Alexis and the Missing Ingredient Read Online Free PDF Page A

Mia.
    â€œYou’re always thinking about the competition!” teased Katie.
    â€œBusiness first, that’s my motto!” I said, and we giggled.
    â€œNext, we’ll walk home and pass by the baking store Katie wants to check out”—they exchanged a smile—“then we’ll look into just one or two boutiques I like along the way, then go home to change and wait for my dad.”
    I scribbled furiously. “Will Ava already have her bag with her?” I asked.
    â€œWhat? Oh. Well, maybe not, because it’s a surprise that we’re going to school,” Mia said, a little distressed.
    â€œOkay, just planning ahead,” I said. “Emma always hates it when I forget to tell her to pack a bag in case she sleeps over. Then we’re always scrambling at the last minute . . . you know.”
    â€œRight. Then we’re going to dinner at Omen, that awesome sushi place in SoHo I’ve told you all about!” Mia’s eyes lit up in excitement.
    â€œI can’t wait!” said Katie, grinning.
    â€œOh, is it cool?” I asked.
    â€œWait, you haven’t heard Mia going on and on about Omen?” Katie laughed incredulously.
    I shrugged. “I guess not,” I admitted.
    Mia giggled. “Well, after tonight we’ll all be going on about it!”
    I am personally not a fan of raw fish, but I felt like it really wasn’t my place to throw a wrench into the plans. I made a mental note to eat an extra churro at the bakery.
    â€œAfter Omen, my dad is going to take us to get our palms read by this really cool lady he knows.”
    â€œWait, whoa! Palm reading?” That kind of stuff made me a little nervous. But Katie and Mia looked at me blankly, like, What’s not to like about palm reading? “I mean, uh . . . wow!” I corrected, and they smiled.
    â€œYeah, she only gives out good news, though, so don’t worry!” reassured Katie. “At least that’s what Mia always says.”
    Mia nodded. “Right. Then after that we’ll walk a couple of blocks to the treat that Katie and I have lined up to surprise you and Ava. . . .”
    â€œWhat is it?” I asked excitedly.
    They laughed. “We can’t tell you! It’s a surprise!”
    â€œOh.” I felt a little left out. I guess I’d feel better after we hooked up with Ava. Then she and I could be left out together. I decided to change the subject. “Okay, and will we set up the beds before or after we go out?” I asked.
    Mia laughed again. “You and your details, Alexis! I don’t know! Before? After? Who cares?”
    â€œOh, I just thought ’cause maybe we’ll be so tired when we get back . . .”
    â€œNo way. We will be rowdy!” said Katie, giggling.
    â€œOkay . . . ,” I said, and wrote in my planner: “Omen, palm reader, shop, get rowdy.”
    Katie leaned across the seats to see my planner. “Did you actually just write ‘get rowdy’ in there?”
    I nodded. “Yes. Failing to plan is planning to fail!”
    â€œHow can you fail at being rowdy?” asked Katie.
    â€œYou can use up all your energy too early and then want to go to sleep when it’s rowdy time, that’s how,” I said huffily. Didn’t everyone know that?
    â€œAlexis Becker, you are too much!” said Katie with a laugh as we entered a dark tunnel.
    â€œThe Beckers try harder.” Mia giggled as she quoted our family motto.
    It hurt my feelings a little, but I took a deep breath and decided not to turn their teasing into a fight. After all, it would be two against one. Not my favorite odds.
    â€œAnd what’s wrong with that, my friends?” I asked. “What’s wrong with that?”

CHAPTER 4
New York’s Best Hot Chocolate
    I was overwhelmed just finding our way out of the train station, and I couldn’t believe how