Mia's Recipe for Disaster by Coco Simon Page A

fantasy dress, and some of the girls were able to dream up some really unique and amazing designs.”
    â€œI know,” I said. “Those last two dresses were spectacular.”
    Laura smiled. “I hope you enjoyed the show and will enter again,” she said. “We here at Teen Runway look forward to seeing what you will create in years to come.”
    â€œI will. Thank you!” I said, and as I shook her hand once again, I suddenly realized how sweaty my palms were. But Laura was too classy to say anything; she just smiled and walked away.
    Katie and Ava ran up to me.
    â€œWow, that is so cool!” Ava said. “The editor of Teen Runway just shook your hand!”
    â€œYeah, I guess she did,” I said as the awesomeness of the whole situation just kept spreading over me.
    Then I heard a voice exclaim, “Sara!”
    A man wearing a blue hat with a red feather in it walked right toward my mom. I recognized him right away. It was Verne Garcia, another designer. His fall fashion show had been a huge hit.
    â€œYou know him?” I whispered.
    Mom nodded. “I worked on several of his shows,” she said, and then she smiled and extended her hand. “Verne, so good to see you!”
    â€œPleasure,” Verne said, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
    Then he looked at me.
    â€œYou didn’t tell me you had a budding designer in your house,” he said. He leaned over to me. “Don’t worry. . . . Some of these crazy outfits definitely took skill, but they aren’t wearable at all. I mean, who’s going to wear an outfit that’s made out of aluminum foil? You, my dear, have an impeccable eye for what a woman would actually buy. A truly marketable skill, and a rare one, too. I’m going to keep my eye on you!”
    â€œThanks!” I said, and I felt a perma-grin appear on my face as he waved and walked away. Verne Garcia was going to keep an eye on me . Me!
    â€œYou know, that’s very true, Mia,” Mom said. “It’s a good lesson, too. Some fashion is for appreciation, and some fashion is for wearing.”
    I thought about it. “That makes sense,” I said. “I guess the fashion appreciation stuff gets more attention.”
    â€œYes, and to be fair, the designs that won had an incredible amount of talent behind them,” Mom pointed out. “But you are a little more practical. That’s not a bad thing.”
    â€œDid somebody say practical?” Alexis asked, walking up to us. “That makes sense to me.”
    â€œMe too,” said Katie, looking down at her jeans. “My whole wardrobe is practical. And stained.”
    We all laughed.
    â€œI can’t think of anything that could make this day any better,” I said with a happy sigh.
    â€œI can,” said Katie.
    I raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What’s that?”
    Katie grinned. “Cupcakes!”

    â€œThree cheers for Mia!” Katie cried, holding out her cupcake.
    After the fashion show, we had said good-bye to Dad and Ava, and Mom, Eddie, Dan, and I headed back home with the rest of the CupcakeClub. Then we all went to Katie’s house. To surprise me, she had decorated her living room with gray and pink streamers and a big sign that read, CONGRATULATIONS, MIA!
    Not only that, but Katie, Emma, and Alexis had baked me a special batch of cupcakes, with icing the same gray as my dress, and a perfect pink flower on top of each one.
    Mrs. Brown and Mr. Green joined us, and everyone held up a cupcake for a toast.
    â€œMia! Mia! Mia!” everyone cheered.
    â€œThanks!” I said. “Here’s to coming in third.”
    â€œYou know, top three is pretty darn good,” said Katie. “I mean, you guys are my top three friends.”
    I giggled. “And you three are my top three friends.”
    â€œMine too!” said Alexis.
    â€œDitto!” added Emma, and we all collapsed into giggles.
    Katie’s