Make it work

A heady rush of power overtakes you. Time to see what your power can really do.

You pull the chair over from a nearby desk, and sit down in front of the couple. You fold your arms over the back of it and lean in. "All right. Listen here. This is my relationship, and frankly how you two have been treating it isn't going to cut it.”

Sully puffs up his chest. "She's the one -"

"Shut it. I don't want to hear excuses."

He falls silent.

Indigo just bows her head. "Sorry, Chase. If I'd known our relationship was going to be yours I'd have asked your advice sooner..."

You’re close enough to touch her, so you do. You reach out and lift her chin. "It's okay, Indy. I'm here now. And I'm going to make it work."

Indigo is uncertain, but Sullivan’s willing to hear you out.

"Indigo, we're going to start with you," you say, "since you need the most help with this."

She accepts your judgment with a nod.

"First of all," you tell the dark-skinned girl, "you're never breaking up with Sullivan unless I give you explicit permission. As far as you're concerned, he's your boyfriend for life. No other boys unless I say so. If you have any questions or problems, and you can't talk to Sullivan about them, then you talk to me. If you're not working out, or Sully needs to treat you better, I'll deal with it. Understand?"

Indigo gives another mute nod.

"All right. Next, if a long-distance relationship isn't going to work, you're going to do whatever you need to do to keep it a short distance one," you say.

She gawks at you. "But I'm going to UCLA and he's going to Phoenix," she says.

"Then what do you have to do?" you ask, a thrill of power running through you.

Indigo takes a second to wrap her mind around her new plans. "I have to... move to Phoenix with Sullivan? What if I can't get into his school?"

You didn’t think about that, but you don't want to admit it.

"There are other schools," you say instead. "Lots of other schools." You know, you've looked at about half of them in your own college search.

Indigo only becomes more uncertain. "But I already got in somewhere - somewhere good! Can't I just visit him on weekends, or...?"

"Indigo. Your boyfriend's a good guy," you reason, not liking this pushback. "I've known him my whole life. He'll take care of you."

Sullivan squeezes Indigo's hand. "You know I would, Indy."

But Indigo remains doubtful. "What if it doesn't work out, though?"

Why does she keep pushing back on you? You own the relationship now, don’t you? "Oh my god. I give you my guarantee it'll work out," you say, getting annoyed. Does she really have no idea how much power you have? Sullivan loves her - that should be enough.

“But how can you just guarantee something like that?” says Indy. “I know it’s your relationship now, but there's so much you don’t know about it. I don’t know how much Sully’s told you, but I think it’s really important you hear my side of the story before you-”

"Y'know what, forget school,” you say, blushing at Indy calling you out. “You don’t get it, I have power now - whatever your problems are, I can fix them. So I will. Right now.”

“But -”

“Relationships require trust, Indy, and you're going to trust Sullivan with everything,” you cut her off, grandiose ideas taking form in your mind.

You’ll give her the dream - white picket fence, stay at home lifestyle, the works - you’ll show her you know what you’re doing.

“From now on, no degree, no career, no safety net, no distractions,” you announce, taking her by the shoulder and looking her in the eye. “You're going to stop relying on yourself and start relying entirely on Sullivan to take care of you. But it'll be easy. Starting today, you're twice as in love with Sullivan as he is with you."

Indigo's eyes go wide as saucers. She turns aside to look at Sully as if seeing him for the first time. Her pupils dilate.

Sullivan smiles back and cradles her cheek in his strong hand. She shivers and leans wordlessly into the contact.

You keep talking, ideas coming to you one after another. This is going to be perfect. You’ll show Indy. You will.

"Your number one priority from here on out is making this relationship as strong and healthy and fruitful as it's possible to be," you tell her. "If Sullivan asks you to marry him, you're going to say yes. But even if he doesn't, you're going to be totally loyal to him, and totally head over heels for him.”

"Wow," is all Indigo manages to say as her new life direction begins to sink in.

It’s working! Encouraged, you push on, dreaming up new ways to improve Indy’s love life faster than you can put them into action.

“You'll take care of him, spoil him, cook and clean for him, everything a woman should do, and it'll all feel like a treat when you do it,” you say excitedly. “If he has a sexual need, you'll satisfy it. If he asks you to do something, you'll do it. If he wants kids, you'll give them to him, and you'll strive to be the best mom you can be. Starting a family with your boyfriend is the most fulfilling thing you can think of."

Indy swoons with new thoughts and feelings. "Oh wow.”

You squeeze her shoulder and let go, very proud of your work. “You’re welcome.”

Sully couldn't be happier. "Chase, dude, thank you," he says, barely able to take his eyes off Indigo. He pulls her tight to his chest in a hug.

Indigo closes her eyes as the strong and unshakeable emotion of unconditional love blooms within her. She grips Sullivan's shirt and inhales deeply, needily. “Oh, oh god I love you Sully. I’m so sorry I said I didn’t know about us…”

Sullivan cradles his girl lovingly, tears brimming in his eyes. "I mean it man," he tells you, ardently. "From the bottom of my heart. We're inviting you to the wedding. Front row seat. Best man. Anything you want. This, what we're gonna have, what you're going to have, it's all thanks to you."

"Hey, I'm not done yet," you say, with a wink. “Never leave a job half finished, right? Sully, you'll take care of Indigo, too. You'll work yourself to the bone if that's what it takes to provide for her. Make sure every single one of her needs is met, whether or not she complains about it. Will you do that?”

"Dude, course I will," says Sullivan, kissing the top of Indigo's head.

"Good. I'll hold you to that," you say. "Everything you just agreed to, that's what you'll do for your girlfriend from now on."

Your best friend halts for a second, his own worldview no doubt adjusting slightly. He gives a serious nod. "All right."

"Good," you say, getting up from the chair in triumph.

Problem solved.

"You can consummate your new relationship if you'd like," you say, heading to the door to give the renewed couple some privacy. "Neither of you are saying no to each other anymore, I don't think."

By the time you slip out of the room, Sullivan's got Indigo's dress hiked up over her hips, and Indigo's just finished undoing her boyfriend's belt.

"Oh fuck, I love you baby," gasps Indigo, spreading her legs. "I love you so much."

"You're so hot," rumbles Sullivan, mounting his girl. "I need you so bad."

You close the door soundlessly behind you. Best give those lovebirds some privacy.

Flying high from solving Sullivan and Indigo's hidden relationship issues, you immediately start thinking of the next mountain you want to climb. Maybe you'll look for a smaller one - that was intense!

The upstairs bathroom is unoccupied. Pearl must've migrated somewhere else. From the mezzanine, you look out over the party below. Things are beginning to devolve. Some people have left, it's getting dark outside, but your remaining classmates still here are jumping and bouncing even harder to make up for the absence. There's even a girl up on a table, dancing. You spot Jane and Yu nearby.

Jane dances with chill, relaxed movements, while Yu, wearing Pearl's hoodie that you gave her to look after, dances so energetically next to Jane that she practically vibrates. Who knows how many high-caffeine energy drinks she's hopped up on? One too many, by the looks of things.

While you still haven't tried claiming anything of Jane's yet, you wonder where Pearl got to. It can't have been far since you claimed where she goes. You could also pull Yu aside to check how she's doing, and maybe test a few more things on her. She'd oblige you too, since you claimed her help.

Of course, there are other people at the party, but you only really came for your friends. Maybe it's getting about time you skipped this place and went to a third location? Maybe you could wind down at someone's house? Or claim a cool spot somewhere in town? Or maybe this party's just about to get started? What would happen if you just up and claimed the graduation party outright?

No way. Now that would be crazy.