Operation Orbit: Einstein's First Move

They stared at each other for a long moment, both of them a little shy, both smiling more than they realized. The classroom around them faded into the background, like the world had slowed down just for them.

Einstein cleared his throat softly, his fingers fidgeting with the edge of his shirt. "Did you… uh, like my teaching?"

Eliza nodded right away, her eyes warm. "Yeah. It was really good. I liked how confident you were up there. And how you stood up to Maria? That was bold."

She leaned in just a little, a playful smile forming. "But let's not even talk about her. Honestly, I don't like her."

Einstein chuckled nervously. He rubbed the back of his neck and gave a sheepish grin. Sitting this close to a girl, especially one like Eliza, was unfamiliar territory for him. He wasn't used to it. He was good at numbers, formulas, and fixing broken gadgets—not moments like this.

Trying to say something cool, he glanced at her glasses. "I like your style too. Your glasses are… cute. But mine? Mine are kind of special."

Eliza tilted her head. "Special?"

He nodded proudly, tapping the side of his specs. "Yup. Built them in my mini lab. Nothing huge, just… some features. A few little tricks."

Her curiosity immediately grew. "Wait, really? You made them? That's so cool! Can I try them on?"

Einstein gently took off his glasses and held them in his hands. "Sure. But… give me one second."

He turned them slightly, fingers pressing a small hidden button on the side. A tiny green light blinked on. Then, with a little smile, he handed them to her. "Alright. Now they're ready."

Eliza slipped them on and giggled. "Do I look like a genius now?"

Einstein didn't reply. He just smiled, watching her face closely.

And then—words began to appear on the inside of the lenses. A soft, glowing message formed right before her eyes in elegant letters:

"Hey Lovely Eliza, would you like to be my friend?"

She gasped softly, her eyes widening behind the lenses. "Wait… did this just… appear?"

Einstein nodded, still blushing. "I, uh… I programmed that in. Just now. Thought it might be a… sweet way to ask."

Eliza slowly took off the glasses, her fingers brushing against his as she handed them back.

"That was sweet," she said quietly. "Really sweet."

Then, looking directly into his eyes, she added with a sincere smile, "Yes. I'd love to be your friend."

Einstein's heart skipped. He grinned without even trying to hide it this time. It wasn't flashy. It wasn't loud. But it meant everything.

The moment felt like it belonged in a dream.

Just outside the door, Vinci peeked through the window and chuckled. "They're still in there."

Hawkings leaned over to look. "Mission successful, confirmed."

The two of them bumped fists, grinning.

They left the classroom behind and walked toward the old mango tree just outside the school yard—a spot that had become their usual thinking place. The sun filtered through the leaves, and the wind carried a soft, calming breeze.

Dropping their bags under the tree, they sat down on the grass, backs against the thick trunk.

"Man," Vinci sighed, stretching out, "those two are on a new wavelength now."

Hawkings nodded. "Einstein's had a thing for her since, like, the second week of school. He just needed a push."

"A gentle cosmic shove," Vinci laughed, pulling a blade of grass and twirling it. "Now he's in orbit."

They both laughed lightly, enjoying the peace.

After a while, Hawkings tilted his head back and looked up at the sky. "You know, I've been thinking… what if we've been seeing time travel all wrong?"

Vinci turned to him, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

"I mean maybe it's not just about going to the past or future. Maybe it's also about... seeing the moments we miss. The emotions. The little changes. Like… what actually leads to someone making a choice."

Vinci nodded slowly. "Invisible timelines."

"Exactly," Hawkings said. "The ones shaped by feelings. Not math."

There was a pause.

Vinci reached for his notebook and opened a page filled with sketches. Loops, arrows, spirals—even a heart drawn over a grid of time.

"See this?" he said. "I've been working on this theory. If memory is tied to time, and emotion is tied to memory…"

"…then emotion bends time," Hawkings finished. "Like gravity."

"Exactly," Vinci grinned. "It pulls moments closer. Speeds them up or slows them down. Depending on how strong the feeling is."

They both sat there quietly, letting the thought settle.

Then Hawkings smiled, glancing toward the classroom. "Imagine Einstein tries to confess again in the future, but she forgets. Would the memory of this moment still exist?"

Vinci thought for a second. "Only if the moment is strong enough to ripple."

"Like now?" Hawkings asked.

Vinci nodded. "Yeah. Like now."

They laughed together again. Not the loud kind, but the kind that feels warm and real.

Then Vinci said, "Bro, we need to build something. A model. A map. A way to track emotional timelines."

"I'm already coding it in my mind," Hawkings replied, tapping his temple.

Under the mango tree, two brilliant minds weren't just talking about numbers. They were building dreams—about time, emotions, and the things science sometimes forgets to measure.

A few meters away, in the classroom, Einstein and Eliza were still talking.

Still smiling.

Still close.

And somewhere, in the stillness between heartbeats, time paused for just a little while… to let something beautiful begin.