Four years had passed since Ethan first stepped into the robotics lab, wide-eyed and eager to prove himself. Now, as he stood in the same space on his last day, the hum of the machines felt bittersweet.
The once-intimidating rows of servers and workstations had become familiar, almost comforting. The lab had been his sanctuary, his battlefield, and his proving ground.
"Four years," he muttered to himself, running a hand over the surface of his now-cleared desk. "Feels like yesterday."
Ethan was gathering his things when Marcus walked in, holding two steaming cups of coffee.
"Figured you'd need one last lab coffee," Marcus said with a smirk, handing him a cup.
"Thanks," Ethan said, accepting it gratefully.
Marcus leaned against the desk, his expression thoughtful. "You know, when you first showed up here, I wasn't sure you'd make it."
"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," Ethan said, chuckling.
"No, seriously," Marcus continued. "You weren't the smartest guy in the room, but you worked harder than anyone else. That's why you're here today."
Ethan felt a lump form in his throat. "I appreciate that. I learned a lot from you."
"You'll do great wherever you go," Marcus said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Just don't forget to send updates. I want to see what you build next."
"I won't," Ethan promised.
As Ethan was leaving, the rest of the team surprised him with a small farewell gathering. There were donuts, a hastily made banner that read "Good Luck, Ethan!", and a gift—a sleek, black notebook embossed with his name.
"For all your ideas," said Clara, one of his coworkers, as she handed him the notebook.
"Thanks, everyone," Ethan said, his voice thick with emotion. "I'll miss this place."
"You better," someone joked, and everyone laughed.
Before leaving, Ethan took one final walk through the lab. He paused by the robotics bay, where he'd spent countless nights debugging code and troubleshooting hardware.
Memories flooded back—his first failed prototype, the late-night brainstorming sessions with Marcus, the small victories that felt monumental at the time.
"Goodbye, old friend," he said softly, patting the edge of one of the workbenches.
The bus ride back to university was long, giving Ethan plenty of time to reflect. The cityscape gave way to rolling hills and the familiar campus buildings came into view.
When he arrived, the buzz of university life hit him immediately—students rushing to lectures, the distant sound of music from the dorms, and the hum of conversations.
He pulled out his phone and sent a quick message to Raj: "I'm back. Let's catch up later."
Walking through the campus felt surreal. It was the same, yet different. Ethan had grown and changed so much in the past few years, and returning to the place where it all started felt like stepping into a time capsule.
He stopped by the library, where he had spent countless hours cramming for exams. The smell of books and the quiet hum of whispered conversations brought a nostalgic smile to his face.
As he made his way to the dorms, he couldn't help but wonder what his final year would hold.
When Ethan opened the door to his old dorm room, he was greeted by Raj, Liam, and Mike, who erupted in cheers.
"Ethan's back!" Raj shouted, pulling him into a bear hug.
"About time!" Liam said, grinning. "We were starting to think you'd forgotten about us."
"Never," Ethan said, laughing.
Mike threw a packet of chips at him. "You owe us stories. What's it like being a corporate robot slave?"
"Exhausting," Ethan said, collapsing onto his old bed. "But worth it."
That night, as the campus lights flickered outside his window, Ethan sat at his desk and opened the notebook the lab team had given him.
He flipped to the first page and wrote:
"Back to where it all started. Time to make the most of it."
Closing the notebook, he leaned back in his chair, feeling both the weight of the past and the promise of the future.