Return to the world they left behind

Rachel Brooks wandered toward her next class, the sound of the ringing bell still echoing in her mind. She'd been doing... something. Hadn't she? She couldn't remember and didn't pay it any attention as she went to her next class. Toward the end of the day, the principal came on the intercom and asked for anyone who was friends with Jessica Edwards to report to the office. That term didn't apply to Rachel. She and Jessica moved in completely different circles. Where Jess was popular, a cheerleader, and the queen of the school, Rachel was captain of the chess club. She spent her time reading manga, watching anime, barely scraping by in math, and crushing her English classes. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd seen Jessica, which is why it didn't really bother her when they announced that she was missing a few days later.

"Did you hear what happened?" a voice asked as Rachel walked through the halls a week later. Jessica was still the buzz of the school. Apparently, another student was missing. His name was Kevin and he'd disappeared around the same time that Jess did. The prevailing theory was that they'd had a secret love connection and had run off to be together, but Rachel didn't buy that crap. There was no way a cheerleader like Jess would run off with a nobody like Kevin.

Rachel set her bag down and plopped into her seat at the lunch table.

"Hey," Skylar said. She was an unusually tall girl, 6'0", and she had a mouthpiece attached to her braces that made her sound like she was talking through a straw. Her long red hair hung limply around her round face and her tired green eyes rested briefly on Rachel.

"Hey," Rachel replied. "What's up?" she asked.

"Living the dream," Skylar replied with no emotion as she picked at her lunch.

"Ignore her, she's in a bad mood," Kaleb said. He was the third member of their friend group and was as short as Skylar was tall. He had dark hair and brown eyes and was just barely 5'0", which he said did not serve him well as a guy. Rachel felt for both of her friends, but deep down she couldn't help but feel a little grateful. If it wasn't for her friends' problems, she wouldn't have any friends at all. They'd ended up together mostly by accident. One day they'd all sat at the only table left open and struck up a conversation.

"What's she got to worry about?" Rachel asked.

"What else, boys."

"It's not a boy!" Skylar snapped.

"Oops, my bad. She's got girl troubles," Kaleb said with a shrug.

"I do not!"

"This is a lovely chat. Mind if I interrupt?" a new voice said. Rachel looked up as silence filled the cafeteria. She looked around. Her friends were frozen mid-conversation. Skylar's face was red and angry and Kaleb had a smirk on his face. Everyone around them was frozen too almost as if time had stopped. "It has," the same voice replied.

"What?" Rachel asked, standing up and spinning around.

"You can't see me. I'm not really there. My master only let me speak to you from a distance to tell you what's going on," the voice replied.

"Who are you? What's going on?" Rachel asked, panic filling her voice and her heart beating faster and faster.

"I'm Jessica Edwards, or at least, I was. My master has given me a new name."

"What are you talking about? What master? What-- did you say, Jessica Edwards? The girl who disappeared?"

"That's me. Honestly, it's not so bad where I am no. Master isn't cruel as long as I obey him, and after what I suffered at Kevin's hands, the humiliation isn't that bad. He's teaching me and training me to serve him, and I've done well. He asked me if I wanted a reward and I immediately thought of you."

"Why? We never met," Rachel said. Her mind was all over the place. She couldn't for the life of her think straight or process what was going on.

"We did, but you don't remember. Master wiped that timeline out of existence. You showed me kindness then, though, and I want to repay the favor. I want to give you something that served me well and I hope you find a kind master like I have."

"What are you talking about? I don't understand."

"You will. I'm making you one of us. A genie. I don't have much time. Master only allowed me a few minutes to talk to you so I'll attach the instructions to the ring," Jessica replied and a ring appeared in front of Rachel's face. It fell onto the table. It was an elaborate gold ring that almost looked like a class ring. It had a large jewel set in the center that was a mix of brown and green that perfectly matched Rachel's hazel eyes. "It's your binding," Jessica continued. "Once you pick it up you'll understand how it works. Good luck, Rachel. Choose your master wisely, and thank you for your kindness. I hope you find happiness as I have," Jessica said, and suddenly the sound came rushing back around Rachel. Skylar and Kaleb resumed their argument as if they'd never paused and Rachel stood standing next to her table, staring at the ring in front of her with an ever-growing dread.