The air at Stanford began to change as October progressed. The leaves fell from the trees, the wind grew cooler, and pumpkins started appearing everywhere. Students decorated their dorms with orange and purple lights, fake cobwebs hung from door frames, and murals of ghosts and witches adorned the campus hallways. It was impossible not to be swept up by the Halloween spirit.
But between classes, assignments, and projects, Sack, Olivia, and I still hadn't decided what to do to celebrate. Though, to be honest, none of us were exactly experts at planning elaborate celebrations for the occasion.
One afternoon, as we walked toward the cafeteria after class, Olivia decided it was time to take matters into her own hands.
"This is ridiculous," she said, crossing her arms and pretending to look offended. "We have less than two weeks until Halloween, and we still don't have plans. What kind of friends are you?"
Sack raised an eyebrow, looking at her as if she were exaggerating (which, of course, she was).
"We don't need elaborate plans for Halloween, Olivia. It's not exactly a crucial holiday for humanity."
"Crucial for humanity?" Olivia rolled her eyes. "It's Halloween! The one night of the year where you can be whoever you want without anyone judging you. Well, except for Sack, who would probably go dressed as 'a busy person ignoring everyone else.'"
Sack smiled slightly but didn't respond. He knew Olivia had a point about one thing: he wasn't exactly a fan of big celebrations.
"And what do you propose, then?" I asked, trying to suppress a laugh.
"Oh, I have plenty of ideas!" Olivia replied, excited. "We could have a horror movie marathon, but of course, that would only be for you and Sack because I still have nightmares from that movie in Yosemite. Or we could go to a party, although…" She glanced at Sack out of the corner of her eye. "Well, I know Mr. Anti-Social doesn't like crowds."
"I don't enjoy being surrounded by drunk people screaming poorly sung songs," Sack corrected, shrugging. "But thanks for the honorary title of 'Mr. Anti-Social.'"
"You're welcome," Olivia shot back with a mischievous smile. "Anyway, we could also do something quieter, like… a pumpkin carving contest!"
The idea made me smile. It was simple, creative, and perfect for the three of us.
"I like it," I said, nodding. "We could carve them and see who makes the best one. And then, maybe, make something tasty to go along with it. What do you say?"
"It sounds good," Sack replied, though his tone suggested he wasn't entirely convinced. "But I don't think it'll last more than two hours."
"Exactly," I added. "It'd be quick and fun."
Olivia looked at us alternately, as if assessing our lack of enthusiasm.
"Two hours…" she murmured thoughtfully. "Alright, but what do we do with the rest of the time? Because I'm not spending Halloween watching Sack read boring books or Lindsay organize her notes by color."
Sack rolled his eyes.
"Maybe you could try going to bed early for once," he suggested.
"Ha ha, very funny," Olivia retorted, sticking her tongue out at him. "I need something more exciting. Something that really captures the spirit of Halloween."
We fell silent for a moment, thinking. The problem was that, while we wanted to do something special, none of us were particularly fond of massive events or overly elaborate activities. Finally, an idea came to me.
"What if we did a nighttime treasure hunt?" I suggested. "We could create clues and hide small prizes around campus. It'd be like a little adventure."
Olivia seemed to consider it for a few seconds before breaking into a wide smile.
"That sounds awesome!" she exclaimed. "And we can wear costumes to make it more fun. Even Sack could participate if I promise not to force him into something ridiculous."
"No way," Sack responded immediately. "I'm not dressing up as anything."
"Oh, come on," Olivia insisted, giving him a pleading look. "It'll only be for a couple of hours. Besides, it'd be fun to see you dressed as… I don't know, maybe an elegant vampire. Or a mysterious detective."
"I'd rather be a normal, boring human," Sack replied, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Then you'll be the villain of the story," Olivia joked. "The guy who hates Halloween and ruins the fun for everyone."
I laughed, unable to help myself. Olivia always knew how to make even the simplest conversations entertaining.
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As we continued walking toward the cafeteria, Sack dropped a suggestion that left Olivia horrified.
"Actually, I was thinking we could use Halloween to study," he said, completely serious. "It's just another day, and we have important exams next week."
Olivia stared at him as if he'd just suggested canceling Christmas.
"Study? On Halloween? That's a crime against humanity! Halloween is sacred, Sack! You can't just ignore it like it's any other day."
"It's exactly what it is," he responded, shrugging. "Just another day with more extravagant decorations."
"This is an emergency!" Olivia exclaimed, turning to me. "Lindsay, tell him he's crazy. Nobody studies on Halloween."
"Well…" I began, but Sack interrupted.
"Lindsay knows it makes sense," he said, giving me a half-smile. "She'd also rather study than waste time on nonsense."
"Betrayal!" Olivia shouted, pretending to faint onto the cafeteria table.
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That night, after classes ended, Sack and I met in my room to watch a movie. It was a light comedy we'd both wanted to see for a while. We sat on the couch, and naturally, Sack wrapped his arm around me while I snuggled into his side.
"You know Olivia isn't going to leave you alone until you agree to do something for Halloween, right?" I said after a while, glancing at him sideways.
"I know," he replied with a sigh. "But I've never been a big fan of these holidays. They've always felt superficial to me."
"You don't have to become the king of Halloween," I told him, smiling. "Just give it a try this year. Do it for her… and for me."
Sack looked at me, his dark eyes searching mine.
"For you?" he asked, his tone softer.
I nodded.
"Yes. I'd like it if you tried. It doesn't have to be anything big. Just… participate in what we've planned. Maybe you'll discover it's not so bad."
He stayed silent for a moment, then gave a slight smile.
"Alright," he said finally. "I'll do it. But if I end up hating it, you owe me one."
"Deal," I replied, grinning widely. "Besides, I promise you won't regret it."
Sack shook his head, but I couldn't help noticing the small smile forming on his lips.
"Fine, Lindsay. But if this goes wrong, it's all your fault."
"I promise to take full responsibility," I teased, giving him a playful nudge on the arm.
We fell silent for a moment, enjoying the movie and the shared closeness.