Carl heaved a long sigh as he also stared at the door then looked back at the pen which was still laying on the table. " I'll do it." He chuckled and took the pen then shoved it inside his pocket.
********
Jack was on his way back from the riverside and sighed inside while wondering why she didn't go there today.
He was about to park his car when his gaze darted toward the hotel's entrance and a small smile appeared on his lips.
" Lily, " he called out after getting out of his car and strode toward the girl.
" Oh, it's you... Jack" she gazed at him softly and he smiled back then they started walking toward the shade.
Jack glanced sideways at her then chuckled. " What are you doing here,? I thought I would meet you at the riverside," he asked then opened the car door for her and she carefully sat inside.
" Did you go there to look for me?" Her eyes turned to him as he sat down on the driver's seat.
Jack nodded with a small smile then retrieved a small box from the car's glove compartment. " Here, you left this in my car that night."
Lily took the medicines box and smiled at him gratefully. " Thanks." She nodded then shoved it inside her bag.
" Will you be celebrating your birthday tonight?" He asked after a while and she replied "yes".
" I'll cut the cake after the fireworks. you should come to watch the play tonight"
" Of course I will." He chuckled then turned to look at her. " What kind of gift do you want?"
Lily also turned then glanced at him softly. " I want this," she said calmly and pointed toward a small hairpin in the car's compartment.
Jack's eyes turned to the hairpin and he stared at it for some seconds then sighed heavily and looked at her with a small smile.
********
__ That Night __
People were going around busily with different items of decorations in the large area which was located at the outskirt of the province where the large river was located and many wooden tables and chairs were lined up back to back in a row as all the town's folks sat on them, excitedly facing the huge stage where fairy tales props had already been set up as the play was about to begin.
Backstage, Clara stared at the mirror anxiously and turned to Maya who was busily helping the children with their costumes together with other girls, while some men were busily setting up the lights.
" Maya, don't you think my makeup is too__"
" Don't clean that lipstick, Clara! shit, I spent so much time on your makeup don't you dare ruin it, " Maya commanded hastily then snatched the tissue from her hand.
" You look perfect Clara, come lemme style your hair. You need to look exactly like snow white.? She added after she was done with the kids' costumes then started styling Clara's hair.
Clara stared softly at seven kids who were dressed in dwarfs' costumes and chuckled. Every new year's eve, they used to act a play from several fairy tales and she was excited to play the snow white's role while Maya would play the evil queen.
" Where's Lily? " she asked with knitted brows and glanced around the place after Maya was done with her hair.
" Drake's in the other room getting ready, Lily will get him when it's the prince's time to show up, and remember! no real kissing... I don't trust that guy, the way he was staring at you earlier," Maya scoffed while looking down at the long robe she was wearing and twirled around liking how the costume fitted her perfectly.
" Okay, I understand__ Kids are you ready? " Clara nodded then turned to the kids cheerfully and they frantically nodded. " Yes! Let's go, " she squealed then stood up.
" The play will start from when snow white went to the dwarfs' cottage then when the evil queen gave her an apple, and the prince will arrive at the end. understood?" A man rushed toward them with a script in hand and quickly instructed and they all nodded.
" Good," He said then walked away after glancing at Clara. And went outside the stage to start the opening of the story.
_____
People cheered and clapped excitedly as the light on the stage was lit up while the play was about to begin.
They all watched eagerly as Clara appeared from backstage in her snow-white costume then started wandering in the forest after being spared by the man who had wanted to kill her, and warned her of the evil queen, then the lights went off.
The next scene was when she finally came across the wooden cottage of the dwarfs which was set up as a prop.
Then came the part where the kids dressed in dwarfs costumes were returning from the mine where they dig for diamonds while singing the 'Heigh-Ho' song. and where they met snow-white in their cottage and were shocked that the house is cleaned.
The play goes on up to where the evil stepmother played by Maya gave her the poisoned apple after the dwarfs left for the mine again then snow white bit into it.
Clara sighed inside as she lay quietly in the casket prop which was layered with flowers, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the prince to finally get the show done with.
Her closed eyes flickered slightly as she listened to the man who was now narrating how the dwarfs refused to bury snow white then put her in the glass casket and the prince who was searching for her finally came.
' It's time.' she sighed in relief as the guy's footsteps approached. But frowned slightly as she heard the soft music which was playing in the background suddenly stopped and the crowd's gasp.
she waited eagerly for him to give her the signal to open her eyes but her nose suddenly caught a very familiar scent and her heartbeat accelerated.
' impossible.' she thought inside and was about to open her eyes wondering why the guy was still silent. ' Argh!' She was going to strangle that Drake__ what was taking him so long.