Celebrate the Season--Secret Snowflake

by Taylor Garland

  Riley laughed a little. It was no secret to anybody in seventh grade that she thought history class was a total bore.

  “If you were too obvious, don’t worry, I’d tell you,” Sophia promised. “That’s what BFFs are for.”

  And as the girls exchanged a smile, Riley knew that Sophia was telling the truth.

  “Have you figured out what you’re going to give Marcus?” Sophia continued. “That must be a lot of pressure, huh? You want the gifts to be perfect, but not too, too perfect, and definitely not too expensive….”

  “Actually, I already decided that I’d make all of the Secret Snowflake gifts,” Riley confided.

  Riley thought it was a brilliant idea. Her whole family was really into making gifts, and she knew from experience that a handmade, one-of-a-kind present was a very special thing indeed.

  But from the look on Sophia’s face, Riley suddenly wondered if other people felt the same way.

  “Are you sure?” Sophia asked dubiously. “I mean—are you planning to make all of them?”

  “Well, yeah—that’s what I was thinking,” Riley said. She poked at her cake with her spork, suddenly feeling a lot less hungry. “What’s wrong? Is that a bad idea?”

  “No,” Sophia said. Even Riley could tell that she was choosing her words very carefully. “It’s just—I think everybody else will be doing store-bought stuff. Like key chains or comic books or gifts cards. You know. That kind of thing.”

  Riley’s shoulders relaxed. “That’s just it!” she exclaimed, before remembering to lower her voice. “Everybody will be doing that—but Marcus isn’t everybody. He’s special, and I want all his Secret Snowflake presents to be special, too. You know what I mean?”

  “I guess,” Sophia said.

  “Besides, I can make a key chain for Marcus,” Riley said airily. “And it will be cool and unique and awesome, just like him.”

  “You’re lucky you’re so crafty,” Sophia said. “If I made anything for my Secret Snowflake, it would probably look like a kindergartner did it.”

  “Don’t say that!” Riley said, trying not to laugh. “Besides, if you want to make something, I can help you. It will be fun!”

  “First I have to figure out what to make—or buy,” Sophia said glumly. “Which is practically impossible.”

  “Why?” asked Riley.

  Sophia leaned forward. “Because my Secret Snowflake is Alice Scofield!” she groaned. “I don’t know where to begin.”

  Riley made a sympathetic face. She understood why Sophia was struggling, but it wasn’t the end of the world. Alice was a new student at Hampton Creek Middle School—not Sophia’s worst enemy or something like that.

  “I don’t know anything about her, and she doesn’t talk to anyone, ever,” Sophia continued. “After gym, in the locker room, I heard Marian say that she thinks Alice is really stuck-up and hates Hampton Creek and wants to go back to Hawaii.”

  “How would Marian even know that?” Riley replied. “You just said that Alice doesn’t talk to anybody.”

  “Maybe she doesn’t talk to anybody because she’s stuck-up and she hates it here,” Sophia said.

  “Or maybe because she’s shy and homesick?” Riley suggested.

  “Maybe,” Sophia said, nodding. “But how do you give special gifts to a complete and total stranger?”

  “That,” Riley said, “is the Secret Snowflake challenge!”

  “Still, even though I know practically nothing about Alice, it’s easier than if I picked some random guy,” Sophia continued. “Probably even easier than if I had picked my crush, now that I think about it.”

  “Why’s that?” asked Riley.

  “Well, I mean, boys are weird,” Sophia said. “Who knows what they like? Do you know what they like?”

  “Uh…” Riley began.

  “Exactly,” Sophia said. “At least with girls, you can always get hair stuff or nail polish or whatever. It’s generic, but it’s fine.”

  “I don’t know about that,” Riley said. “It’s Secret Snowflake. It’s not supposed to be generic—it’s supposed to be special. That’s the whole point—to be the best friends we can be, no matter who we’re paired with.”

  The bell rang then, and everybody started to pack up their trash.

  “Why do I suddenly get the feeling that Secret Snowflake is going to be a lot more work than we thought?” asked Sophia.

  After school, Riley wanted to get right to work on making a list of Secret Snowflake gifts for Marcus, but first she had a 3C rehearsal. The Christmas Carol Chorus—or 3C—was one of Riley’s favorite after-school activities, but it only lasted for about month, from right after Thanksgiving to the start of Christmas break. Riley wouldn’t miss a 3C rehearsal or performance for anything.

  Mr. Macintosh—most of the kids called him Mr. Mac—was the music teacher at Hampton Creek Middle School, and he was the kind of person who was ridiculously happy 365 days a year. Add in the holiday season, and Mr. Mac’s cheerfulness cranked up to level 11. He was whistling a carol when Riley arrived at rehearsal.

  “Riley Archer!” Mr. Mac’s booming voice rang through the music room.

  “Hi, Mr. Mac,” Riley said as she grabbed her music folder.

  “Big day, huh?” he said, his eyes twinkling. “I heard Secret Snowflake is in full swing.”

  “What’s in full swing?” someone asked from the doorway.

  Riley turned around to see Jacob Richards standing there. Even though she and Jacob had been lab partners since September, she didn’t know him very well. She was surprised when he’d showed up for the first 3C rehearsal, since he hadn’t been in the chorus last year.

  “Hey, Jacob,” Riley called with a little wave. “We were just talking about Secret Snowflake.”

  “Of course,” Jacob replied. “The number one topic of conversation in seventh grade today. Happy with who you picked?”

  Riley nodded, making sure not to smile too much. She was still painfully aware that Sophia had guessed her crush—and she didn’t want to make the same mistake twice. “How about you?” she asked.

  “Very happy,” Jacob said—and then he changed the topic of conversation. “Mr. Mac, when’s our next performance?”

  “It’s on Wednesday,” Mr. Mac replied. “We’ll be singing at the Hampton Creek Mall, near Santa’s Workshop.”

  “Sounds fun,” Jacob said. A few eighth graders filed into the room. They didn’t even look over when Riley called out hi. Then again, they never talked to anybody else. That was why the other kids had started calling them Squad Eight, since they traveled in a totally exclusive pack.

  “You know, I don’t want to brag, but I guess you’re lucky I’m here,” Jacob said with a playful smile.

  “Oh, really?” Riley teased. “Why is that?”

  “Because otherwise, you would be the only seventh grader in 3C,” Jacob told her.

  Riley placed her hand over her heart. “A fate worse than death!” she joked.

  “Pretty much. I mean, everybody knows that Squad Eight over there would eat a lone seventh grader alive,” Jacob said.

  Riley glanced over to where the eighth graders were clustered around someone’s cell, completely oblivious to everyone else in the room. “Oh yeah,” she said with a laugh. “Everybody knows that. They’re vicious.”

  “So then you’d have to form, like, an alliance with the sixth graders,” Jacob said. “If they’d even let you in their tribe.”

  “Whoa. I didn’t know they had a tribe,” Riley said. “This is even more serious than I thought.”

  Mr. Mac played a few chords to get everyone’s attention. “Okay, 3C,” he announced. “Let’s get this rehearsal started.”

  Riley was still smiling as she hurried over to her place on the risers. She’d never noticed before how funny Jacob could be.

  By the time Riley caught the late bus home, the snow was getting heavier—and Theo was thrilled! They had just enough time for a quick snowball fight before dinner. Then Mom w
as rapping on the kitchen window to tell them to come in. The house seemed even cozier than usual as Riley stomped her feet in the entryway, knocking clumps of snow off her boots.

  “Mmm, something smells good,” Riley called out. “What’s for dinner?”

  “Spaghetti and meatballs,” Mom replied. “Plus, I made brownies for dessert.”

  “Brownies! Brownies! Brownies!” Theo cheered. He was almost as big a chocolate fanatic as Riley… almost!

  After dinner, Riley was clearing the table when Dad glanced out the window. “It’s really coming down out there,” he said. “Good thing tomorrow’s Saturday. If you two had school, there would definitely be a snow day.”

  “Too bad,” Riley groaned. “Snow days on the weekend are a total waste.”

  “It’s still a snow day, even if it’s Saturday,” Theo said. He had chocolate smears on his face from the brownie. “We can build a fort and make a snowman and have another snowball fight! And go sledding!”

  Riley had to smile at her overexcited little brother. “We can definitely do some of those things,” she told him. “But I’m also going to be busy making presents for my Secret Snowflake.”

  “That’s right!” Mom exclaimed. “I almost forgot that Secret Snowflake started today. Who did you pick?”

  Riley shrugged. “Just some guy, Marcus,” she said casually. “Mrs. Darlington told us that the goal of the assignment is to figure out how to be the best friend we can be. So I think I’m going to make all of Marcus’s presents.”

  “Wow,” Mom said. “That’s a lot of work—and a very special gesture.”

  “I know!” Theo spoke up. “You could make him an ornament when we have our ornament-making party!”

  “Great idea, Theo!” Riley said. “Thanks!”

  It was an Archer family tradition to make new ornaments for their Christmas tree every year—and one of Riley’s favorite holiday memories. She’d already sketched a picture of the ornament she wanted to make this year: a felt snowman holding a cup of cocoa.

  “I was thinking we could watch a movie after dinner,” Mom said. “How does that sound? Family movie night!”

  “Can I pick?” Theo asked right away.

  “Sure,” Riley said with a shrug. “I might not have time for a movie, though. I really want to get started on my Secret Snowflake presents.”

  “But it’s family movie night,” Theo said.

  “Well, I can watch the beginning while I work, I guess,” Riley told him. “But you can still pick, since I probably won’t watch the whole thing.”

  After the dishes were done, Riley completed her homework assignment for Secret Snowflake and changed into her favorite pajamas—the ones with polar bears on the pants and a velvety snowflake on the shirt—and curled up on the couch with her notebook and feather-topped pen. She stared thoughtfully into the distance.

  I guess I could make a list of what I know about Marcus, she realized. And then I could use that list to figure out what gifts he might like.

  Riley started to write.

  Stuff Marcus Likes

  sports (all sports? def. soccer!!!)

  gum

  robotics club

  red (I think? red backpack)

  superhero stuff

  comic books

  Riley stared at her list and frowned a little. Was that really all she knew about Marcus—even though she’d been sitting behind him for months? She had to wonder if he was working on a Secret Snowflake present right now, too… and if he’d really picked her name like she suspected. Thinking about that was only a distraction, though, and Riley didn’t have time for distractions.

  I guess I actually don’t know all that much about Marcus, she thought. Now she understood a little better why Sophia was so disappointed about choosing Alice. It was tricky to plan a bunch of presents for someone you barely knew.

  Riley tried to shrug off her concerns. Remember, this is the whole point of Secret Snowflake, she told herself. To get to know the person better so you can be the best possible friend to them. She’d managed to get a better look at Marcus’s snowflake after lunch, but the way he chose to decorate it didn’t reveal much about his personality. Even upon close inspection, Riley saw that he’d simply colored it blue with some red stripes. She was pretty sure the design was based on his favorite baseball team’s jersey, but she couldn’t be sure. Maybe he just liked the pattern? A small part of Riley wondered if it meant something that Marcus hadn’t put a lot of effort into decorating his snowflake, but she banished that thought from her mind almost immediately. Maybe Marcus isn’t artistic, she told herself. Or maybe he was really busy and didn’t have a lot of time to spend on the assignment. She’d just have to use her detective skills to find out more about Marcus!

  First, though, Riley needed to figure out something to make for Marcus based on what she already knew about him. She definitely wanted to have a present ready to deliver on Monday morning. Theo’s ornament idea was good, but the family ornament-making party wasn’t for a few more days.

  Maybe a key chain! Riley suddenly thought as she remembered one of Sophia’s suggestions. She glanced down at the list and read soccer. Marcus was on the soccer team at school. Riley had never been to any of the games, but she’d heard him talk about it plenty of times before homeroom started. From the way the other boys talked, it sounded like Marcus was the star of the team

  I could use modeling clay to make a soccer ball, Riley thought excitedly. Maybe with a little crown on top—since Marcus is king of the Soccer Field! And I can attach a key ring and a chain, and then I’ll have made a custom key chain, just for Marcus—the only one like it in the whole world.

  Riley put her pen down with a satisfied smile.

  It was time to get to work!

  In her bedroom, Riley scrounged around for everything she would need. Last year, she’d been totally obsessed with making clay charms and had spent her allowance buying different colors of modeling clay and lots of intricate tools. While Riley had been too busy with school stuff to make a charm since last summer, she was glad for all the practice she’d had, especially with using the clay sculpting tools. She was confident that she could make a really cool-looking key chain for Marcus.

  Back at the kitchen table, Riley rolled a chunk of white clay between her palms until it formed a perfectly round ball. Then she held the black clay in her fist to soften it a little. Working with black clay was tricky; the dye was so intense that it would stain her hands and could easily transfer to the white parts of the soccer ball, making it a smudgy, smeary mess. Riley had learned that lesson the hard way when she’d tried to make a clay Dalmatian puppy. This time, though, she knew better and would be extra careful.

  When the black clay was soft and pliable from the warmth of her hands, Riley rolled it into a thin sheet. Then, using her cutting tool, she carefully sliced it into evenly sized pentagons.

  Next came the tricky part—transferring the pentagons to the white ball without transferring smudges of color, too. Luckily, Riley had the perfect tool in her collection. She was concentrating so hard that she didn’t even notice that she was biting her lower lip.

  At last, the final pentagon had been transferred. With just enough pressure, Riley pushed on each one to attach it to the ball. She beamed at the tiny soccer ball in her palm. It looked like the real thing—just in miniature!

  Riley put the soccer ball to the side and made a crown out of yellow clay, which she attached to the top of the soccer ball. “Mom? Can I use the oven?” she called after she’d achieved the perfect shape for the crown.

  “What for?” asked Mom.

  “I made a clay thing and it’s ready to be fired,” Riley explained.

  “Oh, sure,” Mom replied. She joined Riley in the kitchen and helped her preheat the oven while Riley carefully placed the delicate clay soccer ball on a tray. After it spent some time in the hot oven, the soccer ball would be as hard as a rock—and durable enough to attach to a key chain. It wouldn’t get any ch
ips or dings, even if it bounced around in Marcus’s backpack under a pile of heavy textbooks.

  Right before Riley baked the charm, she remembered to make a hole in it with a wooden skewer so that she could attach it to a key chain after it was finished. Then she slid the tray into the oven.

  “How long should I set the timer for?” asked Mom.

  “An hour should be long enough,” Riley said, peeking through the oven window to make sure the soccer ball hadn’t rolled off the tray. After the clay charm had hardened and cooled, Riley would coat it with clear glaze and screw the key chain attachment into the small hole. It was a lot of steps, but Riley wasn’t worried about how long it would take.

  Waiting until Monday to sneak it into Marcus’s Secret Snowflake mailbox?

  Now that would be a difficult wait!

  Riley set her alarm for even earlier than usual on Monday morning so that she could get to school before anyone else. She couldn’t wait to deliver Marcus’s new key chain! But she wanted to be extra careful so that no one would see her do it—and spoil the surprise.

  Luckily, Mrs. Darlington was the only one in the classroom when Riley arrived. She smiled knowingly as she said, “Good morning, Riley! I can imagine what brought you here so early.”

  Riley grinned, then put her finger to her lips and whispered, “Shhhh!”

  Mrs. Darlington laughed. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,” she promised.

  Riley hurried across the room and pulled a small package out of her pocket. After the key chain was finished, Riley had carefully wrapped it in dark blue tissue paper, sealed with a single snowflake sticker.

  With a fast glance over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching, Riley slipped the key chain into Marcus’s Secret Snowflake box and quickly closed the lid. That was it—over and done in a matter of seconds. And no one, except Mrs. Darlington, was any the wiser!

  “Mission accomplished,” Mrs. Darlington joked. “Bravo!”