Lexi tried to forget about the entire day as she piped strawberry frosting into delicate swirls on a cupcake. A client wanted three dozen that looked like tutus for a ballet recital, and they had only a few hours after school to bake and decorate them.

“Don’t talk about it,” Kylie whispered to Jenna.

“Talk about what?” asked Jenna, popping another tray filled with white chocolate chip batter into the oven.

“You know what,” whispered Sadie.

“Oh, you mean the play!” Jenna blurted out. The frosting in Lexi’s hand squirted up and out of the top of the bag.

“Hmm, my mom’s not going to be happy with pink polka dots on the ceiling, but I think it’s pretty.” Kylie tried to lighten the mood.

“Sorry,” Lexi sighed. “I’m just freaking out over this whole play thing. I can’t play Juliet. I’ll forget my lines. Or throw up. Or pass out. Or fall off the balcony.”

“Well, I’m on scenery, so I’ll make sure I build you a nice cushy tree to break your fall,” joked Jenna.

“I mean it, guys, I can’t do this!” Lexi cried.

“Lex, you say that every time we give you a new cupcake to decorate for an order, and you wow us,” said Kylie. “Do I have to remind you about the hedgehog cupcakes?”

Sadie nodded. “The toasted oats and coconut for the spiky fur was pure genius.”

“You said you couldn’t do that either, and you did,” Kylie insisted. “You can do this too. We’ll be right there, cheering you on.”

“Thanks,” said Lexi, picking up her pastry bag again. “But my mind’s made up. I’m going to tell Juliette tomorrow that I won’t do it. Let her give the role to Meredith or someone else.”

“You want someone else kissing Jeremy?” Jenna gasped.

“No. But what choice do I have? Sadie, what about you?”

Sadie looked up. “What about me?”

“You’re Lady Capulet. Can’t you just switch parts with me?”

Sadie shook her head. “I’m nervous enough having to memorize all those lines with my dyslexia,” she said. “Juliet has twice as many. Sorry, Lexi. No can do!”

• • •

That night, Lexi’s Aunt Dee called to find out how the first few weeks of school and the cupcake club were going.

“Okay, I guess,” Lexi replied.

“Okay? Just okay? Not fantabulous?”

Lexi smiled. She loved how Dee always put two words together to make her own new word, like fantabulous (fantastic and fabulous), splendiful (splendid and wonderful), and gramazing (great and amazing). Shakespeare had nothing on her! Aunt Dee was an original, and people were drawn to her, as Lexi’s mom said, “like bees to honey.” Lexi wished the same was true for her. Why couldn’t she have more confidence and charm? A certain “somethin’-somethin’,” her aunt called it. Lexi pictured it as a magical neon sign that sat over your head and flashed, “I’m special! Everyone loves me!” But she was pretty sure if there was any sign over her head it read, “I’m a disaster. Run as fast as you can!”

“Go ahead, I’ll TiVo the new episode of Dancing with the Stars,” said Dee. “Spill!”

Lexi hardly knew where to begin! “Well, first Kylie didn’t like my idea for the back-to-school cupcakes, then Jenna was teasing me about liking Jeremy, then I got the lead in the school play, and I have to tell him I love him in front of the entire universe!”

“Is that all?” Aunt Dee laughed. “Girlfriend and boyfriend trouble! Lexi, honey, you’ve got your hands full!”

“I know! What should I do, Aunt Dee?”

“About the boy or the play?”

“Both. I’m supposed to be Juliet and Jeremy is Romeo. I can’t go onstage in front of a whole auditorium filled with people!”

“Can’t is not a word in my vocabulary,” Dee replied. “I believe you can do anything you set your mind to. If you asked me a year ago if I could speak Japanese, I would have said, ‘No, I can’t.’ So I took a few courses, and now watashi wa nihon go wo hanashimasu!”

“What does that mean?” sighed Lexi.

“It means I speak Japanese and you play Juliet,” Dee insisted.

“Fifth grade stinks,” said Lexi. “And it’s just barely getting started!”

“Honey, fifth grade will be funificent if you just give it a chance. Besides, you’re not going to deprive me of seeing my niece do Shakespeare, are you? I’ll be right there in the front row. Just look for the big pink hat.”

Lexi giggled. “Thanks, Aunt Dee. You’re pretty amazeriffic.”

Lexi had to admit she did feel a little better after her aunt’s pep talk. Maybe she was blowing this entire Romeo and Juliet thing way out of proportion. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a big deal. Maybe Jeremy was actually glad she was his Juliet. He did give her a thumbs-up, didn’t he?

Lexi pulled out her sketchbook and flipped to a page in the middle. There was only one way to tell—and it had a big heart-shaped marshmallow on top.