The Peace Offering

ELEVEN

River

"Are you sure about this?" Rain asked as I placed the tray of unbaked vanilla cupcakes into the oven.

"Yes, Rain. I'm sure," I leaned against the counter opposite the oven and crossed my arms. "I feel really bad now. I think she must be having a concussion already. Plus, she said we're not done. The last thing I want in my life right now is Maxine Hoffman pointing a gun to my skull."

My sister laughed. "So your best bet is a truce? With cupcakes? What if she's more of a donut person?"

"Possible. But no one has ever turned down my cupcakes before."

"Well she might be the first," Rain still refused to back down. This was the perfect example of how jealous people roll. "You should... make it more interesting."

"Make what more interesting?" I gave her a questioning look.

Rain paused, before smacking her lips and starting again. "The truce. Your peace offering, specifically. I might have learnt a thing or two from mom's books..."

"Rain, are you crazy?!" I whisper-yelled at my sister while peering over to check if our grandma was still on the phone with Sandy in the living room. "Grandma warned us about this! Strictly no witchcraft anymore. She'll slaughter you if she finds out!"

"But she never will, unless you tell her which I highly doubt you will. Come on, there's no harm in trying. I tried it on Nash and he's still alive, isn't he?"

I widened my eyes in disbelief. "You cast a spell on Nash? Is that why he's so blindly in love with you even though you still don't wanna marry him even after ten years?"

"Something like that. I just made him a bit more patient that's all," Rain took her turn to check if grandma was eavesdropping before she turned back to me. "So are you in or are you out?"

Both of us spun around in shock when grandma walked over to announce that she was going to read in her bedroom and then take a quick nap. Just as we made sure that grandma had already settled down upstairs, the oven ding-ed and I slid my right hand into a mitten before I took the tray out. The enchanting fragrance of the vanilla cupcakes filled the air and Rain came sweeping back into the kitchen.

"Ready?" She wiggled her eyebrows.

I glanced down at the piping hot cupcakes and hesitantly back at Rain. "Are you sure this is going to work?"

"Never been more sure," She assured firmly. "Now hold one in your hands."

I did as told, after putting on another mitten on my left hand. I held the cupcake, the Chosen One, on my palms. Rain scanned our surroundings one last time to ensure that nobody was watching, especially grandma. After she was fully convinced the coast was clear, she closed her eyes and lifted her hands. She began silently mouthing some words, her fingers hovering over the cupcake and moving in wriggly motions. The whole process lasted for two minutes and as I waited anxiously for it to be over, I played my part in making sure we wouldn't get caught in the act.

Then suddenly I felt the cupcake in my hand vibrate vigorously I had to grip it so it wouldn't fall. It only stopped when Rain finally opened her eyes and lowered her hands.

"There," she smirked. "You just got yourself the most effective peace offering in the whole wide world, lil' sis."