Read Online Frosting and Friendship by Lisa Schroeder - Free Book Online Page B

too.”
    â€œAll right. But try not to worry, okay?” She strokes my hair. “Everything will be fine. Now, why don’t you go relax for a change? Read some of that book for our club, and try to forget about baked goods, okay?”
    I take a deep breath. “Okay. Thanks, Mom.”
    *  *  *
    The next day at school, Abigail gives me the cold shoulder. I’d tried to call her Saturday night and apologize for how our practice turned out, but she didn’t answer her phone.
    I’m standing at her locker, trying to get her to turn around and talk to me.
    â€œAbigail, please. I’m sorry. I really am. I know I shouldn’t have let the cake take over the evening. I want to make the party coming up on Saturday really special, you know? But Friday night was for practicing, and I’m sorry I let other things get in the way.”
    She slams the door and turns around. “Can I ask you something, Lily?”
    â€œYeah. Of course.”
    â€œDo you want to be a baker or a singer?”
    â€œYou already know the answer to that question. Why are you even asking me that? Music and singing, they mean everything to me.”
    She gives me a look I don’t like. A look that says she’s disappointed in me. “Well, you’re sure not acting like it.”
    And then she heads off to class without me.

Chapter 13
butterscotch pudding
COMFORT IN A BOWL
    W hen school is over, I chase after Zola as she walks toward the front door. I pull her to the side of the hallway as kids rush past us.
    â€œHey, do you want to come over and practice tonight?” I ask. “I promise there’ll be no interruptions this time. I’m really sorry about Friday night.”
    She sighs. “Lily, maybe this band thing isn’t such a great idea. It takes work, you know? Andyou seem to have lots of other stuff going on.”
    I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
    â€œPlease don’t say that. I love our band.” I point down at my new shoes. “See? I even bought new shoes.”
    When she sees my shoes, it makes her smile. Then she looks at me and says, “Dude, you gotta understand something, though. It takes more than cute shoes to make a band.”
    â€œI know,” I tell her as I lightly squeeze her arm. “I’m really sorry. So will you help me talk Abigail into coming over tonight? We’ll get that song finished and we will rock it. I know we will.” I glance around the hallway before I say, “Don’t you want to show the New Pirates they’re not the only band in town?”
    I can tell by the look on her face she does. “Yeah. Of course. But we all have to work at it. We each have to do our share. It’s not fair otherwise.”
    I nod. “You’re totally right. Please forgive me and let’s start over, okay? We’ll have an awesome practice. Just wait.”
    Abigail walks by just then. “Hey,” Zola calls out to her. “Come here for a second.”
    She stops but doesn’t seem too happy about it. “I need to go. My mom’s waiting for me.”
    â€œCan you practice tonight?” Zola asks. “Lily feels really bad, and I think we need to give it another chance.”
    â€œI don’t know,” she says, fiddling with the zipper on her hoodie. “I mean, what’s the point? The New Pirates are going to win. There’s no way we can beat them.”
    I remember what my parents have been telling me all along. “So let’s not worry about them. Let’s just play for ourselves. I want to finish that song. I want to hear what it sounds like from start to finish, with you guys playing it. How many people can say they actually wrote a song and played it? I bet not very many, but I want to be able to do that.”
    Abigail looks at me and I can tell she’s thinking about what I said. “Okay,” she finally says. “But no phone calls or cake