Mylipspartedindisbelief.Aroundus,gentlecoosechoed.
IlookedatXylaincompleteawe,surprisedthatsheactuallypickedme.
Oh,dear,IplacedonehandonmychestasItookhersmallhandinmine.Thankyouforgivingmethehonour.
AsIapproachedthestagewithher,myeyesinevitably dartedtoMarta.Herjawtwistedfromsidetoside,herexpressionsour.Shelookedlikeshewantedtostranglesomeone.
Well,Ididntaskforit.
MyeyesfellonJarisasXylaandIrescuedthestage.Xylonhadchosenhim,sotheywerebothstandingbesideus.Goodpick,damsel.Youchoseyourdaddysmate,theMCcommended.
Therulesofthegamewerecommunicatedtous.
It wasasillygameaboutinflatingballoonswiththemouth.JarisandIwouldbegivenseparatebowlsofsixballoons.Weweretoblowairintoeachofthemtoinflatethemandpassittothekidswhoweretorunandkeepitinabasketacrossfromus.Winningdependedonhowfastwecouldinflatetheballoons,andhowfastthekidscouldruneachtimetodropitinthebasket.
Youcouldjustgiveup,youknow?Itdbesadtowinyouinfrontofallthesepeople,Jarissaidwithacockysmile,hisvoicelowenoughforonlymeandthekidstohear.

Isnorted.Withallduerespect,this isnttheAlphas trialwhereyoushowcasemusclesandall.DoyouknowhowmanytimesIplayedthisgamewhenIwasakid?Imsureyoucantrelatebecauseyouweretoobusygrowingintoagrumpyman.Heloweredhisheadandchuckled,thesoundrollingdeeplyinmybelly.
Howaboutthis,heseemedtothinkforamoment.Ifyougettowin,Ioweyouagift.ButifIget towin,hetsked,shakinghishead.Trustme,youwouldntliketheoutcome,Lyric.
Hm.Asmilespreadonmylips,warmthspreadingallovermyheart.
Itsa deal,then.
Are youready?! TheMCcalledout.
AuntyLyric,wecandoit.Imafastrunner!Xylabeamedwithjoy.
Liar!Xylonhuffedather.
TheMCblewawhistle,indicatingthestartofthegame.Separatebowlswithballoons werebroughttoJarisandI.Withoutwastinganytime,IpickedthefirstoneandblewashardasIcould.Whenitwasinflated,IknottedthetipandIhandedittoXylawhoransfastasshecould.
Asshedid,Ipickedupthesecondballoonandblewagain.IavoidedlookingatJarisandXylon,decidingtofocusonmyowntask.
BeforeIknewit, Iwasonthelastballoon.IknottedthetipandhandedittoXyla.

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Thatwas whenIlookedatJaris.Hewasstill blowingairintohisballoonwithXylonwaitinginfrontofhim.Icouldntseeintohisbowltoknowifitwasthelastoneornot,butatleastXylawasalreadyahead.
Come on, Xyla!Icheered.
Bythetime Jarisfinishedwiththeballoon inhishandandhandeditto Xylon,Xylawasalreadydroppingherlastoneinthe basket.
Yes!Iscreamedaseveryonecheeredandclappedaroundus.
Wehaveawinner!TheMCdeclared.
Xylaranto me,almostmakingmestumblebacksheshecrashedintome.
Wedidit,auntyLyric!Wedidit!She squealedwithhappiness,hertinyarmswrappedaroundmeassheplacedherheadon mywaist.
Ilaughedsohard,mystomachbubblingwithjoy.
IwinkedatJariswhoshookhisheadindefeat.

Successfullyunlocked! Ifeltalittle worriedasIlookedatXylon,expectingtofindhimsadorsomething.Buttomysurprise,hewasactuallylaughing.
Suchmaturityforakidhisage.Hedidntpickoffenseatlosing.
134 Yousee?Itoldyouwell win!Xylapokedhertongueathim.
Justlucky,hetoldher.
ImovedclosertoJaris.Youbetterstartthinkingofsomethingnice,AlphaJaris,IwhisperedinhisearjustbeforetheMCcametopullXylaandIawaytoproperlydeclareuswinners.
Thepartycontainerssmoothly.Therewasalot toeatanddrink,plusunlimitedentertainmentonstage Maddywastryingtoblendinwiththecrowd.Peoplekeptcomplimentingandwelcomingher,andIlikedhowhappyshe was.
Everythingwasgoingfine.Untilitwasnt.UntilmyeyesranintosomeoneIwishedIhadntseen.
Mystomachchurned,everythingIjustateatthepartythreateningtospillout.
Standingacrossfromme,lostin theguestswastheExecutionerfromthepreviousday.TheoneIdseenatthemall.Myfeetwobbledasfearsodeepranthroughme.ItwasakindoffearIhadntfeltbefore.
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