Chapter 1 Test Taking "Time's up, class!" Whew! I had just finished answering the last question on my history test with a few seconds to spare. Two down, three to go, I thought as I handed in my test and walked down the hallway for lunch. Test-taking week at Fenton Street School was no joke. My whole grade was getting grilled on math, science, English, history, and gym. Yesterday, I had my gym exam--so easy! After history this morning, all I had left today was my science test. When I reached the cafeteria, I saw my friends Emily, Ethan, Natalie, and Alana sitting at our usual table. We're all part of the Mini Cupcake Club, and we normally baked treats for different events. But this week, we'd all been studying hard for our tests. So that meant no baking. "How was history?" asked Natalie as I sat down and took out my lunch. "Not too hard," I replied. "You're taking the math test after lunch, right?" Natalie nodded. "Stephanie helped me study." That made me happy to hear. Natalie and her twin sister, Stephanie, had recently gone through a rough patch, but they were a lot better now. It was awesome that Stephanie was helping Natalie with her schoolwork. For a moment, I wished I had a sibling to help me study. "I really miss baking," said Emily, biting into her sandwich. "No orders for two weeks while we study. Grades matter," Alana reminded us. "I know," Emily said with a sigh. "But I still miss it." Before lunch ended, my friends and I promised to hop on a quick video call when we got home to see how our latest tests went. I headed over to my next class, and before I knew it, the day was almost over, and it was time for my science exam. I read through the questions. I couldn't help but feel so proud of myself--I knew every single answer and was one of the first to finish! As I waited for the last bell, I thought about the past few months. Ever since starting at Fenton, everything had been great. I was doing well in school, and I had amazing friends. When the final bell rang, I jumped up. I couldn't wait to tell my parents that I'd aced my exams! Plus, it was my parents' fifteen-year wedding anniversary this weekend. Maybe we'll do something fun at the end of test week to celebrate, I thought. Excerpted from Ren's Cupcake Mission by Coco Simon All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
