Page 134 of Alice Carver Manifests Her Perfect Life
‘And you’re smiling,’ said Astrid. ‘You’re blatantly lying.’
I was totally with Astrid here.
‘Or I’ve changed my mind,’ said Matthew mildly.
‘What’s manifesting?’ said Mum.
‘It’s pseudo-scientific nonsense,’ said Astrid. ‘Where delusional people, like Alice, convince themselves that by believing something will happen, you actually make it happen. It’s all because of that ridiculous journal you got Alice for Christmas.’
‘It’s not ridiculous… ’ I began, and then trailed off. ‘Why would you change your mind, Matthew?’
‘I realised manifesting works.’
I shook my head. ‘I don’t believe you.’
‘Don’t be so closed-minded,’ he said. ‘This is all down to you, after all.’
‘We both know I haven’t manifested our old house, so how have I made you believe in manifesting all of a sudden?’ I thought back to our conversation on Boxing Day. ‘You told me it was exploitative. And how it was effectively magic beans for vulnerable people like me who wanted things that were out of reach. Like relationships… Oh my god,’ I said, a wave of fresh, nausea-inducing mortification washing over me, knowing what he’d read in my letter. ‘You haven’t changed your mind at all! You’re just going to prove that you always win.’
Matthew rolled his eyes. ‘Fine.’ He sounded exasperated. ‘I was hoping to do this part privately, but here you go, Alice.’ He handed me an envelope.
‘What is it?’ said Mum.
‘Not this game again,’ snapped Arrie. ‘It’s another envelope. Bloody open itnow, Alice.’
I opened the envelope and inside was a receipt. I recognised it immediately – it was one of my Margarita Monday receipts and on the back was Matthew’s scrawl in eyeliner.
‘Is this from our trip to Dartmoor?’ I asked.
Matthew nodded. He looked nervous.
‘When did you go to Dartmoor?’ said Mum. ‘No one tells me anything!’
‘Alice let me manifest under the Capricorn moon with her.’
‘No way,’ said Astrid. ‘You’ve definitely lost it, Matthew.’
I smoothed out the receipt. My hands were trembling.
Matthew, for once, seemed to hesitate. ‘You see… when I read your letter, Alice, I realised that manifestation does work.’
An entire universe resting on one receipt. I took a deep breath and took the leap.
In Matthew’s scrawl was written:
I manifest Alice Carver feeling the same way about me as I do about her.
Matthew Lloyd
12 January
I felt like the world had tipped slightly so that everything was at a new angle. I looked up at Matthew. Well, I’d finally wiped that cocky grin off his face. I don’t think I’d ever seen him look so serious before: his dark eyes warm; vulnerable in their hope.
‘But what about Ebba?’ I checked.
Matthew shook his head. ‘Never stood a chance.’
‘All the other models?’
