“No,” Mr. Russo said.
“All right,” Justin said.
There was an awkward silence.
“Good talk. Good talk. Let’s play some ball!” Mr. Russo sent Riley up to bat.
Riley concentrated and then solidly connected his bat with the ball. The ground ball headed straight for the shortstop’s open mitt.
“Tomnoo Nankenisis,” Alex repeated.
The ball oddly swerved around the shortstop’s feet, rolling into the outfield. The player scratched his head in surprise. Riley ran to first base. The crowd cheered and Max went wild, waving his foam finger.
Something’s definitely going on here, Mr. Russo realized. “Time, Ump,” he called.
The umpire looked confused. A coach usually saved his time-outs for when the team was in trouble. Not when they had a man on base. “Time!” the umpire agreed.
“Justin.” His dad waved him off the bench.
“You’re calling a time-out to talk to a guy sitting on the bench?” the umpire asked incredulously.
“There’s no rule against it!” Mr. Russo countered. Sure, it was strange, but this game had been nothing but odd so far.
The umpire frowned.
Justin stood next to his dad. “I told you, I didn’t do it,” he said defensively.
“I know, I know. I was watching you. There’s something going on, so I want you to use your powers to counteract it and keep the game fair,” he said.
“Okay,” Justin replied, unsure of how he was going do this. But he knew his dad wouldn’t be able to. Mr. Russo had had to give up his powers when he married his wife, a mortal. It was one of the many wizard-world rules. But his dad always said love was worth it. Justin scanned the infield. He wondered if his dad was wishing for his powers back now, though.
“Time-in,” Mr. Russo told the umpire.
The umpire sighed. “Play ball!” he called.
The next batter for the Aztecs took a few practice swings, then readied himself at the plate. Alex watched the pitcher wind up and zoom a fastball. There was absolutely no way the batter would ever hit it.
Alex pointed toward the ball. “Tomnoo Nankenisis,” she said, slowing the ball to almost a standstill. The batter had plenty of time to connect with the ball, sending it soaring into the infield.
Justin pressed his nose against the fence separating the dugout from the field. “Tomnoo Nankenisis,” he chanted. The ball slowed and turned, heading for the shortstop’s mitt.
Alex groaned. She was having trouble changing the direction of the ball. She had to do something else. “Tomnoo Nankenisis,” she repeated, speeding up the ball so quickly that it flew right through the shortstop’s mitt and out the other side of the leather.
The crowd groaned. The shortstop almost fainted in surprise, staring at the searing hole in his mitt, as the ball rolled farther into the outfield. Mr. Russo gasped in horror.
Riley, meanwhile, ran around the bases. As he rounded third, the left fielder scooped up the ball. Alex bit her lip. She needed Riley to score so the team would win. “Tomnoo Nankenisis,” she chanted. Magically, home plate moved up the third-base line!
Justin didn’t miss a beat. “Tomnoo Nankenisis.” he said. The home plate slid back to its original spot as Riley raced toward it.
Alex gasped. What was Justin doing? The left fielder threw the ball toward the catcher. “Tomnoo Nankenisis,” she said again, and the base moved closer to Riley. But Riley didn’t see the base shift. He darted past it and did a double take. He scooted back as the catcher caught the ball. Alex moved the base one way. Justin moved it the other. Riley danced helplessly in circles as the catcher chased him with the ball.
Finally, Riley managed to touch the base with his toe.
“Safe!” yelled the umpire.
The stands were completely silent. No one knew what to say. How could they? They weren’t quite sure what they had seen. Even Max was totally speechless.
Then Kari began to laugh and cheer loudly. The crowd shook themselves out of their daze and cheered along with her.
Mr. Russo let out a deep breath. This isn’t good, he thought. “Uh, time-out, Ump! Timeout!” “Time!” the umpire agreed.
Mr. Russo headed toward the stands, pulling Justin along with him. “Alex, get over here!” he bellowed.
“You’re calling a time-out to talk to a fan?” the umpire asked. Now that’s a first, he thought.
“Show me the rule, Ump!” Mr. Russo challenged. “Show me the rule!”
The umpire grunted. He didn’t know if any rule actually existed.
Alex hesitantly approached her dad. He looked really upset.
“I know what you are doing, young lady, and I want it to stop,” her dad told her.
Alex sighed. “I was just trying to help.”
Mr. Russo groaned. Then he pulled a notepad and pencil out of his back pocket. He scribbled a word on the paper and held it up to Justin. “Here, Justin, recite this spell.”
“What is it?” Justin asked.
“It will erase everyone’s memory, so they won’t remember what happened in the past few minutes,” his dad explained.
“Even ours?” Justin asked.
“I don’t know. I don’t remember. I’ve never used it,” his dad admitted.
“All right.” Justin hoped his dad knew what he was doing. “Um, Cerebellumerasis,” he said.
Suddenly, a strange blue aura covered the stadium. Everything shimmered and glowed. Justin held his breath. Would the spell work?
Chapter Six
A few moments later, the baseball field stopped glowing.
“What just happened?” Alex asked.
Everyone in the stands looked totally confused. Then Max spotted the scoreboard. “We won! We won!” He cheered and pumped his fists in the air. “In your face, losers! Go home and cry, you little babies! I smell smoke, because you were burned!” he taunted the other teams’ fans. “Whoo!”
The father of the other team’s pitcher—the kid Max had been trash-talking the entire game—marched toward Max. Two security guards followed. “There he is!” the man called.
Oh, no! Max thought. He dodged around the crowd, running toward the exit.
“Get him! Get him!” the man yelled. They chased after Max. But he was long gone.
Justin felt as if he were in a fog. “Dad, I don’t remember how the game ended,” he said.
His dad tried to focus. He looked at the field, then the scoreboard. Nothing came to mind. “Neither do I,” he admitted. “I think Alex had something to do with it.” He noticed that Justin was holding something. “What’s that piece of paper?” he asked, reaching over to grab it. “Hey!” A memory-erasing spell, in his handwriting. But he didn’t remember writing it. Weird. He put it in his pocket. “This could come in handy someday,” he told Justin.
A little while later, Alex walked home with Riley. They talked about the game until they reached Waverly Place.
“So, Alex, it looks like I’ve got a date for the Fall Dance,” Riley said.
“Yes, you do,” Alex agreed. “And Friday night, too.”
Riley seemed confused. “We’re going out Friday night?”
“Yeah, you asked me right after you scored the winning run,” Alex fibbed. “Don’t you remember?”
She could see Riley searching his brain, trying unsuccessfully to recall this piece of information. “Uh, yeah. Sure. Great.” He was too embarrassed to tell her he couldn’t remember. It was easier just to go with it. “Looking forward to Friday night,” he said with a smile.
“Yes, you are.” Alex gave him a wave and entered her family’s restaurant.
Her dad was waiting in the doorway. “I know what you did, Alex,” he accused. “You broke the rules and used magic because you wanted Riley to ask you out.”
“I did no such thing!” She launched into classic autopilot denial—whenever accused by a parent, say you didn’t do it. Then she smiled. “It totally worked.”
“I don’t
think it did,” her dad said sternly. He turned and walked toward the counter.
Alex hurried after him. “What are you talking about?”
“Your punishment?” her dad remarked calmly. “You’re not going to the Fall Dance.”
“What?” Alex shrieked. “Justin used magic! Where’s his punishment?”
“Justin was already punished on the baseball field, when the other team ran around and around.”
Alex’s heart sank. All that planning and scheming, and now she’d be sitting at home while Riley took some other girl to the dance! Why does everything get all mixed up when I try to use magic? Alex wondered.
But at least she still had a date with Riley on Friday. She was sure that after that date she’d be his girlfriend. And if the date didn’t go great, well . . . she could always try to use magic to fix it!
The next afternoon, when Justin walked out of the Sub Station’s kitchen, he was surprised to see Kari sitting alone at a booth, sipping a soda. He tried to act cool.
“Hi, Kari,” he said, walking over to her. She was wearing a pretty green sundress that brought out her eyes. Okay, now I’m getting nervous again, he thought.
“Oh, hey, Justin,” she said, smiling. She looked happy to see him.
“Mind if I join you?” Justin asked.
“Please do,” she replied happily.
Justin sat across from her and rubbed his hands together awkwardly. Now is the time, he thought. I’m a baseball hero. It’s not going to get any more perfect than now. He took a deep breath. “So I was wondering, since you like baseball players and everything, if maybe you’d not want to not go to a movie or something.”
Kari gave him a curious look. “Did you just ask me out?”
Justin blushed. “I think so. I was trying to.” Here comes the humiliation, he thought.
“Oh. Okay. Sure. I’d love to go to a movie with you.”
Justin was totally ecstatic. But he forced himself to try to act nonchalant. He had a date with Kari! “Excellent. So we’re on. This weekend. Uh, what movie do you want to see?”
“Oh, I only date baseball players, and I only see movies about—”
“Baseball,” Justin finished.
“No, cats,” Kari replied.
“Okay,” he said slowly. Not what he was expecting, but he could work with it. “Uh, are there any movies out right now about cats?”
“No,” Kari replied sadly.
“Uh-huh.” Justin could feel the chances of a date beginning to slip away. He needed to think fast. “Uh, would you see a movie about dogs?”
“Not unless they’re cats disguised as dogs,” she said.
“Farm animals?” Justin asked hopefully.
“Are the cats, like, disguised as farm animals, like, cows and stuff?” Kari asked.
And that was when reality hit Justin harder than a fastball to the chest. He and Kari weren’t really a great match. Sure, she was cute and friendly, but they didn’t really have much in common.
“Yeah. I’ll tell you what,” Justin said, getting up from the table. “Why don’t we wait until a cat movie comes out? I’ll keep an eye on the paper. Real close. Good talking to you, Kari.”
Then he turned and headed toward the kitchen. Wizard classes with his dad started in a few minutes. He’d be early. Maybe practice a few spells. Spells were a lot easier to figure out than girls—at least for now!
“I know how much you love baseball, so I figured
I’d give it a shot,” Justin told his dad.
Alex and Harper looked over to where the baseball
team was sitting. Alex’s crush, Riley, was there!
“I charmed the baseball so Dad would think I’m a good pitcher,” Justin confessed to Alex.
“The important thing is, is now you’re on the baseball team with Riley,” Alex said.
Mr. Russo cheered Justin on from the dugout.
At the next baseball game, Justin was going to pitch without using any magic.
Justin’s team was losing. Alex pointed toward the baseball and chanted, “Tomnoo Nankenesis.”
Mr. Russo figured out that Alex had used magic to change the outcome of Justin’s baseball game.
Splat! Suddenly ice-cold water splashed all over Justin. Alex had pelted him with a water balloon!
Alex couldn’t believe Riley had broken up with her. They were perfect together!
“Don’t touch that!” Justin cried. “That’s Calico Woman in her Legion of the Superladies uniform.”
“Riley broke up with you?” Harper asked Alex.
Alex pulled out her magic wand and pointed it toward the mannequin. “Murrieta-animata,” she chanted.
Alex put Calico Woman on the kitchen counter and hoped her magic spell would bring the doll to life!
Justin gasped when he saw a familiar box on the counter, ripped open. “Calico Woman’s gone!” he cried.
Alex took a deep breath. “Ladies and gentlemen, the man you saw in the dunk tank is really a . . .”
PART
TWO
Chapter One
Justin Russo paced the family room, ready to take action. He had a clipboard tucked under his arm and a whistle hanging around his neck, so he was very prepared. He checked the clock. Twenty minutes had passed since his parents left the apartment. It was time. He glanced at his little brother, Max, who was sprawled on the sofa reading a comic book. His younger sister, Alex, sat cross-legged on the floor. Justin picked up the telephone.
“Hey, Mom,” he said when his mom answered her cell phone. “Okay, so you and Dad crossed over into New Jersey, right?” His parents were spending the afternoon at farmers’ markets, buying organic tomatoes, lettuce, and other veggies for the Waverly Sub Station, the sandwich shop that they owned and ran. Justin grinned when his mom said they were long gone from the city. “Then it’s official. I’m in charge,” he said proudly.
But his mother didn’t agree. She wanted to know why someone needed to be in charge. All three kids were old enough to be left home alone.
Justin sighed and nudged Max’s foot off the back of the sofa. Max grunted and buried his head deeper into his comic book. “Because what if there was a tidal wave or something?” Justin asked.
Alex rolled her eyes. Justin could be so dramatic sometimes!
“I know, I know,” Justin said to his mom. “But if there was, then would I be in charge?” He waited for the verdict. “Yes!”
Justin hung up the phone and blew his whistle. “All right. I’m in charge.”
Suddenly, ice-cold water splashed all over him! Justin jumped back in shock. Alex had pelted him with a water balloon!
“Oh, look, a tidal wave,” Alex said, unable to control her giggles. “Now you’re in charge.” She turned to Max, and they bumped fists in celebration. Justin was such an easy target.
“Not funny, Alex,” Justin sputtered. “This is my new sweater.” He gestured toward the blue-and-navy-striped sweater he was wearing.
“Justin, when you wear it every day for a week, it’s not new, it just needs a wash,” Alex informed him.
But before Justin could respond, he was ambushed by another water balloon. Water soaked his left sleeve, dripping onto the floor.
“Okay. I washed it,” Max joked, doubling over in laughter. He gave Alex a high five. “You’re welcome.”
Alex laughed along with Max. She would have thought that playing pranks on Justin would be getting old by now. Funny thing was, nothing could make her and Max laugh more.
Alex stood and straightened her denim miniskirt that she was wearing over her red footless tights. “Oh, well, have a good day, guys.” She headed for the front door. “I’m out of here.”
“Alex! Where do you think you’re going?” Justin demanded.
“I’m meeting Riley at the street fair,” she told him.
“Uh, you’re not going to the street fair. And you have to listen to me, because Mom and Dad left me in charge,” Justin announced.
“Justi
n, most sixteen-year-old boys have fun when their parents leave town,” Alex explained.
“Being the authority figure is fun.” Justin grabbed Alex’s arm and led her back to the sofa. He pulled a sheet of paper from his clipboard. “Now, I’ve prepared a wizard-training review sheet on some spells that I feel Dad hasn’t covered enough in class.” All three siblings had secret magical powers that they had inherited from their dad. It definitely made their lives interesting! He handed the sheet to Alex.
She skimmed the page. “Murrieta-animata? I know this one. It’s the one that makes you think you’re the boss of me.”
Justin grimaced. “No. Murrieta-animata is a spell for making an inanimate object come to life.”
“Thanks. That’s the answer.” Alex stood and tossed the paper back to Justin. “Well, I’m done with my review.” She walked to the front door, stepped out, and called over her shoulder, “See you later.”
Justin watched the door swing shut. Alex made him so frustrated. Didn’t she understand he was in charge? Why did she always have to break the rules? He knew she’d regret it. He wasn’t sure how or when. But he knew she would. Hey, maybe a tidal wave will hit, he thought. Then she’d really be surprised!
Alex didn’t give a second thought to ditching Justin. She headed toward the street fair to meet up with Riley. Even though their first date was a total disaster, Riley still wanted to hang out with her. Thank goodness, Alex thought. I really like him so much!
When she spotted Riley, they smiled at each other. Then they walked through the crowded street, which was lined with all kinds of cool booths and food carts. Alex told him all the latest gossip. “And then Jessica Miller told Marianna O’Shaunnesy that I shouldn’t be able to get out of gym if no one else could, so then Marianna said that to—” Suddenly, she noticed that Riley wasn’t listening. Not only was he not listening, he was checking out Marianna, who was walking by! She smacked his shoulder. “Riley!”
All Mixed Up Page 3