Battle of the Cookies

"I am proud to announce we are going to have a cookie competition for the holidays. The best cookies will win the competition and the grand prize of $200!" the mayor, Katie Westerbern says to the town. My best friend Harper elbows me.

"We could enter!" she whispers excitedly.

"We could, except for the fact that the only thing I can make is peanut-butter-and-jelly-sandwiches," I reply. Harper laughs, and people around us shush her.

On the first Saturday and the last Saturday of each month, Mayor Westerbern gathers the entire town and announces stuff, like this competition. Most people think it's boring, but Harper and I come every time. Mayor Westerbern can be pretty funny sometimes.

As everyone goes home, Harper is still thinking about that cookie contest.

"Vi, just think of it! And the winners of the Cookie Competition are. . . Harper Bennings and Viola Carson!" Harper says.

"Harper-" I start, but she cuts me off.

"Please, Vi. I really want to do this," Harper pleads. "Fine," I reply. "On one condition. We split the profits." Harper nods.

The next day, I'm over at Harper's house, and we're brainstorming what to do for the contest. It turns out offering $200 for cookies gets people pretty worked up. Already, Katrina Mills is bragging about her stellar recipe and how she is looking for a partner to help her win.

"Sugar cookies decorated to look like Christmas trees, snickerdoodle cookies, and lemon crinkle cookies," I read over the list we've put together so far. Not much. Harper apparently agrees because she sighs loudly.

"Vi, none of this will do. The amateurs will all do decorated sugar cookies, and snickerdoodles are good, but plain. The lemon crinkle cookies have a weird name. If we want that $200, we need to go big. Bigger than the norm," Harper said.

"I know, but what is bigger than the norm? I mean, we've looked in every cookbook in our houses, and every website online. I honestly don't think we're cut out to do this sort of thing," I tell Harper. She suddenly sits up straight.

"No. We have to do this. There's nothing else to it. Vi, remember when we were little, and we made that promise that whatever we said we were going to do, we had to do, no matter what? Well, we have to at least enter."

"You are a great motivational speaker, you know that?" I tell her. Harper smiles and we get back to scouring the Internet and her mother's cookbooks for cookie recipes.

An hour later, Harper starts shouting, "I got it! I got it!"

"Harper! You know what we're going to do?" I ask. I'm a little alarmed now because she's jumping up and down like a crazy person.

"Vi, let's make the biggest cookie ever!" she says.

"How are we supposed to make that?" I ask. Her idea is definitely bigger than the norm, but I still don't know if that will win the contest.

"We'll just like, quadruple the recipe, that's all, to make one giant cookie that we can decorate!" Harper explains excitedly. Her plan just might work.

"Okay, but what flavor, and how will we decorate it?" I ask.

"Why don't we just do a sugar cookie, and then decorate it like a giant ornament? We'd totally win!" Harper says.

By this point I'm willing to agree to anything. Since 9 am this morning we've been looking at cookbooks and websites and recipes. Besides, Harper's plan does sound pretty promising. We'll probably win like she thinks.

"Okay, but only because we have no other choice," I say. Harper squeals and hugs me and I hug back.

"We are totally going to win this!" Harper said enthusiastically.

Since the competition was on Saturday, Harper and I decided we should bake tomorrow, Friday. Harper's oven is too small for what we're doing, so we decided to use my house as baking central.

"Harper," I say as we are sitting in her living room. We agreed that today we wouldn't talk or think about the competition, we'd just rest and relax. "Do you think we might be breaking the rules a bit? I mean, Mayor Westerbern said to make cookies, not a cookie. I think we might get in trouble," I said. Harper glared at me.

"Vi, didn't we promise each other not to even think about the contest? A promise is a promise, Vi. Stop breaking it," Harper reprimanded.

"But what if we get kicked out because we are only going to make one cookie?" I pressed. I do not want to be known as the one who broke the rules in a cookie contest. That's just lame.

"If you have to know, Vi, I don't call it breaking the rules. It's more of bending the rules. We'll be making a batch but instead of splitting up the batter, we'll keep it together. So technically, we aren't breaking the rules," Harper explained, obviously annoyed by my antics.

"One more thing. Umm, how are we supposed to get the cookie there? I mean, if it turns out to be as big as we think, we can't just carry it over in a Tupperware container-" I start, but Harper cuts me off.

"Viola! Stop talking about the contest!" Harper yelled. I immediately shut up. "Get out of my house unless you are going to keep promises!" Harper pointed towards the door. "OUT!" I stood frozen for a second before scurrying out of Harper's house.

In the chilly air, I started to cry. How could I have made Harper so mad in so little time? Am I a terrible best friend because of that? Probably. I doubt Harper will work with me from now on. She'll probably join Katrina Mills and brag with her about winning. My tears stream down my face. I wipe at them with my scarf. People can't see the future winner of the cookie contest like this! I will not cry again. I will not cry again. I will not cry again. I repeat it like a mantra.

When I get home, I see a text from Harper. I pick the phone up with joy! Maybe she'll invite me back to her house!

Harper: I am joining katrina mills. she is way more fun than u.

I start tearing up again. So Harper doesn't want me to be her friend. In fact, she wants nothing to do with me. Well, I won't let her be satisfied when she and Katrina win. I'm baking that giant cookie, no matter what.

The next day, I make an emergency trip to the store. When I get to the baking aisle, I hear arguing.

"Katrina, me and Viola were going to make the biggest cookie ever, and we were going to enter it in the contest," I hear Harper say.

"That's ridiculous. A giant cookie? Lame-o," Katrina's snotty voice replies. I peek around the rack and see Harper's hurt expression. She's seriously teaming up with this person?

"Honestly, Harper, Viola must've come up with that idea. You are not that dumb, trust me. I know fact from fiction," Katrina goes on. Harper's lip trembles for a second, and I swear she's about to cry. But then, Harper straightens up.

"You're totally right, Katrina. I can't believe I ever trusted Viola's opinion," Harper replies. They leave the aisle laughing.

I quickly grab the things I need and leave to go bake.

It turns out, making the biggest cookie ever isn't too hard. I mean, it is kinda hard, but I get it done. The frosting is the most fun part. I decorate the cookie like a fancy Christmas ornament and make it all gold and red and green.

Finally, the day of the contest arrives. I convinced my dad to bring the cookie to the competition in his truck. The cookie is too big to fit inside a Tupperware container, like I thought.

When I get there, the crowd is huge. I don't even try to look for Harper and Katrina. I just sign in and stand off to the side, waiting for my dad.

"Welcome everyone!" Mayor Westerbern's cheery voice rings out.

"I proudly present the Cookie Competition! Now, I would like everyone with cookies to please get in a nice, orderly line. Thank you!" Immediately the crowd starts pushing and shoving to be the first. I stay at the back.

The first people up are Harper and Katrina. TVs around the stage show them proudly handing Mayor Westerbern their cookies.

"My grandma's secret recipe," Katrina gloats. When the mayor tastes them, her forehead wrinkles up, but she says nothing.

"Thank you, girls," she manages to choke out, and scribbles something on a clipboard. Shortly afterwards, Dad comes in the truck. He inches along the line with me.

After about a hour of waiting, it's my turn. Dad helps me lift the cookie out of the trunk. It's small enough that I can hold it, but it is a bit heavy.

Mayor Westerbern's eyes get really big when she sees me bringing up the cookie. I hear "oohs" and one particularly loud "oh my god we should've done that!" from Fiona Parting.

"Now, Miss Viola, what type of cookie is this?" Mayor Westerbern asks.

"It's a sugar cookie with my special frosting. I also like to call it the biggest cookie in the world," I say, trying not to brag, but also kind of doing it just to spite Harper and Katrina.

Mayor Westerbern takes a big bite of the cookie. I see her close her eyes and sigh. I hope that's a good thing.

I hop off the stage while Mayor Westerbern calculates who was the best. She picks up the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am happy to announce the winner of the Cookie Competition, Miss Viola Carson!" Mayor Westerbern says. She smiles at me. My dad hugs me and everyone congratulates me, even though a few of them were faking smiles. As I walk up to the podium, I hear arguing again.

"It's all your fault, Harper. I wish I'd never partnered with you! We LOST because of you!" Katrina is yelling at Harper. A crowd forms around them. Mayor Westerbern must've heard the yelling, because she rushes over, and watches Katrina push Harper onto the road.

"Katrina Mills!" Mayor Westerbern yells. Katrina stops laughing at Harper and turns, her face white.

"Hi, Mayor Westerbern. What a lovely day, right?" Katrina moves in front of Harper so Mayor Westerbern can't see her.

"Katrina, you were going to get the fifth place prize, but, after your behavior, I don't think you deserve anything." Mayor Westerbern gives me the first place ribbon and $200. She gives the second place, third place, and fourth place ribbons to people near me. Then, taking the fifth place ribbon, she gives it to Harper, who has gotten up by now. Harper sheepishly smiles.

Katrina storms off and I hug Harper.

"I'm sorry," we both whisper at the same time. Then Harper laughs and I smile.

So I guess the biggest cookie ever wasn't the highlight of my day. The highlight was becoming Harper's best friend again.