Choc Shock (9 page)

It was the afternoon before Chocolate Lovers' Day and Emma was at Isi's house again. This time Emma had enjoyed getting the cakes ready. The girls had laughed and joked as they cooked and the cakes were now baking in the oven. While they waited, they played with Isi's new rabbit. Sadly, Emma hadn't succeeded in convincing her mother that she should have one but she had not given up on her master plan for more animals. Meanwhile, Isi having one of the rabbits was nearly as fun and the animal shelter had helped Emma find good homes for the others.

‘I just know these cakes will be so much better than last time, Em,' said Isi. ‘The mixture didn't have a single lump in it. How did we do that?'

‘I have no idea,' said Emma. And she really didn't because she had accidentally left the whisko-matic in her bag at home.
Maybe,
she thought,

I have lightened up?

‘Hey,' said Isi, ‘did you hear that Madame Ombre has moved back to France? I guess that means we can't enter next year's Junior Choc Chef—and just as we seem to have got the hang of it.'

They had indeed. The cupcakes were so light and fluffy they nearly bounced out of the oven. The girls had a ball decorating them with different sweets and sprinkles.

And the next day at school the cakes sold out in the first half hour. Emma needn't have worried about not raising enough money for the shelter. Chocolate Lovers' Day was a huge and delicious success.

Ms Tenga sent the money to the shelter and was thrilled to read out the email from the shelter director.

‘“Thank you to all the students who raised so much money. I am happy to tell you that with your support, and that of so many other kind people, the animal shelter can continue its work helping animals. You are all shining stars.”'

Emma could have sworn that Ms Tenga was looking at her when she said ‘shining stars' but she was so happy about the shelter that she didn't give it much thought.

‘We did it, Em!' whispered Isi, grabbing her friend's hand. ‘We helped save the shelter.'

‘Yes, we did,' said Emma, beaming back at her friend.

With,
she thought to herself,
a little help from EJ12!