As an ordinary genius

The months flew by, and before Ethan knew it, his internship at LynxTech Solutions was coming to an end. The once-intimidating office now felt like a second home, and his team had become a small, supportive family.

But as the final week approached, Ethan found himself feeling a mix of emotions—pride at how far he'd come, anxiety about what lay ahead, and a bittersweet longing to hold onto this chapter of his life just a little longer.

Ethan's last big task was to finalize the AI optimization project. The presentation to the client was scheduled for Friday, and the pressure was mounting.

"Okay, team," Serena said during their morning meeting. "This is it. We've worked hard for months, and we're in the home stretch. Ethan, are you ready to present the backend architecture?"

"I've been preparing all weekend," Ethan said, though his nervousness was evident.

"You'll do great," Serena said. "Mark and I will handle the Q&A if things get too technical."

"Thanks," Ethan said, feeling a bit more at ease.

During lunch, Ethan found himself reflecting on the small, seemingly insignificant moments that had made his internship special.

"Remember the time Mark accidentally spilled coffee on the server rack?" Adam said, laughing as they sat around their usual cafeteria table.

"Oh, come on," Mark groaned. "You're never letting that go, are you?"

"Not a chance," Adam replied. "It's legendary."

Ethan chuckled, grateful for the lighthearted camaraderie.

"Hey, Ethan," Serena said, nudging him. "You've been quiet. What's on your mind?"

"Just... thinking about how much I'm going to miss this place," Ethan admitted.

"Don't get sentimental on us now," Adam teased. "You're going to be fine out there. Besides, you'll visit."

Ethan nodded, though he wasn't sure how much visiting he'd do.

Friday arrived, and Ethan stood in the conference room, his palms slightly sweaty as he glanced at the projector screen. The clients were seated across the table, their expressions expectant.

"Good afternoon, everyone," Ethan began, his voice steady despite his nerves. "Today, I'll be walking you through the backend architecture of our AI optimization platform."

As he spoke, he felt a wave of confidence building. Months of hard work had prepared him for this moment, and the nods of approval from the clients reassured him.

By the end of the presentation, the clients were impressed.

"This is excellent work," one of them said. "Your team has outdone itself."

"Thank you," Ethan said, exchanging relieved smiles with Serena and Mark.

That evening, the team threw a small farewell gathering for Ethan.

"To Ethan!" Adam said, raising his glass. "The guy who came in as an intern and left as a legend!"

"Let's not go that far," Ethan said, laughing.

"You've earned it," Serena said. "You've worked hard, learned a lot, and made a real impact here."

Mark patted him on the back. "Keep that work ethic, and you'll do great wherever you go."

Ethan felt a lump in his throat as he thanked them. He'd grown so much during his time at LynxTech, and saying goodbye was harder than he'd expected.

Later that night, as Ethan packed up his things at home, his phone buzzed with a message from Felicity.

Felicity: Heard your internship is ending. Congratulations on making it through!

Ethan stared at the message, feeling a pang of longing. He typed a response and hovered over the send button.

Ethan: Thanks, it's been a wild ride. How are things with you?

But he deleted it. Instead, he kept it simple.

Ethan: Thanks.

He didn't know why it was so hard to talk to her, even after all this time.

As Ethan lay in bed that night, he thought about the future. The internship had been a transformative experience, but it was only one step in a much larger journey.

He didn't know where he was headed next, but he knew one thing for sure—he was ready for whatever came next.