Unexpected connections

Dinner with Olivia had been... interesting. She wasn't the kind of person I'd normally associate with, but her chaotic energy and lighthearted humor had made the night more bearable than I expected. Lindsay seemed to enjoy her company, and while I'm not the type to open up easily, even I found myself smiling on a couple of occasions.

After dinner, Olivia insisted that we go to a nearby café for something sweet. Lindsay immediately agreed, and I, though I didn't have much interest in prolonging the night, ended up following them. I don't know why, but something about the way Lindsay looked at me made me feel compelled to accompany them.

The café was small and cozy, with dim lights and an aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling the air. We sat down at a table near the window, and Olivia soon ordered a mountain of dessert that seemed enough to feed an army.

"I don't know how you can eat so much and still be so... "Little girl," I said, watching Olivia devour a piece of chocolate cake.

She laughed, a smile lighting up her face.

"It's a gift. Plus, when you grow up traveling all the time, you learn to eat fast and anywhere. You never know when your next decent meal will be.

Lindsay raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Traveling all the time?"

Olivia nodded, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Yes, my family owns a chain of hotels, so we were always moving from one place to another. I never stayed in one place long enough to make friends or feel at home. That's why I'm so good at getting lost, I guess," she said with a laugh, but there was something in her tone that suggested it wasn't as funny as it seemed.

Lindsay looked at her with empathy.

"It must have been difficult.

Olivia shrugged, as if to downplay it.

—Well, at least I learned to adapt quickly. And now I have you guys, so I guess it all worked out in the end.

There was a moment of silence, in which Lindsay and I exchanged glances. It wasn't the kind of conversation I expected to have, but Olivia had a way of bringing things up without you even noticing.

"And you, Lindsay?" Olivia asked, changing the subject with typical speed. What is your family like?

Lindsay smiled, but there was something in her expression that suggested she wasn't entirely comfortable talking about it.

"My family owns Sapphire Grove Hospital," she said finally. It is the most important private hospital in the country. My parents hope that one day I will inherit it and manage it.

Olivia whistled, impressed.

"Wow, that sounds like a lot of pressure.

"It is," Lindsay admitted. But I've always wanted to study medicine, so I guess it's a responsibility I'm willing to take on.

Olivia nodded, as if she understood perfectly.

"I also have to deal with my family's expectations. Although, in my case, it's more like "don't ruin the hotels, please".

Lindsay laughed, and I couldn't help but crack a small smile.

"And you, Sack?" Olivia asked, turning to me. What about your family?

I wasn't sure how to respond. I'm not the type to share a lot about myself.

"My father is a real estate entrepreneur," I said finally, in an indifferent tone. He hopes that one day I will inherit the business.

Olivia raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.

"And you want to do it?"

"Not really," I answered, avoiding her gaze. But it is what it is.

There was a moment of silence, in which Olivia seemed to be processing the information. Then, she smiled.

"Well, at least we have something in common: we're all caught up in our families' plans. But hey, at least we have Stanford to escape a bit, don't we?

Lindsay smiled, and I nodded, though I wasn't sure if Stanford would be enough to get it all away.

"Although, speaking of escape," Olivia continued, with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, "Lindsay, have you noticed that Sack seems like the kind of person who has a lot of dark secrets?"

Lindsay laughed, and I just shrugged.

"I have no secrets," I said, in a neutral tone.

"That's exactly what someone with secrets would say," Olivia replied, pointing her fork at me.

Lindsay laughed again, and while I wouldn't admit it out loud, even I felt a little more relaxed. Olivia had a way of making everything seem less serious, and for the second time, I found myself enjoying the company of someone else besides Lindsay.

It was then that Olivia, with her typical lack of filter, asked the question that I didn't see coming.

"So, how long have you been dating?" She asked, looking at us alternately with a mischievous smile.

Lindsay, who had just taken a sip of coffee, coughed sharply, almost spilling the drink on the table. I simply raised an eyebrow, undeterred. It was not the first time that someone asked that question. Megan had hinted at something similar before, albeit in a less direct way.

"We're not boyfriend and girlfriend!" Lindsay exclaimed, still recovering from the coughing fit. Her face was red, and she avoided looking directly at me, although I noticed that her eyes drifted towards me from time to time.

Olivia raised her hands in a gesture of defense, but her smile did not disappear.

"Come on, don't tell me there's nothing between you. They look at each other as if they were in one of those romantic movies where the protagonists take years to realize that they are in love.

"We're friends," I said, in a tone firm enough to make it clear that I wasn't going to go into details.

Lindsay nodded quickly, her cheeks still flushed.

"Exactly. We're just friends.

Olivia looked at us skeptically, but finally shrugged.

"Well, if you say so. But let me tell you something: they would make a nice couple. I'm just saying.

Lindsay muttered something inaudible as she fiddled with her cup of coffee, and I just took a sip of mine, ignoring the comment.