The weekend arrived like a soft sigh.
For once, there were no tests, no judges, no panels scrutinizing every word or gesture. For once, Crestwood felt almost like a real school. Almost.
Liana bounced up to me at the dorm gates, sketchpad tucked under one arm. "We're going on an adventure," she declared, as if the world had no rules.
Mark followed, juggling a picnic basket. "Adventure or disaster?" he asked, smirking.
"Why not both?" I replied, picking up my own basket.
We slipped past the formal lawns, past neatly trimmed hedges, and found the hidden orchard the academy maps conveniently ignored. Rows of strawberry plants stretched before us, green leaves glinting in the warm sunlight. The smell of ripe berries mixed with earthy soil, bees humming lazily and birds flitting through the trees.
Liana threw herself onto the grass, brushing dirt off her uniform. "I'm claiming the corner by the strawberries!"
I laughed and settled beside her. Mark carefully spread the blanket, arranging the picnic like a feast fit for royalty.
We spent the morning picking strawberries, eating half and saving the rest for later. Liana chattered nonstop about her dream to study architecture the towers, bridges, and castles she wanted to design. Mark told stories about his family's small business and the time he disastrously tried to make a gourmet meal for his little brother.
I mostly listened, letting myself enjoy the simplicity.
"You're awfully quiet, Elena," Liana said after a while, nudging my elbow.
I smiled. "Just thinking."
"About?"
I shrugged. "That moments like this don't come often enough. And when they do, you should probably appreciate them."
Mark handed me a strawberry. "Then eat it. Appreciate it."
I bit into it, sweet juice spilling over my tongue. For the first time in weeks, I felt completely… normal.
By afternoon, we wandered deeper into the orchard. The sun was slowly descending, painting the sky in warm shades of orange and pink. A few students we knew passed by, surprised to see us in the "hidden" section of the gardens, and waved briefly.
For a few hours, we were just three friends. Not scholarship students, not political pawns, not part of some secret experiment. Just teenagers in a sunlit strawberry field.
Eventually, we lay back on the grass, watching clouds drift lazily across the sky.
"I think I could stay here forever," Liana said. "No rules, no cameras, no rankings… just strawberries and sunshine."
I nodded. "It's nice to imagine that sometimes."
Mark laughed. "We should come back every weekend. Make it our thing."
I glanced around the orchard, the sunlight filtering through the leaves. The world outside Crestwood was still complicated, dangerous, political. But here, for this brief hour, none of that mattered.
Freedom, I realized, was more powerful than rules. More powerful than fear.
Even at Crestwood Academy.
As we packed up to leave, the golden glow of the sunset resting on our backs, I felt lighter than I had in weeks. The academy would still demand, still judge, still challenge but right now, I had choices.
I had laughter.
I had strawberries.
I had friends.
And that… was enough.