Sugar and Spice by Sheryl Berk

hit golf balls.”
    Lexi sighed. “You’ve lost me, Herbie.”
    â€œAnyway, R2 should have won first place—clearly. Except that my big sister, Juliette, won an acting award the day before—a huge six-foot-tall gold trophy, no less.”
    â€œAgain, I’m lost.”
    â€œWell, I thought, ‘There’s no way I can ever compete with her,’” Herbie continued. “‘She’s the winner in this family, not me.’”
    Lexi started to understand. “So what happened to R2?”
    â€œI overloaded his circuits. I doubted myself and tried to rethink all the programming right before the competition. I should have just believed in myself.”
    Lexi nodded. “You’re saying I should just believe in myself. Not worry about Ava or Meredith or anyone else.”
    â€œPrecisely,” Herbie replied. “You shouldn’t have to live up to anyone’s expectations except your own.”
    Lexi stood up. “Okay. I’ll try.”
    â€œAtta girl!” Herbie said, beaming. “And for the record, I think you are way more talented than my robot.”
    â€œThanks—I think.” Lexi smiled. She heard Meredith giving her response to a question—something about what she wanted most in the world.
    â€œI want world peace!” Meredith said, clutching her hands to her heart. “I want an end to hunger. I want justice for all!”
    In the audience, Jenna made a gagging noise. “I want to throw up. She is so phony.”
    Just then, she noticed Meredith’s pageant coach in the row in front of them. Miss Jen was gesturing in the air, trying to tell Meredith something.
    â€œWhat’s with the charades?” she whispered to Delaney.
    â€œBeats me,” Delaney replied. “I don’t speak sign language.”
    The coach continued waving her arms over her head and wrapping them around her shoulders.
    â€œI want…I want…” Meredith tried to figure out what her coach’s strange moves meant. “I want big hair? A hot-air balloon? A cashmere shawl?”
    Miss Jen looked as nauseated as Jenna.
    â€œOh! I want to give a big hug to every kid who needs one! That’s what I forgot!” Meredith finally got it.
    The judges jotted notes as she skipped offstage. Miss Jen collapsed in her seat with a huge sigh of relief.
    Lexi waited for Mr. Jim to call her number, then slowly made her way to the microphone. The host held an index card in his hand.
    â€œLexi, here is your question: What is your favorite thing to do in your spare time?”
    Lexi gasped. That was it? That was the question? Nothing about politics, world peace, or global warming?
    â€œWe didn’t practice that one,” Kylie whispered to the girls. “I hope she’s okay with it.”
    â€œThat’s easy,” Lexi spoke confidently. “My favorite thing to do in my spare time is make cupcakes with my best friends in our cupcake club. We have an amazing business—in fact, we created an awesome display of one thousand cupcakes, and you can taste them at the pageant party…” She noticed Kat Grabel licking her lips. “I made the big pulled-sugar crown on top.” The crowd oohed and ahhed.
    â€œI’m really proud of how our club has grown, and how I’ve grown too,” Lexi continued. “If it weren’t for Peace, Love, and Cupcakes, I would never have figured out how to believe in myself.” She looked at the audience and saw Herbie, who was giving her a thumbs-up.
    â€œThank you, Lexi,” Mr. Jim said.
    When it was Harleigh’s turn, she cleared her throat and looked straight at the judges. “If you could be anyone in the world, who would you be?” Mr. Jim asked her. Harleigh thought for a minute, then replied. “I would be me,” she said simply. “I don’t think you should ever try to be someone you’re not. You should always be true to