Part-26

  "Thanks, James," she mumbled, her voice softened by the promise of sweetness. "That's… nice of you."

  Suddenly, Lily's eyes narrowed. "Speaking of things that are nice of you," she began, her voice regaining its usual sharpness, "have you seen my stress ball anywhere? The oh the fluffy bunny key?"

  James' heart lurched. This was it. The moment of truth. He forced another smile, his palms slick with nervous sweat.

  "Uh, no, Lily," he stammered, shaking his head vehemently. "I haven't seen it. But don't worry, I'll help you look for it!"

  Lily hesitated for a moment, her brow furrowed in suspi. Normally, she wouldn't allow James to rummage through her room unannounced. However, the ued cake had thrown her off bance, momentarily clouding her usual sharpness.

  "Alright, fine," she ceded relutly. "But you better actually look, James. That stress ball means a lot to me."

  Relief washed over James as Lily relutly agreed to let him search for the missing stress ball. He darted into her room, the cake box clutched in his sweaty hand a flimsy shield against his poundi.

  "I'll be i getting a ko cut this cake," Lily's voice called out from behind the door. "You better find that stress ball by the time I get back, James!"

  With a silent prayer, James sed the room. His eyes darted across the familiar ndscape – her messy desk overflowing with notebooks and pens, the bookcase crammed with well-loved novels, the plush toys scattered across the floor like fotten friends. The blue window hovered helpfully in the er, a glowing blue bea pointing directly at the culprit – the fluffy bunny stress ball led ily (or not so ily from James' perspective) in his pocket.

  Thinking quickly, he discreetly retrieved the stress ball. He gnced around the room, searg for a hiding pbsp; His gaze nded on her desk – a cluttered haven that might just offer the perfect camoufge.

  With a mischievous grin, James pced the stress ball promily in the ter of the desk. He then unched into a theatrical performance, eling his inner Dora the Explorer.

  "Alright, Mr. stress ball," he announced in a high-pitched voice, his best impression of the cartoon character, "we o find you a safe pce! Where did you go? Did you go uhe books? No? Maybe you went behind the mp?"

  He rummaged through the piles of books, peered behind the mp, all the while keeping an eye on the doorknob. Just as he heard the telltale click of the kit door opening, he struck a triumphant pose, holding the stress ball aloft.

  "Aha! We found you, Mr. stress ball!" he decred, a touch too loudly for his fort.

  The door creaked open, and Lily entered, a knife in hand and a suspicious frowched on her fabsp; Her eyes darted from James' beaming grin to the stress ball clutched in his hand.

  "Well, well, well," she said, her voice ced with amusement. "Look who found it."

  James forced a chuckle, his heart still pounding in his chest. He'd mao buy himself some time, but the real challenge was yet to e.