The journey back to Olivia's mansion was quieter than our initial walk to the square, but no less lively. After saying goodbye to Ellie, the three of us were lost in our reflections about what had happened. However, the accumulated fatigue from the day began to weigh on our steps. Walking under the sun had been exhausting, and though we enjoyed the fresh air and deep conversations, it soon became clear that we needed a break.
"I'm dead," Olivia said as she stopped by a nearby bench. "Why don't we call the chauffeur? My feet are begging for mercy."
Lindsay smiled, nodding enthusiastically. "I never thought I'd say this, but I agree. I give up."
So, without further debate, Olivia pulled out her phone and called her chauffeur. Within ten minutes, the sleek black sports car appeared in front of us. We climbed into the vehicle with gratitude, leaving behind physical exhaustion to focus on how emotionally intense our encounter with Ellie had been.
"I knew Ellie would be great from the moment I met her," Olivia commented as she drove her sports car with that arrogant confidence only she could pull off without being insufferable. "But now that we've talked to her, I'm sure she'll be an amazing friend."
Lindsay smiled from the passenger seat, turning slightly to look at both of us. "Yeah, I think so too. She has something… special. She's strong, but also vulnerable. I think she can teach us a lot."
I nodded, though my mind was elsewhere. There was something about Ellie that reminded me of myself when I first arrived at Stanford. The feeling of being out of place, of trying to keep everything under control while the world hit you with problems you didn't even ask for. Maybe that's why I felt we needed to help her.
Olivia, as always, already had a plan. "Alright, so now we're four. We need to think of a new group nickname. Before it was 'the golden trio,' 'the genius team,' 'the future saviors of humanity'… but now that Ellie's on the radar, we need something new. How about 'The Fantastic Four'?"
Lindsay rolled her eyes. "That sounds way too cliché, Olivia. Besides, I don't think Ellie would want to be part of something so… ostentatious."
"Ostentatious?" Olivia retorted, pretending to be deeply offended. "It's epic! Imagine: Lindsay is the strategic leader, I'm the crazy innovator, you, Sack, are the analytical brain, and Ellie… well, Ellie can be the silent hero. You know, the one who always has the best ideas at the most unexpected moments."
I chuckled. "Olivia, when will you stop seeing life like it's a superhero movie?"
"Never," she replied with total seriousness. "Because life is a superhero movie. Some of us are just more aware of it than others."
Lindsay burst out laughing. "Well, if Ellie agrees to join the group, I hope she's ready for your levels of drama because I don't think she can compete with you."
Olivia placed a hand over her heart, pretending to be deeply offended. "Drama? I'm not dramatic. I'm intense. There's a difference."
"Sure, sure," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Intense like a hurricane."
Finally, we arrived at the mansion. The driveway was as impressive as the first time I saw it, but I was starting to get used to the extravagance of the Harts. We parked in front of the marble staircase, where an employee waited to greet us.
Once inside, we decided to relax a bit before dinner. We showered and gathered in Olivia's room, which was as large as an average apartment. Her room was a mix of luxury and personality: walls painted in a soft lavender tone, modern furniture, and extravagant details like a chandelier made of Swarovski crystals. In the center of the room was a huge canopy bed, but we rarely used it for sleeping; instead, it served as the perfect spot for our movie marathons when we were at Stanford.
We settled into a mountain of pillows and blankets, with Olivia in the center, as always. It was a tradition of ours to watch movies together, something we'd adopted since we first met. However, this was the first time we were doing it at Olivia's house, and the experience had a different, more intimate vibe. That night we chose a light comedy, something to make us laugh after such an emotionally charged day.
As we prepared to start the movie, Lindsay took her iron pills, something she did religiously every night. Olivia seized the moment to make one of her signature comments. "You know, Lindsay, you should design a gourmet version of those pills. Something like 'Deluxe Iron with Belgian chocolate flavor.' You could patent it and become a millionaire."
Lindsay threw a pillow at her. "Thanks for the advice, but I'd rather keep studying medicine instead of becoming a supplement entrepreneur."
The movie started, and soon we found ourselves laughing out loud. In one particularly funny scene, one of the protagonists delivered a series of sarcastic jokes while speaking rapidly and exaggeratedly. Her dialogue was as hilarious as it was revealing:
"Ugh, life is so unfair! If I wanted to solve this problem, I'd just do it. But no, there's always someone telling me I can't do this or that because 'it's not in the manual.' The manual? I am the manual! I just need a foolproof plan… and maybe a dragon. Yeah, a dragon would be perfect. I could use it to intimidate my bosses, roast marshmallows with its breath, and, you know, conquer the world if things get ugly."
The actress continued her monologue, each line more absurd than the last: "And if anyone tries to stop me, I'll just wear my super office suit. You know, the one that makes me look incredibly professional but also ready to escape at any moment. Plus, I have a bag full of snacks, so technically I'm invincible. No one can beat someone who always has chocolate on hand. It's basic science."
The resemblance between the actress's speech and Olivia's style was undeniable. Lindsay and I looked at each other at the same time, unable to contain our laughter.
Olivia, oblivious to the connection, commented: "God, this actress is terrible. Who talks like that in real life? It's like she's trying to impress someone with every sentence."
Lindsay couldn't resist. "Olivia, that's exactly how you talk."
"What?" Olivia frowned, clearly offended. "I don't talk like that. I'm elegant and sophisticated."
"Sure, sure," I replied, unable to keep a straight face. "Elegant and sophisticated like a tornado in a crystal shop."
Olivia glared at us but ended up laughing anyway. "Fine, maybe I'm a little… expressive. But that's what makes me unique."
"Definitely," Lindsay said, wiping away tears from laughing so hard. "And we love you for it."
When the movie ended, we stayed a little longer chatting about what we'd do the next day. As expected, Olivia already had plans.
"We should invite Ellie tomorrow," she suggested, her eyes sparkling with the excitement of someone who had already thought of everything. "We could spend the day here, show her the house, maybe even take her for a walk in the gardens. My parents are busy with their own stuff, so they won't bother us."
Lindsay nodded thoughtfully. "I think it's a good idea. Ellie might need some distraction after everything she's been through. Plus, it'd be nice for her to feel like part of something."
"Exactly," Olivia said, thrilled. "And we can do something fun, like a little impromptu party. Nothing too elaborate, just something casual. Maybe we'll have a barbecue or something."
"You cooking?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Wouldn't it be better to leave that to the professional chefs?"
Olivia playfully elbowed me. "Relax, Sack. I won't cook anything complicated. I'll just supervise. Besides, my chefs adore working with me. I give them excellent tips."
Lindsay burst out laughing. "Olivia, you can't bribe the chefs with tips to do your work."
"Why not? It works for everything else," she replied with a mischievous smile.
The conversation continued for a while longer, with Olivia making increasingly elaborate plans while Lindsay and I tried to keep her grounded in reality. Finally, we agreed to invite Ellie the next day and do something simple but meaningful to make her feel welcome.