Chapter 1

"You've done such a good job, Mija," Teresa cooed with pride, looking at the long list of e-mail addresses on the pad of paper. "You signed a lot of customers up for the sub shop's new e-mail promotion. This is going to bring us new customers and make us a lot of money!"

"Yeah, well… I do what I can," Alex bragged. She was gladly receiving the congratulatory side hug Teresa was giving her.

"Since you have worked so hard you can definitely go to the beach this afternoon with Harper!" Teresa said.

"Yes! I'm gonna go to the mall buy a new swimsuit right now! My old one is way too small," Alex said, grinning to herself with self-satisfied glee.

Suddenly, Justin cleared his throat and spoke up. He had been cleaning off a nearby table while listening to the whole exchange and shaking his head.

"Mom, you do know that Alex didn't get any of those e-mail addresses, right? In fact, she didn't even work her shift. She had Harper come in and cover for her so she could sleep in all morning. Harper got those addresses."

Teresa turned her head to glare at Alex.

"Justin!" Alex cried, throwing her hands up. Did he have to rat her out? Seriously?

"Alex, is that true?" Teresa asked, her face having dropped into that familiar expression of disappointment that Alex was growing tired of seeing. "You took credit for work that you didn't do?"

Alex was going to have to do some fast talking.

"Technically I am responsible for this list, because I was the one who got Harper to cover my shift, not because I was too lazy to work it myself, but because I knew she would be really good at getting e-mail addresses!" she rambled, completely winging it. "And this whole e-mail address promotion is my idea anyway, because goodness knows you and dad don't know how to work 'teh internets!'"

Teresa slapped Alex on the arm. "You still lied, and I am very disappointed in you!" she lectured. "You're grounded young lady! For a week!"

Alex whined loudly. "What?! For a week?!"

"That's right!" Teresa said, not backing down. Then she gave Justin an affectionate look. "Thank goodness Justin is around, he is the only one who will tell me the truth about anything!"

Justin smiled smugly, happy to receive his praise, even if it came at the cost of completely selling Alex out for no reason. Alex's mouth fell open in shock and disgust.

"Justin only tells the truth because he's a lame kiss-up!" she cried, glaring at Justin, who only shrugged.

"Don't get mad at Justin. You were the one who did wrong," Teresa said, shaking a finger at her. Then she turned around and went into the kitchen to help Jerry make sandwiches.

"I may be a kiss–up, but you're grounded," Justin pointed out, waggling his head back and forth.

"Are you happy now?" Alex asked. "Why can't you just mind your own business?! I don't go around telling mom and dad what you do all the time!"

"Because I don't do anything wrong. I actually follow the rules," Justin said.

"No, it's not because you don't do anything wrong, it's because you don't do anything at all except be a nerd! I actually have a life! Unlike you!" Alex ranted. "God, you are so pathetic!"

"Don't get mad at me because you tried to shirk your responsibilities and failed," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

Alex looked at him like he had two head. "'Shirk?' What kind of person uses words like that?!"

"Um, smart ones? You wouldn't know anything about that."

She hated the way he was always bragging about being so smart and so good. It was just annoying! He was so annoying! She couldn't stand his smug face!

"I can't stand you!" she seethed, hands clenched at her sides.

"Oh really? You seem to like me just fine when I'm bailing you out of your typical Alex messes! Which happen all the time, because you are completely irresponsible with magic," he said. "Or should I just tell the truth and say that you're incredibly incompetent at using magic?!"

Alex's head drew back as though she had been smacked. He did not just say that!

"I hate you!" she yelled. "You ruin everything!"

"Yeah, well, the feeling is mutual," he snapped, and went stalking up the stairs.

She looked at his retreating form, with his annoyingly upright posture and his nose pointed up in the air, and she hated everything about it. This was just wrong, she never should have been forced to have someone like him for a brother. She should have had a cool older brother that she could hang out with and get into trouble with. The universe messed up somewhere. And now it was time for her to correct its mistake. At least for a good week or two. She deserved a vacation. A vacation from Justin!

She reached into her boot and pulled out her wand. "Get Justin out of here one way or another, make him the son of someone else's mother!" she said, and gave it a wave.

There was a white flash and Justin disappeared from the stairs. She looked around and he was nowhere to be seen. She tilted her head back and laughed her throaty evil genius laugh. He was gone. Good!

This meant that he existed somewhere, but fortunately that somewhere was not here. She didn't have to worry about the confusion that had occurred that one time she accidentally wished him out of the family by using a genie. Then he had been homeless and forgotten. This time he'd have a family of his own. All of his friends would remember him. His life would continue just fine. The only difference was that everyone would think he belonged to some other family. He would think that, too.

She wouldn't have to deal with him and his crap. There would be no one to tattle on her, or constantly outdo her in everything all the time.

'Now I can see what it feels like to be the favorite Russo kid,' she realized. 'I mean, come on. It's not like Max is any real competition.'

As if on cue, Max walked into the sub shop wearing a scuba mask and his Halloween costume from last year. Alex just shook her head as he headed up to his room humming Christmas carols to himself.

"Riiiight. So, I'll enjoy being the favorite for 14 days, then I can reverse the spell," she said aloud to herself. "All I have to do is… Wait… I don't exactly know how to reverse the spell… Oh well, I can just ask Justin!"

She had turned to go upstairs when a thought hit her and she stopped in her tracks.

" Ohmigod I can't ask Justin because he's gone now!" she realized, with horror. "What was I thinking?! With Justin gone, if I get into trouble with magic I'll have to solve it by myself! And if I can't, I'll have to confess to Dad and get him to help me! That means listening to his lectures on magic and responsibility! And watching him freak out and go 'blaargh! Alex – mrph! Gaah!'"

She had to find a way to get Justin back!

Just then her mom came out of the kitchen.

"Honey, what are you doing just standing there? I thought you were going to get a new swimsuit for the beach?"

"But I thought you said I couldn't go?" she asked, lost.

"No. Why would I say that?" Teresa asked, lost. Then she looked suspicious. "Have you done something to be grounded for?"

Alex realized the spell affected the past, too. This meant Justin was never a part of their family. Without him having been around to tattle on her, her mother had no idea of what she had done. Which meant she was no longer in trouble. This 'No Justin Vacation' was already starting to have its benefits!

She had to find a way to keep Justin gone!

"No! No! I haven't done anything at all! You are right, I should get going. Time to go pick out a swimsuit!" she said, and ran out of the door.

Alex and Harper came out of their favorite store in the mall carrying bags with new swimsuits in them. They were making plans to go home and get ready, then head to the beach. Zeke would be meeting them there.

"Hey Alex! Harper! Wait up!" an annoyingly familiar voice called.

Alex turned around to see a horrible sight. Justin was coming their way, waving and grinning.

"Oh, hey Justin," Harper said, as he reached them.

"Oh God, I still know this dork?" Alex muttered under her breath, fearfully. "Well, I guess he does go to our school. It's logical..."

"Here you guys are," he said. "I was wondering why you weren't answering my calls, Alex. Didn't you get my text messages?"

Alex glowered at him. "What were you texting me for?" she snapped.

Justin's eyebrows scrunched together. "To see what time we're going to the beach," he said.

Alex laughed heartily. "Now why on earth would I invite you to the beach?" she asked.

"Because...I'm your boyfriend?" he said, looking worried and a little scared.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!" she laughed. "Good one, Justin!"

She stopped short when she realized he wasn't laughing. He was just looking at her very concerned.

She then held up a finger as if to say 'just a sec' and pulled Harper aside. Far aside. "Harper, he's joking right?" she asked in a hushed voice. "He's not really my boyfriend. Is he?"

"Um...no, he's not joking. You and Justin have been dating for a year now. You're totally in love with each other," Harper explained, looking at Alex like she had two heads.

"Aghh! Garrr! Blargh!" she started to sputter in a fit that could put her dad's fits to shame.

"Are you alright?" Harper asked, feeling her forehead to check and see if she had a temperature.

"I'm fine," she said, waving her hand away.

"Then how do you not remember your own boyfriend - who is also my older brother, might I add? You've known him for forever!"

Alex made a strangled sound. "Justin is your brother?" she asked. "Aw God! Great! Just great! Well he didn't go far at all, did he?!"

"Alex, what are you talking about?" Harper asked.

"Nothing. Nothing, Harper," she said, and put a hand to her head. She took a deep breath and began acting. "Of course I remember Justin. I … um... totally love him! I was just kidding."

"Oh! I thought so," Harper smiled, nudging her in the side.

Alex felt like her brain was going to explode. She should have known that her 'no Justin' vacation could not happen. It was too good to be true. She had gotten Justin out of her life as her brother, but magic had just made him her boyfriend instead. Which was infinitely worse in so so many messed up ways! He was like a damn boomerang, no matter how far into the cosmos she tossed him, he just kept coming back!

She looked over at Justin who grinned and waved at her flirtatiously.

'Uh, ew. God. It burns my eyes!' she thought, repulsed. 'No problem, I can fix this! All I have to do is find a way to break up with him. Problem solved.'

"Alex!" Justin called, coming over and taking both her hands in his. "Are you alright, my Fuzzy Wuzzy Pudding Pop?"

"Yeeeaaah, don't ever call me that again," she muttered, and stalked off, angrily.

"Wait! Let's go together!" he called, happily, running after her.