Two Worlds, Book 2

Heartfelt Highschool | Nine Years Ago | Afternoon

The late afternoon sun bathed the high school campus in warm gold, stretching long shadows across the cracked pavement and faded basketball court lines. Students lingered in small clusters, their laughter and chatter mixing with the rustling leaves in the breeze.

Alan trudged along the sidewalk, his overstuffed backpack weighing on his shoulders. A well-worn Dungeons & Dragons rulebook peeked out from the side pocket. His glasses had slipped down his nose again, and he pushed them back absentmindedly, lost in thought.

His lips moved slightly as he worked through an idea, mentally fine-tuning an intricate campaign. Moral dilemmas, chaotic neutral decisions, party dynamics—it was all coming together—

"Alan!"

He barely had time to register the voice before Kara jogged up beside him, nudging his arm with the back of her hand.

"Oi, dreamer. I've been yelling your name for ages. Lucky you didn't wander into traffic."

Alan blinked, adjusting his backpack straps. "Huh? Oh—sorry. I was thinking."

Kara smirked. "Let me guess—curses? Goblins? Or did you finally crack the mysteries of the twenty-sided die?"

Alan's expression didn't change. "It's not just the dice," he said, completely earnest. "It's about character complexity. This bard is chaotic neutral, which means—"

Kara groaned, throwing her hands up. "Oh my God, Alan, do you ever think about normal things? Like music? Food? Actual people?"

"Normal's boring," Alan replied, smirking now.

Kara rolled her eyes, but the teasing edge in her voice softened. "Dork." She gave him a light smack on the shoulder, the kind that said I'm making fun of you, but I'd fight someone for you.

Behind them, Sydney walked at her usual careful pace, a well-worn copy of Jane Eyre tucked against her chest. She hid a smile as she listened to the twins go back and forth.

Kara glanced over her shoulder. "You planning to stay back there forever, or did you finally marry that book?"

Sydney's cheeks warmed as she adjusted her glasses. "I'm coming," she murmured.

Kara grinned and slung an arm around Sydney's shoulders, effortlessly pulling her into their orbit. "Good. Alan's trying to drag me into his nerd world again. I need backup."

"It's a bard," Alan corrected, but his tone was light. "And I said you don't have to play."

Sydney's lips twitched as she glanced at Kara. "Maybe you're just scared he's better at something than you."

Kara gasped, staggering back as if she'd been mortally wounded. "Betrayal! You're supposed to be on my side!"

Sydney laughed, a quiet, airy sound that blended with the rustling leaves. "You'll survive."

"Barely," Kara muttered, but the grin tugging at her lips betrayed her.

Heartfelt Highschool | Eastern Side

The trio made their way to their usual spot: the ancient oak tree by the school's library. Its sprawling branches stretched overhead, filtering the late afternoon sunlight into shifting patterns on the grass. The roots, thick and gnarled, created a natural perch, worn smooth from years of use.

Alan let out a relieved sigh as he dropped his backpack at the base of the tree, rolling his shoulders. Kara, with her usual ease, clambered onto a low-hanging branch and stretched out, one leg dangling as she leaned back against the bark.