𝚊𝚋𝚜𝚚𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎 ➪ 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚢𝚎𝚛𝚜

Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ Eɪɢʜᴛ

𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎
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𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚙
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"Genie, can you hang out with Max and me?  I need to talk to you about something," El's voice came faintly from the phone in Genie's hand.

"It's like nine thirty in the morning but sure, I gotta get dressed first."

"Great, I'll meet you at your house," El hung up and Genie yawned, stretching her arms behind her head as she slouched back to her room.

"It's too early for this crap," She grumbled, pulling on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She hurried to eat breakfast and brush her teeth so she could meet El outside but turns out this was unnecessary.

"Oh, Genevieve!" Max's voice came sailing through her house and Genie bolted down the stairs.

"Oh, hey, Max.  Good morning."

"You look like you just woke up," Max chuckled, gesturing to Genie's unbrushed hair.

"Shit, I knew I was forgetting something," Genie grumbled, "You guys can come on up to my room."

The three girls settled in Genie's bedroom while Genie brushed her hair, sitting on her bed beside Max.

El had been pacing across the floor, worried.  She was rattling off important points from her conversation with Mike and from the looks of it, she didn't know whether or not to be concerned.

"And then he said he missed me," El carried on, "Then he hung up on me."

"He's a piece of shit," Said Max, "I guarantee you, him and Lucas are playing Atari right now."

"But friends don't lie," El looked to Max innocently.

"Yeah, but boyfriends lie all the time."

"Oh," El said quietly.

After some convincing, Genie was persuaded to go to the mall with the two girls (after she grabbed her money from her house).

El was wary about the trip. She knew she wasn't allowed at the mall. Genie knew she wasn't allowed at the mall. Max knew she wasn't allowed at the mall. But she was at the mall.

"So, what do you think?" Max asked as the three girls exited the bus. El looked around with wide eyes, cautiously walking alongside her friends.

"Are okay, El?" Genie asked, eyeing her nervous expression.

"Too many people," She said, "Against the rules."

"Seriously?" Max smiled genuinely, reassuringly, "You have superpowers. What's the worst that could happen?"

El looked to Max, then to Genie and smiled too, looking back to mall. The three girls entered, Genie careful not to release El's hand while walking through the big crowds. She felt responsible for her safety.

"So, what should we do first?" Max looked to El who stared blankly at her in return, "You've never been shopping have you? I guess we'll have to try everything!"