Morning Butterflies

Cabrel pushed through the crowd at Maplecross Market, clutching her phone with sweaty palms. The morning sun painted the colorful fruit stands in golden light, and vendors called out their daily specials. She loved coming here, but today felt different.

"Fresh mangoes! Best in town!" shouted Mrs. Chen from behind her towering display of orange and yellow fruit.

Cabrel's stomach twisted as she spotted the bright yellow banner stretched between two lamp posts: "Annual Cooking Contest - Enter Today!" Below it, a small crowd gathered around a registration table where a cheerful woman with a clipboard smiled at potential contestants.

"You should enter, dear," said a familiar voice. Mr. Rodriguez, the elderly spice vendor, winked at her. "Your grandmother's mango recipes are legendary."

Cabrel's heart hammered. Speaking in front of people? Her mouth went dry just thinking about it. She'd rather face a hungry lion than stand before a crowd with everyone staring at her.

The Feathered Announcer

Cabrel's phone buzzed. A text from her best friend Maya: "Saw the contest banner! You HAVE to enter with Grandma Rosa's mango salsa!"

Before Cabrel could reply, a small gray parrot landed on her shoulder with a soft thud. The bird wore a tiny red vest and tilted its head at her.

"Contest! Contest!" the parrot squawked. "Mango lady enters today!"

"Shoo!" Cabrel whispered, gently nudging the bird away. But it hopped to her other shoulder instead.

A woman with silver hair and paint-splattered apron approached them, chuckling. "That's Pepper, my assistant. He helps me run the art booth." She extended her hand. "I'm Elena Santos, and I'm also judging the cooking contest."

Cabrel's heart sank. A judge! Right here, talking to her!

"Pepper escaped again," Elena continued, reaching for the parrot. "He's been announcing the contest all morning to anyone who'll listen."

The parrot flapped its wings excitedly. "Mango salsa! Prize money! Big stage!"

Prize money? Cabrel's eyes widened. She pulled out her phone and googled the contest details. First place: five hundred dollars. Enough to fix her grandmother's old stove that had been broken for months.