Free Katie and the Cupcake War by Coco Simon Page A

spectacular,” Eddie said.
    That seemed to satisfy everyone but Alexis, who turned to Dan.
    â€œWhat do you think?” she asked him.
    Dan shrugged. “What Dad said.”
    â€œThen I think we’re good,” I said. “Come on, let’s finish up these last ones.”
    It was almost ten o’clock when we finally had everything cleaned up. Alexis’s mom came to pick up Alexis and Emma. Alexis was furiously checking her to-do list as she was heading out the door.
    â€œCupcakes. Aprons. Milk. Straws. Tablecloth. Sign . . . sign!” she cried. “Oh no! We forgot to make a sign for the booth.”
    â€œKatie and I will do it,” Mia promised.
    Alexis sighed. “I’ll see you guys in the morning.”
    She and Emma left, and I yawned. “We have to get up so early!”
    â€œThe sign won’t take long,” Mia reassured me. “I have all the stuff.”
    We changed into pj’s and brushed our teeth, and then I dragged my sleeping bag up to Mia’s room. Mia put a big piece of poster board on the floor and then brought out a shoe box filled with markers. I let Mia do all the drawing, because she’s awesome at that, and then I helped color in all the bubble letters and flowers.
    â€œDo you think we’ll beat Callie and the BFC?” I asked, yawning.
    â€œI don’t know,” Mia replied. “But we’ve done all we can. We’ll have to wait and see.”
    I thought about what it would feel like to lose—and then have to go home with Callie after that.
    â€œI really hope we win,” I said.
    I fell asleep in my sleeping bag on the floor, surrounded by a rainbow of markers.

CHAPTER 13
Some Very Suspicious School Spirit
    T he fund-raiser officially started at noon, but we decided we wanted to get to the school by ten thirty, so that we would have plenty of time to set up. Eddie made Mia and me a breakfast of omelets and toast. (“Because you worked so hard on those spectacular cupcakes,” he told us.) Then Emma’s mom drove up in their minivan at ten, with Emma and Alexis, and we loaded everything into the back.
    There was no sign of Callie, Maggie, or Bella when we got to the fund-raiser. It was held in the school parking lot, and there were blue canopy tents, with tables underneath them, set up all over the lot. Each table was labeled with the name of a club, and we found the Cupcake Club table pretty quickly.
    â€œWe’re near the front again,” Alexis remarked. “That’s good for business.”
    We got to work getting the booth ready right away. Mia’s tie-dyed tablecloth looked fabulous on the table. I arranged Mom’s cake platters, and Mia was right—the different heights looked cool. We put on our aprons and then worked together to carefully place the cupcakes on the stands. It’s hard to do without getting icing on your fingers, and it’s even harder to do without licking your fingers, which wouldn’t be very hygienic.
    Mr. Becker showed up around eleven thirty, wheeling a big cooler filled with milk bottles.
    â€œYour table looks very nice, girls,” he said.
    â€œThanks for getting the milk for us,” I told him.
    â€œI’m happy to support you guys,” Alexis’s dad replied. “You’re all very ambitious. I have some other things for you too.”
    He unstrapped a cord that was wrapped around the cooler and gave Alexis a cardboard box.
    â€œI had those flyers copied for you this morning,” he said.
    Alexis hugged him. “You’re the best,” she said. “When I’m CEO of my own company, you can be my assistant.”
    Mr. Becker laughed. “I don’t think I would wantthat job. I have a feeling it wouldn’t be easy.”
    After he left, we all took a look at the flyers Alexis had made.
    Having a Party or Special Event?
Serve Your Guests the Best Cupcakes in Town
Made Especially for You
by the Cupcake