Magic [Alex Russo]

07 - Eavesdropping

Matt and Alex leaned against lockers as they talked to Alex. 

"Hey, guys," Harper said, cheerfully as she walked over to her locker.

"Hey, Harper," Matt said.

"What's up?" Alex asked.

"Oh! GiGi invited me to a sleepover," Harper said.

"She did?" Jack said, raising an eyebrow. 

"Uh - huh," Harper said. "And she wants me to make my own snicker-doodles. You know, the ones with the red hot candies. Obviously, she really wants to be my friend. It's unbelievable."

"Yeah," Alex said. "It's unbelievable as in I don't believe it. I mean, come on. Have you seen anyone finish one of your spicy snicker-doodles? Ot's GiGi. She doesn't like us. If she invites you to her slumber party, it's just to put whip cream in your hand while you're sleeping and then tickle your nose."

"I thought you were gonna be supportive," Harper said.

"I am!" Alex said as Harper walked away. "I ate your snickerdoodle the first time you made them!"

"Forget it, Alex," Matt said. "You know she won't listen."

"Yeah, she's convinced that GiGi somehow changed overnight," Jack said.

They watched Harper talk to GiGi and her friends.

Matt had an uneasy feeling in his stomach. He knew something was gonna happen. 

"I have a bad feeling about this," Matt said.

"Yeah, something's up," Alex agreed. 

She took out a small book and took a step away from Matt and Jack. 

"I'm gonna go drink water," Matt said to Jack. 

He walked over to the water fountain.

"Some people are a gem, some people are a rat," Matt whispered to himself. "To learn who's who, give me the ear of a bat."

One of Matt's ears turned into a bat ear and he eavesdropped the conversation that GiGi and her friends 

"Oh, my Gosh! Harper came so close to seeing the crown!"

"I wanna see it!"

"Okay," GiGi gave in. 

One of her friends held the box has GiGi opened it and took out the crown. She closed the box and showed it to her friends. There was a large 'L' on it.

"Do you see the 'L?'" GiGi asked. "It stands for loser and its gonna look so good on Harper when she's crowned the biggest loser."

"Yeah, at our who can bring the biggest loser party!" one of GiGi's friends said.

The began to giggle

Matt's eyes widened in shock as he heard their comment. 

Matt rushed over to Alex and Jack.

"GiGi is going to crown Harper as the biggest loser!" Alex and Matt exclaimed at the same time. "What? How did you know that?"

"Wow," Jack said, with raised eyebrows. "Did you guys rehearse this or something?"

"No!" Alex and Matt scoffed.

"How did you guys even hear them from here, anyways?" Jack asked. "I'm not saying I don't believe you, because I do believe you guys, but how?"

"Oh, um, uh," Matt said, "I just have really good hearing."

"Yeah, me too," Alex said. 

"Really?" Jack asked. "I mean, Matt, I get because we work at the mechanic store and how noise the place is, but Alex..."

"Well, I do," Alex said. "There are lots of things you don't know about me, Jack."

Jack looked between Alex and Matt confused. 

"I have no idea what's going on, but we still need to stop Harper from going," Jack said.

***

"What are you wearing those gloves for?" Alex asked Harper.

She, Harper, Matt and Jack were by the fruit stand on Waverly Street. 

"I'm getting used to them for GiGi's tea," Harper explained. "I need to practice handling things."

"Why?" Jack asked.

Harper picked up an apple but it slipped through her fingers and fell back on the other apples. The ledge that was preventing the apples from falling, fell causing all the apples except one to fall to the ground.

"That's why," Matt said. 

Harper leaned down to being to pick up all the apples.

"Aren't you guys going to help me?" Harper asked.

"Why? They're already bruised," Alex said.

Harper placed the apple she picked up back where it was but it rolled down.

"It might be a good idea to fix that ledge," Matt said.

"Harper, maybe you shouldn't go to GiGi's tea," Jack said.

"Yeah," Alex agreed. "It - it's really a who can bring the biggest loser contest."

"Biggest loser contest," Harper repeated. "Guys, I can't believe you're making stuff up. It's sad."

"We're not," Jack said.

"We heard GiGi say it!" Alex said.

"Yeah, Harper, it's true," Matt insisted.

"Oh, guys," Harper sighed. "I know that you guys wanted to hear that but we all want to hear a lot of things we're not going to hear."

Harper walked over to the baskets of apples. 

"You're never going to believe us, are you?" Matt asked.

"Oh, guys," Harper said, "real friends accept each other branching out. They don't get competitive and jealous and make up ridiculous stories."

"Jealous? Real friends?" Jack repeated. 

Matt rolled his eyes. He was trying to hard to keep his annoyance and anger at Harper's words contained.

"So you're going to that tea no matter what we say?" Alex asked.

"Yes, I am," Harper said.

"I can't believe I'm doing this, but I'm going too," Alex said.

"You are?" Matt and Jack asked unison.

"Oh, my gosh!" Harper said excitedly.

Matt's mouth hung open slightly at Harper's sudden change of behavior.

"What -?" Jack began to ask but stopped himself.

"Yep, you're my friend," Alex said, "so I have to be with you through thick and thin. And I have a feeling that this tea's gonna be thick. Or thin, w whichever one's bad."

"Too bad we're not invited," Matt said with a smile on his face.

"Yeah," Jack said, nodding.

"What are you talking about? GiGi said that you're welcome to come, Matt," Harper said.

"Yeah, no," Matt shook his head. "I have no interest in going and she only invited me because she likes me."

"Anyways, thank you, Alex," Harper said. "This is gonna be awesome! I'll come over four hours -"

"And we're leaving," Jack said.

"See ya," Matt said. 

The two left without another word.