As they approached the outskirts of the campus, the once adrenaline-fueled atmosphere began to shift into one of tension.
The grand stone buildings of the university loomed ahead, their gothic architecture casting elongated shadows under the pale glow of the scattered lampposts. The clock tower struck midnight, its deep chimes echoing across the deserted grounds and reminding them all that they were well past curfew.
Emily swung her leg off Maximilian's bike the moment it came to a stop behind a cluster of tall hedges that lined the campus perimeter. Her face was flushed with anger, and her usually neat hair was tousled from the helmet.
"This is all your fault, Raphael!" she hissed, pointing an accusatory finger at him as he dismounted his own bike. "If we get caught, we'll be suspended—or worse!"