Two Worlds at a Time

Aric didn’t want to wait after the class but out of curiosity he gave in. He followed Ishaan after everyone left to the class of big brother. Beside him, Ishaan walked with an air of nervous energy, glancing occasionally at Aric, whose face remained stoic and unreadable. Aric found his behavior to be odd and this upped his curiosity more.

"Come on, Aric," Ishaan said, attempting a casual tone . "My brother just wants to talk. It’s not a big deal."

As they reached the end of the hall, they turned a corner and entered an empty classroom. Ishaan’s brother, Dev, stood by the window with his arms crossed, flanked by his two friends, Vikram and Raj. They were older, taller, and carried themselves with the overconfidence of those who had never been challenged. Seeing Dev again after so many years felt a bit surreal. In his previous life he went on to become a political leader and from last he heard before his death, he was stood up for a local party of the state. Indian politics had always been wild and it was known to be festered with corruption, killings and every bad things known to men.

"So, this is the genius who’s been making my little brother look bad," Dev said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Thirteen years old and already a pain in the ass."

Those words were enough to make Aric understand what was Ishaan jealous about all this time. Indian families could be overwhelming, so it was probably because Ishaan’s parents made a mockery of him at school since Aric had aced in class. This must have gotten to Ishaan pretty badly and thus this whole drama had started. Aric said nothing, his eyes darting around the room, assessing exits and distances. He had a feeling of what was about to come.

"You know, Aric," Dev continued, stepping forward. "You’ve been hurting Ishaan’s feelings with your grades. Making him look bad in front of everyone. That’s not cool."

Ishaan stood by the door, his face a mix of guilt and apprehension. He avoided Aric’s eyes.

"And now," Dev said, his voice hardening, "you’re going to pay for it. Just like that other kid who thought he was better than us."

Raj and Vikram stepped closer, their expressions menacing. The room seemed to shrink as Aric’s senses heightened. Dev reached out, intending to grab Aric by the collar, but Aric moved. Faster than any of them could see, he sidestepped and grabbed Dev’s wrist, twisting it behind his back in one fluid motion. Dev cried out in surprise and pain.

"What the—" Raj started, but he didn’t finish. Aric spun, using Dev as a shield, and kicked Raj’s legs out from under him. Vikram lunged, but Aric met him with a precise punch to the stomach, doubling him over.

Ishaan’s eyes widened in horror as he watched his brother and friends being taken down effortlessly. He turned to run, but Aric was quicker. In a blur, he crossed the room and slammed Ishaan against the wall, his forearm pressing against Ishaan’s throat.

"You think you can threaten me and get away with it?"