Chapter 13: XIII

Chapter 13: Friends

The hike back down was quiet, the group tired but content, the air crisp as it cooled with the setting sun. Riley found herself walking a little slower than the others, trailing behind but not in a way that felt isolating. Elena, however, had fallen back with her, her steps deliberate as they both enjoyed the peaceful moment away from the rest of the group.

The trees swayed gently in the breeze, the silence between them comfortable in its own way. Riley didn’t know what to say, her mind still racing with everything that had happened earlier. Maya’s words echoed in her head, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was there—something that wasn’t just friendship, but every time she thought about saying anything, her heart started pounding in a way that made it impossible to even form the words.

Elena, however, seemed at ease. Her casual nature had always been something Riley admired, and today, for some reason, it felt like Elena was the one who wasn’t caught in the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. Riley finally found the courage to break the silence.

“Hey, um... can we talk for a sec?” Riley’s voice was steady but there was a tinge of nervousness beneath her words.

Elena glanced at her, raising an eyebrow. “Of course. What’s up?”

Riley swallowed, unsure if she was making a mistake. She had been overthinking everything so much lately, but maybe... maybe this was the moment where she could just take a step back and focus on what really mattered: their connection. Whatever it was.

“I, uh…” Riley started, running a hand through her hair, a habit she picked up when she felt out of place. “I’ve been thinking... You know, we’ve had a lot of time together, and I just wanted to say, I think I’d really like it if we could be friends.”

Elena’s expression softened, the playful smile that usually lingered on her lips melting into something more genuine. “Riley, I’d like that too. I mean, I know we’re both kind of... not exactly the same as we were in high school. But I feel like we’ve gotten to know each other better now, and I think we could be great friends.”

Riley blinked, surprised but relieved. “Yeah, that’s exactly what I was thinking. I’m just happy we can hang out and enjoy each other’s company.”

For a moment, Riley felt a weight lift off her shoulders. She’d been wondering what Elena might mean to her, but now, in that quiet understanding, it became clear that just being friends was enough.

Elena nodded, her gaze meeting Riley’s with a shared sense of clarity. “I’m glad you said that,” Elena said with a small smile. “I’ve been thinking the same thing. It’s nice, just... starting fresh. Just hanging out.”

Riley laughed, feeling lighter. “Exactly. Just... getting to know each other better.”

Elena smiled, a soft, easy smile. “Yeah. Exactly that.”

“Friends it is, then,” Elena she continued with a smile, looking out at the fading sunset. “But I’ll warn you... I’m a terrible friend when it comes to keeping secrets.”

Riley chuckled. “I think I can handle that.”

As the last of the light dipped behind the trees, they walked back toward the cabin together, side by side, neither of them speaking much but both feeling like something new had begun between them. It wasn’t romantic, not yet, but it was genuine. And in that quiet moment, Riley realized that maybe what she had with Elena wasn’t as complicated as she had made it out to be.

They rejoined the group just as the others were getting their things together, ready to head back to the cabin. Riley felt Elena’s gaze linger on her for a moment before she turned to join the others, and Riley couldn’t help but smile to herself. For once, she felt like she was exactly where she needed to be.

---

Back at the cabin, the mood was much lighter. The group was bustling around, preparing for dinner, talking about the plans for the rest of the weekend. It felt like the kind of night where things could finally return to normal, where no one had to feel out of place, where Riley could just be herself. The weight of the past few days seemed to fade with every laugh, every casual conversation.

Riley was in the kitchen, helping Maya with the salad, when she heard someone approaching from behind.

“Hey, you two,” Danny’s voice cut through the room, and Riley turned to see him standing by the door. He was grinning, but there was something a little different about him this time. Maybe it was the way he was eyeing Elena, or maybe it was just the way he always seemed to act when he was around her.

Riley instantly felt her pulse spike. Her stomach tightened. She hadn’t expected him to show up. He was part of the group, of course, but she hadn’t thought about how his presence might change things.

“Uh, hey Danny,” Riley said with a smile, trying to keep things casual. “What’s up?”

Danny walked into the kitchen, leaning casually against the counter. “Not much, just wanted to check in on you guys. You know, see how everyone’s holding up after the hike.”

Maya gave him a friendly nod, but Riley couldn’t ignore the way Danny’s gaze kept flicking back to Elena, who was sitting by the fireplace with Jordan. His interest was clear, and it left Riley feeling a little uneasy, though she couldn’t exactly pinpoint why.

“Well, we’re good,” Riley said, keeping her tone light. “Just getting ready for dinner.”

Danny smirked, his eyes still on Elena. “Yeah, I think Elena’s got the best seat in the house tonight,” he said, as if talking about the fire rather than anything else.

Riley forced a smile, but her thoughts were spinning. Why did he have to make it so obvious? Why did everything feel like it was shifting when she least expected it?

“Hey, Riley,” Danny said, snapping her out of her thoughts. “You and Elena... you guys cool now, right? I mean, you seemed a little... tense earlier.”

Riley’s heart skipped in her chest. “Yeah, we’re good. Totally good,” she said, offering a small, almost forced laugh. She didn’t want to get into it. She didn’t want to give him any more reason to assume there was something more between her and Elena.

But deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to this than just being “friends.”

The door to the cabin creaked open, and Riley’s attention snapped away from Danny. Elena had come into the room, a smile on her face, but there was something in her eyes, something that made Riley’s heart stop for just a second.

And for the first time that evening, Riley realized just how much things had changed in the last few days. They had declared themselves “friends,” but the lines between friendship and something more were still blurry, still undefined.

And Riley wasn’t sure she was ready to face them.