Frosting and Friendship Read Online Free Page B

nod. “Yeah, that should work,” Zola says.
    I breathe a sigh of relief. “Okay, good. Friday it is.”
    â€œWork on that cupcake song between now and then, okay?” Abigail says with a wink.
    â€œHow about if I eat a cupcake instead?” I say, thinking of the cupcake shop where I’ll be meeting Isabel tomorrow night.
    We hustle down to the studio and collect their things. Both of their parents arrive a few minutes later.
    After they leave, I rustle around in the kitchen, looking for something to eat, when Madison comes in.
    â€œHow’d band practice go?” she asks.
    I turn around as she sets a plastic bag on the counter. “It was fun. What’s that?”
    â€œLeftover applesauce cake from the potluck tonight. You can have some if you want. It’s pretty good. Mom picked it up at the bakery.”
    I take the cake out of the bag. “Was the potluck a basketball thing?”
    She leans against the counter, and I can’t help but notice how strong she looks. Her arms have so much definition to them, and I wonder if she lifts weights on top of everything else she does to stay fit.
    â€œYeah. End-of-the-season party. I was kind of down about the season ending, but I’m feeling better now.”
    I cut a piece of cake and put it on a plate. “How come?”
    â€œSome of my friends talked me into going out for softball. Tryouts are this week.”
    I get a fork out of the silverware drawer. “Softball? But you’ve never played. Volleyball and basketball have always been your sports.”
    She shrugs. “I figure it doesn’t hurt to try. My friends tell me softball is a blast. And if I make theteam, it’ll be a good way to keep myself in shape.”
    â€œWell, good luck with that,” I say as I sit at the table with my piece of cake.
    Mom comes out of her office and joins us. “Lily, here’s the book for our next book club meeting. I bought two copies for us, so you don’t have to worry about rushing through it.”
    She sets a copy of The View from Saturday down in front of me. I feel a tiny knot in the pit of my stomach, because there’s one more thing on my growing list of things I have to do in the next few weeks. I take a bite of cake to distract myself from the nervous-making thoughts.
    â€œMom,” I say, “I told Isabel I’d meet up with her at the cupcake shop tomorrow night, to start planning for Sophie’s party. Can you drive me there after dinner?”
    â€œYes,” she says as she gets herself a piece of cake. “I’m happy to do that.” She looks at Madison. “We’re having a surprise party for a friend of Lily’s here in a couple of weeks.”
    Madison nods. “Please remind me a couple of days before the party so I can make sure I havesomething else to do far, far away that day. I don’t want to get sucked into cleaning house or decorating or baking or any of the other hundred things you guys will be doing.”
    I gulp.
    â€œIt probably will be a lot of work,” Mom says, “but it’ll be worth it. Right, Lily?”
    I take another bite of cake, hoping to distract myself again.
    What have I gotten myself into?

Chapter 6
cookies-’n’-cream cupcakes
FLAVOR OVERLOAD
    W hen I get to It’s Raining Cupcakes on Tuesday evening, it’s almost dark, but I can see Isabel waiting in front of the brightly lit shop.
    â€œI’m going grocery shopping while you two chat,” Mom says. “I’ll be back in about an hour.”
    â€œOkay,” I tell her as I get out of the car. “Thanks, Mom.”
    She waves and drives off.
    â€œHi, Isabel,” I say.
    â€œHey, Lily. Thanks for coming.” She opens the door to the shop and we step inside. It smells like freshly baked cake. Delicious! Isabel locks the door and says, “We’re not actually open right now, but my mom said we could sit at a table and have