Eliza stood frozen at the door, her chest rising and falling fast. Maria stood a few feet away, eyes lowered, clutching her bag strap so tight her knuckles turned white.
Einstein stepped forward slowly. His voice was calm but firm, the way only he could make it.
"Eliza… listen to me," he started, holding her gaze. "Maria has changed. She isn't the same rival you remember. She's not just our competition anymore ; she's someone who understands what we're trying to do. She deserves a second chance."
Eliza shook her head sharply. "She was never our friend, Einstein! She was our biggest rival. The one who mocked us, who tried to outdo us at every turn. And now you want me to just accept her here? In our team?"
Einstein's eyes softened, but his voice didn't waver. "On my behalf… please. Let's work together. We need her. I need you to trust me, just this once."
For a long moment, the room felt heavy with Eliza's breathing. Her eyes darted from Einstein to Vinci to Hawkings… and finally back to Maria.
Slowly, she let out a shaky sigh. Her shoulders dropped a little. "Fine… but only because you asked," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "On your behalf… I'll try."
Einstein's face relaxed into a gentle smile. "Thank you," he whispered. Then, he straightened up, turning to the others. "Alright, guys. Enough tension. Let's get back to the prototype — we're time traveling soon."
Maria blinked, her brows furrowing in confusion. "Wait… time traveling? Are you serious?"
Vinci let out a small laugh, his eyes twinkling as they met hers. "Hey, it's real. Believe us," he said, patting her lightly on the shoulder.
They all headed into the small back room ;a makeshift lab crowded with screens, wires, blinking lights, and tools scattered everywhere. The air smelled of metal and old books.
They dropped their bags, each taking a moving chair. There were just enough for everyone.
Hawkings pulled a strange-looking device out of his bag — a small box with shimmering lenses and a metallic frame that almost looked alive.
"I developed this," he announced, holding it up proudly. "If we ever get stuck in the past or future, this machine will help bring us back."
He stood up, clearing a small space in the center of the lab. "Maria… can I borrow your pen?" he asked.
Maria didn't hesitate, then handed it over carefully. Hawkings placed it inside a square compartment on the machine. Its inner walls gleamed with faint blue light, and tiny sparks ran along the edges.
"If I throw this pen inside now, it won't come back on its own," Hawkings explained.
Eliza narrowed her eyes, curiosity slowly overpowering her earlier anger. "Do it. Let's see."
Hawkings nodded, then pressed a small button on the side. With a soft hum, the pen vanished instantly.
Their eyes widened. Maria's mouth fell open. Vinci nearly fell out of his chair, clapping once in disbelief.
Hawkings grinned faintly. "Now… to bring it back." He adjusted the box, aligned a thin beam of light at the center, and pressed another button. They waited.
In seconds, the pen shot back out, clattering onto the table. Vinci snatched it up, inspecting it like a rare artifact.
"It's normal… exactly the same," Vinci said, looking at everyone.
Hawkings smirked, pushing his glasses up. "First step to true time travel."
Then Vinci stood up, stepping forward with his own creation ; a sleek, orb-like device glowing from within.
"My prototype is different," Vinci said, his voice bright with excitement. "This one doesn't just send an object out of sight. It actually shifts it in time."
As he spoke, Vinci moved to the side and began making some quick adjustments to the setup. He started assembling a small raised platform, fitting together smooth metal panels and tightening bolts with quick, practiced movements.
"This will be where we stand together when we travel," Vinci explained. "It's safer this way. We go as a single unit instead of risking individual jumps."
....
He connected a thin screen to the prototype, bright symbols and numbers flickering to life. He placed the pen carefully on a small pedestal in front of the orb.
"I'm setting this to send the pen one second into the past… but that one second here will be one whole year back there."
Maria's eyes grew round as moons. "Is that even possible?"
Vinci's grin only grew. "Watch."
He typed quickly on a small keypad, then entered the date: 1986. He pressed a final button.
A bright, radiant light burst out, wrapping the pen in shimmering waves. It stood still for a moment, vibrating faintly, then ;gone.
The room fell silent.
Ten minutes later, Hawkings adjusted his machine again. He pressed a final button and said, "Alright… bringing it back."
They all leaned forward, barely breathing.
Finally ;a soft thump. The pen reappeared, but this time it looked worn, covered in dust, as if it had really sat somewhere for years.
Vinci whooped and jumped up, almost knocking over a chair. Eliza laughed despite herself, shaking her head in disbelief. Maria just sat frozen, staring at the pen as if it were a ghost.
Einstein turned to Maria, smiling softly. "Now do you believe us?"
Maria looked up slowly, her face stunned but a small, amazed smile finally forming. "I… I guess I do," she whispered.The room erupted in cheers and high fives, Vinci even tossing his notepad into the air.
Einstein looked around at each of them, eyes shining with excitement and hope. "Alright… next step ; we do it ourselves."
Their eyes met, a spark of fear and thrill passing between them.
Beyond the lab walls, the night was falling fast, as if even the stars themselves were waiting to see what these young minds would do next.
Eistein looked at them and said ."Tomorrow we Time Travel".....