THE PERFECT COOKIES

FRIDAY, 12 FEBRUARY, 10 AM

Next thing I knew, it was like packing care packages all over again, except it was homemade cookie packages, but otherwise it was all the same.

Ki had already set up the mixer and baking trays. And then it felt like someone said "Your time starts now!" And we were in some kind of bake off that Savy liked to watch on YouTube during the phase before the which-way book phase.

Savy was very efficient and already knew how to use the mixer. I just helped by throwing in the ingredients - which sometimes got spat out by the mixer if it was thrown in while the mixer was still going.

"Sam! Wait till I stop, or at least slow the mixer!"

But what was the fun in that?

When we got everything in, Lizzy got back to join us, "That was quick!"

She looked into our mixing bowl at the colorful mix, "Oh, are we helping Sabre make some first?"

"No, they're for my friends." I said.

"Oh... But they've got M&Ms..." Then Lizzy decided with a shrug, "M&Ms are always fun."

Savy shot me a 'I told you so' look. I decided to ignore it.

Next Savy scooped out small teaspoons of cookie mix. She said the smaller the faster it would bake, so while I liked the idea of giant cookies, Lizzy and I rolled them in little balls, just a bit. Savy said we shouldn't make them too perfect. Last time she did that, everyone thought her cookies was store bought.

"We want to make them look like they were handmade by Sam." Savy explained, "Lizzy, you need to leave them lumpier looking."

Gee... Thanks.

Then Ki put them in the oven while we made a second tray.

"How are we packing these?" Lizzy asked.

Oh right! I ran up to get the packaging and dollies.

"This is pretty." Lizzy said of the plastic I had bought.

Savy gave it a critical once over, "At least you didn't get those cheesy cartoon ones."

The cookies were ready, and they came out really hot. Ki stuck them in the freezer without missing a beat so they'd cool and harden faster.

I started writing the dollies. You know, I wanted to write a special message for every friend right? Yeah, the special message for every friend turned out to be, "Happy Vday!"

"You should sign your name." Lizzy reminded me.

Oh right.

"It'll be easier to distribute if you don't write who it's to, especially if the contents are all the same." Lizzy continued to advise me.

I crumpled up the dolly that was "To Henry."

Lizzy and Savy definitely had more experience than me in Vday preparations.

So thanks to the combined efforts and expertise of Savy, Lizzy, and Ki, I actually had 30 bags of cookies by the end of the hour.

"I think that's too many." I said.

"You should always pack a bit of extra in case you forgot someone." Lizzy said.

"Or if someone gave you something and you needed something to give back." Savy added.

"It might be a kind gesture to also give some to your teachers and Madam Principal." Ki suggested.

What? Give Vday cookies to teachers? No way!

But I thought of Mrs Hen's concern, and Mr D's theatre efforts, and I guess Principal Laura was also kinda nice... for a principal anyway. Maybe them (and any teacher who gave me an A+ today. Lol)

While Lizzy and Savy finished up securing the last of the cookie bags with the little golden twistie ties, I ran upstairs to change into my uniform which had been magically set up for me. Ki's brand of beta magic.

No time to shower! Omo. When was the last time I showered?

I tried to sniff myself. I was cookie scented, which was better than I had expected.

Okay, I had to have realistic expectations. When life stopped because of the storm, and suddenly restarted again, it's okay not to smell like the fresh light floras of Sakura. It's okay not to stop and think.

Change, pick up balloons, reach school by lunch, distribute cookies and balloons - maybe I'll just leave every thing on their desks the way we left supplies at each mat in the training hall storm shelter last night.

Yeah. Cos I'm efficient like that.

I checked my dresser for all the small stuff:

Oh, okay, my (new)phone was here. I almost didn't recognize it. My homework was here too, but undone. Omo. Oh! And my blue heart hair clip. What else was I forgetting? School pin, ribbon... If they were not already all in the little proclein shell shaped plate on my dresser, I would have forgotten them.

Ran down the stairs and Ki had already packed all the cookies in a large paper bag. He was at the door with my coat and shoes ready.

Mum was home by now, she was chatting with Lizzy and Savy as they cleaned up in the kitchen.

Mum was looking very pleased, "Have a good day in school Sam!"

"Apologies for leaving first." Ki told Mum sincerely.

"Not at all Ki. Thank you for all your help." Mum said, "I'm so glad Sam has a chance to celebrate her first Vday in school with her friends."

Eh?

"Yeah," Savy grinned, "My sister is growing up so fast."

Lizzy laughed, "Sam's older than us!"

"No wonder you wanted to go to school so bad!" Mum was laughing too.

I opened my mouth to protest, but Mum waved it off, "No, no, I understand. I'm glad you're enjoying your time in highschool."

I was not!

Was I? I certainly never meant to!

But Ki had already bowed us off and led me to the porch just as his blue merc coup skidded to a stop outside.

Ben got out of the car.

"Beta, might I suggest you apply a gentler pressure on the pedals next time?" Ki asked with feigned politeness.

"Do I look like a valet to you, dog?" Ben shot back.

"No, beta. If I were to mistaken you for any other driver, it would certainly be a Red Race driver." Ki replied.

Ben smirked, "Shut up, dog."

But he wasn't offended. Ben really liked Red Races. So while in normal traffic conditions, saying someone drove like he was in a Red Race wasn't a compliment, it was probably the nicest thing anyone could say to Ben.

Red Races were like vehicle races and were held in the Red Packlands every fortnight. The theme changes every time from racing cars, to bikes, to buses. I think they had a tractor race once. As long as it had a motor, they had raced it at least once. It was the bike gang editions that sold out the fastest though, so motorbike racing featured a lot. This was like groups of 5 bikers racing on dirt road, with no rules. Very dangerous.

Jude and his gang sometimes joined for quick cash. Although I heard the winnings were usually spent on healer/hospital bills, bike repairs, and drinks after, so it's not really a viable means of income. Dad said they just did it for the thrill and limelight. VERY DANGEROUS.

My parents would repeat the phrase "very dangerous" to me the few times Red Races ever popped up in our conversations. It was like they secretly feared I would join one.

The second most popular were the sports car races, which Ben liked a lot, judging from the posters in his room.

I wouldn't be surprised if Ben raced the lambo there one day. I don't think he's allowed to yet. Maybe when he was actually 16? 18? Was there an age limit like for drinking? I had no idea, but it would make sense.

Anyway, Red Races was a lot less cool than it sounded. I've ever watched a race with my gang on TV before. It was the opening race, which was like the first race of the year, and there was a red carpet party. Half the spectators was by invite only. And the other half would have had bought their tickets the year before or paid scalpers actrocious amounts for them.

Everyone who attended the Opening Race had to wear red. Even the men. It's like there were men in the world who had a maroon suit at the back of their wardrobe for this one day. Lizzy and Savy liked watching the red carpet segment before the race, and then they would lose interest.

I did find the whole spectacle somewhat interesting. I liked listening to Savy and Lizzy comment on the outfits, but the race itself on opening day was on a track (so the VIPS in red could watch it from their glass booths in the stands). After the third round it got boring. The cars were just running in circles right?

"Call me at the last lap." I decided.

The guys laughed at me for that, but whatever. They were the idiots watching the cars go round and round like a fast forwarded merry go round.

Sometimes the commentators would ask to playback in slow motion. Why? Wasn't this supposed to be a RACE?

So I'm not someone you should discuss Red Races with. It would be a waste of your time.

Anyway, the cookies and I were packed into the car, and Ki drove us off. Ben waved from the porch and I saw him stalk back towards the packhouse.

It was officially still a snow day in the Green Packlands. AND it didn't even occur to my parents to send me to school. So why did I have to open my mouth and say I wanted to go to school?

Well, maybe Savy and Lizzy would have finished most of the dress shopping by the time school was over. Or get tired of highstreet shopping and stop for tea. Or even better, decide to go to a mall. And on 16th Street, if I hop to the opposite side of the road, I might be able to find a cute vday gift for Sabre. Focus on the positives.

For now, balloons, get to class, distribute stuff... Oh yeah, homework. I started doing it in the car.

The car wasn't the most conducive place for homework. Unlike on the train, its hard to write in the car.

"Apologies, goddess." Ki said when he made a stop at the traffic light and my pen ran the stop at the decimal point and drew across the page.

"It's fine." I joked, "I'm doing my math with calligraphy flourishes. What's 7x8?"

Ki turned out to be quite good at mental sums. He even knew 12x8 or anything with 12 because sometimes betas had to count in dozens. It saved me a lot of thinking.

When Ki parked to collect the balloons. I took the chance to stay in the car to finish.

Oh the balloons! They came in three different shades of pink and a smattering of red! The shop included a few round transparent ones with gold confetti in it FOR FREE. Lucky! Alright, maybe it wasn't so much my luck than Ki's charm.

Ki had them in two bunches and somehow managed to fit them all into the back of his coup. Beta magic. When I first saw the cloud of balloons, I was sure we had needed a bus.

Now to school! Tally-ho! Hahaha what a weird expression, 'tally-ho'! Why did it even come to mind?

But we were zipping in Ki's little blue Merc towards the Gold Packlands, riding the empty expressway like a wolf racing the wind.

My wolf was happy. I'm not sure which wolf. It felt like Boo's dark presence wrapped up in Wolfie's simple joy at fun about to happen.

Because despite the homework and lessons and noise and stink and whatever else that schools everywhere came with, my friends at school were fun.

And I guess Mum was right as usual, I was enjoying highschool.

This came as a shock to me. I thought kids were supposed to hate school. I certainly hated middle school without even trying.

By the time I reached school, I was totally weirded out by the fact that I didn't hate school. I liked hanging out with the "cool kids" - I think ever since Mrs Henderson's lesson on cliques, the labels had firmly stuck in my mind.

I liked our picnic bench where the guys played football. I liked our unnaturally created spring picnic area. I liked archery practice and art (even though I never got an A in art.) Lots of interesting things happened in school. I mean, the most boring times of my life also happened in school too, but maybe it was like watching a Red Race. 43 laps going round and round the track, but you never know when a car would do a skidding drift into an inner lane, or pull a crazy stunt to finish first place... Or a crash out in the attempt.