I watched Benjamin's expression shift from playful to panicked as he realized what he'd almost revealed. His eyes widened slightly behind his glasses, and I gave him a subtle head shake, just enough for him to understand.
"What I mean," Benjamin recovered smoothly, "is that great minds are often overlooked when they're right in front of us. We're all so fixated on the big names that we miss the quiet brilliance in our everyday lives."
Nice save. I relaxed my shoulders, taking a small sip of water.
"That's deep, man," someone said, and the group laughed, the moment of tension passing.
"Still," Hazel persisted, "it must be amazing working with THE Dr. Emma Bella. Is she as intimidating as they say?"
Benjamin caught my eye again, a smirk playing at his lips. "She can be quite formidable when crossed."
"Enough about Dr. Bella," Professor Wright cut in, joining our circle. "Let's hear what everyone else has been up to since graduation. That's the point of these reunions, after all."
