Chapter 17: Scavenger Hunt

Today, I had a mission. I wanted to cheer James up. The sooner the better. I needed to lift his spirits before the semester started.

I made my way to his room.

As I approached, a foul odor assaulted my senses. Where was that coming from? I kind of knew the answer to my own question… I wrinkled my nose in disgust. Without a second thought, I pushed open James’s door, ready to implement my plan. But the stench hit me like a physical force. I gagged involuntarily.

It was James’s room that smelled so bad…

“Hi Keily,” James said, from where he was sitting at his desk. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

He still looked happy to see me. A silly smile spread across his face. He motioned for me to come to him, but I didn’t. I didn’t dare go into the room. A part of me didn’t want to know what it looked like.

“James, we need to get out of here,” I declared. “Seriously, it smells like something died in there.”

He blinked at me and his cheeks looked slightly pink. I had most certainly not meant to embarrass him! I knew that Shaggy was to blame for the stench.

James got up and followed me into the hall. I closed the door.

“I’ve got a surprise for you,” I announced, wanting to take the attention off his stinky room. “We're going on a scavenger hunt around MIT campus and the Charles River!”

James’s expression shifted. His eyebrows raised slightly and his cheeks didn’t look pink anymore. Maybe, just maybe, this could be the distraction he needed.

I brandished the scavenger guide I had printed off the internet.

“Check this out,” I said, thrusting the guide towards him. “There are so many cool things to see and interesting facts to learn.”

Who knows, maybe this could get him excited for the semester ahead. James took the guide and read it out loud.

“We have six things to find. A campus map or brochure with the MIT logo, a unique architectural feature of a building on campus, a handwritten note or drawing left by a student or faculty member on a bulletin board, a view of the Charles River with a boat or kayak visible, a receipt or ticket from a local eatery or café near MIT, and a creative selfie with a landmark on campus or by the Charles River.”

I grinned at him. But I could sense James’s hesitance.

“It’s a good list, right?” I asked.

He paused. “Sure.”

Okay, he wasn’t enthusiastic. But he was willing to indulge me, at least for now. Maybe he’d enjoy it once we got started.

The scavenger hunt began.

Our first task was to find a campus map or brochure with the MIT logo. It was simple enough. We approached the main building. I spotted a stand with neatly arranged brochures. With a triumphant grin, I plucked one from the stack. I saw the iconic MIT logo emblazoned proudly on the cover. I checked it off the list.

“One down, five to go!” I said.

James seemed more intrigued now, his eyes scanned the bustling campus with newfound interest.

“What was next on the list?” he asked.

“Finding a unique architectural feature,” I said.

His eyes lit up. Okay, now James seemed interested in the city, school, and campus.

He grabbed my free hand and took the lead. He guided me towards Building 10 with a confident stride.

And there it was, the Great Dome.

It stood tall and majestic against the backdrop of the clear blue sky. Its grandeur took my breath away, and for a moment, I found myself captivated by its beauty.

I ticked it off the list.

James grinned proudly, a spark of satisfaction in his eyes.

“There is another building that would work…”

“Yeah?”

With a mischievous glint, he took my hand and led me towards the Stata Center.

It was a masterpiece of modern architecture, its unconventional design a stark contrast to the traditional buildings surrounding it. Its angular lines and jumbled facade seemed to defy logic.

“I’ll add two ticks next to this one,” I laughed.

How did James have so much knowledge of the campus and its buildings? He seemed to be more familiar with MIT than I had thought he was.

“What’s next?” James asked me.

“A handwritten note or drawing left by a student or faculty member on a public bulletin board,” I said.

I loved his competitive spirit. This scavenger hunt was just what we needed.

“Game on,” I replied.

We ventured into the classrooms. The atmosphere within the classrooms was quiet, almost serene. There were little to no students and even fewer teachers.

In a few days, this place would be full.

I approached each bulletin board with cautious optimism. I scanned them for any sign of student or faculty contributions. Yet, most of the boards remained bare. Damn it.

But James remained undeterred. His competitive spirit drove him, and I knew he wasn’t going to quit. With each empty board we encountered, he seemed even more keen to find the note. James didn’t shy away from a challenge.

I don’t think we were going to complete this challenge…

James stopped in his tracks. A triumphant smile lit up his face. I followed his gaze to the bulletin board before us, and there it was— a small, handwritten note stuck to the board.

“Found one!” James declared, his voice ringing with satisfaction as he reached out to pluck the note from its place.

“You win this round,” I conceded and ticked it off the list.

James put the note down and walked to my side. He looked at the list, most likely reading that we had to find a view of the Charles River with a boat or kayak visible.

James pulled out his phone and checked the map.

“It’s a 20.1-mile drive to the Charles River. Are you ready?”

“Absolutely!” I said.

We made our way to his car. The drive to the Charles River was filled with lively conversation and the occasional burst of laughter. The miles passed by quickly. And when we finally arrived, the sight before us took my breath away.

We found parking with ease, a perfect spot overlooking the river. I stepped out of the car to take in the view. The Charles River stretched out before us, its waters shimmering in the sun.

Hand in hand, we set off on a leisurely stroll along the riverbank, the gentle breeze ruffling our hair as we enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere. And then, just as I began to wonder if we would find what we were looking for, I spotted it—a lone kayak bobbing gently in the water.

“There!” I pointed.

“Nice one!” James praised.

I ticked it off our list. We walked until we found a nice, quiet, and secluded cafe with a beautiful view of the river and the city. The smell of coffee and croissants turned my head. James must have noticed.

“Let’s stop here,” he said.

Our waitress led us to a table, where we sat down. The waitress’s eyes ran over James—from head to toe. I noticed a small smile forming on her face. She liked him. But James wasn’t paying any attention. He completely missed the flirty smile. He didn’t notice how she fidgeted with her hair as we ordered cappuccinos and croissants. I told myself that I wouldn’t get jealous. I was proud to call this attractive man ‘mine’.

As we sat there, I noticed the tension slowly melting away from James’s shoulders. The view of the river and the city beyond seemed to have a calming effect on him, and for the first time since we embarked on our scavenger hunt, I saw him truly relax.

Life was good.

The waitress returned with our order and we dug in.

But despite the tranquil surroundings, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still weighing heavily on James’s mind. I wanted to ask him about it, to offer him my support and reassurance, but I didn’t want to push him too far.

After a while, I finally gathered the courage to ask him.

“Hey James. Is everything okay? Lately you’ve seemed a little... I don’t know, distracted?”

James looked up from his coffee. He tilted his head slightly as he considered my question.

“I’m fine,” he said.

I touched his hand. Without saying anything, I held his gaze expectantly.

“I’ve been feeling a bit stressed out lately,” he sighed. “There’s a lot of pressure from my parents to do well, and I can’t help but feel like I’m falling short sometimes. And then there’s my older brother – he’s always been so amazing, and I can’t help but compare myself to him.”

As he spoke, I could hear the vulnerability in his voice. My heart went out to him.

“And then there’s my major,” James continued. “I chose anthropology because it seemed interesting at the time, but... I’m not sure if it’s really what I want to pursue.”

“You’ve still got time to figure things out,” I reminded him.

“Yeah,” he said, drinking the last of his cappuccino. “I’m sure things will get better, especially if we’re together.”

“We’ll be together,” I assured him.

“Then I am excited to experience college life with you.”

I smiled at him.

James paid the bill. Then he handed me the receipt. I looked to James for clarification, my brow furrowing in puzzlement.

“It’s one of the items on the scavenger list,” he explained.

I laughed, the tension of the moment dissipating into the air as I realized his cleverness. I’d gotten so distracted that I forgot about this item. With a flick of my wrist, I ticked it off the list.

“Only one item left,” I declared.

A selfie by the river.

We left the café behind us and made our way back to the riverbank. James wasted no time in whipping out his phone. Together, we posed by the river, the city skyline stretching out behind us.

James snapped the photo. We admired the photo together, the final item on our list now checked off. Then James took my chin and pulled my face toward him. Our lips met in a sweet, tender kiss.

The worries and uncertainties of the future faded away. In that fleeting instant, everything felt right with the world.

The kiss ended, leaving us smiling at each other. School would start soon and I was so interested in my major. I already had a fun roommate and a friend. I also had my amazing boyfriend with me.

What could go wrong?