Celeste

As Celeste dove into the crowd, she noticed that Mayor's house had gotten much busier since they had first started dancing. It seemed like the whole town was here, and now the place was packed to the brim with people.

Even in a pair of Alicia's sky-high heels, it was difficult for Celeste to see through the throng of people, let alone pass through it. It didn't help that she had exited right next to the bar, where there was a bottleneck of people trying to get drinks. But as far as she could tell, Sterling wasn't amongst them.

Where is he?

She squeezed through the crowd and made her way back to the dance floor, thinking he might've gone to find Olly and Alicia after Jared had stolen her away. But as she glanced over the dancing couples, he wasn't there either—and neither was Olly or Alicia.

Panic began to rise in her chest. The crowd seemed to press in, and she felt like she couldn't breathe. She turned away and pushed on, now heading across the hall, into the parlour where people were sitting and enjoying the full buffet of food and treats. The Mayor was holding court in a large easy chair by the fire, reading a Christmas story to a circle of little kids who watched rapturously. A few straggling adults were nearby enjoying the nostalgia of it all, but there was no Alicia, no Olly, and again... no Sterling.

Where could he have possibly gone?

Had she missed him in the crowd? She doubled back to the hall, looking back and forth. He couldn't have gone far.

He wouldn't have just left...

Not without saying goodbye.

Right?

"Cee!" called Alicia, her voice as clear as day over the noise of the crowd.

Relief washed over Celeste as she looked around, trying to locate the direction of her friend's voice. Then she spotted her, waving from halfway up the grand staircase, the only seemingly clear spot in the whole house. Celeste headed that way, squeezing past person after person.

When she finally made it to her friend's side, she was panting. The stairs were blissfully clear, and Celeste finally felt like she could breathe.

"Are you okay?" Alicia asked as Celeste half-collapsed on the stairs next to her. "You look—"

"Have you seen Sterling?" Celeste spat out between panting breaths.

"Sterling?" Alicia said, shaking her head. "No. Last I saw him, he was dancing with you before Jared came along... What happened with that, by the way?"

"It's... a long... story," Celeste gasped, turning around to use the new vantage point to search the crowd again. There was still no sign of Sterling. "But the short version is... Jared told me he wants me back."

"He does?!" Alicia cried loud enough that even over the din of the party, several people in the crowd turned to look. She pretended she didn't see them and dropped down onto the stairs next to Celeste. "What did you say?"

"I said no," Celeste said, searching again, hoping she may have just missed him in a corner or hidden behind someone. But there was nothing.

"You did?" Alicia gasped. "But, you said... When we... Why?"

Celeste didn't have the energy to explain it. She just turned to look at her friend, hoping that she might read off her face. Alicia was good at that, after all.

And she was. Alicia's gaze searched her face for a moment or two, and... Her friend's mouth dropped open. She had understood.

"I KNEW IT!" Alicia squealed, drawing the attention of the crowd again. She didn't care—she had leapt up from the stairs and started hopping around, her arms raised high. She sang the words over and over, almost like a playground taunt. "I knew it, I knew it, I totally knew it...."

After her happy dance was done, she stooped down low again and added, "I'm guessing that's why you're looking for him now?"

Celeste could only nod. "But I can't find him."

"Maybe he's with Olly?" Alicia said with a shrug. "Olly was supposed to get me and him some drinks from the bar before the Lighting of the Star, but he never came back. I came over here to look for him, but he's gone missing. Maybe Sterling found him. Maybe they went out for some air, or something. They've got to be around here somewhere."

A jingly song rang out from the beaded purse in Alicia's hand. She raised her eyebrows at Celeste—a silent, See?—and popped it open, pulling out her phone. Celeste caught a glimpse of the name on the screen. It was Olly. Alicia answered it immediately.

"Hey, dummy! Where in St. Frick did you go? I'm still waiting for my drink—" She stopped short, getting cut off by the rapid chattering of Olly on the other side. The longer he went on, the more her face fell.

"Wait... He's where?" Alicia asked. "Why?"

There was more rapid talking that Celeste couldn't make out.

Alicia's eyes went wide. Her gaze fell on Celeste. "He's—He's what?"

Celeste's heart began to pound. Even if she hadn't heard half of the conversation, she could still tell that something was wrong.

"We're coming," Alicia said, her voice low and serious. "Do not, I repeat, do not let him leave." She ended the call without even saying goodbye and tossed her phone back into her clutch.

"What happened?" Celeste begged, getting to her feet again. "What's going on?"

"Sterling is leaving," Alicia said.

"The party?"

"No," Alicia replied, her expression suddenly grim. "He's leaving Winter Grove. Tonight."

A sharp chill ran over Celeste's skin. It felt like she had just been plunged into ice water.

"No!" she cried. "He can't! Not before I... I need to...."

Alicia nodded as she understood perfectly. "Don't worry," she said. "We're going to stop him. But we need to get out of here now. It's almost time for the Lighting of the Star, and if the makes the announcement, we're going to be stuck in this crowd—"

Just as she said it, Mayor Oake sauntered into the hall, followed by his audience of children from his story. They watched as he took a deep breath...

"Alright, everyone," he called, his deep voice booming over the noise of the crowd, even without the assistance of a microphone and speaker. "It's almost time!"

Everyone went still and quiet to listen.

The mayor continued, pulling at the lapels of his jacket. "First, I want to thank you all for coming. It's been a lovely night. But like all good things, and good parties, things must come to a close."

Several sad-sounding 'aww' echoed through the crowd.

"But that doesn't mean an end to our fun!" the Mayor continued, "Just like every year, we're going to be ending the party outside! It's time to light the star on our town tree!"

The townspeople burst into cheers.

"That means that it's time for you to start making your way to the exit—in an orderly fashion—to collect your coats. I'll see you in the square in fifteen minutes! Let's go, everyone!"

Almost immediately, the party began to shift directions as all of the people began to make their way toward the front door and coat check. The townspeople of Winter Grove were very polite—there was no pushing, shoving, or swearing, and no one fighting their way to be first out the door. It was all very orderly and slow as people took their time finishing their hors d'oeuvres and drinks before joining the throng.

Celeste and Alicia exchanged looks. Just like they feared, they were stuck. There was no way they were going to make it through that crowd.

"This is impossible!" Alicia moaned, watching the crowd moving at a snail's pace. "How the hell are we going to get out of here? Sterling's going to be gone before all these people clear out!"

Celeste's chest tightened at the thought. Sterling had a well-known habit of disappearing. If she didn't get there soon, there was a very real chance that it would be months before she saw him again. Maybe longer.

Maybe never.

No, she thought. I can't let that happen.

She racked her brain, trying to think of another way out. Aside from climbing out an upstairs window,  there were no other exits—

Then she remembered. In the dark hallway where Jared had taken her for some privacy, another set of stairs was tucked away in the corner.

"Follow me!" Celeste cried. She snatched up Alicia's hand and pulled her up the stairs. "I have an idea!"

"I love ideas!" Alicia cheered, happily following.

"Excuse me!" Mayor Oak called after them after he noticed them disappearing up the stairs. "The upper floor is forbidden to guests!"

"It's an emergency!" Alicia called back.

As they reached the upper floor, it was all doors—no sign of the stairs. Celeste didn't have time to guess, so she began opening whichever was closest. Alicia took the cue and did the same. After several tries, they found them tucked around the corner next to the linen cupboard.

Celeste didn't even give a cry of excitement. She just raced down them, taking them two at a time while Alicia followed close behind. It was treacherous in heels, and it was a small miracle they made it out without falling on their faces, but they did.

They clambered off the bottom of the stairs into the small hall. One way led them back to the crowd, so they went the other way towards the sound of clattering dishes—the kitchens.

As they burst through the entrance, the catering staff all glanced over, startled to see two strangers bumbling through. Celeste and Alicia apologized as they hurried through, looking for the back door. When they found it—it was by the pantry—Celeste wrenched it open and threw herself outside.

As the ice-cold air hit her bare skin, she let out a shriek of surprise. Alicia did the same but gave Celeste a push to keep her moving. They stumbled down the small garden path along the house's side. The back path wasn't as clear as the one out paths. The fresh snow that was piling up slipped into their heels, freezing their feet, but Celeste refused to give up. She could warm up later.

After she got to Sterling.

They made it out in front of the house, but now the crowd was out here, too, pouring into the street and making their way to the town square. In the distance, through the snow, Celeste could see the neon sign of The Snowball's Chance glowing.

A shriek rang out behind her. "Dammit!"

She turned and found Alicia on her butt. A few people from the crowd had stopped to help her.

"That was a bad fall!" someone said as they offered her their hand.

"I slipped on some ice," Alicia said, taking their hand. The stranger pulled her up to standing, but as she tried to put weight on her foot, she gave another cry.

"Oh dear, it looks like you may have twisted it," the person said.

"Dammit," Alicia hissed under her breath. "Why now?"

"Why don't we get you back inside?" they said, looping her arm across their shoulders. Celeste went to take her other arm, but someone else stepped in to help.

"Where is your coat?" the other person said.

"It... Emergency..." Alicia sputtered. "Dammit! Celeste?"

"Yeah?" Celeste said. She was hovering, unsure of what to do. She was worried about her friend, but she also kept glancing over her shoulder at the distant sign of the Snowball...

"Go without me," Alicia insisted. "You've got to go on without me. Sterling is... It's complicated, but if you don't make it, he might never come back. You have to go now!"

Celeste pressed her lips together. "But... What about you?"

"Forget about me," Alicia said. "It's just my ankle. It'll be fine, but I won't be if you don't go get Sterling. Now go! I'll be waiting when you come back!"

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure!" Alicia said, almost angry now. "GO!"

Celeste gave her friend one last worried look but did as she said, taking off into the snowy streets.

The snow was falling harder now. Each heavy flake that touched her bare skin was sharply cold. The fresh layer on top of the compacted snow from earlier made everything dangerously slippery. Celeste's heels almost gave out on her. It was impossible to run like this...

Celeste swore under her breath, kicked her heels off, and took off running barefoot. Her lungs burned as she sucked in the ice-cold air, her feet burned as they ran over the icy snow, and she was barely able to see as thick flakes got caught in her eyelashes. Every part of her hurt, but she pushed on.

She needed to...

For Sterling.

Soon, through the heavy snow, the sight of The Snowball's Chance came into view. She could see Sterling's beater car out front. As she got closer, she saw a figure there, too, at the driver's side door. He was opening the door, getting inside...

No!

"Sterling!" she called, hoping he might hear her over the howling wind. "Sterling, wait!"

But Sterling didn't seem to hear her. He got inside and shut the door...

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