You Chose the Wrong Ones to Hurt

The teacher was guiding Arnav, Avyuktha, and Raghav across the school campus, explaining buildings and facilities with patient enthusiasm, while around them the grounds throbbed with restless energy. Children poured out of classrooms in noisy waves, laughter rising and falling like bursts of fireworks, voices overlapping, bags swinging wildly as excitement for the upcoming vacations filled the air. Everything felt loud, bright, and alive.