Chapter 6: The Great Box Avalanche, a Rocket Ship, and a Fluffy Upgrade.
Manon's heart hammered against her ribs – boom, boom, boom! This wasn't just some silly game anymore. This was about her big, sparkly dream: to write stories that tugged at people's heartstrings and made them feel all the feels! She had to nail this mission!
She tiptoed back towards the shadowy corner where she'd last seen Robin and the other girl. Her sneakers made little squeak, squeak sounds on the dusty concrete floor. They were still talking, the girl's laughter tinkling like tiny, happy bells. Manon ducked behind a towering stack of cardboard boxes. They looked like they'd been gathering dust since dinosaurs roamed the earth! She held her breath, trying to be as quiet and still as a tiny field mouse.
CRASH! A wobbly box at the top of the precarious pile gave way, and like dominoes, all the other boxes started to tumble. Manon yelped softly as she landed on the cold, hard floor with a muffled thump, a cascade of cardboard raining down around her. The girl was gone, but Robin had turned around, his dark eyebrows shooting up in surprise.
"Manon, seriously? You're like a professional falling enthusiast!" Robin said, a definite twinkle in his dark eyes, like he was trying hard not to burst out laughing. "Are you secretly training to be a superhero whose superpower is tripping over thin air?"
Manon sat up, her face flushing a bright, embarrassed red. "I think… I think I might have hurt my hand," she mumbled, holding out her palm. A tiny bead of bright red blood welled up from a small scrape.
Robin's expression softened, a gentle smile replacing the amusement. He reached out and helped her to her feet, and the brief touch sent a little fluttery feeling through Manon. He guided her to a weathered wooden bench tucked away in a quieter corner. "I'll be right back. Try not to cause any more structural damage," he said, his voice surprisingly soft and warm, making Manon's stomach do a little happy flip.
He returned in record time, a small, bright blue first-aid kit in his hand. "Let's take a look at that hand," he said, his brow furrowed with mock seriousness.
Manon hesitated, her cheeks burning even brighter. Don't give it to him! a silly little voice in her head shrieked. He'll use that hand to hold someone else's! "It's… it's going to sting," she mumbled quietly.
Robin sighed, his dark eyes meeting hers with a kindness that made her heart melt a little. "I promise to be super gentle. Like… like a feather brushing your skin," he said softly.
Manon reluctantly offered him her hand, her fingers trembling just a little. "Ow!" she whispered as he gently dabbed the small cut with a soft cotton ball soaked in antiseptic.
He blew on the tiny wound, and the warm puff of air felt surprisingly comforting. Then, he carefully applied a bright, colorful bandage adorned with cheerful rocket ships. Manon found herself watching his focused movements, the way his brow was slightly furrowed in concentration, and she almost forgot the sting altogether.
"So," he said, his voice dropping to a low, teasing murmur as he secured the bandage, "what exactly were you doing back there, hiding behind that mountain of boxes? Playing hide-and-seek with dust bunnies the size of small dogs?"
"Uh… I was looking for something! Something I… I dropped!" Manon stammered, quickly looking away.
He raised a skeptical eyebrow, a playful smirk dancing on his lips. "Looking for something, huh? Are you sure you're okay, Manon? You do seem to have these little 'oopsies' happening whenever I'm around. I know I'm incredibly captivating, but this is starting to feel a little… staged," he teased, his eyes sparkling with amusement.
Manon couldn't help but smile a little, even though she was still a bit flustered. His confidence was almost… endearing. As he stood up to leave, she couldn't help but notice how good his worn denim jacket looked on him and the way the late afternoon sunlight caught the highlights in his dark hair. I just wanted him to notice me, like in a cheesy movie, she thought with a sigh. But all I got was a rocket ship bandage and a subtle 'maybe keep a safer distance' vibe.
"Oh my goodness, what a disaster… times two!" Manon sighed dramatically as she walked out of the building, a little cloud of disappointment hovering over her head.
"Manon! You did amazing! You're practically radiating Robin-attracting energy!" Ray exclaimed, suddenly appearing beside her, his little white tail wagging furiously.
Manon's eyes widened. "Ray! Your fur! It's… it's as white and fluffy as a cloud!"
"I got a super-duper, mega-awesome upgrade!" Ray announced proudly, puffing out his tiny chest. "When I upgrade, you get new powers! And guess what? You just unlocked the power to write totally swoon-worthy love stories!"
"Yes! I knew I could do it!" Manon jumped up and down, a surge of excitement bubbling inside her. She scooped up Ray and gave his soft head a quick kiss.
Ray blinked, his little pink nose twitching, and a faint blush seemed to appear on his fluffy cheeks. "Well, um… congratulations are definitely in order," he mumbled, suddenly looking a little shy.
Ding! A new notification chimed on Manon's smartwatch. She tapped the screen, her eyes widening.
Awesome job, Manon! Mission 1: Romance Power Unlocked!
New Mission: Mission 2: Thirty Strangers, One Amazing Book!
Manon's Writer Stats:
Feelings: Level 1 (Getting better!)Writing: Level 2 (Getting sharper!)Experience: Level 3 (You're doing great!)Books: 35 (Wow, that's a lot!)Popular Books: 0 (Let's change that!)New Power: Romance Writing (Level 3 – Heartstrings on Fire!)Next Power: Super Imagination (You'll see your characters!)More Imagination = More Readers!
"Thirty downloads from people I don't even know?" Manon said, her eyes wide with a mixture of excitement and panic. "I need someone to help me edit! And a super-cool book cover!"
She flopped back onto her bed with a dramatic sigh and buried her face in her pillow. "Where do I even start? This is like trying to climb a mountain… wearing socks on a banana peel!"