“Yeah, like that show of yours that no one watches.” Faybelle smirked. Ginger’s arm fell to her side. Hearing someone else say it made it all the worse. Faybelle tucked her comb away. “I’m here to make you an offer. You know the saying—you help me and I don’t make your life miserable?”
Ginger glared through her glasses. “Uh, actually, the saying is, you help me, I help you.”
“Not in my book.” Faybelle unfurled her wings and rose off the bed. Fairy dust drifted onto Ginger’s quilt. “Here’s my offer. If you let me eat the wish cake, then I won’t tell everyone that you’re madly crushing on Hopper.”
“That’s so rotten.”
“Thank you.”
At that moment, Apple White stepped into the room. “Hello, everyone,” she said in her cheerful-as-usual voice. As she smiled, two perfect dimples appeared on her cheeks. “I just got a care package from my parents. Look!” She held up a basket filled with red apples. “The first of the season.”
The flash of red must have caught Melody’s attention because she took off her headphones. “Hey, what’s going on?”
“One for you,” Apple said, handing a piece of fruit to Melody. Then she handed one to Faybelle and another to Ginger. “Remember, a healthy villain is a happy villain. Charm you later,” she called as she hurried off to make more deliveries.
“What are you doing in our room?” Melody asked as she looked up at Faybelle.
“Calm down, Piper. I’m not staying long.” Faybelle took a bite of the apple. Then she flew very close to Ginger. “So? Are you going to let me eat the wish cake?” Her lips glistened with apple juice.
Ginger stuck out her chin. “You’re too late. I’ve already chosen Hopper.”
Faybelle’s wings began to beat furiously. She threw the apple across the room. It bounced off the wall and nearly broke a mirror. “You’re going to regret this, Ginger Breadhouse!” Then she flew out of the room, leaving a choking cloud of fairy dust in her wake.
Chapter 14
A Wonderful Wish Day
The next morning, Ginger woke up early, her stomach jittery. This was her last chance to prove to the Tech Club that she deserved its help. And that she could bake delicious things that could bring happiness and change people’s lives.
And that she didn’t want to poison anyone! That was important, too.
She chose one of her prettiest outfits—a modern chef’s jacket with gumdrop buttons and waffle-cone accents. She pulled her pink hair into two ponytails and sprinkled them with glitter. Then she cleaned her pink glasses until they sparkled. Then, for the final pièce de résistance, she set a chocolate cupcake chef’s hat on her head. It was an ensemble fit for a spellebrity chef.
Sunday was the perfect day to record the MirrorCast since none of the students had classes. Blondie had made sure to spread the word for her. She’d hexted the entire student body, calling the event “A Wonderful Wish Day.”
The halls were buzzing. “Is it true?” Apple asked. “Are you going to help Hopper so he won’t turn into a frog when he talks to Briar?”
“That’s the plan,” Ginger told her.
Raven stopped Ginger in the hallway. Her iridescent black dress shimmered in the chandelier light. “Just thought you should know that Faybelle’s telling everyone you have a secret crush on Hopper.”
“Huh?” Ginger shook her head. “Whatever do you mean? He’s nice, but I don’t like him that way.”
“You don’t have to prove anything to me,” Raven said with a shrug. She was one of the least judgmental people Ginger had ever met, probably because Raven was usually the one being judged. “Good luck with your show.”
“Thanks.” There was no time to worry about Faybelle and her wicked intentions. Ginger refused to start this day off on the wrong slipper. She hurried from the dormitory, Rumpelstiltskin’s parchment tucked carefully into her pocket. She’d memorized the recipe but wanted to have it, just in case nerves muddled her brain. Baking a cake on her show was one thing, but baking a cake for Hopper and trying to save her show at the same time was going to be a challenge. Her heart was bouncing around like a jumping bean.
Daring stood in the courtyard, his groupies and reality show camera crew surrounding him. As he smiled, the glow of his teeth set someone’s paper latte cup on fire. Then he waved at Ginger. “I’ll be watching your show!”
Wow, Ginger thought. Daring Charming rarely said more than two words to her. And if he was going to watch her show, that meant that all his groupies would be watching, too. “Thanks,” she called back.
“Ms. Breadhouse!”
Ginger stopped in her tracks. Headmaster Grimm stood before her, his hands clasped behind his back. He was an imposing figure, tall and proud, with thick gray hair and an authoritative voice. “I understand that you intend to bake a cake that contains a magical potion during your MirrorCast show this morning.”
“That’s right,” she said with a gulp. The headmaster always made Ginger feel a bit nervous. He had very strong opinions about what students should and should not do. He believed in tradition and following one’s predetermined story. Thus, he did not approve of the Rebels, or of anyone who didn’t want to be exactly who they were expected to be. Ginger was one of the Ever After High students who were a source of distress for him. “Professor Rumpelstiltskin gave me permission.”
“Wish cakes can be very tricky.” He ran his hand over his mustache and stared at her in a very serious way. “However, I am pleased that you’re embracing your destiny. Potion-making is an important part of witchery. Proceed.”
She didn’t point out that her intentions were kind, rather than wicked, for fear he might change his mind. “Yes. Thank you.”
Once she was inside the Cooking Class-ic Room, she began to prep for the show, measuring the dry ingredients into a bowl. The recipe yielded a thimble-sized cake, so the tiny measurements needed to be precise. Her hands trembled slightly, but she managed to do it perfectly. She placed a hummingbird egg on the counter, along with a pat of butter, to bring both to room temperature. Next came the most important part—the magic potion.
Ginger could bake a cake in her sleep, but a wish potion came only once in a lifetime. It felt as if her entire future were riding on one recipe. She’d never been so stressed!
She’d decided that since she wasn’t supposed to share the magic recipe with anyone else, she’d make it ahead of time. One by one, Ginger placed the potion’s ingredients into a beaker. Then, using a pair of tongs, she held the beaker over dragon flame. The potion began to bubble. But the recipe didn’t say how long it would take for the liquid to evaporate into a single drop. Her timing had to be perfect. A second too long and evaporation would be a hundred percent. A second too soon and she’d have two drops instead of one. This was where her experience would pay off. She waited. Intuition alone would determine her success. She noticed the fluid’s motion and watched the steam emerge. Wait for it, she told herself, the tongs pinched in her fingers. Wait. It’s not ready yet. Wait. And then, when she sensed it was the exact right time, she expertly removed the beaker from the flame. Once the steam had cleared, she peered inside.
All that was left was a single drop.
Ginger smiled. She’d done it! Then she glanced at the clock. It was almost time.
Humphrey and the Tech Club arrived with their bags of gear. Hopper was with them. He’d dressed a bit fancier than usual, adding a velvet bow tie that matched his embroidered jacket. And his hair was parted down the middle and slicked into place with some sort of oily hair product. “You look nice,” Ginger told him.
“Uh… I do?” A small speck of color appeared on his cheeks.
Was he blushing? But he never blushed around her. Had he heard that she liked him? This was so embarrassing. “Whatever Faybelle told you, it’s not true. It’s—” His blush grew deeper. “Oh gosh, don’t do that.” If he turned into a frog, his wish might be entirely different. She opened the door to the pantry and pushed him inside. “Do
n’t come out until I call you. I don’t want you to talk to any girls until the cake is ready. I need you to stay in human form.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“Whoa!” Humphrey cried. He’d climbed onto a ladder to check one of the spotlights. His arms flailed as the ladder wobbled from side to side. “I could use some help over here!” Ginger closed the pantry door, then rushed to Humphrey’s side.
“Please don’t fall on your crown. Not today of all days.”
“You’re cracking me up,” he said with a laugh. “Get it? Cracking me up.”
Ginger was in no mood for jokes. She held the ladder steady until Humphrey climbed down. That was when Blondie popped her head into the room. “I’ve spread the word far and wide,” she announced. “And I think you’re going to be hextastic!” Then she threw open the door and students burst in. Royals and Rebels, cheerhexers and jocks, musicians and geeks—they crammed into the Cooking Class-ic classroom until it was full. Melody pushed to the front of the crowd.
Ginger couldn’t believe her eyes. This was the kind of live audience she’d always wanted.
“Hopper, Hopper, Hopper!” students began to chant.
Okay, so maybe they hadn’t come to see her, exactly, but it was still her cooking that would entertain them.
Daring and Sparrow entered. They squeezed to the front of the crowd. “Party!” Sparrow sang, striking his guitar.
Daring waved to the crowd. “Let the hexcitement commence,” he said in a kingly way.
“Hey, I’m the director,” Humphrey told him. “And no other cameras are allowed.” He hustled Daring’s camera crew out the door.
Blondie hurried around the counter and stood next to Ginger. “Well, at least that means the girls who would normally be watching Daring’s Day will be watching your show, just to get a glimpse of Daring.” She pointed to her MirrorPad. “I’ll keep an eye on the numbers.”
“Thanks. How do I look?” Ginger asked.
Blondie straightened the cupcake hat and wiped a bit of flour from Ginger’s cheek. “You look great. Can you feel the anticipation? It’s like the air is electrified.”
The only thing Ginger could feel was her heart pounding against her rib cage. Humphrey stepped in front of the counter and raised his skinny arms. “Quiet on the set!” he hollered. After three more attempts, the audience settled down.
“Break a leg,” Blondie whispered. Then she squeezed in next to Daring.
“It’s not too hot in there, is it?” Ginger asked, peeking into the pantry.
“No,” Hopper replied. He fiddled with his bow tie. “But is Briar out there?”
“Don’t even think about Briar,” Ginger told him. Then she closed the door. She didn’t have the heart to tell him that Briar hadn’t shown up. Briar was nicer than a good night’s sleep, so it would be strange of her to miss the show, especially since Hopper’s wish was based on her.
“Lights! Camera! Action!” Humphrey cried. The theme music swelled. Ginger tried to smile, but she was so nervous her face felt frozen. The theme music faded.
“Welcome to Spells Kitchen,” she said. “Where good food is the secret ingredient to happiness.”
Things didn’t quite go as planned. She dropped a spatula on the floor. She knocked over a spice rack. Blondie kept constant vigil on the numbers, encouraging her now and then with a thumbs-up. With so many bodies in the room, the temperature rose. Sweat dotted Ginger’s forehead as she mixed the batter. People kept whispering things like, “How long’s this gonna take?” and “Where’s Hopper?”
She poured the batter into a minimuffin pan and set it over dragon flame. It took only four seconds for the tiny cake to bake. “It’s time to add the potion containing the wishing spell.” Ginger tipped the beaker. The single drop landed on the cake. Everyone said, “Oooh.”
Ginger felt a bit better. This was going to be great.
“And now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for.” A drumroll sounded from Melody’s MirrorPhone. Nice touch, Ginger thought. Sparrow strummed some chords, which wasn’t a nice touch. Everyone plugged their ears.
Ginger opened the closet door. “It’s time,” she said. Hopper stepped out. Whispered commentary arose from the girls in the audience.
“Will he actually be able to talk to us?”
“Without turning into a frog?”
“I don’t think this will work.”
“Yeah, no magic is strong enough to change Hopper. He’s the prince of slimy pickup lines.”
“More like the king.”
“This is a waste of time. He’ll never change.”
Hopper frowned. His shoulders slumped. He suddenly looked as if he might flee from the room. Ginger turned her back to the audience and spoke only to Hopper. “Hopper, don’t listen to them. You can be whoever you want to be. Are you ready to make your wish?”
He shrugged. “Uh… I guess so.”
When Ginger faced forward, Blondie gave her another thumbs-up. She set the little cake on a china plate, then held it up. Everyone went silent again. “The entire wish cake must be eaten,” she instructed. “Then the wish must be spoken out loud.” She took a deep breath and offered the cake to Hopper.
Silence descended. Except for Blondie, who shouted, “The number of viewers just tripled!”
Hopper grabbed the cake and shoved it into his mouth. “It tastes kinda weird,” he said after swallowing. He coughed, then stuck out his tongue. “Ack! Really weird.”
“I bet she poisoned him,” someone whispered. “Just like her mother.”
Ginger ignored the comment. The cake wasn’t supposed to be delicious. It was supposed to be magical. She nodded at Hopper. “Go on, make your wish.”
“I wish… uh… I wish… uh…” He paused. Ginger’s heart skipped a beat. Had he forgotten his wish? “I wish to be able to talk to girls without turning into a frog.” And then, as if she’d been waiting for her cue, Briar sauntered in.
“Am I late?” she asked.
Everyone turned and stared at her. Including Hopper. You could have heard a pin drop.
“Hi, Hopper,” she said with a little wave. Then she whipped off her crownglasses. “I heard you want to talk to me without turning into a frog.”
“Uh, hi,” he mumbled. A faint pink color appeared in his cheeks. The blush was usually a sign that he was about to transform. But there was nothing to worry about. Ginger folded her arms and watched confidently as the blush spread down to his neck. It was working. The wish was working!
Poof.
The students laughed as Hopper the frog fell through the air and landed behind the counter. Ginger stared down at him. “Uh-oh” was all she could manage to say.
Hopper the frog leaped onto a stool, then onto the counter. He stood on his back legs and addressed the audience. “Greetings, fair gentlemen and lovely ladies,” he said in his booming baritone voice. “It is a conundrum to me that you find my froggy self so unappealing. Do you not admire my well-shaped legs and broad chest?”
As he puffed out his throat, some of the girls said, “Gross.”
“Then you must admire my razor-sharp intellect and poetic dexterity.” He began to strut up and down the counter, hands clasped behind his back. “Why should I wish to talk to girls without turning into a frog, when clearly I possess superior oratory skills when in frog form? Therefore, what I should have wished was to remain a frog forever after.”
Some students groaned, some laughed. “Epic fail,” Sparrow sang.
Ginger grabbed the recipe parchment. This wasn’t happening. Had she missed a step? Had she forgotten an ingredient? “I need to take a nap,” Briar said with a yawn. As she headed out the door, the other students followed.
Daring reached out and patted Hopper’s green shoulder. “Good try, Hopper. See you back at the dorm.” Then he strode from the classroom.
“Wait!” Ginger called. “I did it correctly. I know I did. I’ll make it work. Come back!”
“Tough break,” Blondie sa
id as the room emptied. “The numbers are dwindling by the nanosecond. Down to sixty viewers, twenty viewers, seven viewers. Oh dear, now there are only two.”
“That’s a wrap!” Humphrey called. The Tech Club turned off the cameras and spotlights and began collecting the gear. “Sorry it didn’t work out,” he said. “Hey, Ginger, maybe you’d like to join the Tech Club and help us with other student MirrorCasts?”
Ginger groaned, then angrily waved the recipe. “I followed the directions,” she insisted. “Why did he turn into a frog?”
Hopper the frog sat on all fours, a big frown spread from earhole to earhole. “Alas, it would thus appear that I have failed, once again, to enchant the fair beauty that is Briar.” He hopped off the counter and out the door.
“You didn’t fail!” Ginger called after him. “It’s my fault. I did something wrong.” But she didn’t run after him. She turned away so no one could see the tears that stung the corners of her eyes.
Spells Kitchen was no more.
Chapter 15
A Sleepless Night
The night passed so slowly Ginger began to wonder if Father Time was playing some kind of trick on her.
Melody told Ginger she was sorry things hadn’t gone well. She gave Ginger a hug and drifted into such a deep, peaceful slumber she could have been mistaken for Sleeping Beauty’s daughter. Ginger, on the other hand, lay on her quilt, staring at the wall, where the poster of her favorite spellebrity chef stared back at her. Not-So-Little Jack Horner was known far and wide for his scrumptious pies and tarts. How many times had she imagined herself attending his prestigious cooking school? Or wearing a chef’s hat just like his?
Was the demise of Spells Kitchen a sign that her dream wasn’t meant to be?
Dawn trickled in through the window. Without a wink of sleep, Ginger was in a mood as dark as the circles under her eyes. She scrambled off the bed, stomped over to the wall, and pulled the poster from its tacks.
“You sure you want to do that?” Melody asked as she sat up in bed. “He’s your idol, right?” Jelly stuck his head out of the water and nodded.
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