Alexis's Cupcake Cupid (2 page)

“Oh, cool. Okay. I'll be back after my practice. My dad is taking me straight from here, so . . .” It actually seemed like he wasn't ready to part yet either, which made me really psyched.

“Well . . . ,” I stalled.

He grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. “Lay off Panda Gardens!” he said with a smile, and then he quickly dropped my hand and walked away without looking back.

I stood there grinning like an idiot. Then I whispered, “Thank you, Panda Gardens!” Promising myself to eat there sometime soon, I went to find my friends.

A
t the stationery store, the other girls were in valentine heaven. Katie had gathered supplies to make homemade valentines—paper doilies, glitter, glue, and pink and red construction paper. Mia had an assortment of stuff she was going to use to make crafty little gifts—small white cardboard boxes to decorate with sticker gems and then fill with little candies. Emma had selected a fat stack of ready-made valentines.

I was still all googly eyed over Matt, but I didn't want to be weird about it around Emma, so I stayed off to the side and busied myself with the cards. I selected some regular ones for my parents and my older sister, Dylan, and then I continued my silent debate about buying one for Matt. I edged
away from the family cards section (“For a wonderful Mother on Valentine's Day!”) and into the funny greeting card area. I looked around to see if my friends were watching (they weren't), and then I quickly started rifling through the card selection, looking for one I might be able to give to Matt. They were all funny, but some were too forward, some assumed too much; many were way too lovey-dovey. I didn't know what to do!

What I needed was a card that said something like, “Hey, crush! I really like you, but if you don't like me like that, then pretend you never got this card. Oh, and don't tell anyone, either. Especially your sister, who is my best friend!”

Ha. Guess how many cards I found like that?

Sighing heavily, I circled up to the counter to pay for my three measly cards.

Mia sidled up next to me with her stuff. “All set?” she asked.

“I guess,” I said. I glanced around to see where Emma was, and when I saw she was far across the store, I added, “I wanted to get something for Matt, but nothing here is really right.”

Mia nodded in understanding. “Could you make him a valentine?”

I grimaced. “That seems so . . . serious. Like, a
lot of effort to put in, and what if he doesn't like me like that?”

Mia rolled her eyes and smiled. “Oh, I think he likes you like that. I wouldn't worry about it!”

“Really?” I couldn't hold back the huge grin that burst onto my face. “So maybe I should get him a card?”

Mia frowned thoughtfully. “Well . . . maybe it's better not to put anything in writing just yet. You know?”

It was now my turn to pay. I stepped forward. “So should I go back and get him some little gift?”

Mia furrowed her brow as she debated it.

“Next?” the lady at the counter called, a little annoyed. I had to pay.

I put down my stuff on the counter, and Mia was called to the register next to me.

She continued, “Why don't you get him something small . . . like, hmm. Flowers are too girlie. Too serious, anyway. Maybe a teddy bear?”

I shook my head. “Also a little girlie, I think?”

“Hey! Why don't you
say it with cupcakes
?” Mia suggested brightly. “You already know he loves cupcakes!”

“Who loves cupcakes?” said Katie, coming up behind us.

“Matt,” I whispered.

Katie smiled. “Are you thinking of your valentine?”

I felt myself blush yet again. “Maybe,” I said, turning to pay.

“How was your date?” asked Katie.

I whipped my head around. “What date?”

Katie was grinning. “Lunch at the mall?”

Busted!

“That wasn't a date! That was just . . . me not liking to see a friend eat alone.” I shrugged, all casual, and took my bag from the cashier.

“Riiiiight!” Katie laughed. “That's why you didn't tell us where you were going!”

“It was a daaaaate!” singsonged Mia.

“Oh, shush!” I said, fake-annoyed but kind of pleased, too.

“Are you getting him something?” asked Katie.

“Well . . . I'm just debating. What do you think?” I asked, kind of hoping she'd say yes.

“Um, I don't know. Maybe wait and see if he gets
you
something?”

Oh.

Just then Emma arrived. “What's up? How did Matt like the new restaurant?”

“Oh, gosh. I'm sorry. I just . . .”

Emma smiled. “It's okay. You can be honest with us, though. You don't need to hide that you want to hang out with him. I'll let you know if it's cutting into our girl time,” she said with a playful nudge.

I smiled goofily. “Thanks.”

“Did you get him a card?” asked Emma, peering at my bag. She dumped her stuff on the counter and took out her wallet.

“No,” I said.

“Good,” Emma said, nodding firmly. “He's not really the mushy type.”

O-kaaaay!
I thought.
Now you tell me!

“But Alexis
should
get him something, I think,” protested Mia. “Or at least bake something for him. Maybe a bunch of cupcakes arranged on a platter into the shape of a heart?”

I winced. “That's a little psycho looking, I think.”

“Food's not a bad idea,” Emma agreed, taking her bag from the cashier. We headed to the exit. I felt myself hanging on her every word, like she was the expert on the subject of Matt Taylor.

“Like, what kind of food? Chocolates?” I asked eagerly.

“Nah.” Emma shook her head. “He's not crazy about chocolate.”

“Gummy worms?” I asked.

Emma smiled. “Do gummy worms really say romance?”

“True. What about cupcakes?”

Maybe Mia's idea wasn't so boring.

“Maybe . . . ,” said Emma.

Suddenly, I felt a little annoyed. Like, why did Emma get all the power to decide what I should get Matt? He was only her brother. It wasn't like she knew him as a boyfriend or whatever. And why would Katie discourage me from doing something? Was she jealous because she and George Martinez are kind of on-and-off? Or did she really think I shouldn't get Matt something first, like I was being too pushy? Then again, maybe I should take Mia's advice and do something romantic, really let him know I like him like
that
. There were so many options! So many decisions! So many ways . . . to embarrass myself. I felt aggravated now.

“You know what? Thanks, everyone. I'll figure something out,” I said, more cheerfully than I felt. My brain was swirling with ideas and opinions, and I was a little sick of discussing it. Valentines by committee are probably not a good idea.

“My only advice for you is:
less is more
,” said Emma.

I huffed. “Thanks,” I said.
Sort of,
I added in my
mind. I was kind of annoyed with Emma.

Mia threw me a sympathetic glance. “Hey,” she said. “At least you like someone! I feel like I don't even know any boys!”

“Me, neither!” Katie agreed, at which point we all had to tease her about George.

“And I know too many!” Emma cried, who was always sick of living in boyland at her house.

“Poor Emma,” said Mia, fake sympathetic.

We all laughed and then went out to meet Emma's mom for a ride home.

Back at the Taylors', I pulled my tablet from out of my bag and ducked into the bathroom, where I sat on the lid of the toilet and made a small list of the pros and cons of giving Matt a valentine of any sort.

Pros:

It would be nice of me.

He would probably like it.

Maybe it would take things to the next level.

Maybe he would give me something.

Maybe he would ask me out on a date.

Cons:

What if he doesn't like me like that?

What if Emma gets annoyed?

I am scared to go on a date.

What if he doesn't give me anything back?

What if he doesn't like what I give him?

I stared at the list. Yes or no? Do or die? Do
and
die (of embarrassment!)?

“Alexis?”

It was Emma calling me.

“In here!” I replied through the closed door.

“You okay? It's time to start baking!” she called.

“Coming!” I called, scrambling to tuck my tablet back in its sleeve.

I decided right then. One cupcake. That's all. That's what I'd give him. He could take it any way he wanted. One little cupcake. How much trouble could that be?

I
put my tablet in its sleeve on top of my messenger bag, which I'd put on a chair in the Taylors' front hall, where it would be out of the way of the baking mess in the kitchen. Then I went into the kitchen to get going on the cupcakes.

Mia was already making the batter and Emma was putting the liners in the pans. Katie was putting the decorations into little bowls. I decided to make the frosting.

“Everyone done with their homework?” I asked.

Mia groaned. “Of course not! It's only Saturday!”

“I do mine on Fridays. Why ruin the weekend with it hanging over your head?” I asked.

“Why ruin your Friday?” said Mia. “I am just so psyched to dump my book bag and not even think
about school on Fridays. Or Saturdays. Seriously, Alexis!”

“We have a lot of work these days,” Emma said kind of miserably.

“You just have to stay on top of it. Chunk it. Bite-size,” I said. Stuff like that is so obvious to me. “Also, plan ahead and do a little every day.”

“I don't work well like that,” Katie said with a shrug. “I'm all about the deadline. Up till the last minute.”

“Me too,” agreed Mia.

I shuddered. “I can't think of anything worse than leaving things till the last minute. It totally stresses you out. And for what? It's not like people do better work under a deadline.”

“I do,” said Mia.

“Humph. That's just what you
think
.”

“Wait, speaking of deadlines, let's talk about this skating thing,” said Emma. “Can't you take just one lesson this week after school? The party's not till Friday night.”

“I have something every day after school this week,” I said.

“Tomorrow?” suggested Emma.

“Maybe. I don't know. They're probably already booked.”

“Wait, what about Thursday? We have a half day for Teacher Improvement Conferences,” said Katie.

“Well, maybe I could try for Thursday. I have to ask my mom. It's Teacher
Development
, by the way,” I corrected her.

Katie giggled and shrugged. “Same thing.”

“Okay. Hey, Alexis, in the meantime . . . You're all about research.” Mia shrugged. “Maybe you could look up some skating stuff online or something.”