“Nearly there!” Ali panted, running at full speed down the street toward Montgomery Elementary. She'd thrown on a pair of jeans and a dark blue top and dashed out of the house. Somehow she'd have to take Genie's place in the class without anyone noticing. Genie would be small again, so it should be easy for her to hide somewhere.

Ali raced across the playground and was just about to run into school when the bell rang. A moment later, all the doors opened and everyone began to pour outside for recess. Ali's class was one of the first out Tiffany and her friends appeared; then Mary came running out She did a double take when she saw Ali.

“How did you get out here so fast?” she asked. “Honestly, Ali, you've been acting weird all morning!”

“I didn't feel well,” Ali said quickly. “Mrs. Jasmine said I could come outside for some fresh air”

“Oh.” Mary still looked puzzled. “You looked okay a few minutes ago.” She stared at Ali's shirt. “Weren't you wearing a light blue shirt?”

Ali tried to laugh. “I guess the color just looks different in the sunlight,” she said. “I—I think I need to go get a drink” She ran back inside, leaving Mary staring after her.

Hoping that none of the teachers would spot her Ali dashed along the corridor; past an army of cleaning people mopping up the puddles in the hallway, and raced to the kitchen classroom.

The kitchen was empty. Cooling racks covered with chocolate chip cookies were lined up on the counters. A delicious smell lingered in the air.

Ali looked around frantically. “Genie!” she called softly. “It's me, Ali. Are you here?”

At first she didn't hear anything, but then … was that a moan? It seemed to be coming from a canister of sugar!

Ali leaned across the counter and fished cautiously around inside the sugar canister In a moment she pulled out a very sugary Genie! “Are you all right?” Ali cried, trying to dust her off. “What happened?”

“I was leaning across the counter when the wishes ran out.” Genie sneezed, wiping sugar from her face, “When I shrank, I fell into the sugar! Luckily everyone was too busy tasting their cookies to notice.”

“Let's get you cleaned up,” Ali said, trying not to laugh. Genie looked like a little doughnut! She took Genie over to the sink and dabbed at her with a damp paper towel until all the sugar was off.

Genie was almost clean when the bell rang again for the end of recess. A moment later, there were footsteps in the corridor.

“Everyone's coming back to get their cookies,”; Ali whispered. “You'd better hide!” She picked Genie up and popped her into her pocket.

A second later; Mrs. Jasmine walked in with the class behind her. “Ali!” said the teacher, looking rather annoyed. “What are you doing in here?”

“I just wanted to check on my cookies, Mrs. Jasmine,” Ali said. She could see that Mary was looking suspiciously at her again, so she grabbed the baking rack that held Genie's cookies. “Would anyone like to try one?”

Everyone crowded around. Not surprisingly, Tiffany and her friends pushed their way to the front and took the first cookies.

“I bet they're not as nice as mine,” Tiffany said scornfully, taking the biggest cookie of all.

“Ali!” Genie tugged frantically at All's shirt.

“What's the matter?” Ali said under her breath. “The cookies look great!” Ali hoped that if the cookies were yummy enough, Tiffany might just forget about Genie making her look stupid on the basketball court.

“I'm not sure Tiffany's going to like those cookies much,” Genie confessed as Tiffany took a big bite. “I made the cookies exactly the way genies like them—with extra-hot pepper!”

Ali watched in horror as her classmates began to cough, their eyes watering. She turned her back on them and locked eyes with Little Genie.

“Turn the hourglass upside down!” Ali said urgently as Tiffany pushed past her to get a glass of water. “I need my next set of wishes to start right now!”