CHAPTER-6
768 Words
Unexpected Teams
Thursday, 7:58 A.M.
For the third day in a row, Blackwood University's Biomedical Sciences lecture hall was completely silent before the clock struck eight.
It was becoming a habit.
Not because students had suddenly become disciplined.
Because nobody wanted to be the next person standing outside the classroom door.
Ryan sat in the middle row, nervously checking his watch.
"He's going to walk in any second."
Noah looked up from his phone.
"You sound like you're waiting for the principal."
"I've seen horror movies less stressful than his attendance policy."
Logan chuckled.
Mia leaned toward Ara.
"So..."
"What?"
"You were early yesterday."
"I know."
"And?"
"It felt unnatural."
"You'll survive."
Ara shrugged.
"No promises."
The classroom erupted in laughter.
Right on cue—
The door opened.
Dr. Nicholas Sterling entered, carrying a tablet instead of his usual folder.
He looked around the room once.
Satisfied that everyone was present, he walked to the front.
"Good morning."
"Good morning, Professor," the class replied.
Without another word, he connected the tablet to the projector.
The screen lit up.
Across it appeared a single title.
BLACKWOOD SCIENCE EXHIBITION
A quiet buzz spread through the room.
Nicholas turned to face the class.
"Yesterday, I informed you about the exhibition."
"This morning..."
He clicked the remote.
"...you'll receive your teams."
Immediately, Ryan whispered,
"I'm begging the universe..."
"Please don't put me with people who actually study."
Noah smirked.
"You are people who actually study."
Ryan blinked.
"I've been exposed."
Nicholas ignored the murmurs.
"The purpose of this project is not simply to test your scientific knowledge."
He paused.
"It is to evaluate your ability to work with people whose ideas differ from your own."
The next slide appeared.
One by one...
The teams were displayed.
Team One.
Team Two.
Students sighed with relief or groaned dramatically depending on the names.
Then—
Team Seven
Ara Mitchell
Mia Brooks
Noah Reed
Ryan Parker
The room immediately filled with laughter.
Ryan stared at the screen.
"Oh no."
Ara folded her arms.
"What?"
"We're going to fail."
"Have a little faith."
"I do."
"In science."
"Not in us."
Even Nicholas looked up briefly from the tablet.
"For your information, Mr. Parker..."
Ryan immediately straightened.
"...your team's combined academic average is one of the highest in the class."
The room fell silent.
Ryan blinked.
"...Seriously?"
Noah grinned.
"Congratulations."
"You accidentally became intelligent."
Laughter echoed across the room.
Ryan pointed dramatically at Noah.
"I'm reporting you for emotional damage."
Nicholas clicked the remote again.
"Each team will receive one faculty mentor."
Another slide appeared.
A list of names.
Ara scanned it quickly.
Then stopped.
Team Seven
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Emily Carter
She let out a quiet breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
Mia noticed.
"Were you expecting someone else?"
Ara looked away.
"No."
"You hesitated."
"I was reading."
Mia smiled knowingly.
"Sure."
At the front, Nicholas continued.
"Your mentors will supervise your projects."
"They will not complete them."
"The ideas must be your own."
A hand rose from the back.
It belonged to Ryan.
"Professor?"
"Yes?"
"What if our experiment explodes?"
Nicholas answered without hesitation.
"Then your report will be very short."
For two full seconds...
The room remained silent.
Then everyone laughed.
Even Ryan.
"I walked right into that one."
For the first time since the semester began...
The atmosphere felt lighter.
Nicholas hadn't smiled.
But somehow...
The joke had landed perfectly.
As the lecture ended, students gathered in their new teams.
Noah stretched.
"All right."
"Who's actually going to do the work?"
Ryan immediately raised his hand.
"I volunteer to motivate everyone."
Logan walked past and patted his shoulder.
"So... none of the work?"
"Exactly."
Ara rolled her eyes.
"I'll bring the ideas."
Mia smiled.
"I'll organize them."
Noah nodded.
"I'll make sure they're scientifically possible."
Ryan grinned.
"And I'll make the presentation look expensive."
Ara laughed.
"Finally."
"A job you're qualified for."
The four of them headed toward the cafeteria, already arguing over project ideas before they had even chosen a topic.
From the second-floor balcony, Dr. Nicholas Sterling watched the students scatter across the courtyard.
His attention lingered on Team Seven for only a moment.
Not because of Ara.
Because despite all their joking...
They had potential.
Whether they realized it or not.
He turned away and disappeared into the research wing.
Far below, the bell rang.
A new lecture began.
Another ordinary day at Blackwood University.
Or so everyone believed.
Because somewhere in the Department of Biomedical Sciences...
Someone had just stolen confidential research data.
And by the time anyone noticed...
The semester was about to become much more complicated.
- Writer
