The fireworks faded slowly into the night, leaving trails of silver smoke drifting across the sky above Northfield University.
Students cheered one last time before the crowd gradually dispersed.
Some headed back to their dorms, while others wandered through the remaining festival booths, unwilling to let the evening end.
Ariana stood quietly near the engineering booth, looking up at the last sparks disappearing into the darkness.
“They’re gone already,” she whispered.
“They always end too quickly,” Ethan replied, standing beside her.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The silence wasn’t awkward anymore.
It was comfortable.
The kind of silence that didn’t need to be filled.
“Hey, lovebirds!”
Noah’s voice shattered the peaceful moment.
Both Ariana and Ethan turned at the same time.
Noah walked toward them carrying two boxes of leftover festival snacks.
“I leave for five minutes and you two are already having your own movie scene.”
Ariana’s cheeks immediately turned pink.
“W-We’re not—”
“I know,” Noah interrupted dramatically.
“You’re just standing together under fairy lights after watching fireworks.”
He pretended to think.
“Completely normal.”
Ethan sighed.
“Noah.”
“What?”
“Go home.”
“I would…”
Noah lifted the heavy boxes.
“…if someone helped me carry these.”
Ethan shook his head, laughing.
“I’ll help.”
“No, no,” Noah said quickly.
“You stay here.”
“I suddenly remembered where my dorm is.”
Before either of them could respond, he hurried away.
Ariana laughed softly.
“Does he ever stop talking?”
“I’ve known him for three years.”
“And?”
“He doesn’t.”
As the festival volunteers packed away decorations, Professor Hayes approached Team Seven.
“You all did an excellent job tonight.”
The four students smiled proudly.
“The prototype attracted a lot of attention.”
She looked directly at Ariana.
“Several professors specifically complimented your presentation.”
Ariana blinked.
“They did?”
Professor Hayes nodded.
“They were impressed.”
Claire forced a polite smile.
“That’s wonderful.”
But inside, jealousy tightened around her heart.
Everything was changing.
When she first joined Team Seven, everyone naturally looked to Ethan.
Now…
More and more people were looking at Ariana.
And Ethan…
He looked at Ariana more than anyone else.
Later that evening…
The engineering building was almost empty.
Most students had already gone home after the festival.
Only Team Seven remained, making sure their prototype was safely stored.
“We should back everything up tonight,” Ethan said.
“Agreed,” Ariana replied immediately.
Noah stretched dramatically.
“Can technology please stop trying to destroy us?”
Claire crossed her arms.
“It isn’t the technology.”
“It’s the person behind it.”
The room became quiet.
No one wanted to say it aloud.
Someone was still targeting them.
After saving multiple copies of the project, Noah suddenly called out.
“Wait.”
Everyone looked over.
“What is it?” Ethan asked.
“I found something.”
He reached beneath one of the storage cabinets.
“There was something stuck back here.”
He pulled out a small black USB drive covered in dust.
Ariana frowned.
“Was that always there?”
Noah shook his head.
“I’ve never seen it.”
Ethan carefully took the drive.
“There isn’t any label.”
Claire looked uneasy.
“Maybe we shouldn’t open it.”
“Why?” Noah asked.
“It could belong to anyone.”
Ethan plugged it into one of the workshop computers.
For a few seconds…
Nothing happened.
Project_Backup
Ariana’s heart skipped.
“No way…”
Ethan opened it.
Inside were dozens of deleted files.
Their missing backup.
Every single document.
Every sketch.
Every programming revision.
Everything that had disappeared.
Noah stared at the screen.
“Someone saved our files…”
Ariana frowned.
“But why hide them?”
Ethan looked thoughtful.
“Maybe whoever sabotaged us changed their mind.”
Claire remained silent.
Too silent.
Ariana noticed.
When everyone else looked relieved…
Claire looked nervous.
Only for a second.
But Ariana noticed.
Professor Hayes arrived moments later after Ethan called her.
She carefully examined the USB drive.
“This is incredible.”
She looked through the recovered files.
“Nothing appears to be damaged.”
“So we’re okay?” Noah asked hopefully.
Professor Hayes nodded.
“For now.”
She removed the USB carefully.
“But this raises another question.”
Everyone looked at her.
“Who recovered these files…”
“…and why didn’t they simply return them?”
Nobody had an answer.
It was nearly ten o’clock when everyone finally left the engineering building.
Claire checked her watch.
“I should head to the Student Council office.”
“I forgot some paperwork.”
Noah yawned loudly.
“I’m going straight to bed.”
Ethan looked toward Ariana.
“I’ll walk you back.”
Before Ariana could answer—
“That’s okay.”
Claire smiled.
“I’ll pass by the girls’ dorm anyway.”
“I can walk with Ariana.”
Ethan hesitated.
“You sure?”
Claire nodded confidently.
“It’ll save you the trip.”
Ariana smiled politely.
“Thanks.”
Ethan didn’t look completely convinced.
Still…
He nodded.
“Text me when you get back.”
The words slipped out before he realized what he’d said.
Everyone looked at him.
Even Noah raised an eyebrow.
Ethan cleared his throat.
“I mean…”
“So we know everyone’s safe.”
Ariana smiled gently.
“I will.”
Claire’s smile faltered almost invisibly.
The campus paths were much quieter than before.
The festival lights had mostly been switched off.
Only a few lanterns illuminated the sidewalks.
For several minutes, neither girl spoke.
Finally…
Claire broke the silence.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
Claire looked straight ahead.
“Do you like Ethan?”
Ariana almost stumbled.
“W-What?”
“You heard me.”
Ariana laughed nervously.
“We’re teammates.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Ariana looked down.
“I…”
She didn’t know how to answer.
Did she like him?
Patient.
He believed in her.
He made her laugh.
He made university feel less frightening.
But…
She wasn’t ready to admit any of that.
“I don’t know,” she answered honestly.
Claire nodded slowly.
“Good.”
Ariana frowned.
“What do you mean?”
Claire smiled.
“Nothing.”
Something about that smile felt…
Wrong.
As they approached the Student Council building, Claire suddenly stopped.
“I just remembered.”
“I really do have paperwork upstairs.”
She pointed toward the entrance.
“The dorm is only five minutes from here.”
“You’ll be okay?”
Ariana nodded.
“Of course.”
“See you tomorrow.”
Claire disappeared inside.
Ariana continued walking alone.
The campus had become almost completely silent.
Only the soft rustling of leaves filled the night air.
She tightened her grip on her backpack.
For some reason…
She couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was behind her.
She stopped walking.
Silence.
She slowly turned around.
Nobody.
Just an empty pathway.
She let out a nervous breath.
“I’m imagining things…”
She continued walking.
Footsteps.
Very faint.
Behind her.
She stopped again.
The footsteps stopped too.
A chill ran down her spine.
“Hello?”
No answer.
Only the wind.
Ariana’s heartbeat quickened.
She began walking faster.
The footsteps returned.
Not loud.
Not running.
Just…
Following.
She turned another corner.
Still no one.
Then…
Out of the corner of her eye—
A figure in a black hoodie disappeared behind a large oak tree.
Her breath caught.
The same black hoodie…
The same kind she had seen on the Student Council balcony during the festival.
Fear settled heavily in her chest.
She reached into her pocket with trembling hands and grabbed her phone.
Before she could unlock it—
Her phone vibrated.
Ethan:
“Did you get back safely?”
Relief washed over her.
She quickly typed:
“I don’t think I’m alone.”
She pressed send.
Almost instantly, three dots appeared.
Then another message.
“Stay where you are.
I’m coming.”
Ariana looked around again.
The pathway was empty.
Or so it seemed.
High above, hidden behind the branches of a large tree, the hooded figure watched her silently.
A faint smile appeared beneath the shadow of the hood.
“This is only the beginning,” the figure whispered.
Far across campus, Ethan broke into a run, ignoring the confused looks from students still leaving the festival grounds.
He didn’t know who was following Ariana.
He didn’t know what they wanted.
But one thing was certain.
He wasn’t going to let her face it alone.
The distance between them was growing shorter.
The danger surrounding them was growing closer.
And somewhere in the darkness…
Someone was already planning the next move.