Suddenly, Jake stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening. "Wait! I forgot my sketchbook in the art room!" he exclaimed, his voice full of exaggerated panic.
Ryan groaned, rolling his eyes. "Are you serious? You're gonna go back for that now?" he asked, looking at Jake as if he were already late for something important.
Jake just shrugged, completely unbothered by Ryan's frustration. "You know how Miss Baker gets about her art supplies," he said with a grin, then made a beeline for the door.
Max sighed but nodded, not wanting to let Jake go back to the art room alone. "Fine, let's go."
The group turned back and headed toward the art room. The long hallway echoed with the sound of their footsteps, but Max's mind was elsewhere. As they approached the familiar door to the art room, Jake pushed it open, and the group stepped inside. The room was a chaotic mix of half-finished projects, scattered paint tubes, and students' forgotten tools. Jake immediately dove into the mess, determined to find his sketchbook, while Max glanced around absentmindedly.
It was then that something caught his eye—something that didn't belong. Amidst the clutter of art supplies, a small gleam of metal reflected the harsh fluorescent light from overhead.
"What's this?" Max muttered to himself as he moved closer, curiosity piqued.
Lying partially hidden behind a stack of empty jars, the object gleamed like a mysterious artifact. Max carefully picked it up, his fingers tracing the smooth, cold surface of the watch. The design was sleek and unusual, unlike anything he had ever seen. The watch had a strange, almost otherworldly glow to it. The symbols etched around the edge seemed to shimmer faintly as Max rotated it in his hands, and the warmth that pulsed through his fingers gave him an odd sense of connection to it.
"Did you find something?" Sarah asked, her voice cutting through his thoughts as she walked up behind him.
Max didn't respond immediately, still captivated by the watch. "I don't know… it doesn't look like it belongs here," he muttered, turning the watch over to examine the intricate markings on the back.
Jake, who had found his sketchbook by now, looked up and narrowed his eyes at the watch. "Whoa. That's definitely not a school supply," he said, a mixture of curiosity and humor in his voice. "Where did that even come from?"
Max was about to answer when the door creaked open. Lena stepped into the room, her presence immediately drawing Max's attention. She paused for a brief moment when she saw the group gathered around the object in Max's hand. Her eyes flickered to the watch, and Max could've sworn he saw a flash of something—surprise, maybe even excitement—before she quickly masked it with her usual calm expression.
"Hey, what's going on?" Lena asked, her voice casual, but there was a hint of curiosity in her eyes as she took a step closer.
Max hesitated, feeling a rush of conflicting emotions. He didn't want to make it seem like they were hiding anything, but at the same time, something about the watch felt... different. The way it had felt in his hand, the way it almost seemed to pulse with energy—it was like it was meant for him to find. He quickly slipped it into his pocket, trying to act nonchalant.
"Nothing. We're just about to head out," he said, though his voice was a little too casual to be convincing.
Lena's eyes flicked toward his pocket, a slight frown appearing for a split second. Then she smiled, the expression soft and understanding. "Didn't you guys leave already?" she asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement.
Max blinked, momentarily thrown off by the question. He hadn't expected Lena to be back at school after having already left. "Didn't you already go home?" he asked, genuinely curious.
Lena shrugged, a playful smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I was heading out, but I realized I forgot something important here. Had to come back and grab it before I left for good," she explained, her tone light, though her gaze lingered just a little longer on Max's pocket than it probably should have.
Max nodded quickly, trying to brush off any awkwardness. "Ah, I see. Well, we're just heading out now too. Need a ride?"
Lena smiled, her eyes glinting with a mix of amusement and something Max couldn't quite place. "No, my dad's waiting for me at the entrance. I have to hurry before he gets impatient," she said, her voice warm and playful, but there was something in her expression that seemed to suggest she was holding back—something she didn't want to say just yet.
Max nodded in understanding. "Got it. Take care, Lena," he said, a little more reluctantly than he intended.
Lena waved goodbye, giving them all a quick glance as she turned to leave. As she exited the room, her steps quickened, and Max watched her for a moment, his mind still on the watch, now safely tucked away in his pocket.
The group remained silent for a few moments before Jake broke the quiet, glancing between Max and Sarah. "What was that about?" he asked, his voice teasing, though there was a touch of curiosity in it. "You're acting a little weird, man."
Max quickly shoved the uneasy feeling down. "Nothing," he said, trying to sound casual. "Let's just go."
As they left the art room, Max felt the weight of the watch pressing against his side. His mind raced with questions. What was it? Why had it felt so strange when he held it? And why had Lena looked at it the way she did?
He glanced back at the doorway to the art room, half-expecting Lena to come back. But she didn't.
Instead, he caught a glimpse of her heading out of the school, her figure disappearing into the distance. And yet, the strange connection he felt to the watch—and to the moment—remained.