Read Online Katie Sprinkles and Surprises by Coco Simon - Free Book Online

won’t bore you with my algebra, but basically what happened was that Jeff explained things really clearly—and slowly. Maybe I just needed some one-on-one time with a teacher. Because after an hour of studying with Jeff, I felt like I finally understood.
    â€œWow, thank you,” I said when we were done. “You’re a great tutor.”
    â€œThanks,” Jeff said. “I get a lot of practice with my daughter.”
    â€œYou mean Emily?” I asked.
    Jeff nodded. “I have some pictures, if you want to see.”
    â€œSure,” I said.
    Jeff took out his phone and started scrolling through his pictures. “Here’re some recent ones.”
    The first one showed Emily, with a crown on, at her birthday party, and she was blowing out thecandles on a cake. She had brown hair and kind of looked like Jeff, but I noticed she had brown eyes, like me. That led me to an interesting thought. Let’s just say Emily and I became stepsisters someday. We looked similar enough that people might think we were actually sisters. There was something about that that felt nice.
    The rest of the pictures showed Emily in her soccer uniform and Emily making a sand castle on the beach. She was smiling in every picture.
    â€œShe looks nice,” I remarked.
    â€œShe is,” Jeff said. “I think you girls would like each other.”
    I nodded, thinking. If Emily and I did meet, that might mean that Mom and Jeff were really serious. I was slowly getting used to that idea, and it wasn’t so bad.

CHAPTER 12
Back and Forth
    O kay, class, who’s ready for a math test?”
    â€œMe!” I called out cheerfully. Most of the other kids in class, including Mia, just groaned. But I felt pretty excited. As soon as Jared Fogelson, who sat in the seat of front of me, handed back the test sheet, I got started.
    I looked at the first problem, and I knew what to do! I took my time, just like Jeff had suggested, and when I finished with all the answers, I went back and checked the hard ones. Even after all that I was still one of the first ones done.
    Mr. K. was checking his e-mail when I got to his desk.
    â€œThat’s fast for you, Katie. Did you check your work?” he asked.
    â€œYup,” I said.
    â€œAwesome!” said Mr. K. with a smile.
    I went back to my desk, feeling really good. To pass the time until class ended, I took out my notebook and started drawing rainbows and shooting stars.
    When I sailed into the lunchroom later that day, I was in a great mood. And as soon as the whole Cupcake Club was seated together, we started talking about Mr. Green.
    â€œI can’t believe how nice he is in person!” Emma said.
    Alexis giggled. “Emma, you see him in person every day in math class.”
    Emma blushed a little. “You know what I mean. What other math teacher has ever made icing with us before?”
    Then Mia nodded her head to the side, and we realized Mr. Green was heading our way.
    â€œHi, Je—Mr. Green,” I said, stopping myself from calling him by his first name.
    â€œHi, girls,” he said pleasantly. “Katie, how did you do on your math test?”
    â€œI think I aced it!” I reported.
    â€œGreat work!” Mr. Green said, and then he winked and moved on to the next table.
    â€œThat was weird,” Alexis said after he walked away. “He acted like we didn’t all hang out together yesterday.”
    â€œMaybe he’s trying to keep the Mr. Green at school separate from the Mr. Green at home,” Mia reasoned.
    I thought about this. That made sense, but I didn’t like it very much. “So that means every time I see Mr. Green in school, I have to pretend he’s not dating my mom? And eating at my house? And helping us make cupcakes?”
    Alexis nodded sympathetically. “It’s like you’ve got to turn a switch on and off all the time. That kind of stinks.”
    I sighed. “Well, at least I