Shay Reunited With Her Friends

Friday came, proceeding much like the other days since Chris Harper was gifted the ring and made his wishes. The sole and notable exception being that Chris arrived home first, having received a text message from Shay stating "Sorry short notice, hanging with the girls, be home for dinner".

Meaning Chris' latest wish seemed to have worked perfectly.

The fruits of his labours soon revealed themselves, too, as about an hour after he arrived home, Chris heard the front door open, immediately followed by the sound of multiple footsteps and that of several female voice. "Dad! I'm home!" Shay called out, to put a point on the obvious. "The girls came with me, but don't worry, you don't have to feed them, they just wanted to say 'hi'."

As Chris followed the sound of chatting girls to his front door, he reflected for a moment regarding Shay's very eclectic friend group. She had befriended most of these girls when they were quite young, before they had really began to develop as people, choosing their hobbies, so and so forth, and it was remarkable that (for the most part) they hadn't drifted apart, even as they were **** to navigate the shark-infested waters of high school.

Standing front and centre in the loose group of girls was Jasmine Mason, Shay's best friend, the two currently sharing an embrace. Jasmine was a year older than Shay, having graduated high school last year, but she used to be the school's queen bee. But that didn't make Jasmine some stereotypical spoiled rich girl. Sure, she was captain of the cheerleading team, but she was also her class's valedictorian, student council president, and played on the school's basketball team. All in all, a real renaissance woman.

Said renaissance woman was also a tall, beautiful black beauty, with long silky black hair, and a trim, athletic figure. Maybe it had just been a while since Chris had seen her, but he was almost taken aback by what a beautiful young woman she had become in recent years.

Towards the back of the group - practically standing in the doorway - were the twins, Roxanne and Rosaline Cruz, AKA Roxy and Rosy. They were in the same grade with Shay, in many of her classes through the years, and Chris had heard from others that the two Latina twins were a pair of troublemakers, though he had never experienced that. Sure, perhaps they could be inconsiderate and quite sarcastic, but no more so than any other teenager Chris has encountered.

There was much jostling in the group, everyone seeming to be trying to get to Shay, to hug her and wish her well and apologize for everything that had happened. Amidst the clamour of it all, Yuki Igarashi and Amyra Kapoor both waved awkwardly to Chris, who returned it, chuckling quietly at their position. Both Yu and Amy were also in Shay's grade, both quiet and polite girls according to Chris' recollection, and at the top of their classes. Either one or both of them used to be a common sight in his household, helping Shay study in her weaker subjects.

The remaining two girls would stand out in a crowd regardless of constant shuffling bodies or not. Namely it was their hair that would catch the eye, Sabrina Ryan's long red locks and and the dye pink pixie cut of Taryn Lyokoudis. Both of them were of age with Jasmine and the twins (meaning a year older than Shay) and both presented themselves as tough, spirited young women. Sabrina styled herself the "big sister" of this little clique, while Taryn was openly gay and a little butch, loving loud punk and metal music and motorcycles.

"You know girls, you don't all have to stand in the front hallway." Chris finally said over the din of their talking. "You're more than welcome to come in and stay for a while." He said all of it with a warm, familial smile, one of which was returned by Shay's friends.

"No, no, it's okay Mr. Harper." Jasmine returned, waving him off. "We're all busy tonight, we really should be going."

"Yeah, we just wanted to see Shay off and say 'goodbye'." Roxy added, following by her twin speaking up.

"And also, 'sorry'." Rosy said, tearing Shay away from Taryn and pulling her into a hug, joined by her sister. Shay turned her head to give her dad a bashful look, as she was passed around the group, one girl to the next, getting a loving hug from each girl in turn.

"I told you guys, it's okay." Shay said, breathlessly. "It's okay. I was... a mess. I don't expect you to put your lives on hold to deal with my baggage."

"But you're our friend, Shay-Shay." Amyra said. "We should have done better, you deserved more."

It took another fifteen minutes of apologies and goodbyes for the girls to eventually depart. Well, for the most part. As Shay slipped away to go to the washroom and change, Jasmine lingered at the front door, one foot literally outside and the other in. She **** a smile, even as her body swayed awkwardly, right hand rubbing her left bicep, averting her gaze from Chris.

"I think... we owe you an apology, too, Mr. Harper." Jasmine finally said, slowly working up the courage since Shay's departure. "This must have been hard for you, too, and... I sort of fell like we abandoned you two when you needed help the most."

Chris slumped his shoulders, giving the young woman a thankful look, but one that was also pleading. Pleading for her to stop. "Between you and Shay, I've heard plenty of apologies the past few days..." Placing one hand on the black girl's shoulder, Chris waited for Jasmine to look at him before speaking. "I think we all failed Shay, including her failing herself. But I don't care who is to blame. I'm just happy that things are better now. Right?"

Jasmine nodded. "Right, Mr. Harper."

"Please, Jasmine, call me 'Chris'."

With an awkward, unsure look on her face, Jasmine nodded again. "Okay... Chris." She blushed slightly, giggle. "That... was weird. Sorry, sorry, it's just... I've known you since I was a kid. I think you'll always be 'Mr. Harper' or 'Shay's dad' to me. Sorry."

The two shared a good-natured laugh before Jasmine went on her way, as well, mentioning how she was going to be late for her shift at this point. Chris stood at the threshold for a moment, eyes shut and feeling content. Knowing that he had done that. Brought these wonderful young women back into his daughter's life. Giving her such great support and friendship.

However, that sense of pride was soon spoiled but more obtrusive thoughts. Obtrusive and impure. Sure, it had been nearly a year since Chris had seen the clique, but he was floored by just how lovely they were. Pretty. Beautiful. Dare he say... sexy? A primal, reptilians part of him said 'yes'! Between Amyra's flawless teak skin or Yuki's lovely locks and big, bright eyes highlighted by her stellar eye make-up... the luscious curves and naughty nature of the twins, Taryn's sculpted muscles and olive skin marked with tattoos... and both Sabrina and Jasmine were total bombshells. Especially Jasmine, with those pouty lips and big breasts and -

Chris practically jumped out of his skin, the world suddenly whirling around him, and himself feeling very sick. What was wrong with him? Ignoring the fact that he was ogling and fantasizing about his daughter's friends, they were all eighteen or nineteen years old, less than half his age for crying out loud! And he was not some creepy, middle-aged widow about to troll the schools of barely legal girls to seduce. He was a father! How would he feel if someone perved on Shay like this?

The world whirled again. Some very... confusing thoughts danced on the edge of Chris' mind. The ring buzzed and flared, spreading it's pleasurable heat through his body once more. In little than a moment, Chris' mind and body settled down, forgetting about... whatever it was that worried him to begin with. He just vibed along the wave of ecstasy the ring provided.

"Hey, dad... are you okay?" Shay's voiced filled his ear and Chris snapped back to reality. Without thinking about it, he held the magic ring in between two fingers on his left hand, worrying it against his ring finger.

"Oh, yeah, sorry to worry you honey. Just a long week, I suppose." He gave her a reassuring smile before quickly changing subjects. "Well, looks like another good day at school, huh? It was nice to see Jazz and the others again." Shay's head bobbed up and down in a happy, exaggerated nod.

"Hmm. I mean, I can't believe it. Amy and Yu found me during lunch and practically wouldn't leave me alone the rest of the day. Like, attached at the hip. Then they called Jazz and Tarryn and Saber and they rushed down to the school, showing up right when classes ended pretty much."

Chris had to suppress his knowing smile, the two heading deeper into the couch, Shay eventually throwing herself atop a couch in the living room, cuddling a pile of pillows and breathlessly recanting her day to her father.

Magic ring or not, Chris could have listened all night. He was just so happy to have affected such change in his daughter's life. She had started the week as a disheveled shut-in and now was, well, it seemed rude to refer to he as "normal", but she was. She was her normal cheerful, sunny, sweet, slightly shy self.

If it weren't for all the weird thoughts Chris was having recently, he would say life was pretty perfect right now.

Finally, after being regaled with Shay's day, along with serving and eating dinner, Chris said to her, "Well, then, seeing as how you and the girls have reconnected, and that it's your birthday on the twenty-seventh... why don't you figure out what you want to do for your birthday? Anything you want. We'll invite all the girls. It's your sweet eighteen after all."

"It's 'sweet sixteen', dad." Shay quickly corrected with a little bit of sass. Chris rolled his eyes, playfully.

"Then it's your... elegant eighteen?" He said, unsure, fishing for the right alliteration. "Ebullient? Effervescent? Elite? Exceptional? What sounds good to you?"

"None of them, oh my god!" Shay was on the edge of bursting out in a fit of laughter. "Thank god the others left already..."

"Well, I am your father. I'm suppose to embarrass you sometimes. But, regardless, what do you want to do, Shay?"

Chris pushed again, but it didn't take much for Shay to relent, in all honesty. She put on a bit of an act before biting her lip in thought. "Well, maybe... dinner? And then a sleepover? How about that?"

"Anything you want, Shay." Chris said, placing his right on her head and mussing up her hair. "Whatever you want, I'll wish for it and make it happen."

The stone on the ring glowed briefly, once again...