Northern Ridge: Prequel

Chapter 6: Sticks and Stones (12 years)

Titus felt something hit the back of his head and looked on the ground to see a blue eraser. He glanced over his shoulder to see his brother, listening to the teacher in the next row. It was all an act. Darius never listened that intently to anymore. Shaking his head, he turned forward.

The teacher continued to explain the math problem, and the moment she turned her back, something hard nailed Titus in the head.

Cursing under his breath, he rubbed the stop. On the ground was a small rock. That made his blood boil. Darius was going to get it now. Hunched over at his desk he slowly reached down and snatched the rock while the teacher wasn't looking.

He peeked at Darius to find him building a barricade with books and folders and ducking beneath it. That wouldn't save him. Titus would buy his time and then attack his brother. He hid the rock in his lap and turned his attention to the lesson.

The bell rang, and they started to gather up their things, so they could go to lunch. Titus quickly slipped the rock into his pocket.

"Hurry up, let's go," barked Darius, who was waiting at the door.

"Calm down, I'm coming."

The two sixth grade boys left the room together, heading for the cafeteria. They grabbed their trays from the stack. After filing through the food line, they sat down with some of their friends. The teacher on duty kept a close eye on them, but they always did. One too many food fights between the brothers had happened in the past.

Titus wasn't going to do anything stupid, just yet. He'd wait until they were outside, and he had a clear chance at getting revenge.

"Are you done yet?" groaned Darius.

"Yep." Titus wiped his face on his arm and went with his brother to dump their trays.

The two went outside with a soccer ball in hand.

Darius dropped it on the ground. "Finally out of that place. School is such a waste of time. I wish dad would just let us quiet after next year."

"That'll never happen," scoffed Titus. "How will we become responsible future dominants?" He rolled his eyes. "I can read that should be good enough."

"Exactly," exclaimed Darius, kicking the ball down the field.

"Hey, guys!" Rupert ran out toward them, waving. He jogged to a halt. "Why didn't you wait?"

"I don't have time to waste on a pup like you," teased Darius, pressing his finger into Rupert's forehead.

Rupert knocked it away. "Cut it out."

"You going to make me?" he challenged.

Rupert narrowed his eyes at the boy, before letting out a war cry and charging. They wrestled for only a few moments before Darius side step around Rupert's legs and sent him tumbling onto the ground.

The redhead bounced around his fallen opponent, a little too pleased about defeated a fifth grader.

"Winner," Darius lifted his arms up into the sky, "and still undefeated champion of Northern Ridge!"

"You fight dirty." Rupert stood and dusted himself off.

"Excuses from the loser are never that convincing." He gave the two a smirk before dribbling the ball back and forth toward the goal.

Titus patted Rupert on the shoulder and took the rock out of his pocket. He tossed it in his hand. "I got this." He cocked back his hand and baseball pitched it straight at his brother.