A Game of Ordeal

In the big city of Denver today, it was windy and cold. The strong wind battered the already blooming trees, breaking branches and swirling dried leaves along the bustling streets. The sun was setting over the majestic skyline, signaling the end of the workday for most people, but not for Elizabeth. The young girl was once again at home, diligently pursuing her childhood dream of becoming an artist. From a young age, she realized that her blood was filled with boundless love for art, deciding to nurture and work on her dreams rather than wait for miracles to happen. Hundreds of hours spent sketching, hundreds more on the computer and graphic tablets. So many successes and failures later, now she created art that she loved.

Elizabeth was unsure, haunted by past failures, broken by childhood teasing, and shattered by memories. As a child, people described her as "naive and overly kind." She was the child who would offer her cookie and apologize when it was tossed aside. That made her a target for most of the ruffians. Children were cruel, tearing up her drawings or stealing them to paste on school corridors to mock her.

Behind her walls of insecurity lay all these memories that she couldn't shake even today, but she had never allowed herself to give up on her dream - people didn't deserve to feel that sort of pleasure. Thousands of torn-up drawings, thousands of tears, many failures, and lots of fear - but this was exactly what made her so strong, and she was proud to have made it. Her family and all her friends were like her shield - they were the people who had supported her from her very first day - from her first drawing to her last masterpiece. It was a fact that Elizabeth had developed her skills extraordinarily in all these years, and had even managed to start a small business. Time was flying, and she was drawing and drawing. Her customers were increasing, and their admiration for her and her unique talent was increasing. Now her most important task was to develop herself and to fulfill her dream, without allowing anyone to break her.

Throughout most of today, Elizabeth was alone - her older brother Robert had gone to work around nine in the morning, and her parents had left for Arvada to meet old family friends. At home, it was warm and cozy, quiet and peaceful, and she loved such serene days. Sometimes, she needed to be by herself, with her thoughts, wrapped in the warm embrace of home comfort, to relax.

Today, Elizabeth had decided to set aside some time to work on her new website - a new place for people to get closer to her and her services. As she browsed through various designs, she endeavored to present herself and her art in the best possible way to impress her clients and followers. Experimenting with new fonts, colors, and animations, her eyes were glued to the gleaming screen of the computer. At that moment, her phone rang, the sharply loud sound echoing through the living room, pulling Elizabeth out of her dreamy portal.

Her gaze fixed on the small screen displaying Courtney's name - her closest friend. Elizabeth warmly smiled and slid her index finger up to answer the call. Through the phone's receiver came Courtney's cheerful, high-pitched voice:

"Hey, sweetheart. What are you up to?"

"Oh, nothing much, just working on the website. Bored, mostly."

"Bored? Have you forgotten about the cabin tonight?"

The cabin. Damn, the cabin! Elizabeth slapped her forehead loudly - lost in her own world, she had completely forgotten about tonight's gathering.

"Oh, uh... no. I haven't," she exclaimed, cursing herself silently.

"Don't worry, take your time," Courtney chimed in playfully. "I spoke with Alex, he said he's coming too. Robert is with us as well, right?"

"Yeah."

"Come pick up Alex, then swing by to get Rob from work. I think that's a good plan. What do you think?"

"It makes sense, but Robert needs to come home, take a shower, and..."

At that moment, the front door swung open loudly, and Robert and his best friend Alexander burst into the house. The two boys were extremely cheerful and smiling - they didn't look like they had been at work all day at all.

"They just arrived," Elizabeth giggled brightly, and Courtney followed her lead.

"Why don't you come home. Mom and dad are going to Arvada, so there's no problem."

"Can't promise you anything. I'm waiting for Naomi to let me know if I have to drive her, Erica, and Melissa. She will probably tell me after a few minutes, so if she doesn't want me to drive her, I will swing by yours.

"Alright. I'll wait. We'll have a great time, right?"

Courtney smiled confidently-a smile Elizabeth recognized even over the phone. These gatherings were associated with lots of fun and happy memories. A brief silence followed, broken by Courtney's infectious laughter, then she replied cheerfully:

"Of course. I'll call you back with an answer. See you soon!"

"See you soon, dear!"

The call ended, and Elizabeth left her phone on the table. She looked over at the two boys, whispering quietly to each other, obviously trying not to interrupt her conversation. She stood up from the table and walked over to greet them. Robert smiled happily and opened his arms, inviting her into his embrace, which she gladly accepted. Warmed by the car's air conditioning, Elizabeth felt a wave of comfort and tranquility as she hugged him.

"How was work? I see you're still in your uniforms," she giggled brightly, looking at the two boys. They worked as waiters at a fantastic restaurant that Elizabeth loved to visit when she was out. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was pleasant, and the staff was polite and responsive. Robert and Alexander enjoyed their work, especially the pay, and working together made the job even more enjoyable. Their shifts passed with little tension, the occasional silly argument here and there, but mostly filled with laughter.

"Oh, yes. We came straight home. We stopped by Alex's to grab some clothes, and here we are. I'm going to take a quick shower."

"Alright. Would you like some coffee or tea?"

"I'll take coffee. Long with dry cream and a spoonful of sugar," Robert decided, heading towards the bathroom. Elizabeth warmly smiled at Alexander, who was sitting by the coat rack, and offered, "Don't stand by the door. Come on in, make yourself at home. Would you like some tea or coffee? Mom baked sweets yesterday."

"I'd love some tea, thank you," he replied shyly, sitting at the table and resting his head in his hands. Lately, he'd been experiencing terrible headaches, hoping they were just from work fatigue. He tried to rest whenever he could.

"I have raspberry, strawberry, tangerine, and mint tea. What do you prefer?"

"Tangerine, please. Do you have honey?"

"Of course. I'll give you as much as you want."

Alexander smiled - he always felt at home whenever he visited Robert's house. The kitchen filled with the wonderful aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Elizabeth allowed her nostrils to savor the scent and felt a craving for a sweet coffee treat. Having stared at her computer screen for over nine hours, she felt drained. While waiting for Robert's coffee, she brought out a large plate wrapped in aluminum foil. Her mother, Hailey, had made some of their favorite sugary treats and wanted to share them with the boys. Leaving the plate of tempting sweets on the table, Alexander licked his lips and chuckled contentedly.

" They look amazing, really. Send my regards to your family when they return from Arvada.

" Definitely," she laughed and left the aromatic coffee cup on the table. Inside, she had placed a small cream capsule and a teaspoon of white sugar. Robert had been drinking his coffee this way since his teenage years and it was his favorite. Their new coffee machine had a hot water function, perfect for making tea. Elizabeth pressed the button and hot water filled the teacup, while she pulled out a mandarin tea bag.

" What are you working on?" Alexander asked, peering at her laptop screen. Intrigued by the website and its interesting design, he couldn't resist asking. His curiosity, as always, got the better of him. Elizabeth handed him the hot cup, a light blush coloring her cheeks as she replied,

" I'm working on my new website. I've been getting orders through Instagram or Facebook and I thought having a website would be better.

" I agree," he nodded. "For your paintings and designs, right?"

" Yes."

" It's great that you're expanding and not giving up. I remember when I was fifteen and used to sleep over here, you were always drawing in the yard," they both chuckled loudly. "It's wonderful that you're following your dreams."

" Thank you so much. I have a few orders at the moment. I'm working on them; the studio is a bit messy."

" Can I see it?"

Elizabeth pondered his question, feeling anxious-worried he might judge her when he saw how messy her studio was. Her concern must have shown on her face because he smiled warmly and said,

" Don't worry if it's messy. It's an art studio, not a restaurant."

She smiled innocently, and the tension immediately lifted from her beautiful face. Alexander sensed it too and took a big sip of his tea-the warm drink warming his body. He didn't want her to worry about anything unnecessary. He was interested in stepping into her world and getting closer to her art, wanting to feel what fueled her blood and what her greatest passion was.

" Come on. Let's go," she laughed loudly and headed towards the stairs leading to the second floor. He followed her timidly, intrigued by what he would see behind the walls of the small studio. It was nothing special-a medium-sized room with a large window and beautiful lace curtains, a desk for the laptop, and a multitude of art supplies. This was her world-the reason her blood boiled, the reason her hands worked with such desire and fervor. When he entered the studio, Alexander gasped-even if it was messy, the energy was unique. Some of her masterpieces hung on the walls, canvas or just old sketches of anime heroes or characters from her favorite shows-something that further filled the room with love for art.

"Sorry for the mess."

"Nonsense. It looks great. So, you paint here?"

"Yes, I spend a lot of my time here. My little world," Elizabeth chuckled. "There's my laptop. I take orders, order materials, calculate the cost of my products."

"What's your favorite order you've received?"

"I love painting animals," she warmly smiled. "I remember once I had an order to paint a Golden Retriever on the beach. The owner called me in tears because the puppy had cancer."

Alexander sighed sadly-his love for animals was immense, and hearing about a sick one pained his heart.

"I painted him on the beach with sand on his nose, and used liquid gold for his fur. When the woman received it, she came to my house to thank me, and to this day, I remember how much she cried and how tightly she hugged me."

There was a brief silence between them as they simply gazed at each other quietly. The young man wore only a slight smile on his face-he realized that behind her artistry was not just fulfilling an order but making someone happy.

"'The best thing you can do for yourself is to do good for someone else'," his late mother used to remind him.

"Another thing I love to paint are landscapes. I'm not fond of very abstract things."

"What orders do you have now?"

"I have only two orders at the moment-a seascape and... a white female cat."

"Well, since you love painting pets..."

"The woman wants me to paint her with a pearl necklace and fake eyelashes."

"Seriously? Sounds like the cat's getting ready for the red carpet! Hope there's not a big autograph line afterward!"

Elizabeth laughed at his joke and looked at him again. His eyes were sea-blue and beautiful, perfectly complementing his short blonde hair. Somehow, he was always smiling whenever she saw him, and she couldn't quite explain how. She didn't know his story like Robert did, but his company was genuinely pleasant, and she felt good around him. She hoped that behind all his positivity and happiness, there wasn't too much pain. He didn't look at her like others did; he treated her with respect and understanding. To him, she was a close friend, not just his best friend's sister. He respected her because she was a good and smart person.

At that moment, Robert burst into the art studio. His chestnut hair was still damp, but he had changed into fresh clothes and emanated the scent of his favorite men's cologne, Tom Ford's Oud Wood. In his hands, he held a cup of warm aromatic coffee, surveying the studio around him.

"Alex, are you going to bathe here or take a shower at the lodge?"

"I'm coming in. Won't take long."

"I left your clothes in my room; the uniform's in the bathroom. We'll wash them when we get back."

"Alright. Good luck with Madonna!" Alexander quipped, once again directing his attention to Elizabeth, who chuckled brightly.

Alexander left the studio, heading for the bathroom to bathe and allow his body to relax after a tough day's work. He needed a warm shower to unwind his muscles and clear his mind before they set off for the lodge to have some fun. Dealing with clients could be tough at times, but to fulfill your dreams, you had to start somewhere, right?

Robert pulled his little sister into a warm hug once more, kissing her on the forehead. He loved her dearly-she was his weakness, and he protected her more than he protected himself. He knew how fragile she was and how much she had been through, promising himself to always keep her safe.

"I want you to relax tonight and have some fun. You need a break."

"Yes, big B. I want to drive."

"Alright.

"We'll take the Honda. You know I'm still not used to driving the Peugeot."

Elizabeth wriggled out of Robert's warm embrace and headed to her room to get ready for the lodge. Time was passing quickly without even feeling it. They needed to leave soon, and she hadn't even packed her bags yet.

They were part of a large group-close friends and not-so-close friends-who always gathered at the lodge whenever they had the chance. They loved clubs, restaurants, and places for entertainment... but when they were at the lodge with homemade food, quality alcohol, loud music, and endless dancing, they felt much calmer and had much more fun. The lodge gatherings were relaxing for everyone-people talked, shared things about themselves or their lives, the music was loud, the dancing was endless, and the guys did silly things. Everyone bonded and loved each other deeply.

Alexander turned off the shower, allowing the hot water to stop flowing down his muscular body. The blond-haired man stepped out of the bathroom and headed towards Robert's room to get dressed. He felt much better now, his body relaxed from the strain, and the delightful scent of coconut emanated from him. He couldn't wait to reach the lodge, meet with friends, and let all worries fade away for a while in his mind.

The boy burst into Robert's room to change into his new clean clothes. He had prepared black jeans and a white t-shirt with "Calvin Klein" printed on it. Simple and comfortable attire, perfect for the lodge. No one bothered to dress up for such gatherings because when they had fun, comfort was the most important thing.

Before leaving the room, the blond couldn't resist taking a look around-it held so many memories within these four walls. Robert's room had remained unchanged for as long as he could remember- the boy had never wanted to change anything in it, preserving his childhood spirit. The walls were painted in a deep royal blue, adorned with shelves of books, picture frames, or sports trophies from his childhood years. As a young boy, Robert had been a passionate volleyball player-volleyball was like his favorite alternate world, where all worries vanished, if a child could call those "worries." The sound of a just-inflated ball hitting his palm and then bouncing into an opponent's hands filled his soul with satisfaction. Over the years, his passion for sports had cooled sharply, replaced by a passion for photography. His first camera-broken display and cluttered with pictures-still sat on one of the shelves hanging on the walls. This was his new kind of trophy.

Alexander had been there through it all-every dream, every setback-he had been there all along, pushing him forward, as true friends do.

Alexander and Robert had been children when they first met-on a playground, struggling to build sand castles with plastic toys. Two little kids, with flushed cheeks and big innocent hearts, got attached to each other and threw sand at each other, without suspecting that seventeen years later, they would still be together, inseparable and undefeated against the world. People called it fate; they called it luck.

Elizabeth stood in front of the large mirror in her room and began to look uncertainly, as if she saw something wrong in herself. Her outward appearance and the image she projected were extremely important to her, and she lacked self-confidence. Since childhood, she had suffered from low self-esteem and a constant desire to be perfect in everything. No one expected her to be perfect, but to be honest, especially with herself.

For clothing, she had also chosen something simple - light blue jeans, a wide white shirt, and a black belt to tie it all together. She divided almost half of her curly hair and tied it back - this way, her beautiful face was prominently displayed. She searched for her small red makeup bag to lightly refresh her face before they left. A bit of lip gloss, waterproof mascara for volume and length, a touch of liquid blush to accentuate the natural blush on her cheeks, and a golden highlighter. Lately, this had been her makeup routine - gentle and natural, yet effective.

She cast one last glance in the mirror before grabbing her car keys and leaving her room. At that moment, her phone rang and Courtney's name appeared on the screen. She smiled warmly and answered the call, walking down the stairs.

'What's up, should I come pick you up?'

'Would it be a problem to pick up Melissa along with me? Naomi and Erica are traveling with Michael and Jordan. They're tying the knot a bit, but...'

'You know Naomi is closer to Michael. It's no problem, I'll pick you up.' The curly-haired girl nodded toward the front door, signaling them to go. They listened to her and stood up from the table. Before they left, Alex left the two dirty glasses in the empty sink.

'She's closer to Michael because they're hooking up and think no one knows,' Courtney chuckled teasingly. 'We weren't born yesterday, right?'

'Courtney, let people... like each other.' After these uncertain words from her friend, she burst into playful laughter.

'Missy, did you hear what Lisa said?'

'No,' another squeaky voice was heard on the phone receiver. Melissa was next to Courtney, nibbling on homemade chocolate cookies while scrolling through her phone.

'Naomi and Michael had a thing for each other. Ha!'

Two loud laughs reached the girl's ears - neither Courtney nor Melissa liked Michael and disapproved of his activities with Naomi. They knew no matter how much they talked to her, she wouldn't listen, and they were tired of giving advice she wouldn't take. At the moment, both were annoyed that she had tied them up at the last minute and used humor to keep from darkening their mood. Elizabeth was visibly irritated by this and said:

'I'm hanging up. See you in a bit.'

Elizabeth climbed into the driver's seat and sighed disappointedly - sometimes her thoughts with Courtney differed drastically, and such comments annoyed her. Her face darkened with disappointment as she started the car engine, which roared powerfully as if it had been waiting for so long to hit the roads again at high speed. She was a fan of fast driving - her foot often pressed heavily on the gas pedal, yet she seemed oblivious. She was accustomed to her car and her driving style.

Robert and Alexander sat in the back because they knew the girls would chat, and there would certainly be at least one argument they could quietly chuckle about. Elizabeth shifted into reverse and began backing out of the large garage, careful not to hit Robert's car mirror. Her hands danced on the steering wheel as if they were made for it. She connected her phone and opened YouTube to play some music and lift her spirits. She played the song 'Obsessed' by Zandrom and pulled out onto the street, which was bustling at this time - rush hour had already begun. The girl grabbed the gear shift, switched to first gear, and drove down the streets of Denver. The way to Central Park neighborhood wasn't particularly long, but there might be traffic, and she was always on edge. At the first traffic light, she stopped the car and searched for cigarettes in her car's glove compartment - luckily, there was one almost full box of purple Dunhills left, with her favorite black lighter inside. She placed a cigarette in her mouth and lit it - the tar taste filled her mouth and provided some slight relief.

'Anyone want a cigarette?'

'Me,' Alexander said, and Elizabeth handed him the box.

Robert watched her critically in the rearview mirror, but she didn't pay him much attention. The cigarette smoke filled the car - she was used to it, as almost everyone around her smoked. She herself wasn't an active smoker - she only smoked at gatherings or in situations where she was under stress, lighting up one or two cigarettes to calm down. For Robert, this was enough to argue about, but for now, he decided to remain silent. He knew how irritating Courtney could be and realized his sister had been stressed enough to turn to cigarettes.

'Courtney's getting on your nerves, huh?' Alexander smirked, lightly laughing with the cigarette in his mouth.

"Mm-hmm," the curly-haired girl murmured softly, turning up the music to relax her mind a bit. Her brother understood this gesture of hers - once she did it, she wasn't up for conversation. He gestured to Alexander to lean back and chat among themselves so she could drive peacefully and be alone with her thoughts. Thelema played in their ears as the car smoothly navigated the roads. Elizabeth tried to sort out her thoughts and ignore Courtney's comments, but it was difficult when she disagreed. Courtney never got upset when expressing disagreement because she didn't care much as long as the argument didn't affect their relationship."

A few minutes filled with silence later, they were already in front of Courtney's house. The girl lived in a relatively old apartment building, alone in an apartment she definitely didn't like, but it was all she could afford at the moment. Handling things by herself, she never allowed anyone else to judge her, even if they didn't know her story.

Courtney had left her home because of her parents - since childhood, she had heard words that she was a mistake and that all their problems started when she was born. They didn't care for her, didn't shower her with love, but expected her to clean, cook, and get perfect grades. Courtney never gave in - she was forced to grow up faster than her peers and endure the worst thing for a child: the hatred of her parents. She started working at fifteen to support herself and not depend on people who didn't love her but had the audacity to call themselves her 'parents'. The day she left her family home was the happiest day of her life because she was ready to start anew and forget those monsters. Unfortunately, the blows inflicted on her had led her to make wrong decisions for which she still paid the price today. The pain of her parents' hatred and abandonment had pushed her onto the dreadful path of alcoholism - it took her a long time to seek help and finally stop self-destructing. Addiction was something terrible, and the girl had promised herself never to return to that wrong path just to stroke the egos of people who didn't love her.

Courtney and Melissa opened the entrance door and quickly walked towards the black Honda Civic. The two girls laughed loudly, dressed beautifully, and felt good knowing they would have fun with friends tonight. Since it was mid-March, the evenings were warmer, and there were many people on the streets of Denver - the city was lively, restaurants were full, there were queues outside museums and galleries, and the downtown area was packed. Alexander, Robert, and Courtney understood better than Melissa and Elizabeth - working with people and money was tough. The small difference was that the boys worked in an elite, highly turnover restaurant with a prestigious name, while Courtney worked in a small hookah bar where they often delayed her salary and kept her after hours because of understaffing. Everyone dealt with their work differently.

"Hello!" both girls exclaimed happily, taking their seats in the car. Courtney pulled Elizabeth into a warm hug, but she responded somewhat coldly. The girl didn't like this sudden gesture and asked anxiously:

"Is everything okay? You seem off."

"Everything's fine. Missy, are you settled in the back?"

"Yes, Lis. Everything's good, let's go," Melissa's squeaky voice reached her ears. "I missed you, haven't seen you in a long time. Rob, Alex... how are you?"

"We're good. Mentally preparing," Alexander replied to her, chuckling loudly.

"Prepare physically, not mentally," Melissa added.

After Melissa's words, Elizabeth started the engine of her car, took a deep breath, and shifted into first gear. Just before releasing the clutch and starting to move, she glanced in the mirror and noticed a trickle of thick blood coming from her nose. She closed her eyes in pain and leaned her head back on the seat. Lately, nosebleeds had been happening too often, and she wasn't sure if it was from fatigue or something more serious.

Courtney's eyes widened in horror - she had a phobia of blood, and it seemed like all color drained from her face when she noticed Elizabeth's condition.

"Damn it," the curly-haired girl cursed angrily, but also wearily. "Not again."

"Oh, my God!"

Courtney quickly opened the door to get out of the car, feeling herself about to get nauseous and possibly vomit from the horror. Melissa followed her to help in case she had a seizure or felt nauseous, vomited, or something similar. The boys immediately got out to rush to Elizabeth's aid - Robert opened the driver's door to see what was happening with his little sister. He gently cupped the girl's delicate face in his warm hands and said:

"Hey, hey. Relax, it's nothing serious. You just have a nosebleed. Alex, check if there are tissues or water or something else in the glove compartment!"

Alexander frantically dug through the glove compartment to find something necessary to clean Elizabeth's crimson blood and refresh her. He found a large bottle of cold water and a small pack of wet wipes buried under the car's documents, a cigarette box, and other items. Robert grabbed the bottle, wet his palms with the cold water, and slowly began to gently stroke his sister's face to help soothe her. Meanwhile, Alexander opened the pack of wet wipes and slowly started to clean the blood from her pale face. Elizabeth was very worried when something like this happened, especially because she didn't know what the solution to her problem was.

"Do you want me to drive?" Robert suggested, gently stroking her head. A faint, barely noticeable warm smile formed on his face.

"No, Rob, I'll be fine. I've just been on the computer all day today, maybe I feel sick because I haven't eaten much and..."

"And you smoked cigarettes?" His expression shifted from concerned to annoyed. Elizabeth just warmly smiled, trying to lighten up the mood.

"I feel fine, I'll drive."

"Forget it," Robert exclaimed sharply, causing her face to darken. "Alex, will you go to the gas station and get something for her to eat?"

"It's not necessary, I'm fine," Elizabeth murmured quietly, but Alex didn't pay any attention to her.

"What do you want me to get for you?" the blonde-haired boy smiled sweetly. The curly-haired girl sighed in resignation and replied timidly,

"They make very delicious sandwiches with pesto and prosciutto. I'll give you my wallet..."

Just before she stood up to search for her wallet, the boy got out of the car and closed the door behind him a little harder than necessary. The girl blinked her eyes, and Robert burst into loud laughter. Alexander always had this habit of applying force when closing doors.

"Let me drive," the boy insisted again, continuing to stroke her head in an attempt to calm her, knowing she was extremely worried at the moment. "You'll sit next to me, eat, and try to get some sleep. Everything will be fine."

"How can I sleep? I have to help with the barbecue, with the food, and with organizing. I didn't just come to-"

"Shh. There are so many people there, can't we just grill some steaks and make salads?"

The curly-haired girl pressed her chapped lips together-she knew her brother was too worried for her to oppose him. Whenever she saw him like this, her heart filled with sadness and anxiety. She nodded timidly, gazing into his brown eyes that looked at her with great love-he adored her. The smile that appeared on his face was priceless. He placed a butterfly kiss on her forehead and pondered,

"If you happen to fall asleep in the car, I'll carry you to your room and let you rest. As soon as we sit at the table, I'll come to wake you up."

"O... Okay." He smiled and leaned back so he could let her out of the car. Once Elizabeth settled comfortably in the passenger seat, she relaxed again, trying to calm the tension in her mind. Robert walked to the car trunk to retrieve a light yellow blanket-he had gifted it to her several years ago, and she always kept it in the car. It had started to cool outside, and he wrapped Elizabeth's fragile body with it. Her body immediately warmed up. At that moment, the girls sat in the back seats-Courtney had recovered from her initial shock and appeared visibly calmer. The two girls immediately worried when they noticed the curly-haired girl sitting in the passenger seat, her skin as pale as a sheet of paper, her eyes bloodshot.

"Lis, are you okay?" Courtney approached her closely, feeling panic starting to grip her again.

"I....Please, step back, I'm not feeling okay."

Courtney obeyed her best friend and stepped back, moving closer to Melissa. At that moment, the door to the passenger seat opened-the aroma of a toasted sandwich with pesto, mozzarella, and prosciutto filled the car. Elizabeth grabbed the sandwich from Alexander's hands, unaware that she also grabbed a bar of milk chocolate between her fingers. When her eyes saw the colorful packaging, her face lit up with a pleasant surprise.

"Thank you. You didn't have to do this."

Robert glanced at the rearview mirror-he noticed how the blonde boy smiled broadly and pinched his little sister's cheek. Despite a slight wave of jealousy, he knew he didn't wish her harm. He was on edge with everyone, but he had complete trust in his best friend.

Elizabeth began to eat-the taste of her favorite sandwich made her legs soften. She worried about dirtying the car, but decided she preferred to feel better than worry about a few crumbs on the carpets. Robert smiled warmly and started the car-the engine roared assertively.

Finally, everything was in order, and the group set off together to Francie's Cabin-they had a relatively long journey ahead, but they knew a wonderful evening awaited them, where they would forget their worries and have fun as they deserved.