Part-25

  A familiar blue s flickered to life before James' eyes, shattering the tense silen his room. This time, the message was different:

  **Mission 5: Return stress ball to your elder sister Lily. Reward: +1 **

  **Penalty if Failed: You will get spped by your sister which is many times strohan a Thundercp Sp**

  James groaned, his shoulders slumpiedly. Of course, the Bully System wouldn't let him fet his earlier transgression. He'd pletely fotten about Lily's precious stress ball, shoved carelessly into his backpack during the chaos of the day. Now, the prospect of fag his sister's wrath loomed rge, a far more terrifying prospect than aion or bully enter.

  He scrambled to his feet, the penalty fshing a vivid red in his mind's eye. There was no way he was letting Lily sp him – the thought of a punishment exceeding evehundercp's power sent shivers down his spine. He knew all too well the fearsome strength his older sister possessed.

  He rushed downstairs, the fotten cake box clutched tightly in his hand. Reag the doorway to the dining room, he froze. Lily's voice, ced with a hint of frustration, carried across the room.

  "Mom," she was saying, "Are you sure no o into my room? My favorite stress ball, the oh the fluffy bunny key, is missing!"

  Dread coiled in James' stomach. This was it. The moment of reing. He could picture Lily's fierce scowl, her hand raised high, ready to unleash a world of pain.

  He took a deep breath, his mind rag. He had to act fast, but alsically. A blunt fession wouldn't end well. He needed a pn, a way to appease his sister and avoid the dreaded penalty.

  A desperate pn hatched in James' mind, fueled by the terror of his impending doom. He gnced down at the fotten cake box clutched in his hand – a potential olive branch, a distra from the looming storm. Taking a deep breath, he squared his shoulders and headed towards his sister's room.

  He hesitated for a moment outside her closed door, the se of past battles and pyful exges fshing through his mind. With a final surge of ce, he kentatively.

  "Lily?" he called out, his voice crag slightly.

  The doorknob rattled, and a moment ter, Lily's face appeared, a frowched upon it. "James? What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice ced with suspi.

  James forced a smile, the cake box held out like a peace . "Hey, Lily," he said, his voice slightly higher than usual. "I, uh, I bought a cake, and you know how much you love chocote chip, and I 't really eat that much…"

  His voice trailed off, hoping his awkwardness wouldn't arouse further suspi. Lily's frown deepened, her eyes darting from him to the cake box. "This is strange," she muttered, a hint of curiosity mingling with her initial annoyance.

  However, the lure of delicious cake proved to. With a hesitant hand, she reached out and took the box. A small flicker of triumph pyed at the edges of James' fear.