The candy cane hunt

With Giselle's family finally gone, the atmosphere changed, leaning more towards the better side. Lillian loosened up to ease, returning to her casual demeanor, being ignorant of everything surrounding her except for Giselle and Lia. Maybe it put her in a better spot that she desired to stay longer to play more.

Ethan expressed himself likewise. No longer did he have to maintain a stiff composure in front of Giselle's parents, and mostly, there was no one secretly observing him, a feeling which Lillian also related.

Giselle and Lia did not have any transformation in their behavior. They felt sorry for seeing the family leave but soon picked themselves up to accept it.

**

Presently, a new announcement came through the loudspeaker to grab the curious minds for an afternoon surprise event, the candy cane hunt.

This improved game allowed an entire family to play as a team. Each family will receive a set of clues with which they find the candy canes hidden inside the school premises. Since it's a little chilly in December, the special event prepared to play indoors.

"Let's go!" Lillian declared.

"Where?" Lia inquired actively.

"To find the hidden candy canes!"

Lillian said to grab Lia and went away to enlist their names. Ethan and Giselle had no choice but to follow confusedly.

..

"Are you guys in the family together?"

The staff holding the clipboard to take down names asked to see if Lillian and Lia are together. Since Lillian was still in her disguised attire, protected from people recognizing her, she couldn't help but get offended by such inquiry. Meanwhile, Giselle and Ethan had already arrived at the right time to overhear.

Nonetheless, where it aimed, the question plagued both Ethan and Lillian, personally.

They couldn't express visibly, yet it registered in their eyes. Ethan at least shared a strong bond with Giselle and Lia, unlike Lillian Grey, which helped him to console within. However, being in a place where she heard it directly spoken to her face made Lillian lose composure.

The staff noticed soon to correct himself, implying that his intention only aimed to know if there are more to join the two or not. He went on to chuckle, playing it cool.

"Okay, let me write down your names, and then you can get your clues."

"Please do not open the envelopes before the announcement. You will hear a buzzer following the instructions, and only after that should you open it to read your clues, therefore start playing the game."

The staff went on to get their names, followed by giving them a set of three envelopes.

"You can form teams within or go solo in search, but in the end, it's everyone's effort together that counts the winner. Good Luck!"

"Please wait for the buzzer and the announcement!"

Lillian and the group moved to the waiting area filled with other families participating. Lia spots Jessica in the crowd, already waiting with her family to play the game. The kids spotted each other, waving their hands in the air enthusiastically, wishing all good luck for the hunt.

Shortly after the count reached for the maximum participants, the announcement came into alarm every family to listen attentively. Following the loud buzzer declared the start of the game.

Lillian quickly opened all three envelopes to reveal three clues in the form of riddles. Solving them will give the location of the hidden candy canes.

"So, you guys can look together while Giselle and I will handle the rest!"

Despite it being a game, Ethan couldn't believe what he heard. Lillian was robbing every chance she could get with Giselle and wasn't even hiding it. As much as Ethan doesn't want to interrupt them, still, he felt such action can't get authorized right away in front of him.

"No!"

Ethan strongly refused.

"What!" Lillian groaned.

"We have three clues and three adults, one kid. We need to do it alone!"

Ethan's words crossed Lillian.

"If we want to win," Ethan added in the end, triggering the child with a victory image. It worked as Lia captured it to agree with her father.

"Or we can do it together as well!" he added again to provoke Lillian further.

"No! Alone- we can do win then, right?" Lia joined.

Having persuaded the child with his hidden motive and had enough fun from irritating Lillian, Ethan finally declared his strategy.

"So, Lia will stick with me since she is only a kid, and Giselle-" Ethan handed out one of the envelopes to her and the other to Lillian.

"You both go separate ways. That way, we'll finish it quickly and win the game!"

"Let's go, Lia."

His tone displayed his daring spirit. Taking his envelope, Ethan left with Lia.

Their silhouettes disappeared soon from sight.

"That bastard- Who agreed to his plan? Bullshit!" Lillian mumbled lowly to realize that Giselle was still by her side. She slowly sighed.

"Fine! So, if I solve this soon, then can I join you?" she asked.

Startled, Giselle admits.

Wishing Giselle not to solve her clue soon, Lillian rushed out to disappear eventually.

Abandoned so quickly, Giselle hadn't expected it to turn out this way.

"I- didn't say anything- she left-"

****

The game ended with Jessica and her family taking the winner spot.

Turned out, Lillian, who blabbered about her own schemes, ended up getting a hard clue to crack. Along with people slowly recognizing her, she couldn't freely play the game. Instead, Ethan and Lia finished first to join Giselle, and then the three searched for Lillian to find her thoroughly wasted and helpless.

By the time they finished solving all three clues, the time has passed, and the winners already announced.

Fortunately, they snatched fourth place, thanks to Ethan and Lia's hard work.

Jessica and her family received a large box of firecrackers as the grand prize for winning the candy canes hunt.

..

Ethan kept snickering, unable to control the humor in his face, and it was clear from his reaction that it aimed at pitiful Lillian Grey, who curled up in humiliation and absolute disappointment. She refused to welcome any chats. Her ears flared from Ethan's occasional glances and his ridiculous sniggering.

Giselle's lips also sealed tight from speaking out. Lillian rolled her eyes in detest.

Meanwhile, Lia never showed any sorrow. Instead, it was only the little girl who kept Lillian company, walking by her side quietly like a doll. Her face remained usual. Lillian tried hard to study Lia's expression, finding that it reflected gladness.

"You are not angry with me, Lia?" Lillian asked.

Lia shook her head to respond. She was happy learning that one of her close friends won the game. Besides, they already bagged fourth place overall.

'Such a pure heart!' Lillian thought to herself.

Still, Lillian couldn't hold back from apologizing for ruining the gameplay.

"I'm sorry-"

She tried to apologize sincerely when Ethan's voice cut in to disrupt.

"Maybe we should have had gone together. That way, we could have had protected Ms. Grey from the public," Ethan replied, gleefully.

Giselle glared at him to stop taunting Lillian carelessly.

Lillian was in a gloomy place and didn't have the strength to respond. Still, she made sure to let her group know how difficult it was to escape from the people who were her readers.

Lillian succumbed, refused to participate in any more games. She took the post of watching the others play, maybe cheer if she feels willing.

Ethan took Lia to play more games, almost covering whatever's left, and they won a few as the bare warmth soon settled to an evening breeze. Along with it, the wind started to pick up slowly.

The food stalls now free, and the game booths with fewer participants, indicating the end of the event coming soon.

Lia had a great time that they never stopped for a break. Now that they finished playing every single game, the group finally took the time to shift their focus on the food. The free stalls now received rare customers.

Exiting from a hotdog stand, Lia wanted to try snow cones next as she spotted one to her sight. Ice dessert on a cold December day was too daring, yet they all craved for it, including Lillian. She took the chance to buy them each their favorite flavorings, showing her gratitude in letting her stick till the end.

Her gestured warmed Ethan as well, and he let her take the spotlight for once without any tease. As they all stopped for a snow cone break, Andy suddenly appeared in front of Lia. Her face was pale and white as snow, and her hands tightly locked in shivering.

Seeing her alone, Giselle inquired about her family. Little Andy cried, revealing how she lost sight of her family for a while and had been searching nonstop. Since she couldn't spot any teachers as well, the poor girl was desperate to find anyone who can help her.

"You should go, Giselle," Ethan suggested.

Lia expressed her wish to join her mother.

As the sky started to turn gray, the staff slowly retired, and the game booths closed one by one. Without any teachers patrolling the school religiously anymore, it was hard for a child to wander alone. Giselle agreed to help, and Lia tagged along. The two followed Andy in search of her family.

Ethan admitted, giving a call if he should spot Andy's parents, whom he remembers from the dinner.

Ethan and Lillian moved to an abandoned bench to sit down while waiting for Giselle and Lia to return. None of them had an interest in talking, at least, that is what Ethan thought from seeing Lillian's bored face. He wished he could take this time to spare a little chat, but it seems his company loves to solitude. Thus, he assumed to stay calm, silently staring at the sight of the crowd that now grew lesser. Some of the stalls were also closing down. People packed their things, minding their own business under crisp weather.

Nonetheless, the sound of the Christmas carol outlived going all day. It kept a lively atmosphere with its holiday chants, spreading the good omens all around. Ethan hummed to the music as he leaned against the bench to relax.

Despite sitting next to someone whom he wished to meet for a long time,

Despite the continuous tease he kept directing towards her all day,

Despite all her returning cold shoulders,

Despite her showing appreciation by treating snow cones,

Despite now losing this rare opportunity to talk with her,

Ethan still enjoyed this moment.

These two people now sharing the same space had once fallen in love with the same person. They genuinely cared for her and still wish for her happiness. Sharing such strong emotions was bliss, and Ethan couldn't bother to quench his interest in Lillian. At least, he knows that it won't be their last meeting. Since they have a long journey ahead, he deeply exhaled to loosen at present.

Regardless, his mood dropped when three words came to startle his peace.

Ethan turned to find that it was Lillian who uttered. Uncertain if it was true, he blinked in a daze as he heard her repeat.

"I said, I hate you!"