Found Sleeping Beauty (2)

"Did you bring some blankets?" I whispered inside Sienna's ear.

"I did and also brought some clothes as well," she whispered back.

"I brought the pillows," I looked for anyone who could be potentially listening.

This plan was set in motion a week ago. It all started when Sienna complained she was only getting five hours of sleep per day. Delia twirled the straw in her cup, "you're going to get caught."

"There's no way the guests will venture outside the ballroom," I recalled last year's event.

"Didn't you complain a few days ago that Luke burned more of your comic books?" Delia brought up the tragic event.

Few days ago, I secretly met with Eliza in the middle of the night, who possessed half of my otaku supply. It was my fault, hiding it inside my shirt instead of putting inside the inventory right away. When I bumped into Luke on the way to my room, the books slipped out of my clothes. Without hesitation, the books burned into ashes right in front of my eyes.

It was the time where Luke didn't have any mercy as more work started to pile on the living room table. I froze at the ashes in front of me, shocked. My knees became weak, collapsing to stumble on the carpeted floors. The ashes slipped through my hands, my precious babies.

"I'm just glad Eliza only brought the BL books," my feelings shifted to how I was glad he didn't burn my favourite genres.

"And I'll help her hide half of it!" Sienna's eyes glittered from the thought of getting a few minutes of sleep during the event.

"I'll only help you from others finding out," Delia looked like she wasn't going to be a part of it.

"I don't think I can help since our schedules are different," Ellen joined in.

Shelly nodded to agree with Ellen. It couldn't be helped since they were helping out with Luke's fraction. It was a pity since the risk of anyone figuring out would be lower with more people.

"There wasn't anyone in the garden," Sienna suggested a location nearby.

"Let's see for another hour," I remained cautious.

We stood near the walls of the ballroom, far away from where most of the conversations were taking place. Most people knew if people were near the edge of the ballroom, they didn't want to be disturbed. When I looked up, the railings on the second floor appeared like it increased in height while the distance between them were narrower.

In fact, the entrance to the stairs was blocked off before its use. Another difference was how the stage didn't have any performers. Instead, it was used as another space for the guests to use as some of them chose to converse on the stage, enjoying the view below them.

"How about behind the big decorations on the stage?" I wondered.

"We should have several locations," Sienna agreed.

"Are you still wondering where to set it up?" Delia walked towards us.

We nodded out heads as Delia sighed. She turned to scan the area before she suggested, "the second floor isn't bad too. It's blocked off for the guests for now."

"Then we should do three locations. I brought three pillows just in case," I decided to go with Delia's suggestion.

"Same here," Sienna got my thoughts.

"What are you talking about?" someone came up to us.

Both Sienna and I froze from an unfamiliar person coming up to us. Meanwhile, Delia sighed, almost telling us, 'I told you so,' through her glance. I wondered how this person didn't know the proper party etiquette that Luke had always drilled into me ever since last year.

"Nothing particular," I brightly smiled, hoping she would leave.

"Is there anything you want from us?" Sienna added.

"I thought I could join, seeing how there were people gathered here," she fidgeted with her hands.

"Most of the conversations you're looking for are in the middle of the ballroom," Delia thankfully led her away from us.

Both Sienna and I sighed in relief, thanking Delia in our hearts. It was time to go to the stage to do the setup for one of the locations. The stage was covered with flower petals, which would be a good cover if some of its feathers got out from the pillow. Plus, no one bothered to go backstage when the front was so beautifully decorated with the flowers I picked with Luke.

Looking in all directions, Sienna and I linked arms while going up the stairs leading towards the stage. When we were sure no one was watching, we quickly slipped through one of the curtains to go backstage. However, to our surprise, there was someone already inside, hiding from the crowd.

"I want to be part of your plan," Henry appeared like he was waiting for us.

I dropped my pillow that I took out of my marble when I entered backstage. Delia must have told him as he desperately came towards us with teary eyes. It was the first time I have ever seen him lose his composure.

"I wasn't able to sleep, not even a single second for the entire week!" He tethered back and forth in his spot.

"Alice gave him double the work compared to the rest of us since it looked like he was taking her lightly two weeks ago," Sienna explained.