Page 85 of Cloud Storm

Hot wings? Interesting, but I have no time to experiment today.

Energy drinks, ice creams, beer, nuts, caramel popcorn, and cotton candy.

And now I have a plan.

I make sure Katie gets my idea for the decorations, that will be her task today, and I put myself to mix the ingredients for the three batters.

I’m feeling confident this time. I can do this.

I can win this and I will.

This is the ultimate competition in the world of cupcakes and I’m taking the title.

Katie makes the best buttercream I’ve ever tasted. Her mission is to create the perfect blend using peanut butter and a splash of root beer to pair with my root beer and peanut-chocolate cupcake.

Then we need almond and caramel for the second cupcake, it has to be the best one they’ve ever tasted. Simple flavor doesn’t mean boring flavors. That’s for sure. For decorations I’ll be using caramel popcorn and melted caramel.

To close on a high note, we’re making a cotton candy cupcake. It will be the star of the day.

The batter is on point. Sweet, but not diabetes inducing, soft and fluffy. And for the frosting we are making a strawberry mousse, it will be airy and fluffy and delicious. Like living on a cloud.

A cloud, like my life was before they came to me with this competition idea.

I’m running around, trying to stay calm, cool, and collected while my hands do the job. This isn’t really all that different than being in the bakery. We need to be organized there too, and work within a tight timeframe, because we have a storefront to keep and orders to fill too.

I’m finishing the strawberry cream frosting when the host announces there are only five minutes left. Katie is making the cotton candy in a tiny machine they brought for us. It looks like a toy, but hey, it’s working.

By the time the final countdown begins, we’re cleaning up the rectangular porcelain dishes in front of us, each one containing three pretty cupcakes. I’m feeling grateful they’re recording all this for the show, because my cupcakes are beautiful. They capture the stadium vibes completely.

I’m pretty sure the audience sitting on the bleachers will be salivating, the whole place smells heavenly.

I have done my best, now my destiny is in the hands of the judges.

Fuck.

From: Arthur

To: California Girl

Date: October 19 2019 19:43

Subject: Lucky Bastard

Yes, that’s me.

Now I get to be with you, just the two of us. I want to have the chance to show you how proud I am of you, my little fighter.

The best thing about a battle is the challenge itself, and in my eyes, you won each one of them.

Always yours,

Lancelot x

Chapter 20

I’m standing in front of the judges while the production assistants take our cupcakes and accommodate them in order to present them. I’m shaking, I really don’t know how I’m standing right now.

From my vantage point I can see one of my cotton candy decorations is slowly moving to its side and my panic level rises. I’m praying to all the sugar gods that thing stays in place. They’re judging us for presentation.

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