Oops! I Caught a Genie!

Chapter 11

Mangoo and I gave eachother a horrified look and we turned back to Fritz.

Fritz shrugged.

“Didn't you say that there’s a good chance that i’ll die?” I asked.

“I said you’d have to be very skilled.”

“And I am very skilled. I outclass your pet.” Mangoo assured me.

“Pet?” Fritz asked, an edge in his voice.

“When do we go?” Mangoo continued, ignoring Fritz’s glare.

“Tomorrow, at, lets go with five.” I said.

“Alright!” Mangoo said.

“Why are you helping us? I thought you disliked humans.” I asked.

“Anything for my lil’ Fritz-o here!” Mangoo said, putting his arm across Fritz’s shoulders.

Fritz smacked him on the back of the head.

“Don't call me that…”

Mangoo disappeared in his smoke. I went to get ready for bed, it was getting late.

 

The school day couldn't pass fast enough. I sped through all of my homework during class and otherwise rushed through the day as if it would make five o’clock come sooner.

Between some of my classes I walk between buildings, not many other people do, it so it is nice and empty. I could walk faster and not be trampled. I was on my way to my 10am class when a familiar wisp of purple smoke drifted past me on the wind.

“Can we go yet? This is booring!” Mangoo complained.

“Its not five. And i’m still in school.”

“Its five o’clock somewhere…” Mangoo chuckled.

“Where? I doubt it.”

“Reykjavik, and it was a song reference, you are very uncultured.” He said, with a sour expression.

“Shush. How did you even find me?”

“Fritz told me.”

“That traitor…”

I made a motion for him to poof away, I didn't want him to get caught on school grounds without a pass. I didn't want any trouble for the officers.

In my next class, I sat next to Fritz. Before the bell rang, I leaned over and hissed.

“You told him where I go to school?!”

“He already knew, he followed me.”

Before I could think of a clever response, the tardy bell rang. Sigh, another long class.

 

Liana noticed my rush and commented on it during lunch.

“Why are you rushing? Got somewhere to go after school?”

Uh oh. I hadn't thought up a bullet-proof excuse yet. Decision time.

“Yep, road trip.” I said with a grin.

“To where?”

“Anywhere, I haven't decided. Maybe as far as Fort Worth.”

“Why Fort Worth?”

“Its close to Plano, I have relatives there.”

Phew this girl asks a lot of questions… Thankfully Fritz intervened.

“What’s up girls?” He asked casually.

“Nora’s going on a road trip, is she taking you?” Liana asked, with a hinting grin.

“Nope, first i’ve heard of it.” Fritz said. I felt my bubble popping, If he ruins my story… “But, i’m heading north this weekend, visiting family in North Dakota.”

Bubble saved. Until…

“Hey, Bro.” Mangoo came strolling up to the bench. We had decided to eat outside today.

“Hey…” Fritz said.

“What are you doing here?” I yelped.

“Geez, be nice Nora. I came to give Fritz money for gas later today.”

“Oh hello, Are you Fritz’s brother then?” Liana asked, leaning closer to Mangoo.

“Yep, Hullo, i’m Max.” Mangoo said.

Fritz choked on the water he had just taken a mouthful of and I had a hard time keeping my bite of burger in my mouth.

“Max, huh? Your family sure went from weird to normal names.” Liana commented.

“Yep.” He said, ignoring Fritz’s foot jamming into his leg.

“Normal? It sounds like the name of a puppy who follows you, everywhere.” I said.

He ignored me and sat on Fritz’s lap, drawing an undignified squawk from him. If I hadn't been listening really closely, I wouldn't have heard Fritz hiss.

“I will burn you if you don't get off of me” Followed by Mangoo’s taunt.

“I’d like to see you try.”

“Alright!” I said, standing up “The bell should be ringing soon, we should start walking to class!” It worked, Mangoo jumped off of Fritz’s lap and walked to the parking lot, waving to Liana as he went.

For the rest of the school day, Liana gushed about Mangoo. She thought he was absolutely adorable, She wondered if his lavender eyes were natural (She was not good with biology) and loved his spiky black and purple hair. I had to explain that purple eyes were not natural, unless you had specific gene mutations. Like say, albinism. When she pointed out that he could have dyed his black and purple and it was naturally pigmentless, I was out of explanations besides the obvious magic. I would have to ask Fritz about that, or maybe Mangoo himself as Fritz was currently in a pouting mood.

I drove as fast as the speed limit and traffic would allow to get home. I raced out of the car and into the house, after getting in the door, I remembered that I needed to park the car in the garage so that it wouldn't be sitting outside for two days. After I did this, I remembered that one requires a motorized vehicle to actually go on a road trip.

I thought this over for a few minutes and decided to get Fritz’s opinion. I clicked the watch and he appeared on the roof of my small car.

“Get off. I’m trying to figure out what to do with it for the weekend.”

“I could fix it.” He said, suddenly beside me.

“How?” I asked.

He snapped his fingers and my car vanished.

“Where is it?!” I yelped, that was my car until I could get a job to afford a new one!

“Take… Three steps forward and one sidestep left.”

I followed his instructions and looked down. A small version of my car was on the garage floor where the big one had been. It was about the size of a small swiss pocket knife.

“Now since that is good, Get packed and we’ll go. Mangoo is inside.”

I packed two days worth of clothing and sat on my bed with the small drawstring bag that had everything in it. Toothbrush, toothpaste, bandages and a brush with two full outfits of shorts and a t-shirt. I had asked if I needed to pack food, but they had said no. Fritz told me that the more stuff I had, the more likely that even someone as experienced as Mangoo would mess up the transport. That had calmed my nerves… Not.

“Lets go!” Fritz and Mangoo said to me at the same time.