It was a few days before the summer of 1996 when Stella, Mandy and Anne heard about the mythical stories about witches and fairies.

"Are you serious?" Anne asked with an excited look on her face.

"Of course! Do I look like I'm joking here? I'm only a bully, not a liar!" answered Gaspar.

They accidentally bumped into each other at a cafe near their school. It is the summer vacation and the three friends decided to meet up and it just so happened that Gaspar was there, and he was eating alone. He used to bully them when they were in grade school, but everything changed when he realized they are all the same.

Anne came from a broken family like Gaspar. Mandy's parents are both working in the US - same with Gaspar, in his case though, only his mother is working in the US. His parents separated when he was in grade school. His mother left him and his mother to his father. She sends money monthly without fail. Every end of the month their father receives the money for their allowances and for their daily expenses. His father is a drunkard and a gambling addict. Every end of the month he gambles and drinks himself to death. Whenever he wins, he'll buy clothes for Gaspar and his brother but whenever he loses, he beats them up until they're black and blue.

And this is what Gaspar and Stella have in common. Stella, though loved by both parents gets pretty beaten up every once in a while, as well. Sometimes with a belt, sometimes with slippers, clothes hanger, Tv antenna, anything that her father can get a hold of. It wasn't personal, it's just his way of making her go to school whenever she doesn't want to. There was a time she was sick, but he thought she was just pretending, so that's when her father hit her with his belt, mostly on her legs, thigh and buttocks. She was so angry that her father did not believe her, so she held all the tears in. She was sitting at school when Gaspar pulled the chair to bully her, that's when she lashed out at him and a tear fell from her cheek as she screamed, "Why the hell did you do that? Do you have a death wish? Do you know how much I'm trying not to cry after my dad just hit me even though, I am not even in the wrong this time? I am sick and he did not even listen! And here I am with these legs - he showed him her legs. HE stared at her bruised legs, and he gasped in disbelief as his conscience attacked him because he knew how much it hurts to be treated that way by their own father.

Stella came back to reality after reminiscing the past as she paid attention again to her friends' conversation.

"So, how did you know about this story?" Mandy asked.

"Well, my brother had a friend and his friend wished that he would just vanish into thin air and then he actually did!" Gaspar's eyes widens as he shares the creepy story that his brother tells him every time he acts up at home, his brother always tells him that if he continues his bad attitude, he'd wish at the fairy that his own brother would disappear, and he knew that he would because he saw his own friend disappeared.

"You're not just pulling our leg, right?" asked Anne.

"Why would I? Am I going to get anything from that? Besides, you guys are the only ones I talk to, all the other kids are either targets for me or guys I only hang out with at parties." answered Gaspar.

Anne, Mandy and Stella stared in disbelief. After Gaspar left, they decided to talk about it once more.

"Do you guys think he's telling the truth?" Anne asked her eyes are bulging with excitement and doubt at the same time.

Mandy shrugged. She's not sure whether to believe him or not.

"I think he's telling the truth! But it doesn't mean that it's real. He may not be lying but we only heard a second-hand information. He is being truthful to us, but his brother could have lied to him." She answered Anne's question with confidence. She has discernment when it comes to people, she analyzes their movements, the way they talk, and how they sound. Every pause or blink of their eyes - she's always been attentive not just because she wanted to hear what people are saying but how they say it. That's how she knew he's not lying. Gaspar is a compulsive liar, but she always knew whenever he's lying.

"Uhm, if ever it is indeed real... supposed it is real... what are you guys going to wish for?" Anne asked shyly.

Mandy's face lit up and answered, "I'd wish to become beautiful and for my crush to notice me" she remembered her crush, his name's William and one of the school's heartthrobs. He's a basketball player and she just doesn't stand a chance. There are so many beautiful girls at school and she's just a simple girl with a dark skin and most men prefer the mestiza kind especially in high school.

"How about you Anne?" Stella asked.

"I want to be more matured and successful in school." she answered which made them all giggle because one thing they have in common is their happy-go-lucky lifestyle. They're in High School and they want to enjoy life and get the most out of high school life. That's why Gaspar - the school bully often talks to them, because their status academically is "almost" always equal.

"What about you girl?" Anne Smiled sweetly at Stella.

"I'd wish for more friends!" Stella answered excitedly which made her two friends' frown,

Stella's confused as she asked them both, "why, did I say something wrong?"

"Aren't' we enough for you? Why must you look for more? Can't we satisfy your friendship cravings?" Anne said and Mandy nodded in agreement both of their faces shown dismay.

Stella, laughed hysterically, "what the fudge is friendship cravings? And are you guys serious? come on, you know guys that no matter what happens... even if I meet new people, I will always choose you two and I will never leave you guys! We're best friends! I can only add more friends, but no one can replace either one of you in my life!

Mandy smiled sadly then she asked Stella for assurance, "Do you promise?" She asked almost teary eyed.

"Of course, I promise!" Stella is so sure of herself. She's always been proud of the fact that there isn't a single promise she made that hasn't been broken. She always makes sure that all her promised are kept and she tells no lie to anybody. She takes pride in being the honest person that she is. That's what she tells herself each day...

But life. Life has a way of destroying pride.

Blame it on destiny or the universe or our own life's decisions but pretty soon Stella will realize that nobody knows what the future holds and someday some promises are bound to be broken because we can't take pride in anything. All has sin and has fallen short.

And as Gravity pulls our feet to the ground destiny has a way of showing us that we can't control everything in our lives. We might be able to choose on making the right decisions in life, but we can't control all circumstances that cross our paths, and the universe hates arrogant people and perhaps Stella is full of herself sometimes without even realizing it and life's about to teach her - gravity.