okay. Maybe sheâd already gotten over the negative texts.
BE RIGHT THERE, Piper holo-texted back.
But of course Piper was still late. Professor Illumia Wickes motioned for Piper to sit down with barely a glance.
Quietly, Piper slid next to Vega. âStar salutations for reminding me about class,â she said in a low voice. Vega gave her a curt nod. Clearly, she was still upset about Piperâs âcompliment.â
Piper turned back to Professor Illumia Wickes. The teacher often liked to lead rambling class discussions about the philosophy behind wishes. So being a few starmins late shouldnât really matter. Usually, students could just jump in at any point; Piper expected the usual interesting debate.
That day, though, Professor Wickes glared around the room and said, âWe will be focusing on the math portion of wish theory.â
Math portion?
Piper didnât remember there being anything about that in the syllabus. Neither, it seemed, did anyone else.
The students looked confused. âDonât just sit there!â Professor Illumia Wickes snapped. âSet your Star-Zaps to record. You will be quizzed on the material. Tomorrow.â She started tapping out a series of numbers on a holo-device, and they were projected in the air. Three hundred and forty moonium, fourteen thousand and ninety-one was the smallest.
Ooh,
thought Piper.
She must have gotten some seriously negative holo-texts.
âNow plug these numbers into the appropriate wish-granting formula. Remember, any authentic theorist takes into account the sum of thoughtsââ
âAnd actions,â said Piper.
âGo on,â said the professor. âThink about the true meaning behind the numbers.â
âItâs not how long the numbers are, or how complicated. Itâs the equation that matters in the end. And how you use it,â Piper finished.
âYes, star salutations for reminding us all, Piper,â said the professor.
She deleted the numbers with a flick of her wrist and words appeared in the air. âWe need to remember, too, that Starlings alone cannot grant wishes. Wishers need to make their own dreams come true; our job is to guide them. Generally, Wishlings have trouble manifesting their desiresânot only impossible wishes, such as world peace, but personal, manageable ones as well. We are there to help themâ¦ahâ¦see the light.â
âHuh?â said a girl named Shareen, who wore her bright yellow hair plaited around her head. âWhat does thatââ
âMean?â Piper jumped in.
Really, this is a silly first-year question,
she thought. And students made fun of the Star Darlings for taking their extra class, thinking it was for slow learners!
âBasically, Wishlings need help,â Piper said, using the tone a baby Starling reciting the alphabet would. She sounded sarcastic, she knew, but she couldnât quite control her voice. Usually, she was better at that, but after that morningâs upheaval and her interrupted meditation, her emotions seemed to have gotten the better of her. âThey first need to figure out they can, in fact, make their wishes come true, and then understand the ways to make it happen.â
Professor Illumia Wickes nodded, then pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and walked around the room. âCan anyone think of an equation, a sum of two or more parts, that would result in the desired outcome?â
Half a dozen ideas popped immediately into Piperâs head.
Vega raised her hand. âThought plus action equals no subtraction,â she said.
The professor frowned. âI think what Vega is saying is that a thought plus an action can lead to a wish coming true. But it might not be thatââ
âSimple,â Piper offered.
Vega glared at her. âMaybe add âbelieving in yourselfâ to the equation,â Piper said, almost apologetically.
âHow about filling in the
Jimmy Fallon, Gloria Fallon