"Actually," said Pat, "I want to see what it's like."
"You don't mean--?" Ben said. He clung his chubby body to his giant crush's thigh, afraid he was going to lose him.
"I wish I was 12 inches tall."
For a moment Pat's newly tiny body was naked in a pile of his tentlike clothes and Ben was sent sprawling, but then the world changed it self in accordance with his wish. He was wearing what were clearly doll clothes versions of what he'd been wearing before. Instead of a mini fridge, Ian and Caden were emerging from a doll house that had appeared out of nowhere (although they thought it had always been there). Each was carrying proportionally small soda cans and was hurrying back to spend time with their crush.
"Wow you really shrank," Ben said. "That wishing rock really works. That dollhouse came out of nowhere."
"They will think I was always like this, remember," Pat warned. "I guess everyone in the world but you will think that. Maybe in this version of reality my family gave me that dollhouse to play in when you guys come over."
"I wish you and I could be alone together," Ben hinted. "I've been this size all my life. I could help you get used to it."
There was a lot to get used to, Pat admitted to himself. The world around him was gigantic. Moments ago he'd seen everything as normal except his small friends. Now they were the only thing that seemed familiar in a world made for looming giants. It would be tempting to get rid of the others. Ben was chunky but also handsome and Pat liked the way he was looking at him. He decided to try something. "I wish Ben were normal size again."
Nothing happened, but Ben said, "I am normal size. Uh, right? You didn't..."
So much for picking one of these guys to be my boyfriend in the real world, Pat thought. If I want to be with any of them, I've got to stay down here.
Just then, the real world intruded. Pounding, echoing footsteps started descending the basement stairs toward them. Pat's little friends didn't react to this. Ian and Ben thought they were used to it, and Caden was pretty chilled out about everything. But to Pat it was like Godzilla was approaching.