Chapter 2

 

 

The room was filled with contraptions. Built of metal framework, engine parts, children’s toys, and an assortment of household objects—she even spotted a plunger—they were placed about the room, and the marble was headed for the first.

She glanced at the class which had filed in behind her but their expressions were equally as excited. Then she looked back to the contraption just as the marble fell into a bucket. It descended to the floor, pulling a string attached to a balloon. As the balloon straightened, it dropped a trio of Mentos into a bottle of coke, which caused the soda to swell and lift a lever, dropping a matchbox car down another track. It tumbled into an accelerator belt that shot it across the room, where it triggered the unrolling of a sign on the wall.

Kate,

The marble reached the second contraption, setting off a series of toys that released the energy in the downed plunger. It sent another car to the wall of words, unrolling a second poster and a second word.

You’ve

The marble struck another a second marble, this one green, and the two balls activated two machines, one mechanical, one electrical. Wheels turned and light burst onto solar panels, sending two more cars into the wall, adding more words to the growing message.

Kate followed the marble, overwhelmed by how much effort her classmates had put into the machine. Most of them had been in her classes for the last two years, and her friends jumped about, proudly announcing what they had built.

It quickly became apparent that Reed had allowed each of her classmates to build a single machine, giving them the freedom to tailor the workings to their individual designs. Each was unique, some more electrical, while others used chemical or mechanical means to send a car to the wall.

“That was mine,” Mike said, pointing to the one with the plunger.

“I’m next,” a girl said, pointing to a machine built entirely of toys. “My nephews contributed the Legos,” she added.

Kate praised all the contraptions as she followed the marble, working her way around the room while frequently looking to the sign unfolding over the chalkboard. In neat lettering it read:

Kate,

You’re invited to a night of themes,

Where every game is not as it seems.

The words came to a stop there as the last contraption unfolded the final word. Then she realized the marble was still going. It disappeared down a track headed to the next room, drawing her gaze to Dr. Freeman.

“No,” she breathed.

Dr. Freeman’s smile was wry. “It’s possible I liked the idea of some hands-on application and invited my fellow professors to participate.”

Kate all but skipped after the marble, reaching the second room as the light clicked on. An entire other class and new machines greeted her, and the students shouted “Surprise!” like it was her birthday.

“I can’t believe you did all this,” she said, watching a new machine send another matchbox car into a new wall of signs.

“You’ve tutored half of us,” Kent said. “And besides, the professors all agreed to give extra credit.”

“Some less than others,” Mike said, lowering his voice and glancing to the notoriously strict Dr. Hyde.

Stunned and overwhelmed, Kate followed the marble as it navigated machine after wondrous machine. Students laughed and pointed as the more inventive contraptions worked their magic, one sending a dart into a target across the room.

Our night of curiosity begins

At the store in unusual bins.

They continued to the next room, the contraptions going faster now, several triggering at once, moving so quickly it was impossible to watch them all. She protested but Kent was at her side, his phone out as he recorded the entire invitation. Others did the same, crying out as a particularly clever machine triggered a sign.

Then we play pool but not in a hall,

For the ground is where we’ll hit the ball.

By the fourth classroom she could not speak. Hundreds of students milled about, their conversation revealing they had not seen the entire invitation unfolding. Many ducked into the preceding rooms and returned laughing and excited.

Last we savor a frozen treat

And 31 flavors we shall meet.

The marble continued down the last hall, speeding up as it went into a pipe that curved around a stairwell. Shouts of delight echoed up the brick walls as all the participants hurried after Kate, who arrived at the base of the stairs and followed the marble to the exterior door.

On the lawn outside the building, she found a collection of a dozen students standing around a catapult, which the marble triggered by rolling onto a button. The catapult fired, sending streams of shredded paper into the air while also pulling a chord. The rope went through a series of pulleys tied to trees and unfolded a banner from the neighboring building. The streams of paper struck the banner and fell to the ground in a curtain of shimmering fragments, framing the final message.

Please accept my invitation

For a night of intrigue and machination

Friday, 5:30

The crowd began to applaud and shout, voicing their appreciation of the machine. Kate turned to find hundreds of students gathered for the final presentation and tears welled in her eyes. She knew many of the students, although not all, and their expressions revealed that most had done it for more than points in a class.

“I can’t believe you did all this,” she said, fighting to speak.

“Believe it,” Reed said, stepping into view.

“You’re here?” she asked.

“You think I’d miss it?” he asked. “I slipped into your classroom when you went into the first room.”

She swept her hand to the engineering department. “I don’t think this is very fair. The competition is between you and I.”

“What do you think?” Reed called, raising his voice. “You think I win this round?”

They shouted and applauded, and Kate grinned and shook her head. “You said you had class.”

“I didn’t say it was mine,” he said.

He closed the gap and gathered Kate into his arms. “What do you say. Will you be my date?”

“All this for just a date?” a kid called. “You’re not proposing?”

“Dude,” his friend said. “It’s a dating challenge. Don’t you pay attention to anything?”

Kate hardly heard them, her attention locked solidly on Reed as they kissed. Students cheered anew, the sound washing over her in a wave of euphoria. When they parted he bore a smirk on his face.

“This doesn’t mean you’ve won,” she said.

“Only this round,” he said smugly.

She couldn’t argue with that. Even as the students set to cleaning up, Reed stayed until he had a real class to attend. Promising to return afterwards, he hurried away. Dr. Freeman took his place and helped her dismantle a machine of electrical wires, wood, and tape.

“He has a way of inspiring others,” he said. “And a gift for leadership.”

“I know,” she said.

“Just make sure you keep him after he graduates.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, turning to face him.

“He’s in his last semester,” Dr. Freeman said. “I understand he’s accepted an offer for an internship in New York. I’m sorry, I thought you knew.”

She recalled Reed had mentioned the internship several months ago, and tried to brush it off. “I did, I just forgot.”

Dr. Freeman inclined his head, his expression revealing he was not entirely convinced. “Good luck to you both,” he said, and then strode away.

Kate shook her head, confused by the exchange. Had he kept it from her? Or just forgotten to talk about it? Her frown deepened as she worked to disassemble the machine, but forced her doubt aside when more of her classmates approached.

Reed returned an hour later and she buried her doubt. He seemed lighthearted and excited, and endured the endless congratulations with a touch of humility that she’d come to admire. If there was any doubt about their future it did not show on his face, and she resolved to wait until he brought it up.

He remained at her side as they helped with the cleanup. Some of the professors cancelled class and had their engineering students help, while others, such as Dr. Hyde, insisted their students attend. Regardless, the machines were all taken down in short order and they were finally alone on their way to a late lunch.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“Fine,” she said, flashing a smile.

“Are you sure?” he asked. “You’ve been rather quiet. Was the invite too much?”

“No,” she said hastily. “It was stunning. I just have a lot on my mind.”

His gaze lingered on her and she did her best to keep her thoughts from her face. They had hardly been dating a month and she had no right to tell him what to do after graduation. What if he chose New York? What did that mean for them? She couldn’t leave her program and it was too late to apply to schools in New York. Was she willing to go for him? Was he willing to stay?

The questions bombarded her but she forced a smile. “Ready to eat?” she asked, and hoped he would bring it up before she exploded.