Katie and the Cupcake War by Coco Simon Page B

to walk past them again.
    â€œLook! Katie has Smurf hands!” Maggie said, and now a bunch of kids were laughing.
    â€œShe’s Clumsy Smurf!” Bella said, and then they both started cracking up.
    My face turned red, but I just kept walking. You won’t believe what happened next. Eddie Rossi walked up to Maggie and Bella.
    â€œCut it out, guys,” he said. “It was just an accident.”
    Maggie and Bella quickly stopped laughing. I know they think Eddie is cute, and they both looked kind of embarrassed.
    Thank you, I mouthed to Eddie, and then hurried to my desk and started wiping up the mess.
    Weird, right? I mean, normally Eddie would have started cracking up too and calling me Smurf Face or something.
    Maybe Alexis and Mia are right, I thought. Maybe he does like me.
    Which was even weirder, because, well, I don’t think of Eddie like that. But it was definitely interesting.
    When I got home from school, I wanted to talk to Mia about it, but I didn’t want to bug her if her tooth was still hurting her.
    When Mom came home from work, the first thing I asked was “How’s Mia?”
    â€œShe’s got a cavity, but she’s feeling better already,” Mom said. “I’m seeing her again tomorrow after school, to go over her X-rays. One of her permanent teeth is growing in a little bit strange.”
    â€œI’m glad she’s okay,” I said. I took out my cell phone to text her, but then Mom kept talking.
    â€œKatie, I need to discuss something with you,” Mom said. “Mrs. Rogers’s daughter’s baby came early, so she can’t come stay with you this weekend.”
    â€œHooray!” I said. “So I can stay at Mia’s, right?”
    Mom shook her head. “Just on Friday night, when you’re making cupcakes. But you’ll be going home with the Wilsons after the fund-raiser. I won’t be home until late Tuesday, and I want to make sure you’re in good hands while I’m gone.”
    I was completely shocked. “No way!” I protested. “You can’t expect me to go over to Callie’s! She’s, like, my mortal enemy now!”
    Mom sighed. “Katie, it’s decided. This is not up for discussion.”
    â€œBut it’s not fair!” I yelled, and I was definitely crying now. “I can’t stand being around Callie! Why can’t I just stay at Mia’s the whole time?”
    â€œBecause it’s a lot to ask for you to stay with someone for that long. Barbara is my best friend, and I don’t want to have to worry about you while I’m worried about Grandma and everything else,” Mom said in a rush. “End of story.”
    â€œYou don’t understand!” I wailed. “You can’t do this to me!”
    â€œKatie, enough!” Mom yelled, which is something she almost never does. “I know you’ve been having problems with Callie for a while now, but Grandma Carole is a lot more important than your silly dramas with your friends. You’re going to stay at Callie’s, and you’re just going to haveto deal with it. Now go to your room until you cool off.”
    I ran out of the living room and stomped up the stairs as hard and as loud as I could. Then I went into my room, slammed the door behind me, and fell facedown onto my bed.
    I cried for a while, and then I texted Mia.
    Mom says I have 2 stay with Callie for 4 days while she is gone! How am I supposed to do that?
    I’ll ask my mom if you can stay here, Mia texted.
    It’s no use. She’s best friends with Callie’s mom, so she doesn’t care that Callie and I are enemies now, I typed.
    Maybe it won’t be so bad, Mia said.
    I don’t even want to breathe the same air as her, I wrote back.
    The next message I got from Mia was a photo of an astronaut.
    U can wear this, she wrote.
    LOL, I typed, and I really was.
    Mia can always make me feel better. Then I