Ty figured he'd killed enough time at the park, and should try and meet up with Jake. He never remembered how
long a soccer game lasted - he didn't play - but he was pretty sure his friend was finishing up soon.
On the way over, he thought about the guy he'd just helped out on the basketball court.
"Big guy, huh?" Ty chuckled. "I could get used to people calling me that. Maybe I can get Dustin to call me
that in a few weeks."
Grumble.
"Or a few days." Ty rolled his eyes. "Jeez, how much do Mark and June want him to grow, anyway?"
Ty wasn't sure, but he figured he was actually about average height now for a 15-year-old. His 'normal
growth' wish was working nice and slow - as it should - and had shot him up about an inch, but on top of that
two inches he'd just given himself that morning he could easily see the difference. The world already
looked....smaller, somehow. Like things were lower than they used to be.
"Things like Dustin's fat head." Ty laughed evilly as he strolled past the first few soccer fields, trying to
get used to his longer stride.
A loud whistle stopped him in his tracks. Looking over, he saw the little league soccer teams practicing.
Twelve year old kids were running in place as the coach flipped a number on the scoreboard. It looked like
the yellow team was killing the red. And Ty thought he saw why.
The Red team's goalie was tiny. Really tiny. Standing in front of that huge goal made him look even smaller.
There was just no way he could protect all of it. Ty watched, and winced, as the kid dove to the side and ate
dirt trying to reach another shot. He was really giving it his all, losing sweat and blood for his team. And
tears, too, Ty saw. Well, that wouldn't do at all.
"I wish that kid would become the best goalie someone his age could be." Ty said firmly.
Suddenly, the boy in the red shirt got an odd, startled expression on his face. As Ty watched, he started
bouncing up and down of the toes of his feet. Every time he bounced, his calf and thigh muscles flexed, but
they never seemed to shrink all the way back.
Three bounces, and his leg muscles were actually visible.
Seven, and now they actually looked round, jutting out behind his legs.
Ten, and the boy stopped bouncing, with legs that probably shouldn't have existed on a kid who wasn't doing
light weight lifting. But things didn't stop there.
Flinging his arms out to the side, the kid watched, wide-eyed, as his hands seemed to move further away. He
was too distracted to notice the same thing Ty himself had; that odd sensation that everything was suddenly
getting lower.
Ty watched as his arms and legs stretched out, inch by inch, giving him better maneuverability and a wider
reach. Finally, the boy's hands swelled up to half again their previous size, his fingers stretching out long
as they splayed open.
He now looked like he was a serious junior athlete, who was about to start his teenage growth spurt. Slighly-
too-big hands and feet, a bit of muscle, and a good reach for a twelve-year old. Ty noticed the kid wince a
bit and look down at his shoes. Figuring it out - and sympathizing with the feeling - he quickly wished for
his clothes to fit right.
The next goal wasn't even close. The wish seemed to have given the kid major soccer skills, too. Barely
moving from the center of the goal, he casually scooped up the soccer ball and swung it around back into play.
The whole movement flowed smoothly, effortlessly. It was almost like watching a big cat pounce. All of the
red players cheered.
Ty nodded with satisfaction. Another good deed done.
"Ty?"
Startled, Ty looked away from the game (which was now one sided the OTHER way) and saw Jake had finished
practice and found him. Grinning, Ty ran over and slapped his friend on the back.
"Hey, man. I wanted to say thanks again for the present; and I was thinking maybe we could both head to the
mall so I could use it. Nothing better for my birthday than a massive video game marathon with my best
friend!" Ty slung an arm over Jakes shoulder and playfully jostled his side.
"Sure!" Jake laughed. "That sounds like fun! But cut that crap out, Ty." Jake whipped his hand up to the
top of Ty's head to shove him away.
"Whoa!" Jake exclaimed, backing up and looking Ty up and down. "Ty, are you taller?"
"Huh?" Ty asked, blinking. "Oh, uh, yeah. I think I might have grown a bit." (A bit like three inches)
"Stand up." Jake ordered, moving closer and floating his hand over their heads.
"You're as tall as I am!" Jake's mouth dropped open. "I just saw you this morning, why didn't I notice
that?"
"Uh, you were distracted by pizza?" Ty suggested. He shrugged. "Seriously, it's no big deal. I was
probably due for a growth spurt anyway."
Jake laughed.
"Yeah, you've been the same size since what, sixth grade? I always had you pegged for a late bloomer."
"Why'd you think that? I don't know who my parents are; maybe I was just short."
"Nah." Jake waved his hand. "My dad always told me boys grow from the outside in. And you've had those tiny
feet since I met you; I figured if they weren't getting bigger yet, neither were you."
Jake looked down and whistled.
"And you're probably not done yet, either. Are those the biggest sandals you have?"
Ty looked down, surprised. The strap was still comfortable, but both his heels AND this toes past the first
knuckle were over the edges.
"I don't know if MY shoes are quite that size." Jake commented. "Crap. That means you're probably going to
be taller than me soon."
Ty ducked down as Jake gave him a hard noogie.
"Let's go, big guy. The mall sounds fun, and I think you could use some new shoes."
'There's that big guy thing again.' Ty thought. He grinned.
'I definitely could get used to that.'