The Otherworlders Academy - An Original Teen Fantasy

S2-Ep. 4.12 (R) - The Obstacles in Our Path

Patrick laughs softly and props a hand behind him. He leans back and tilts his face up to the last rays of the dusky sun. "I'm fine, Aidan," he says softly. "I'm just... I don't know... I'm just frustrated, that's all."

Aidan nods. "I see. I see." He mutters. Then after a beat he asks, "What're ya frustrated about? Your friend, Stephen?" He slants a glance at Patrick, gauging his reaction. "I mean it makes sense after your run in with him, given that you two were—"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Patrick replies with a low growl.

"Okay, okay." Aidan holds up his hands defensively. "I get it. I understand." He picks absently at the blades of grass again. But after an awkward pause, he blurts out, "So, does it work?"

"Does what work?" Patrick kicks his leg out before him, bends over, and begins to stretch.

"This running yourself ragged, you know, to work off your frustrations?" Aidan clarifies.

"Usually." Patrick stops mid-stretch, and his voice softens. "Unfortunately, this time it didn't." He chuckles to himself. "This time it just made me want to throw up."

Aidan chuckles as well and nods. "Well, you know what I do when I need to work through somethin' that's botherin' me?"

Patrick laughs and rolls his eyes. "Aidan, with you, I can't even imagine!"

Aidan smiles, but continues, unphased. "I indulge in a marathon session of Red Faction — Red Faction: Guerilla — in fact."

"What is that?" Patrick inquires. "One of your video games?"

"Video game!" Aidan scoffs. "Red Faction is not just a video game, my friend. Red Faction is a video game of epic proportion and utter destruction. You see, the whole thing is that you're leading a hostile rebellion against an evil corporation on the surface of Mars. The mechanics are kinda complex, but it's great for relieving tension!"

Patrick nods. "Interesting." He slants Aidan a glance. "But a more important question is can you blow shit up?"

Aidan looks back at Patrick, incredulous. "Can you blow shit up?" He snorts out a laugh. "Can you blow shit up?!  Dude! You can lay waste to an entire planet!" He lifts his arms enthusiastically.

Patrick laughs. "Okay, let's do it."

"Let's do what?" Aidan blinks, uncertain of what he's just heard.

Patrick shrugs. "It sounds like the perfect stress reliever, so let's play."

"Seriously?!" Aidan's eyes go wide. He lays a hand on his chest. "You want to play... a video game... with me?"

"Uh, yeah..." Patrick shakes his head and looks at Aidan as if he were slow. "I'm not going to play by myself, now am I?"

"Well, of course not!" Aidan says with glee. He jumps to his feet and crosses his arms over his puffed out chest as he beams back down at Patrick.

Patrick purses his lips. "I mean you are going to teach me how to play, right?" he asks as he stands up too.

"Dude," Aidan says with genuine pride. He tilts his head, raises both hands to his shoulders, and points at himself. "You're looking at the two-time, undefeated Red Faction regional champion." His smile widens. "Trust me, friend." He winks and then bows, with his arms held wide, as if he were the Ringmaster of a grand circus. "You are in very, very good hands."

***

That night in the Enchanted Grand Hall, Sr. Hidalgo approaches the girls, clustered around the hors d'oeuvres table, and asks if he can borrow his daughter for a moment.