground.

«My regards. Sir or madam?» He asked, smiling, showing off very white teeth, canines that seemed drawn on, shaped like two small, graceful peeled almonds. His voice vibrated, alternating, it sounded like a man's, like a woman's, maybe a child's.

«Miss» I replied, my throat feeling dry.

He (or maybe she?) performed a bow that I could only describe as "beautiful," his elegant hand twirling in the air and moving away from his torso to complete a wave, just as he (or she) bowed his head. Their head? Its head?

«I am a genie» They said «And I can grant you one wish».

I looked at them without speaking. I must have fallen asleep somewhere, and that was a dream; there was no other possibility. Perhaps. The genie smiled ironically, noticing my silence.

«I understand that only one wish seems like not much» he said again «But it is a wish that has no limits or boundaries, that has no rules. I don’t offer three wishes, like other genies; I offer you only one, but it can be anything»

«Anything… anything?» I inquired. If that crazy dream was happening to me, I might as well try to have some fun.

The genie nodded, their earrings dancing in their earlobes, flashing. I noticed their eyes were red.

«Anything» They replied «I can kill someone, if that’s what you want. I can bomb a country. I can bring the dead back to life. I can even give you love, if you wish»

«Love?».

Their smile was mischievous, the dark skin curling at the corners of his mouth. It was beautiful, and I was afraid.

«Love is what every human wants» They whispered «Even in hell, a man sings if he has someone who loves him. And you? Is there anyone you wish would love you?»

«I... yes. Yes, I think so»

«I knew it»

«What should I do?»

«You must formulate your wish, and it will come true. Be careful to spell it out so I can understand»

«Spell it out?»

«Yes. For example, if you wanted—I don't know—every snail in the world to love you, you could say out loud:» they gave a little cough, to clear their voice «'I wish that all the snails in the world would love me.' Even if it's not much of a desire, snails aren't good at feeling love» they shrugged «But they'd follow you around and drool over you. If that's what you want»

«Can I... can I say what I want?»

«Yes. Just remember to say the word 'desire' first, so I know it's a desire and not a normal conversation between us»

«Ah»

«Take all the time you need, I'm in no hurry».

I took a deep breath. I couldn't take it anymore, I was in a hurry.

«I want to be the person Shane O'Puck loves most in the world!».

The genie looked at me, clasping their long fingers together. They raised their chin slightly. Their large red eyes were glowing, the same color as the light that had earlier come out of the can.

«Your wish is my command, Ginger Herring» They said smoothly.

I felt a sharp tug in my chest, the floor becoming hot under my feet, then nothing.