She tries to explain...

The woman turned to face her, clutching the ring-box, the gold jewelry adorning her body glittering in the light. Jessica wanted to call her crazy and yet the look in her eyes… the way she was dressed…

“You’re a…?” The cheerleader couldn’t bring herself to say the word. It was completely insane!

Her mother nodded anxiously, “Yes. And more importantly so are you.”

Jessica screwed up her face and scoffed, “No, I’m not. I’m a normal high-schooler – I have a normal life – And this sort of thing doesn’t happen in real life!”

“It’s happening right now,” Her mother pressed, turning the ring box over in her hands before she placed it carefully back on the bed, “Whether you want it to be true or not Jessica you need to understand…”

“Right… that you’re a genie and I’m a genie and we can all grant wishes with our 'magic powers'...”

“Yes,” Her mother said flatly.

“Genies aren’t real!”

Her mother closed her eyes and smiled, “We’re not from this world no, but in our world we are slaves... I left you here to protect you, to live a free life. I knew until you came of age you would be safe from the Masters, but now that you are old enough I had to perform the binding ritual to keep you safe. If the Masters discovered an unbound genie in this world they would travel here and take you.”

There was an awkward silence as Jessica tried to keep up with what she was hearing.

“Well then I wish I’d wake up now,” Jessica snapped, causing her mother to shake her head in disapproval.

“It doesn’t work like that.”

Jessica stomped a foot against the floor in disbelief, “Uh huh... then how does it work? If you're a genie then do some magic!”

Her mother sighed, her barely covered breasts heaving on her chest, “We only grant the wishes of the ones that wield the objects we are bound to – I can’t control or access my own magic any more than you can yours. My Master owns my lamp, and for you... well, whoever owns this ring, you would be indentured to serve.”

Jessica’s eyes snapped to the ring box on the bed, “Bullshit.”

“Jessica, please…” Her mother’s gaze burned into her, the genuine concern in her eyes was palpable, “You have to believe me. How else would you explain my appearance here?”

Jessica opened and closed her mouth, trying to find a sensible answer before she gave up, exasperated.

“I am not a genie!” Jess insisted, shaking her head, “I can’t grant wishes, I don’t look anything like a… a… genie!”

Her mother frowned, “And what does a genie look like?”

Jess reluctantly gestured at her mother’s exotic outfit.

“I am dressed by my Master’s wishes – just as you might be by yours. Which is exactly what I am trying to protect you from,” her mother explained, before urging, “Keep the ring hidden and safe and you can live a normal life – no one will ever know and no one will ever find out about you or us…”

Jessica fell silent for a moment, just staring at the box on the bed again – this was insane.

“Is Dad…?” the girl started, unable to bring herself to even contemplate what she was about to ask. None of this made any sense!

“Oh!” Her mother waved a hand dismissively, "No… your father is mortal."

“So I'm only half... uh...?” Jessica tried, again gesturing at her mother's scantily clad body, trying not to stare.

At that her mother blushed but shook her head, “Your mortal side is overwhelmed and consumed by your magic. You are as much a genie as I am.”

“Does Dad know?”

“No, your father never knew,” her mother’s lip trembled, “I thought I could escape to this world, that I’d be safe. And for those few years I was right... But when they found me, him not knowing is what kept him safe. I couldn’t put him or you in harm’s way by revealing the truth, so I left you both. He doesn’t know and he never needs to know.”

“This is insane…” Jess whispered in disbelief.

“I wish I could’ve saved you from even this conversation,” Her mother sighed, glancing at the ring box, “But you have to know the truth. Hide your binding, and no one will ever know. Nothing has to change, and you can still live a normal life.”

“And if someone…?” Jess bit her lip.

“Then whoever wields that ring would gain access to near limitless power and your servitude. Any wish they desire, you would be to grant.”

Her mother’s face dropped, “Worse, unless they desire otherwise only you and they would know the world was ever any different – You would be to live in a reality of their design.”

Jessica blinked, trying to comprehend what she was being told – it was all too much.

“You can’t…?” Jess wasn’t sure how she wanted to finish the sentence; ‘...fix it?’, ‘…hide the ring?’, ‘…stay?’. In the end all three collided in her simply drifting off, her eyes wide in a silent plea both women understood.

“I can’t,” Her mother’s eyes dropped to the floor, “And I am out of time. Just, remember what I told you and… stay safe…”

Jess went to reply but before she could get a word out there was a sudden swirling pulse of purple fog and light that seemed to burst from where her mother was standing. In less than a second the cloud vanished silently into thin air, leaving the hapless cheerleader suddenly standing, shaken and alone in her bedroom.

“Mom…?” She tried, too afraid to move from her spot against the wall.

On the bed the box sat ominously, as though it was looking back at her…

"Holy shit..." Kevin whispered, his voice barely registering as a whisper. Even so, he covered his mouth instinctively, though thankfully it seemed like Jessica didn't hear him.

This was insane. Completely insane and wonderful and... not even in his wildest dreams could he have imagined something like this happening in his life. But here he was, hiding in the head cheerleader's closet as she's revealed to be a motherfucking genie!

Unlike Jessica, he had no doubt in his mind that this was true.

...Okay, maybe a little doubt, but a gorgeous scantily clad woman disappearing in a flash of light and smoke was pretty solid evidence this was legit.

At that moment, Kevin completely abandoned his original plan. Screw stink bombs, if he got his hands on that ring Jessica would be his. And if she had magic that was as strong as the woman claimed... well, he'd have far better ways to get on those who wronged him, and so much more.

All he needed to do was to wait for the opportune moment, and take it...