Short #7: Genie Chic


Yo I'm baaack .w.


"Excuse me?" Jordan practically exploded at us. "Who drops in someone's lamp unannounced?"

"Sorry, I didn't even know you could 'drop in' to someone's lamp," Mal retorted.

"To be fair, technically, since Mal rubbed your lamp, she wished us here," I put in. "But it was highly unintentional."

"Please, Pan, I totally saw her with my home."

"I explained that Jay stole it! Mal had paint on her clothes; she was trying to wipe it off! Accidents happen, Jord."

"Speaking of…" Once again completely ignoring me, Jordan looked at all five of us up and down, pointing her finger. "You can't be here dressed like that!"

"Your lamp has a dress code?" the purple-haired teen questioned, arms crossed.

"Of course! I don't live in a jar! Ben, I'll spare you. No dude's been able to rock the hair and pants since, well…my dad!"

The king stared, a confused expression on his face. "Thanks?"

With a snap of her finger, we were enveloped in mist once again. As I stood up, I realized Jordan had given us all new outfits that matched hers. Mine was green, of course, and I found that I wore a shoulder-bearing, long-sleeved ocean-green shirt with a black tee underneath. My pants were slightly baggy and tucked in my boots. My ponytail was lowered and tied with a green ribbon. I wasn't sure whether this outfit was my perfect Arabian version, or just a joke.

"OK…" I said deliberately. "This is…"

"Cute!" Evie interrupted, looking at her own blue outfit and turned to the mirror. She admired herself pensively, as she pointed around. "Except if it were me, I'd probably add a little more glam here, a little more sparkle over there—"

"Ahem." Jordan was glaring at her rather emphatically as she raised an eyebrow.

"…No, that's cool, I'm good."

"Chiffon?" Mal smirked at her own clothes. "Really?" I chuckled a little.

"Nice choice, I have to add," I mumbled, raising my arms.

"Thank you," Jordan huffed, as if satisfied.

"You are not getting this back," Freddie scoffed, hand on her hip.

"Enjoying our life so far, eh, Fred?" I teased.

"Do not call me that." Suddenly, the black-haired VK gasped as she looked around. "Wait a minute. Are we in Auradon?"

So tempted to say, "You only realized that now?"

"Technically, we're in Jordan's lamp?"

"No matter where we are, I look perfect!" Audrey gushed as she posed, and I restrained myself from gagging. "For ush~"

"I'd like to contradict," I fake-coughed. Mal scoffed.

"Wait, if we're in a lamp," Ben rubbed his chin. "Then we must be really tiny right now!"

Again. Sooo tempted to say it.

"Nothing gets past King Obvious," Freddie joked.

Oh, speak for yourself, Fred.

"King 'Obviously Cute'," Mal smiled.

Ben grinned at her proudly. "That is my legal name."

"Just like Carlos, eh, Pen?" Evie laughed, nudging me.

"Ugh… If you say so, Evie," I shot back, refusing to blush as Mal and Ben giggled as well. Even Audrey and Jordan were smirking, and they knew nothing. My hand flew to the pocket of my baggy pants, wherein that love potion was miraculously still sitting there. I cursed myself for even doing so.

"Don't worry, Penelope, you'll get a boyfriend one day," Ben joked.

"Isn't there a rule for 'No Flirting Allowed' in this lamp?" I joshed. Mal, Ben, Evie, and Jordan had to chuckle at that.

"I could enforce it." The daughter of the Genie crossed her arms, pretending to think.

"Achoo!"

Everyone instantly reacted at the sudden sound. "What was that?" Mal asked.

"U-Uh…I sneezed!" Freddie excused, gesturing to herself while smiling widely. I raised both my eyebrows at her, placing a hand on the brown belt of my pants.

"Didn't sound like you," I accused.

"What? Sneezes sound the same!"

'No, they don't.'

"I'm allergic to lamps!" Freddie persisted, forcing Ben to turn his head to her. "It's hereditary."

"Yeah, I have allergies too," my royal friend had to join. "Get it from my dad."

"I get dolls from my dad!"

"Aw, that's—"

"Voodoo, cursed dolls."

"—Terrifying."

"Ah, yes," I hummed. "Dr. Facilier…heard a lot of stories 'bout him. Pretty sure he was a principal of some sort?"

"Dragon Hall," Mal explained. "Back on the Isle, he was quite the headmaster."

"Yeah," Freddie sighed. "My dad's all about…the Other Side." She wiggled her fingers in the King's face for emphasis.

I could tell Ben wanted to stop talking. "Uh, it's good to have a hobby."

"He's so obsessed with ghosts, that he knows all of their death days, but he can never remember my birthday."

"Sadly, being with Mal and the gang enough these past weeks taught me parents on the Isle are like that," I had to say. "Sorry you experience this."

"Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault." Freddie scoffed again and crossed her arms. "AKs."

I held my hands up in defense.

"My dad loves birthdays," Ben added again, trying to lighten the mood. "He even made up this funny birthday dance. I wish you could see it."

As if I could see it, something must've lit up in Freddie's head, because the tone of her voice suddenly tuned up high as she used hand gestures to express her feelings. Not to mention she was playing to "poor soul" act. "Oh, how I wish!" she sighed dramatically. "I mean, now that I'm here and all, it would be such a hoot, but I'm sure there's no room for another abominable villain in your beloved Auradon. I'll just have to envision your father's birthday promenade in my dreams. Sigh."

"Are you tripping?" I blurted out. Everyone but Ben then just turned to me.

The boy had other plans. "How would you feel about coming to Auradon Prep?"

"Another one?!" Audrey was the first to cry out complaints, of course.

"Ben, that's really nice of you," Mal said. "But—"

"I'd love to!" Freddie fake-squealed.

"Eh, could be worse," I shrugged my bare shoulders, pretending to dust off my arms. "Always great meeting a new friend." I extended my hand, my infamous, childishly friendly smile on my face. "Welcome!"

Before Freddie could shake it, she seemed to have gasped.

"What's wrong?" I questioned, feeling apprehensive again.

"N-Nothing!" The black-haired teen instantly took my hand with both of hers and smiled widely. "Thank you."

Ben was already strategizing. "We'll have to set you up with a roommate, and—"

"As much as I enjoy to watch a new student register," Jordan spoke up. "Can we do this later? Like, maybe not around me? And maybe not in my house? I'm telling you to go."

"Yeesh, Jord, relax!" I patted her shoulder calmingly. "We'll be outta your hair in no time."

"It's past one second."

"Mother of Neverland."

"O-K, how do we get out of here?" the purple-haired girl asked.

"Same way you got in: wish your way out. Wish number 3? Byieee!"

"You really wanna waste your last wish on getting out?" Evie practically hissed.

"If you stay here any longer, it's all you're going to be wishing for."

"Geez, Jordan, give these guys a break," I protested now. "You can't help this all overwhelming, you can imagine what we've all been through in one day."

"Hmph. You and I both know we always can't get what we want, Penelope. Our fathers know that."

For once, I was silenced. She was quite true about that, actually. My dad wanted to stay a kid. He ended up growing up anyway. Good thing he did, I'd never have been alive. Who knows how many years he was about my age? The Genie was trapped in that lamp for tens of thousands of years. If Aladdin hadn't set him free, Jordan would never have been born either. Yet, he still wasn't exactly content with his own life either. It's funny how Jordan and I weren't very close; we had that much in common.

Hearing my silence, the girl sighed, put an arm over my shoulder and pulled me to the side. "All right, I'll let you off with a little deal. If you ever need a genie, come find me. I'll lend you my lamp to rub."

"Wait, you're serious?" Was that even possible? To offer your lamp?

"Yeah."

"What's the catch?"

"No catch. Just accept it."

"People are making a lot of offers and asking for a lot of favors today."

Not even bothering to hear if I'd say yes or not, she simply smirked and pushed me towards the others. "Thanks for dropping by! Don't let the lid hit you on the way out!"

Back to sarcastically cheerful.

"OK," Mal said exasperatedly and confusingly. "I wish us all out of here."

Just like that – hopefully, for the final time – we were enveloped in mist.


When we went back to solid, we were all back in our normal clothes, and I felt myself relax at that. My phone vibrated in my pocket and I checked my GraceBook notifications. Seems like Jordan posted a new pic and caption: Where did Mal and the gang go?!

The gang had peeked over my shoulders and smirked at that. "Very funny, Jordan," Mal scoffed. I let out a low chortle.