Come on It’s not that bad Maddie laughed I think slumber parties stink big time but I’m glad you’re having fun Really Maddie was stunned to hear Holden say something so kind Maybe all the time they spent together in fairy tales had made him more thoughtful Holden shrugged Not really but I told my mom I’d be nice to you and she’s upstairs wrapping my present right now so y’know Maddie smiled Well I think hoverboards stink big time but I hope you get one Aw thanks Holden said ripping off a chunk of pizza with his teeth As Maddie turned to leave their parents entered Carol held something behind her back You weren’t kidding Carol said to Greg They really are getting along Holden flashed a charming grin Why of course We’re like brother and sister Maddie struggled to control her impulse to roll her eyes She knew it was all an act so he could get the hoverboard Carol smiled Since you’re in such a good mood maybe now’s a good time to give you something Holden stepped forward Why whatever could it be A birthday present of some kind Well I don’t think there’s anything I want is there Carol sighed Honey I know you wanted a hoverboard but Holden stopped smiling But what he said His voice was sharp with anger Greg decided to step in and deliver the bad news We decided they’re just too dangerous Broken bones blood permanent scars And the way they sometimes burst into flames That’s why I want one Holden protested Well I think you’re really going to love what we got you Carol held out a small box barely the size of her hand Open it What is that Holden said stepping forward He quietly took the box out of his mom’s hand flipped it over and inspected it All at once the anger came rushing back to his face If it’s not a hoverboard he said it’s garbage He threw the present across the room into the trash can where it landed on top of a
bunch of pizza crusts and soda cups Then he bolted out of the room Holden Benjamin Carol shouted Whoa Maddie thought She must really be mad if she used his middle name Let him go Greg said resting his hand on Carol’s shoulder Maddie couldn’t believe they were going to let him run away so she followed him instead When she got to the living room she found him standing in the middle of her friends ranting angrily I hope you’re enjoying your miserable party he said Because let me tell you what’s wrong with Aladdin What kind of guy gets three wishes and uses them to become a prince and to have some princess fall in love with him No guy I’ve ever known Being a prince sounds lame No thanks And if the genie’s been in the bottle for tens of thousands of years why isn’t he a Neanderthal He should be talking like someone with a primitive brain like Duh what you wish Most of all though any halfway-intelligent person knows to exploit the three-wish loophole What’s that Maddie asked The loophole is that you can use one of your wishes to wish for infinite wishes then the genie is yours forever But that’s mean Maddie said So Holden shrugged Genies aren’t people They’re made to serve us Any genie would probably be thrilled to have you wish for infinite wishes Carol and Greg entered to see what Holden was shouting about He looked directly at them And once you wish for infinite wishes your second wish should be for no parents He charged upstairs leaping three steps at a time so he’d be gone as fast as possible The last thing everyone heard was the sound of his door slamming followed by loud rock music blasting Holden was officially calling an end to this birthday
Chapter 2 There was no sign of Holden for the rest of Maddie’s party He wasn’t there for belly dancing or Pin the Hump on the Camel and he wanted nothing to do with the movie they watched about the two sick teenagers who fell in love Maddie and her teary friends went through three full boxes of tissues during that one When he failed to come down for cake Maddie knew he must be in serious mope mode Carol had made each of the birthday kids their own cake just the way they asked for it Holden’s had black frosting and a scary clown face on it Instead of Happy birthday the icing spelled out Holden rulz But he refused to come down to blow out the candles I guess we’ll just save this until he’s feeling up for it Carol said putting Holden’s cake in the fridge Looks like your birthday wish already came true Maddie Tasha joked as Maddie leaned in to blow out her candles Your stepbrother disappeared All the girls laughed but Maddie felt a pit in her stomach As much as Holden drove her nuts it pained her to think he was spending his birthday sulking in his bedroom alone She knew exactly how it felt to want something and to be told she couldn’t have it When she was little she begged her dad for a fancy doll that he said was just too expensive Then there was the home makeover kit that her dad wouldn’t buy her because he didn’t think she was old enough for makeup Maddie took a deep breath and settled on the perfect wish I wish Holden could get everything he wants for his birthday she thought to herself and with one big exhale she wiped out all twelve candles on her cake By 11 00 Maddie’s dad had changed out of his genie costume and into his pajamas Now I get to grant my own wish he cracked for some peace and quiet As he and Carol went upstairs Maddie whispered an apology to her friends Ugh
my dad’s jokes are the worst Now on their own the girls celebrated their freedom by making microwave popcorn dimming the living room lights and telling ghost stories It was a night just like this one in a town not far away Diana Lopez whispered shining a flashlight on her face The moon was full the air was still and it was one hundred years to the day that the worst tragedy ever in the town had happened Everyone leaned in to hear the gruesome tale except Maddie who was distracted by a faint light coming from upstairs in Holden’s bedroom He was still awake probably still miserable As she watched her friends huddle together in fear she knew just what would cheer up her stepbrother the chance to sneak in and scare them All he’d have to do is hide until a tense moment in one of the stories and then jump out and scream Boo It would actually be kind of funny so she quietly slipped away to give him the idea She made her way upstairs to his bedroom but before she even had a chance to knock on the door he croaked Go away But I have an idea Maddie said You could really freak all the girls out Not interested Holden said Good night Maddie sighed I’m sorry about the hoverboard I still think they should’ve just bought you one I should’ve asked my dad Holden replied He would’ve gotten me one Maddie’s heart sank She had forgotten about Holden’s father Not hearing from him all day certainly wasn’t helping Holden’s mood Come on we’re telling ghost stories Maddie said I’ll bet you know some good ones Holden responded by turning on loud rock music He obviously didn’t want her sympathy and he didn’t want to be cheered up He just wanted to be alone Even though she knew he couldn’t hear her Maddie whispered Happy birthday through the door Then she turned around and went back to her party Holden couldn’t quite make out anything the singer was saying He wasn’t really
