chapter 6

Chapter 5: Lila woke up the next morning with a mix of excitement and terror swirling in her stomach. She had officially signed herself up for the “Decorate Your Own Muffin” night at Ben’s Brew & Bakery, and there was no turning back. The event was scheduled for next Friday, and she had only seven days to get everything together. It wasn’t a lot of time, but it was plenty if she didn’t spend all day overthinking it—which, of course, she totally was.With a determined sigh, she threw on her sneakers and headed to the café. Grace had already texted her earlier, reminding her to come early so they could plan the details. And Lila? She wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. She had a feeling this event could be the perfect test run for her idea. If it worked, she could pitch it to Ben full-on. Maybe then, she'd finally get him to admit that the bakery corner was a brilliant idea.When she arrived, she found Ben behind the counter as usual, looking like he had just rolled out of bed—no surprise there. But Grace was nowhere to be seen."Hey," Lila called out as she approached the counter. "Where’s the muffin maestro herself?"Ben grunted, not looking up from the coffee machine. "She's... not here yet. She’s probably off somewhere making muffins too fancy for anyone to actually eat. You know how she is."Lila smiled, leaning on the counter. "I’m sure she’s just planning something magical for tonight. So, what’s the game plan? Are we going full-on muffin chaos or...?"Ben glanced up from the machine and shot her a look that was equal parts skeptical and amused. “I’m honestly surprised you’re going through with it. You know Grace is gonna want to make it... big. Probably with glitter and sprinkles and—”“Ben,” Lila interrupted with a wink. “It’s a muffin night. It needs to be a little wild. People are coming for the experience. They want to leave here talking about their masterpiece muffins.”Ben sighed, wiping his hands on a towel. “I’m just saying, you’re the one who’s gonna end up cleaning up all the mess, not me.”Lila grinned. “I’m so okay with that. This is going to be a hit. Trust me.”Later That Afternoon...Grace finally arrived in a flurry of energy, looking like she’d just stepped out of a bakery wonderland. She was carrying two bags of flour in each hand and an assortment of muffin tins hanging from her arms like a fashion statement.“Sorry I’m late!” Grace shouted as she burst through the door. “I got distracted buying the perfect cupcake liners. Oh, and I found the cutest apron with a kitten on it. I think we should all wear them tonight. It’s a vibe.”Lila burst out laughing. “A kitten apron? Grace, you’re my hero.”Ben, who had been watching this entire exchange with a raised eyebrow, muttered, “Please tell me we’re not actually wearing kitten aprons.”“We absolutely are,” Grace replied, a wicked grin on her face. “Everyone who’s decorating their muffins will get one. Maximum muffin chaos.”Lila couldn’t contain her excitement. “This is going to be so much fun. Alright, what’s the plan? How do we turn this café into a muffin wonderland?”Grace spun around, her arms wide. “Step one: Glitter. Step two: Sprinkles. Step three: A ridiculous number of muffin toppings. Think cream cheese frosting, berries, chocolate chips, even marshmallows. You want the muffins to look like a work of art—and not just any art, but the kind that people will want to show off on social media.”Ben groaned but couldn’t hide the small smile tugging at his lips. “You’re going to bankrupt me with all this glitter.”“Who cares about glitter when we have muffins?” Grace shot back, tossing a handful of sprinkles in the air for dramatic effect. “People want to have fun. We need to make it extra.”Lila nodded, feeling her enthusiasm swell. “This is going to be amazing. I mean, imagine it—people laughing, playing, and eating muffins. It’s going to be a hit.”Ben raised his hands in mock surrender. “I’m just here for the muffins. You two can deal with the rest of it.”Lila shot him a playful grin. “I think you’re going to have more fun than you think. Just wait.”Friday Night: The Big EventThe day of the event, the café was buzzing with anticipation. Ben had reluctantly agreed to allow the muffin madness to unfold, but only because Grace promised that it would be “fun and contained.” Lila was fully committed to the chaos, though she was still a bit nervous. Was she really ready to start the bakery revolution she’d envisioned?The lights were dimmed, and the tables were arranged in a way that made the whole café feel more like a whimsical party. There were sprinkles everywhere—on the walls, on the tablecloths, and even in the air. Grace had outdone herself with the decorations, turning the café into a sugar-coated wonderland.A few regulars had already gathered, milling around with an eager sense of curiosity. As the clock struck 6 p.m., Lila stood at the front of the café with a microphone in her hand, trying to quell the nervous energy that had settled in her stomach.“Welcome to Muffin Madness Night!” she announced, her voice filling the space. “Tonight, we’re going to take muffins to the next level. You’ll decorate them, you’ll create them, and you’ll take them home as your masterpiece.”The crowd cheered—half of them were probably just excited to get their hands dirty with frosting, but Lila took it as a win.As she gestured to the muffin bar that Grace had set up, she saw Ben standing by the counter, arms crossed. But to her surprise, he wasn’t scowling or pretending to be bored. No, he was watching with an odd look on his face—like he was... actually enjoying the madness.“You sure you’re not enjoying this too much?” Lila whispered to him, sidling up to the counter.Ben smirked, his usual nonchalant demeanor slipping for just a second. “It’s not bad, actually. You might be onto something.”Lila’s heart skipped a beat. “Really?”Ben nodded, his gaze softening for just a moment. “Yeah. It’s... fun. You made it fun.”Before Lila could say anything else, the first wave of muffin decorators rushed the table, and the chaos began.An Hour Later...The place was alive with laughter, frosting fights, and an absurd amount of glitter. People were snapping photos of their ridiculous creations—muffins that looked like unicorns, muffins that looked like pizza, muffins with way too many sprinkles. But the best part? The atmosphere. The joy was infectious, and it was clear that everyone, including Ben, was actually having a good time.Lila found herself laughing with Grace as they both dodged a flying marshmallow, while Ben stood off to the side, his arms folded, but this time, it didn’t seem like he was judging. He was watching.It was then that Lila realized it. This wasn’t just about muffins. This was about creating something. About building an experience. And maybe, just maybe, she was building something even bigger than the bakery she’d imagined. She was building connections. With Ben. With Grace. With the people in this room who were all just looking for a little joy.And when Ben, of all people, finally came up to her with a muffin decorated in the most ridiculous way possible—covered in frosting, sprinkles, and a giant gummy bear—she couldn’t help but laugh.“So, what do you think?” he asked, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.Lila looked down at his muffin creation, then back at him. “I think… you might just be a muffin artist after all.”Ben shrugged, a smile finally playing at the corners of his mouth. “Maybe. But I think you’ve got this bakery idea down.”Lila felt her heart do a little flip. Maybe this could work. Maybe she could turn her dream into a reality.But for now, she was just going to enjoy the muffin madness.