Katie Starting from Scratch Read Free Page A

extras,” I said. “But I can’t open the box now.”
    â€œAw, please?” George asked.
    â€œNope,” I said.
    â€œPretty please?” George batted his eyelashes, which made me laugh
    â€œLunchtime. I promise,” I told him.
    George shook his head. “You’re so mean!” Then he ducked back into his seat.
    When I looked over at Mia, she was rolling her eyes.
    â€œWhat?” I asked in a loud whisper.
    â€œYou guys are too sweet,” she said. “ You should be the one dressed like a candy cane.”
    I think I blushed a little. “We’re just goofing around, that’s all.”
    When lunchtime came, George remembered about the cupcake. He brought his friends Ken and Aziz with him.
    â€œHey, Katie,” he said. “So, do you have enough cupcakes for all of us?”
    The boys sat down at the extra seats at our table like it was no big deal. Mia made an I told you so face at me, and Emma started to giggle. Alexis was busy doing something on her tablet. She looked up, said, “Hey,” to the boys, and went back to it. She’s been in love with Emma’s brother Matt for, like, forever, and doesn’t even notice other boys.
    â€œAs a matter of fact, I do,” I said, taking the container out of my backpack. We make test cupcakes all the time, so I end up bringing them to school a lot. Maybe for George. “Here you go.”
    I took three cupcakes out of the box and handed them to the boys. Ken and Aziz starting eating theirs right away. But George did something weird.
    He leaned his head back and balanced the cupcake on the end of his nose.
    â€œBe careful!” I cried.
    â€œSo what do you think?” George asked, still balancing the cupcake.
    â€œI think you’re going to drop that cupcake,” I replied.
    George took the cupcake off his nose and looked at me. “No, I mean about the trick,” he said. “I’ve been practicing balancing different stuff, and I was thinking of doing a balancing act for the talent show.”
    â€œA cupcake balancing act?” I asked.
    He shook his head. “No, other stuff too.”
    â€œIt depends on what you’re balancing,” Mia said. “Can you do, like, a long pole, with plates on top of it, and then spin them around? I saw a guy on the street do that once.”
    â€œThat’s insane!” George said. “I can’t do stufflike that. But I can do a broom. And I’m working on a chair.”
    Emma nodded. “A chair would be pretty impressive.”
    â€œYeah, but you need music or something playing behind you,” I said.
    â€œThat would be cool,” George said, thinking. “I don’t know. I just want to do something, you know? Are you guys doing anything?”
    â€œNo way!” I said. “I’d be too scared to get up there.”
    â€œI don’t think I would be scared, at least not after doing my camp talent show,” Emma said. “I mean, I could play the flute, but I’ve already done that.”
    Alexis didn’t say anything; she seemed totally engrossed in whatever was on her tablet screen.
    â€œBesides, we’re selling cupcakes that night,” Mia pointed out. “That’s our real talent.”
    â€œYou got that right,” Ken said. “That cupcake was really good.”
    â€œYeah, George. You should stop balancing yours and eat it,” Aziz said.
    George unwrapped the cupcake. “I was just gonna do that.”
    Then Mr. Green walked up to our table—Mr. Green the math teacher, also known as Jeff, my mom’s boyfriend. He doesn’t teach any of my classes, but sometimes he has to monitor the cafeteria.
    â€œHello, Cupcake Club,” he said. “I see you’re spreading some cupcake happiness today.”
    George swallowed a bite of cupcake. “I’m definitely happy!”
    â€œDo you want one?” I asked.
    â€œNo, thanks,