Aggravation

Maya stopped laughing, her hand hovering over the board. "Eli, it’s the name of the game. If I don’t bump you, you win. If I bump you, we both keep playing."

"Six!" Maya chirped, sliding her red marble out of the starting gate. "Watch out, Eli. I’m coming for that shortcut." aggravation

"It’s frustrating to start over," Elias said quietly, looking at his lone marble back at the start. Maya stopped laughing, her hand hovering over the board

She wasn't just talking about the marbles. Elias had been "stuck at base" in his real life lately—terrified of taking a new job offer because he might fail, staying in his safe zone while the world moved around him. He treated every setback like a personal insult rather than a mechanic of the journey. If I bump you, we both keep playing

Elias grunted, his eyes fixed on his blue marble, currently sitting three spaces away from his 'Home' row. He had been playing conservatively, avoiding risks, while Maya played like a chaotic whirlwind.

"Yeah," Maya agreed, leaning forward. "But the board doesn't change. The shortcuts are still there. You just have to roll again. If you stay in the Base because you're mad about being bumped, you’ve already lost."