Chapter Text
Rachel is very sad because she doesn't have many friends, but everything can change when she finds a wishing lamp.
"That's not fair..." A small girl walked through the grass of the small local woods. She was sullen and alone. "Why don't I have any friends? Why doesn't anyone want to talk to me?" It was summer vacation, and the poor kid was feeling so lonely.
Rachel Berry sat on a tree trunk. It was a very hot day, and she was already starting to get tired.
"Is it because I have two dads?" She felt tears welling up in her eyes. The kids were always looking at her strangely when she told them she actually had two dads, not a daddy and a mommy. "Or because I talk too much?" Salt water wet her little face. Rachel was very hyperactive and intelligent. When she joined a conversation, she would let out everything she had to say in a very elaborate way, and this scared the other children, who didn’t quite know how to react to so many complicated words. "Dad said I need to listen to others more." She looked up, seeing a flock of birds.
Annoyed, Rachel got up from the trunk.
"But that is unfair!" She stomped her foot, frustrated. "People are stupid!" Still full of anger, the child ended up kicking a small pebble, causing it to hit something metallic. The strange noise caught Berry's attention.
"Hm?" She moved closer, surprised to find a golden lamp, just like the ones she saw in cartoons. "I-Is that a lamp?" A little frightened, the girl picked up the object. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, especially because it looked expensive and totally different.
"I wonder…" With her heart beating faster at the idea, Rachel started rubbing the lamp slowly, just like she had seen on television. Her eyes widened as she felt the lamp flicker. It didn’t take long for red smoke to pour out, making Berry drop the object to the ground.
Totally in shock, Rachel opened her eyes and found herself face to face with a child, just like her. She had short black hair, dark skin, and was a little taller than Rachel, who realized this as she stood up.
Berry didn’t take her eyes off the other girl. She had never thought something like this was possible. It seemed like a joke. She rubbed her eyes. It felt like a dream or something.
"Oh my God!" When the penny finally dropped, Rachel freaked out. She started jumping wildly and letting out deafening screams, which irritated the new girl a little. "You're a genie in the lamp! I knew it, I knew it! I’ll be able to make all my wishes come true!" The girl ran around childishly, making the genie roll her eyes.
"Ok, alright, could you just sit still? I know this all sounds fun, but I didn’t even introduce myself properly." Unlike Rachel, the other child appeared much calmer and less energetic.
"Okay, okay…" Rachel tried to calm down, still smiling, very excited and out of breath. She couldn’t even believe this was actually happening to her. It was practically a miracle! She could finally have friends, meet her real mother, and be a big Broadway star. She couldn’t be happier!
"Right." The younger girl took a deep breath, cleared her throat, and began to speak. "My name is Santana Lopez, and from today I will be your genie." Rachel smiled, thrilled to finally know the girl's name. "I will always be the same age as the person who sets me free, meaning I’m the same age as you, and I’ll be with you for the rest of your life, until you fulfill all your wishes. And obviously, I will grow old with you if you allow me to. Let’s say I’m stuck with you. So boring..." Santana exhaled through her mouth. It was boring having to depend on someone else. "You can take as long as you like to make the wishes. I won’t leave until you run out of them." Rachel was already starting to get impatient. She wanted to know the cool part soon! "I believe you already know how this all works, but there are some rules." Rachel's wide smile faded. Rules? "You are entitled to three wishes, but these wishes cannot involve: 1st - having lots of money." Rachel nodded. She knew that. "2nd - making someone love you." Rachel grumbled, impatiently. "3rd - asking for more wishes." Duh, that's obvious. "4th - killing someone." That sounded scary. Would anyone really ask for something like that? "5th - wishing someone back from the dead." Ok, that made sense. "Is that clear?" Santana looked at the girl, who nodded. She was excited. Nothing she wanted to ask was against the rules! "Excellent." For the first time, the girl gave a small smile, making Rachel smile too. "So what will be your first wish?"
"I want to have friends! Lots and lots of friends!!" she screamed as she jumped and laughed.
Santana sighed.
"I don’t think you paid attention to the rules." Lopez looked at her seriously, crossing her small arms.
"But…" Rachel was sad. "It didn’t say anything in the rules about not being able to ask for friends!" she snapped, annoyed. Santana laughed.
"Rule number two: it’s not allowed to wish for someone to love you." Santana had a smile on her lips, feeling victorious.
"But I’m not asking anyone to love me! I’m asking for friends." She stamped her feet angrily.
"If you want to have friends, they will have to love you. No one is a friend without love." She shrugged. "I’m sorry, but it’s the rules."
"Hunf." She snorted. "You’re not funny." Everything was going downhill from there.
"I don’t make the rules, silly." This time, Santana was also annoyed. Rachel sighed, looking straight at the child in front of her. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea after all…
"And you?"
"What about me?"
"Do you want to be my friend?"
Santana blushed, caught by surprise. No one had ever asked her what she wanted. It was always her who carried out the wishes of others, asking if they wanted this or that. But this was the first time someone was questioning her.
"I…" she looked away. "Whatever." She wasn’t very used to answering what she wanted. "I’m stuck with you anyway."
Rachel made some annoying noises with her mouth as she bounced excitedly.
"That means yes! Great! So come on, let’s go to my house, I have to show you lots of cool things!" Berry eagerly grabbed Santana’s arm, dragging her along. Lopez had no reaction, just tried to keep up with her newest friend’s, or something’s, frantic pace. "I have to show you how great Barbra Streisand is!"
Rachel was finally going to show her parents a friend! She would show her her house, her toys, tell her dreams.
And Santana would listen to everything, because now, one way or another, they would be friends.