Sometimes I just put the images together and—bam!—I’m done. But I’d agonized over this piece, moving things around again and again. Now I had to finish it.

I picked up my glue stick, took a deep breath, and attached the first image to the cardstock. I kept going, tweaking my arrangement as I went, and using liquid glue for the fabric. When I was done, I stepped back and held it up.

“Cute,” I said. “But it needs something.”

Then I spied some glittery pom-poms in one of my bins.

Perfect! I thought. They’ll give it some dimension! But I didn’t want to go overboard, so I carefully plucked out a few black ones and some white ones, to match the ice cream shop’s black-and-white checkerboard floor.

When I glued on the last pom-pom, I grinned. The whole thing just looked right. Next I placed the image in a special photo box I made with a white bottom and walls, which I use to photograph stuff for my blog. It helps you get a clean, perfect image without any weird shadows.

I took a few pictures on my phone, chose the best one, and then went to the magazine’s website. I filled out the online form and uploaded the photo with the caption: I Molly’s!

Then I texted the image to Allie and Sierra.

What do you think? 7 hours before the deadline, Si!

Allie replied first. I love this! I’m going to show it to my mom as soon as she gets home!

I texted her back. Tx. How was your first day at the luxury spa known as Vista Green?

I was teasing Allie about her school. She, Sierra, and I had all gone to the same elementary school together, which is how we became besties. But then Allie’s parents had split up, and Allie had moved to a different part of Bayville (the part where the summer people have their mansions, but Allie and her mom and brother live in a tiny apartment there). That’s why Allie goes to Vista Green instead of MLK with Sierra and me, and everyone knows that Vista Green has much better equipment and cafeteria food. I think it bugs Allie when we tease her about it, but sometimes I can’t resist.

LOL! She replied. Lots of classes with my friends.

You mean your other friends, I teased. Seriously, tho, that’s nice. Homework?

Nope, she replied. We had getting-to-know-you games all day, and pizza.

!!!! I typed back. No work, no homework, and pizza on top of it! It was hard not to be jealous of the Vista Greenies sometimes.

Sierra chimed in. Your cover looks great, Tamiko!

I was typing a response to her when I heard the front door open.

“Tamiko, we’re home!” Mom yelled up the stairs. “Come on down and tell us about how your first day of school went.”

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Ice Cream Queen