{ 22 } solar system vanilla cake
I stare at the flyer absentmindedly. It was one among many around town advertising Sugar Rush's upcoming event. I don't pay too much mind to it.
Setting the flyer down, I turn my attention to the door, which has just flown open bringing in my friend Jasper and a bouncing kid close in tow.
"Hey Jasper!" I wave from the counter as he rushes towards me, dragging the kid behind him. He's frazzled, a bit out of breath and disheveled hair.
"I'm getting straight to the point Bonnie," I raise my eyebrows as he gets his bearings and start up again. "I completely forgot that this cake decorating thing at Sugar Rush was today- see, you have the flyer, you know- and I have a date in like 15 minutes and I feel like I've called everyone to see if someone could take my baby cousin who's in town, but everyone's busy and I didn't want to bother you with the store but you're really my last hope, and-"
I hold up my hands to try and stop him. "Woah, woah, woah! It's okay! I'll just ask Jasmin to-"
"No!" he exclaims quickly. Then, he drops his voice to a whisper. "The kid finds her a bit threatening, you know, with the face piercings, black hair, dark makeup look she's going for."
I cover my mouth as I try not to laugh. Jasmin is anything but threatening, but to a kid, I can see how they might not understand.
Jasper is looking at me with pleading eyes and I know I can't refuse. He does a lot of favors for us, I should do one for him.
"Yeah, I'll take your cousin. I'll just get Jasmin to man the counter. The whole event shouldn't take too long right?"
Jasper nearly starts bouncing as much as the kid. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I'll be back in like 4 hours!"
He ruffles the kid's hair and says, "Be good to Bonnie and don't get icing everywhere!" and bounds out the door. I stare at the kid, and he stares back with slight curiosity. I think it shouldn't be too bad. I've babysat once before.
"I'll be right back, kid." I step into the kitchen and towards the bottom of the staircase to yell, "Jasmin, I'll be back in a few hours?"
"Cool! Have fun!"
I head back out to the counter where the kid is still waiting, still bouncing.
"Alright, let's go!"
° ° °
"What's your name?"
"Anthony. My friends call me Tony." He pauses after this and considers. "I guess you can call me Tony too."
My hand flies to my chest in exaggerated shock. "Well, I'm honored Tony!" He giggles at me. If it's this easy to make a child happy, then this shouldn't be too bad. "My name is Bonnie. That's what everyone calls me."
"That's a cool name, Bonnie. Jasper says nice things about you," Tony says, nodding decisively. I decide that I like this kid.
"So, how excited are you for the cake decorating contest?"
And this is what sets him off. His eyes light up and he starts waving his arms up and down.
"Oh my goooossshhh! I'm sooo excited! Jasper told me about it when I first came to visit. I was telling him about how I made a bake sale in my front yard last summer. It's like a lemonade stand but way cooler! I decorate all the cupcakes myself, you should totally come over and try some! And Jasper and I were walking down this exact street to go to the park like a week ago and we saw the flyer and since I'm a great reader, I read the flyer to him. I told him the flyer had a poem on it because in school we were told that a lot of poems rhyme but not every poem has to rhyme. Anyways, I begged Jasper to let me go and he said yes! I couldn't believe my ears! I told him I would decorate my cake with lots of lasers and stuff. I'd also have lots of animals and stuff. I bet mine is gonna win-"
And Tony went on and on and on. There was no way I could get a word in otherwise. So, for the entire (albeit short) walk to Sugar Rush, I let Tony talk my ear off while contributing the important head nod and "That's so cool!"
Only after we reach the front door of Sugar Rush does Tony stop talking. He's still hyper excited and bouncing on his feet.
"You ready for this kid?"
He nods enthusiastically. "Plus," I add, "You've got a skilled baker by your side. The other kids won't know what hit them!" I hold my hands out for a high five and he slaps his palms against mine.
"Let's go!"
° ° °
The inside of Sugar Rush hasn't changed much since my two visits to the shop before. It's still the whimsical mix between Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory and Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. This time, however, lots of children run around the shop, their parents relaxing on the lollipop shaped stools around. Luis is standing in the middle of the shop, amongst a circle of tables with plain white boxes and decorating supplies. He's in his Sugar Rush uniform and is carrying a clipboard. He looks around quite confidently before pulling out a walkie talkie looking device from his belt and talking into it. The device amplifies his voice around the shop.
"Participants of the Cake Decorating Contest, step right up!" The children in the shop get louder and bound towards the center where Luis is standing. Tony grabs my hand and pulls me towards it as well.
Since everyone was within hearing range of Luis, he puts away the voice amplifier and projects his voice.
"Okay! Everyone will get one cake to decorate in 30 minutes. We will vote on the winners at the end and they will get prizes!" The kids start whispering excitedly at that. Luis holds up a hand and the children calm down again. "But don't worry, no one leaves without a prize!"
I glance at Tony and his excitement latches on to me.
Luis continues the directions. "Everyone find a white box with a cake in it but don't start until I tell you to." He claps his hands and the children rush to a table with a white box on it. Some kids sneakily try to open their boxes.
"On your marks, get set, CAKE!" The children rip off the white boxes and start grabbing icing tubes to start the decorating process.
I look over to Tony who has a blue icing tube in his hand. The cake in front of him is small and circular with a thin layer of white icing.
"Do you know what you've gotta do first?" I ask, arms crossed and looking at him in mock sternness.
"Duh! I've got a whole year of experience!" I open my mouth at his bluntness. "Grab a red icing tube and line the bottom."
"Yes, sir!" I put the icing tube millimeters away from the cake when Tony grabs my arm quickly.
"Stop! I change my mind! We're gonna make-" He glances around and motions for me to bend down to his height. "-a solar system cake!" he whispers excitedly.
"That's gonna be awesome! I'll get started on the sky part."
I help him to mix a dark blue icing for the base and start applying it to the cake while he starts shaping pieces of fondant from the tub we were given into circles representing planets. He finishes painting the last one just as I finish icing the base.
Tony then instructs me to make dig craters into the moon he sculpted on the top of the cake while he positions the planets around the end of the cake. Then, we both grab tubes of white icing to sprinkle stars around the empty spaces of the cake.
Luis calls the five minute mark when we finish dotting the stars.
Tony frowns slightly at our cake. "Something's missing."
I rack my brain for everything concerning planets, the galaxy, and the moon, which isn't much. Then it hits me. "What about a flag to represent the first man on the moon?"
Tony nods and makes quick work on a pick and a paper flag. Just as he places it on the top of the cake, Luis calls out, "Bakers! Step away from the cakes!"
I high five Tony as we step away. He turns his attention to Luis who pulls out a large and obnoxious "JUDGE" pin and places it on his shirt. That elicits a few giggles.
"Alright! Now it's time for judging!" This serves as a cue for parents to start taking photos of their kid's cakes. I decide to take a few to send to Jasper later on.
Luis stops by each cake and hands an award out that looks like he made up on the spot. He gives bests in categories like scariest, use of colors, funniest, and adaption of a book or movie.
When he gets to Tony's cake, he catches my eye and smiles. I raise my eyebrow, but smile too. It's the least I can do. Maybe it will help Tony win, since Luis seems obsessed in making himself a constant part of my life. I make my smile a little bigger and bat my eyes. Luis clears his throat and turns his attention back to the cake.
"This is quite the good looking cake. Dare I say, great. I award you the prize of the most creative cake!" Luis gives Tony a ribbon and a gift bag like he did the others. I mean, at least it's not a bullshit category. Tony is fistbumping in the air and screaming. It quickly turns into a dramatic "We Are The Champions" rendition. I beam at Luis because I can admit he actually made Tony happy. He winks and beams back at me before judging the rest of the cakes.
At the end, everyone has a goodie bag and a ribbon. No one is upset about there not being a "Best Cake" category. The parents are all worn out and have their fair share of pictures. Luis waves people goodbye as they leave.
Jasper saunters into the shop, spots me and walks over to Tony and me sharing an order of the infamous Sugar Rush cake pops. Jasper grabs one from our box and pops it into his mouth.
"Did you have fun, kid?" Jasper asks ruffling Tony's hair.
"Yeah! Look, we made a solar system cake!" He lifts the cover off of his carrying box and waves his arms around it.
Jasper widens his eyes and gives Tony a high five. "Wicked!" He looks to me and gives me a quick side hug. "Thanks for covering for me. I'll tell you about the date when we all get together next."
"No problem. And you better!" He just winks and turns back to pick up Tony's cake.
"Alright! Let's go kid!" Tony and Jasper head out the door while I clean up our cake pops.
"You know, after some events like this, I like to unwind with some Rice Krispie treats."
I look up and Luis is standing in front of me, hands in his pockets, standing on the balls of his feet. "And I'll probably make too many to eat by myself. So, the invitation is open to you if you want."
I try my best to hold back a laugh as I reply. "This is by far your weakest attempt to ask me about anything thus far."
"What do you want me to do? Demand you to join me for Rice Krispie treats?"
I put my hands on my hips and grin. "That's what you usually do."
"Well, okay then. You. Me. Kitchen. Rice Krispie Treats." He adds a wink for emphasis.
I can't hold it in any more and laugh out loud. "That sounds more like the Luis I know."
He turns and I follow him back to the kitchen.
° ° °