Tough spectators

Lillian sat behind her wheel, holding onto it tightly as if her whole life weighed heavily from the bystanders gawking.

Jenna was sitting in the back, leaving the passenger seat open for Giselle to occupy. It was a nice gesture of hers, but now witnessing the heavy atmosphere, she couldn't help but feel sorry for Lillian Grey. They drove to Giselle's place, technically her parents, so as Giselle was getting ready, Eric and Gigi stood out on the porch for the lookout.

The two remained stiff with their matching cold gaze that could drill holes into Lillian's skin.

"Ms. Grey, loosen up! You look like you're in trouble," Jenna whispered from behind.

Her advice only made Lillian tighten her grip and secretly peek at the watchers. Their gazes never left even for a second, and Gigi's stare intensified when their eyes met.

Lillian panicked to look away. She was leaning against her backrest, and under the turtle neck sweater, it was pouring down.

'Hurry up, Giselle!' she thought to herself, chanting it repeatedly.

**

Giselle was still inside the house, collecting her things to leave. Even so, her gaze kept looking out as she begged her mother to stop Eric and Gigi from bothering Lillian.

Melanie followed her daughter, wearily replying how there's no stopping them all by herself. Following these two was little Lia. The child followed them closely. It looked as if Giselle had a tail attached. She hurriedly stuffed things into her bag and then marched outside while collecting her coat on the way out.

"Dad, Gigi, stop!" she hissed at them.

While Melanie remained inside the house, little Lia kept following her mother.

Melanie only joined later.

Meanwhile, Gigi and Eric shuddered from Giselle's outburst. They quickly moved back but kept their protest against the one who came to get Giselle.

While Giselle handled those two, Melanie followed little Lia to join everyone out on the portico. Fired up from the new volunteer, Gigi complained more about Lillian to her sister. Giselle was running out of patience from consoling. It was then Lia looked out to take notice of Lillian Grey, waiting in her car. Her face lightened up, and she ran out to meet her.

**

Seeing the child running towards her, Lillian stepped out of the car. Lia came running straight into Lillian's arms as the two greeted each other. Lillian's tension only doubled after seeing Lia's smiling face along with the watchers returning icy glaring.

Luckily, she didn't dress up to make it look like a date. With a struggling straight face, Lillian chatted with the child.

Lia was curious about the party and asked if she could attend one when she grew up to become a big girl. It wasn't a convenient time, but Lillian politely answered her questions.

The scene was so dramatic to witness from the backseat for Jenna. She could see Lillian trembling under pressure and wondered what made her act like this. The usual Lillian isn't terrified of people until today, Jenna thought.

Nonetheless, the scene lasted only for a while as Giselle rushed her farewell to her family and came to get her daughter. As soon as Giselle joined, Lia became the glue that brought them together. She was in Lillian's arms first and then jumped to her mother's. Lia showered her mother with goodnight kisses and then winked a goodbye at Lillian. The little girl told her mother to have fun and dance at this party. She also received a promise to share some stories from tonight. Giselle agreed.

She then returned the kisses to bring down Lia, asking her to run back inside the house. Lia obeyed to dash back to the portico and joined Melanie's side.

Among the three bystanders watching Giselle, Lillian, and little Lia's brief interaction, Melanie was the one who seemed to have a slight change of heart. They looked good together and happy, a little shy and afraid, but definitely like a family.

Melanie was moved to tears as she saw Lia leaving her mother with Lillian and came running back to her side. Instinctively, she grasped the little hand in sentiment and held it tight.

Now that Lia left, Giselle has to get inside the car. She read the situation to signal Lillian.

"I'll sit in the back!" she whispered closely.

"Good decision!" Lillian replied, and they moved within few seconds to get into the car.

Gigi and Eric's icy stares kept following Lillian and the way Giselle behaved around her.

If Giselle were to take the passenger seat, Lillian knew she would get punctured to death from their cold stares. Lillian felt relieved that they were able to communicate perfectly under such tight pressure.

Meantime, as Giselle opened the door to the backseat, she noticed someone else was already present. She leaned down to finally meet Jenna.

"Hey, Ms. Giselle! You're supposed to sit in the front-" Jenna greeted in surprise.

But Lillian stopped her finishing.

"Jenna, let her sit with you. Scoot over!"

Jenna saw her fort being intruded and blinked in awe at the approaching Giselle. Not knowing what to do, she obeyed Lillian's command and moved to give Giselle her space.

"Are we ready to go?" Lillian begged.

"Please!"

"Yeah."

Both the passengers in the backseat gave their consent.

Lillian then started her car and quietly drove away after glancing a silent goodbye to the spectators.

**

Gigi's blood boiled from watching her sister being taken away by Lillian. But Eric and Melanie had different views about it. While Melanie suffered a change of heart from witnessing the three together, Eric too had similar feelings. Yet, he was not willing to express and silently joined his eldest daughter's protest.

"Oh- she is so taking away our Giselle again!" Gigi reported.

Eric nodded in support as they both appealed to Melanie.

"Stop it! You two-" Melanie sighed to carry little Lia inside the house.

Eric followed while Gigi waited outside. She kept staring into the direction Giselle had left. Gigi knew about her sister, yet the fear of returning to old feelings kept her worried. She is never against Lillian's love, but if that love ends up hurting her sister, she may not be able to stay as calm as she did in the past.

Gigi exhaled in defeat and eventually joined her family inside.

***

Driving away had never felt happier for Lillian. Finally, the sweating dried off, and she could feel like breathing in peace again.

Jenna, who was still confused from all that previous action, couldn't stay silent and risked making her remark.

"What did you do, Ms. Grey?"

Jenna's wish to comment relapsed to a fundamental interrogation. She knew it could be the starting point to all her doubts.

Lillian looked through the mirror and saw Jenna being curious. She then glanced at Giselle before vouching for herself.

"I swear, I never did anything that I would even typically do!"

"You didn't do anything?" Giselle exclaimed intriguingly.

"I heard it from my sister how you kept visiting after I left!" Giselle added to remind.

Lillian turned back to protest but surrendered herself from not having anything solid to fight back. She did visit Giselle's parents like a stalker despite the family telling her to stop. Eventually, Gigi had to threaten Lillian to put an end to her impulsive behavior.

"Wow, Ms. Grey! No wonder," Jenna gasped, but soon it disappeared like it was to be expected from this person.

While Giselle and Jenna shared a laugh, Lillian silently drove.

Now they were able to joke about the past easily. Lillian wondered when it became like this.

Previously, both of them couldn't utter a word about it to anyone, let alone each other. Nevertheless, things changed over time, or at least that's how Lillian thought.

Like a spell, all of a sudden, they can summon the past they've wanted to run away from. But it wasn't magic that did the work for them. Their unchanged feelings slowly made them accept the past to change their future. If Lillian and Giselle wished to love again, they need to move forward, leave and heal the old scars to make new memories.

Nobody told them, but those two knew it in their hearts. It was the only answer.

"But you can't keep going like this, Ms. Grey. You need to do something. You have to make some changes!" Jenna remarked.

"Yes, I agree! You need to mend your relationship with them, Lillian," Giselle joined to add.

Lillian looked at her again through the mirror. She wondered if Giselle felt the same way about accepting her past. Will Giselle be able to share it with her in the future? Lillian's thoughts became concerned when she kept worrying about their relationship.

"You need to focus ahead!"

Giselle's voice broke through her wall of anxiety, and she looked into the mirror again. A pretty face reflected at it with a smile.

Lillian remembered the time when Giselle approached her during a lunch break. She was sleeping, and this strange girl asked her to wait after school. She then took her sweet little time to confess her feelings. The memory still lived afresh. Lillian also recalled rejecting Giselle immediately after her confession. While she cursed herself for doing so now, several years later, she did glance at Giselle's beauty, admiring it deeply.

"You look beautiful!" Lillian complimented while at it.

Giselle never replied, but both of them simply stared through the mirror without exchanging a word.

Following Giselle's wish, it was Lillian who moved first with a smile as bright and confident. She nodded in silence. It was her answer to their remarks.

"Alright! Who's ready to party?" Lillian switched the topic, and her audience cheered instantly.

The three then drove to Shane's party.

The time was now 10:03 PM. Two hours until midnight.