All That Went Unsaid | Complete (18+)

Chapter 27

Sophie Esinberg's POV

The trail wound through a cathedral of trees, maple leaves whispering overhead like gossiping old women. Damp earth cushioned each step, and the air smelled of pine and late-summer rain. Everyone seemed to fall into pairs as we climbed—Beck and Allie, their hands swinging together; Claire and Chase, laughing at some inside joke; Sharon and Daniel trailing behind. Raymond drifted somewhere in the middle, carrying the heaviest pack as though it weighed nothing.

I kept to the front, letting the rhythm of my boots on the packed soil drown out everything else—especially the sound of Daniel's voice. He tried three times.
"Sophie, can we—"
"Not now," I said, my tone clipped enough to slice through the humidity.
Another mile later: "Please, just—"
I shifted my pack higher and pretended not to hear.

The trail steepened, switchbacks cutting across the hillside. Sunlight speared through the canopy in golden shafts. Sweat pooled at the small of my back, but I welcomed the burn in my thighs—something physical to focus on instead of the knot in my chest.

Behind us, Beck was teasing Raymond about his "celebrity cardio," claiming that football training didn't mean anything when you had to climb a real mountain. Raymond only chuckled, that low rumble carrying easily up the trail. "Keep talking," he called, "I'll remember this when I'm hauling your tent to the top."

They all laughed. I didn't look back.

The group settled into an easy rhythm as the trail climbed higher, laughter bouncing off the trees like a second echo of birdsong. Chase led the way with a compass app he pretended to read like a seasoned explorer.

"Left at the giant rock," he announced grandly, pointing to a boulder that looked exactly like the last four we'd passed.

"That's a stump," Beck said, deadpan. "We're going to end up in Canada."

"Canada has good beer," Raymond called from the rear, his voice lazy and amused. "I'm fine with that."

Allie snorted. "You'd drink anything as long as someone cheers you on."

"That's called team spirit," Raymond shot back.

Claire, a few steps ahead of me, twisted around and grinned. "Team spirit doesn't explain why you once drank a mystery punch at my birthday and spent an hour trying to climb the neighbor's maple tree."

"Botanist research," Raymond said smoothly. "Needed to inspect the leaves."

Sharon laughed so hard she stumbled, catching Daniel's arm. "Oh my God, that's the story? I always wondered how you tore your jeans that night."

Daniel grinned, but his eyes flicked toward me, a silent question I ignored.

"Speaking of research," Beck said, breathing hard as the incline steepened, "who voted for a four-hour hike again?"

"Democracy is overrated," Chase replied cheerfully. "Also, the stargazing spot will blow your mind. Totally worth it."

"You better have packed snacks worth dying for," Allie muttered. "If I don't get trail mix with at least three types of chocolate, I'm revolting."

"Revolting or revolting?" Claire teased.

"Both," Allie said with a wicked grin.

Raymond caught up to me then, his long strides easy despite the hill. "Need a hand with that pack, princess?" he murmured.

I tightened the straps. "Not a chance. I can carry my own weight."

He raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Never doubted it. Just offering so you don't outpace the rest of us and miss all this thrilling conversation."