Olivia's post kept spinning in my mind, like a catchy melody I couldn't get out of my head. It wasn't so much the photo — although seeing myself asleep hugging Sack hadn't been... uncomfortable — but rather the comments. Megan saying she already knew, Daniel joking that Sack "finally" had a girlfriend, and Charlotte congratulating me as if we'd made some official announcement. It was strange. And though I wanted to ignore it, I couldn't help but wonder if they were right.
But I decided to let it go. This wasn't the time to think about it. We were in Yosemite, a beautiful place, and we'd had a relaxing day after the exhausting hike from the day before. Plus, we still had to return to Stanford. So, for now, I focused on enjoying what was left of the trip.
After the movie, we sat down to have a simple dinner at the cabin. We'd bought basic ingredients before arriving, so we improvised some pasta with cheese and vegetables. Nothing too elaborate, but enough to fill us up after a relaxed day.
"This is what you call student survival," Olivia joked as she twirled her pasta with a fork. "If we ever leave Stanford, we could open a healthy fast-food restaurant."
"You? Cooking?" Sack asked, raising an eyebrow. "I wouldn't even trust you to boil water."
"Hey! I'm a better cook than you think!" Olivia protested, pretending to be offended. "I just need… practice. And maybe a recipe book."
"Or YouTube," I added, laughing. "But even there, you'd have to follow the instructions to the letter, no improvising."
"Exactly," Sack said, nodding solemnly. "Olivia + improvisation = guaranteed disaster."
Olivia threw her napkin at him but missed miserably.
"You two are impossible. One day, I'll prepare a feast for you, and you'll regret underestimating me."
"Sure, sure," Sack replied, with a half-smile that suggested he didn't believe a word of it.
We finished dinner amid laughter and jokes, and when it came time to decide what to do next, Sack proposed something unexpected.
"We should leave tonight," he said, glancing at his watch. "At nine, maybe. That way, we'll arrive early at Stanford and can rest in our rooms before class."
I looked at him, surprised.
"Tonight? Don't you want to wait until tomorrow?"
"It's better to leave now," Sack replied, shrugging. "Tomorrow will be a long day, and if we leave early, we'll avoid traffic."
"Besides, I want to sleep in my own bed," Olivia added with a tired smile. "Though after that movie, I'll probably have nightmares."
"You deserve it for posting that photo," I reminded her, pointing at her with my fork.
"I already said I was sorry!" Olivia exclaimed, raising her hands in surrender. "But fine. Let's leave tonight. Just promise me you won't play horror music in the car."
"I'm not promising anything," I said, exchanging a mischievous look with Sack.
--------------------------------
At exactly nine o'clock, we were ready to leave. The ride back was much quieter than the trip there. Instead of the loud songs Olivia had belted out at full volume on the way to Yosemite, this time we only played soft country music on the stereo. Olivia was too scared by The Ring to attempt singing, and Sack seemed happy to drive in silence.
One of the songs that played was "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver. The lyrics softly echoed through the car, wrapping us in a nostalgic atmosphere.
"Almost heaven, West Virginia,Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River..."
Olivia closed her eyes and rested her head against the window, murmuring:
"If I hear any weird noises tonight, I swear I'll scream."
"Relax," Sack told her from the driver's seat. "It's just a movie. No one's going to come out of your TV."
"Easy for you to say," she replied. "You're not the target of a ghostly curse."
I laughed, unable to hold it in.
"Olivia, if anyone has to worry about a curse, it's us. After all, you were the reason we had to watch it."
"Touché," she muttered, crossing her arms.
The music continued to flow, and little by little, the atmosphere in the car became calmer. Even Olivia stopped complaining and fell asleep, her head resting against the glass.
As I looked out the window, watching the lights of passing cars flash in the darkness, I couldn't help but think about what Megan had said in her comment: "I already knew." What exactly did she know if we were just friends? And what did that mean for me and Sack?
I shook my head, trying to push those thoughts away. This wasn't the time. For now, I just wanted to enjoy the ride back and the calmness this moment offered.
When we arrived at Stanford, it was late. We woke Olivia, who groaned sleepily, and quickly said goodbye before heading to our respective dorms.
"See you tomorrow in class," I said, smiling as Sack nodded.
"Until tomorrow," he replied, in his usual neutral tone, though his eyes sparkled slightly under the lamplight.
When I got to my room, I collapsed onto my bed. I slept deeply, without dreams or interruptions. When I woke up, the sun was already streaming through my window. I checked the clock: it was 6:45 a.m. I had enough time to get ready before class.
Just as I was finishing brushing my hair, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Sack:
"Want to grab breakfast together before class?"
I smiled as I read it. It was a simple invitation, but something about his tone made me feel warm.
"Sure. See you at the cafeteria in 15 minutes."
I quickly got dressed and headed to the dining hall. Sack was already there, sitting at a table near the window with two cups of coffee in front of him. He looked up as I approached and gave me a small smile.
"You're just in time," he said, gesturing to the seat across from him. "I got you coffee too."
"Thanks," I replied, taking the cup and sipping it. "I needed this."
"Did you sleep well?" he asked, leaning forward slightly.
"Like a log," I said, smiling. "It felt great to be back in my bed. What about you?"
"Fine," he replied, though his expression suggested he might not have slept as much as I did. "Although Olivia texted me in the middle of the night saying she swore she heard noises in her room."
We both laughed.
"That movie really got to her," I commented, shaking my head. "Maybe we should've picked something less... traumatic."
"I don't think so," Sack said with a half-smile. "She deserved it."
As we talked, I noticed how Sack absentmindedly played with his coffee cup. His gesture was relaxed, but something in his gaze made me feel like he was thinking about something else. I decided to change the subject.
"Do you think Olivia will be awake for class?" I asked.
"I doubt it," he replied. "She'll probably sleep in. We should let her rest."
I nodded, though something told me Olivia wouldn't miss a class, even after a night of insomnia induced by terror.
After breakfast, we checked the time. We still had a while before class, so we decided to walk calmly toward the biology building. The fresh morning air was invigorating, and the campus was quiet, with only a few students scattered here and there.
As we walked, Sack paused for a moment and looked at me.
"No rush," he said with a small smile. "We can take our time."
I nodded, feeling relaxed for the first time in days. We walked slowly, enjoying the shared silence. Then, naturally, Sack put his arm around my shoulders, pulling me a little closer. He didn't say anything, but the gesture spoke for itself. I felt warm, protected, as if that small movement had confirmed something we'd both been avoiding.
I didn't say anything either. I just leaned a little closer, letting the moment flow without the need for words. I knew he didn't do this with just anyone, and it made me smile.
When we arrived at the biology building, we realized there were still a few minutes before class started. To our surprise, Olivia was already in her usual seat, holding a giant cup of coffee and sporting huge dark circles under her eyes."How is it possible that you're here?" I asked, incredulous, as I took my seat next to her."I couldn't sleep," she replied, her voice tired. "Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that girl crawling out of the TV. So I decided to come early and study."
Sack and I exchanged an amused glance.
"I think The Ring stole your soul," Sack teased.
"Don't even talk to me about it," Olivia replied, covering her face with her notebook. "I'll never let you force me to watch a horror movie again."
"That's what you said last time," I reminded her, laughing.
"This time I mean it," she insisted, though her tone suggested otherwise.