The campus was far from silent. Halloween had transformed Stanford into a vibrant and lively place. Students ran through the hallways in extravagant costumes, laughter and conversations echoed everywhere, and the air was charged with a unique energy that only this date could bring. But despite the noise, something inside me led me to a quieter place: the library.
I didn't know exactly why, but I felt like I had to go there. It was as if something inside me knew that this was where it all began. Lindsay and I already knew each other before; we'd arrived at Stanford together on the same flight, though we hadn't talked much. We spent time together, yes, but our interactions were usually quiet, comfortable yet distant. However, it was here, in this library, where we met Olivia. That day, she burst into our lives like a hurricane, with her overflowing energy and her unique way of seeing the world. And now, here we were again, the three of us together.
When I arrived, I saw Lindsay first. She was standing near the entrance, her eyes still swollen but bright, a mix of emotions on her face. The bracelet I had placed in the chest was on her wrist, glowing under the dim light of the sunset. Her smile was radiant, though it also seemed fragile, as if she were trying to hold back the tears that threatened to return. She looked at me and nodded, as if she knew exactly what I was feeling.
And then Olivia arrived. Well, Olivia was always… Olivia. But this time, even she seemed different. Her hair, usually messy, was full of leaves and twigs, as if she had fought with a bush (probably she did). Her clothes were stained with dirt, and her cheeks were wet with tears she wasn't trying to hide. Despite everything, there was something in her expression I had never seen before: raw vulnerability, mixed with overwhelming happiness.
"I love you guys!" she shouted before rushing toward us.
It was an awkward but warm hug, one of those moments that don't need words to be understood. Olivia squeezed us tightly, as if she were afraid we would disappear at any moment. Lindsay started crying again, but this time her tears were different: they were tears of happiness, relief, connection. I just stayed there, enjoying the moment. I'm not good with words, but I didn't need them. This… this said it all.
After breaking apart from the hug, Olivia wiped her tears with the back of her hand and looked at us with a mix of pride and exasperation.
"Well, you two probably got easy clues, right?" she said, pointing at us accusingly. "Because what Lindsay made me do was… insane!"
Lindsay let out a giggle, but Olivia continued, gesturing dramatically as she spoke.
"The last clue said: 'Where the water reflects your thoughts and the wind whispers secrets.' Obviously, I thought it referred to the gym, because, you know, when you work out, you sweat a lot, and water is part of the process. So I went there, checked every corner, even under the mats. Nothing."
She paused to catch her breath, and both Lindsay and I exchanged an amused glance.
"Then I thought, 'Maybe it's not the gym.' So I went to Lagunita Lake, because the water reflects everything there, right? But when I got there, I found nothing. I started walking around the lake, looking for some kind of sign. I thought maybe Lindsay had left something floating in the water, so I almost fell trying to reach a bottle that turned out to be trash. Trash, Sack! This is serious!"
I let out a small laugh, but Olivia glared at me.
"Don't laugh! Finally, after wandering around campus searching, I went back to Lagunita Lake because I thought, 'Maybe the water doesn't just reflect my thoughts but also the clues.' And there it was, right on a bench by the lake. A bench I had overlooked at least three times! As if Lindsay knew I was going to complicate things for myself!"
Lindsay covered her mouth to hide her laughter, but it was clear she was enjoying the story.
"What did you find?" I asked, curious.
Olivia pulled a small object from her pocket: a handmade bracelet with colorful beads and a small charm engraved with the word "Friendship."
"It's… perfect," I said.
"I know, right?" Olivia responded, wiping away a stray tear. "When I saw it, I knew it was exactly what I needed, thanks, Lindsay. But getting here wasn't easy, believe me. I had to fight off a duck that thought I wanted to steal its territory near the bench."
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We stayed silent for a moment, enjoying each other's company. It was as if everything we had gone through that day had led us to this moment, to this place. The library, where it all began, now felt like a refuge.
"I think we should put on the necklaces," I suggested, breaking the silence.
Lindsay nodded and took the necklace I offered her. Olivia did the same, though she couldn't help but add:
"I didn't know you'd do something sentimental, Sack. But I admit I love it. After all, I made them—or rather, I had them made."
We put on the necklaces, each with its locket open, showing a picture of the three of us together. It was like sealing something invisible but powerful: our friendship.
"Thank you," Lindsay murmured, looking at both of us with a grateful smile.
"There's nothing to thank me for," I replied, feeling something inside me relax.
Olivia hugged us again, this time more gently.
"Well, now that we've had our cheesy moment, can we go eat something? I'm starving after my epic adventure."
We all laughed and headed to a nearby café.
"So?" Olivia said, crossing her arms as she looked at us with a mischievous smile. "What do we do now?"
Lindsay chuckled softly and adjusted the necklace around her neck before responding.
"We could go to a party," she suggested, shrugging. "There are several around campus tonight. Halloween is the perfect excuse to do something out of the ordinary."
"No," I replied immediately, without even thinking too much. My tone was low but firm. "I don't like parties."
"Oh, come on, Sack!" Olivia exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "You can't just say 'no' and expect everyone to accept your plan of staying home watching animal documentaries!"
"I never said anything about documentaries," I muttered, though I knew she was being sarcastic.
"Sack is right," Lindsay interjected, surprising me a little. "He doesn't have to go if he doesn't want to. But…" She looked at me with a calm, almost persuasive smile. "It would be nice if you tried something different for once. Just for tonight. We could go for a while and leave if you don't like it."
I looked at her for a moment, trying to keep my expression neutral, but something in her tone made it hard for me to refuse. I knew she was right, at least in part. Being with them had changed something in me. Though I still preferred calm and solitude, their presence had become a part of me.
"Fine," I said finally, shrugging. "But if I end up feeling uncomfortable, I'm leaving."
"Perfect!" Olivia exclaimed, completely ignoring my warning. "Then it's decided: a party for everyone. Although, come to think of it, if anyone screams tonight, it'll probably be because Sack looks too convincing as a real Ghostbuster."
"Olivia, no one is going to scream because of me," I replied. Besides, this is the first time we're wearing costumes. I doubt anyone expects us to do anything more than look ridiculous."
"Exactly!" Olivia said, pointing at me dramatically. "But you have that 'I could seriously hunt ghosts if I wanted to' face. It's intimidating. You'll probably scare someone by accident."
"I'm not going to scare anyone," I replied, shrugging. "I'll just stand there, trying to blend in."
"Impossible," Lindsay interjected, smiling as she adjusted her costume belt. "With that outfit and your serious attitude, you're going to draw attention whether you like it or not. You might even become famous at the party without even trying."
"I don't want to be famous," I muttered, crossing my arms. "I just want to go, do the bare minimum, and come back."
"Oh, come on, Sack," Olivia said, playfully elbowing me. "This is our first time in costumes. We have to make the most of it! We could even pretend we're ghost hunters. You know, wave our arms around like we have real proton packs and everything."
"Our proton packs are props, Olivia," I pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "We can't even shoot fake smoke. It'd be pathetic."
"That doesn't matter!" Olivia exclaimed, making exaggerated gestures with her hands. "The magic is in the imagination. Plus, it'll be more fun that way. What do you say, Lindsay? Should we join the 'ghost-hunting team'?"
"Sure," Lindsay replied, laughing softly.