Read A Picture-Perfect Mess for Free Online

arrived, they didn’t stop for one second.
    Sparkly whined and kept nudging Brooke’s elbow as she clipped away.
    â€œYou have to be extra good today,” Brooke told Sparky, picking him up and putting him in his enclosure. “I know it’s going to be really busy and you’re going to want to play with everyone, but not all our customers like dogs as much as we do, so you have to stay in your corner, okay?”
    Just as Jenica walked into the Sparkle Spa, Caleb put the final charm—a butterfly—on the final necklace. Aly couldn’t believe they’d gotten it all done. She wanted to give everyone a huge hug, but that would have to wait until the last pinkie was polished.

eight
Be My Valentine
    E ven though the spa was crowded, the manicures all went perfectly.
    Charlotte gave the girls their necklaces and then helped them pick out polish colors to match.
    Lily collected the donations for the teal strawberry.
    Aly, Sophie, and Brooke polished and rhinestoned as fast as they could.
    Aly was so glad they were doing manicures instead of pedicures, because they took much less time.
    Everyone couldn’t stop talking about the charms.
    â€œDid you get a bunny too?” Tuesday asked a second grader named Annie.
    â€œI did!” Annie said. “Wait. Do you have a bunny?”
    Tuesday nodded. “Fluffy,” she said.
    â€œ My bunny’s name is Fluffy too!”
    It seemed like Tuesday and Annie were making new friends at the Sparkle Spa. That was pretty cool.
    Joelle, another one of the Angels, said to Mia, “Why do you have two charms?”
    Mia touched the soccer ball and ballet shoes around her neck. “Well, I like soccer and dancing and didn’t want to choose just one.”
    As Aly glued green rhinestones onto Parker’s blue pinkies, she heard a commotion at the door.
    â€œI’m sorry,” Caleb was saying. “But you’re not on the schedule. It’s too crowded in here to let people in who aren’t on the schedule.”
    When she finished placing the rhinestones, Aly looked up just in time to see Suzy Davis waving a pile of papers at Caleb. “Aly and Brooke let me leave these here last week. I need to refill the stack. For my business. Suzy’s Spectacular Makeup.”
    Caleb called to Aly. “Aly? Should I let her in?”
    Aly sighed. “It’s okay. Suzy can come in.”
    Once Suzy squeezed inside, she made an announcement. “Who’s signing up for Suzy’s Spectacular Makeup? I need to know right now.”
    â€œWhat is that again?” a fifth grader named Aubrey asked. “There were signs in the bathroom at school, right?”
    â€œIt’s my makeup business,” Suzy explained. “Shimmer lip gloss and fairy dust. Tomorrow during lunch in the second stall in the girls’ bathroom near the cafeteria. For Picture Day. It’s five dollars. Are you going to sign up?”
    Aubrey didn’t answer.
    â€œAre you?” Suzy asked.
    â€œTo be honest,” a soccer player named Maxie said from across the room, “that seems kind of expensive. I’d maybe do it for a dollar.”
    â€œA dollar!” Suzy exclaimed.
    â€œYou know, Suzy,” Lily said, “getting more people to come for one dollar might make more money than fewer people coming for five dollars.”
    Suzy turned bright red—like Be My Valentine polish—and stormed out of the door. She didn’t leave any makeup sign-up sheets behind.
    â€œWell,” Charlotte said. “That was interesting.”
    â€œWould you really sign up for Picture Day makeup for one dollar?” Brooke asked Maxie.
    Maxie shrugged. “Sure,” she said. “I think it would be fun to have fairy dust on my cheeks for my pictures. But you can buy a whole jar of it for three dollars. I know because my cousin has some. It’s not worth five dollars to just get some brushed on your