Chapter 9 Hidden Hearts #2
When Eli became too enthusiastic and skipped over practical details, Mason quietly redirected him before Professor Monroe needed to intervene.
When Owen looked exhausted after another week of clinical rotations, Kai automatically handled more of the presentation rehearsal.
Whenever I became lost inside technical explanations, Liam gently reminded me to speak to people rather than computer scientists.
None of it felt forced.
It simply happened.
One evening after rehearsal, Professor Monroe dismissed everyone earlier than expected.
"I'd rather you arrive tomorrow rested than stay another two hours accomplishing very little."
Nobody argued.
Even Eli looked relieved.
The fellowship slowly packed away notebooks while conversations drifted toward weekend plans.
"I need laundry," Owen admitted.
"I need sleep," Kai replied.
"I need both," Eli said.
Mason zipped his backpack.
"You also need better time management."
"I reject that entirely."
As everyone headed toward the door, Liam quietly looked at me.
"I'll walk with you."
The sentence sounded perfectly ordinary.
No one questioned it.
After all, we had been project partners for weeks.
Still, I noticed Kai glance toward us before looking away again.
It was only a second.
Barely enough to register.
I told myself I was imagining things.
Outside, the campus had become almost silent.
A light fog drifted across the lawns while the old clock tower struck ten.
Liam walked beside me with his hands tucked into his jacket pockets.
"You handled those questions well tonight."
"I almost forgot the implementation timeline."
"But you remembered."
"Because you looked at me."
He laughed softly.
"I wasn't giving you the answer."
"I know."
"You just looked calm."
"And somehow that reminded me to slow down."
He smiled.
"I'm glad."
We reached the familiar path beside the botanical gardens.
The area remained almost empty at that hour.
Liam glanced around before gently brushing the back of his hand against mine.
The contact lasted only a moment.
Enough to remind me he was there.
Not long enough for anyone passing by to think twice.
"I've missed you."
He spoke quietly.
"We've been together every day."
"I know."
He smiled.
"But we've barely had five minutes alone."
I laughed.
"I guess that's true."
He looked at me for a long second.
"I'll be glad when the competition's over."
"So will I."
"What do you want to do first?"
The question surprised me.
"I haven't thought about it."
"I have."
"Oh?"
"I'd like to take you somewhere without laptops."
I laughed.
"That sounds impossible."
"There has to be somewhere."
"What if we leave our phones too?"
He pretended to think.
"I don't know if I'm emotionally prepared for that."
"You survived before smartphones existed."
"Barely."
We both laughed.
For a few peaceful minutes, the fellowship, competitions, and deadlines disappeared.
It was just the two of us.
The next morning, however, something felt... different.
The café buzzed with its usual activity, but I caught Mason looking toward Liam and me longer than usual before returning to his laptop.
It wasn't suspicious.
Only thoughtful.
Later that afternoon, while rehearsing in the Honors Center, Professor Monroe paused unexpectedly.
"Noah."
"Yes?"
"Did you move the attendance sheets?"
I looked up from my laptop.
"No."
"I thought Liam might have."
Liam shook his head.
"I haven't touched them."
Professor Monroe frowned slightly.
"That's strange."
"They were on my desk this morning."
After searching for a minute, the papers turned up inside another folder.
It wasn't important.
Still, Professor Monroe looked mildly puzzled.
"Someone must have been reorganizing."
The explanation made sense.
Yet a faint feeling of unease settled quietly in the back of my mind.
Over the following days, little things continued happening.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing that proved anything.
A rehearsal schedule disappeared before mysteriously returning.
One evening, the lights in our usual collaboration room had already been switched on despite nobody remembering unlocking the door.
Twice I had the strange feeling someone was watching us from farther down the hallway.
Each time I turned around, no one was there.
I convinced myself stress was making me paranoid.
Regional finals affected everyone.
Lack of sleep could explain almost anything.
Then came Thursday evening.
The fellowship had gathered early to review our final presentation before leaving for the competition the following week.
Eli walked into the Honors Center first.
A second later, his cheerful voice disappeared.
"...Uh..."
Everyone looked up.
"What?" Kai asked.
"I think..."
Eli remained standing in the doorway.
"You should probably see this."
Professor Monroe crossed the room first.
The rest of us followed.
Pinned neatly to the fellowship bulletin board with a single thumbtack was a photograph.
No note.
No signature.
Just a printed photograph.
It had clearly been taken from a distance.
The image showed Liam and me walking through the botanical gardens after rehearsal earlier that week.
Nothing inappropriate.
No kiss.
No obvious affection.
Just the two of us standing closer than most friends probably would.
Our expressions were unmistakably warm as we smiled at each other, completely unaware that someone had been watching.
Silence filled the hallway.
Professor Monroe slowly removed the photograph from the board.
Her expression grew serious.
"Did anyone put this here?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"I've never seen it before," Owen answered.
Kai frowned.
"Who took it?"
No one had an answer.
Professor Monroe turned the photograph over.
The back remained completely blank.
No name.
No message.
Nothing.
Eli looked around uneasily.
"That's... creepy."
"It is," Mason agreed quietly.
Professor Monroe slipped the photograph into her folder.
"I'll speak with campus security."
She looked at all of us.
"If any of you notice unusual behavior, tell me immediately."
Her calm voice couldn't completely hide her concern.
The meeting continued, but the atmosphere had changed.
Everyone remained distracted.
Questions went unanswered.
Conversations ended quickly.
When rehearsal finally finished, Liam and I exchanged a brief glance across the room.
Neither of us spoke.
We didn't need to.
The photograph itself revealed almost nothing.
But it carried a message that was impossible to misunderstand.
Someone had been watching us.
And whoever they were...
They wanted us to know it.
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