After listening to that trash talk, Ravi's face looked dark and emotionless. From this moment onwards, he seemed listless, he was just nodding whenever anyone talked to him. It didn't seem like he is even listening properly, his actions seem to be almost robotic.

He just walks around, goes to his class again, and sits down.

[Ravi's PoV]

'Give chance to someone else? It's not like I even want do any real research?' That's nonsense, they don't even know my dreams.

"Hey, Ravi! Congrats on getting 3rd in the Olympiad, at this point we won't even be surprised even if you top Physics and Math."

"Yeah, thanks", Ravi replied with a faint smile. But, he was not actually listening.

'Weakling huh!!'. They think that not dissecting an innocent animal makes me a weakling!! Then are those who don't kill humans are weaklings too??

Ah, this is irritating, why am I even thinking about their shit gossip!!

The whole day went by and suddenly I am bathing in my home. What happened? When did I reach home? Why am I bathing? I finished quickly, dressed up, and went to the living room.

"Mom, what's the time?"

"Oh, it's 3:40", said my Mom looking at her watch. So, is it about 30 mins since I came home?

"When did I came home? Why was I bathing?". My mom seems to be a little surprised at my reaction, but I don't even remember how I reached home.

"What happened? You came at 3 and said you are not feeling well, so you will take a bath, you were in the bath for 30 minutes, I started to get worried."
Ah, so that's what happened. But I still can't remember a thing.

"Oh, it's nothing. I am okay", I said casually.

Although I said that, but I didn't feel okay.

I remembered nothing since that trash talk and I was not feeling well. It's not like I was sick, but I just didn't feel good. I just felt like crying.

"Oh Son, that reminds me, your sister has some good news. She was so excited."

"Sweetie, your brother is here. You were so excited. Tell him."

My sister came out of her room and screamed. "Mom, it's nothing, I was not excited, and don't call me sweetie. My project was just selected to be displayed in the science fest. Nothing grand, okay? Further, Brother will just make fun of me."

"Oh, science fest? That's great. Congrats, I was also happy when my project was selected." I just said what I felt, but my sister was making a surprised face.

"Huh, are you seriously praising me??"

"Well, I just said what I thought. Mom, I feel tired, so I am going to rest in my room."
I was feeling suffocated, I felt as if I might cry any moment. Bot why would I cry? Actually, I had no idea, I just felt like crying. So, I quickly left the living room, went into my room, and crashed on my bed thinking I will just sleep and forget about today. But no matter what, I can't sleep.

[Living Room, Sister's PoV]

"Mom, brother is acting weird. He can't praise me, he has never done that!!"

"Oh sweetie, you are exaggerating. I remember when you topped in 5th class, he was so happy. He said you are the 1st topper in our family. And he was telling all the cousins how his sister is the brightest among all of them."

"He did?? I don't remember and even if he praised me, it was 3 years ago!! But, he is definitely acting weird now. I'm sure."

"If you are so worried, why don't you talk to him?"

"Huh! Nah, he will get better on his own, I am going to prepare for the science fest"

[30 minutes later]

"Brother, are you awake?"
"Hello, brother?"

Seems like he is asleep, I should go.

Just when I was leaving, the door opened.
"Sis, you want anything?"

"Nah, you just looked depressed, so I thought I can talk with you."

"Ah that", he ruffled his hair and then replied, "I am fine now, you don't need to worry about me, okay." Saying that he began closing the door, but suddenly I blocked him.

He doesn't seem to be fine, but if I pressure him, he will just avoid me. What do I do?

"Ah, it's great if you are feeling good now. Actually, I want to discuss about my science project. If you are free, can we?"

"Oh okay, come in the room."

First, I discussed about the science project, then I talked about my day at school and then casually asked him what happened at his end.

"Oh about that, I don't remember much."

"Huh!! How? I mean how you can't remember anything?"

"About that, uh... You see...", and then he explained everything which happened with him to me. I listened to him carefully.

"Oh, I see. Well, they are just trash."

"Sis??"

"What? They are trash, aren't they? They were just probably jealous of you. So, what are you so angry about? What hurt you most?"

"What hurt me most? Uh, I guess when.. when they called me a weakling for not being able to cut animal? Yeah, that's what hurt me most."

"And why?"

"Because... I don't understand why they would consider killing an innocent animal to be a sign of bravery? Does this make murderers brave? So, people who don't kill other humans are weakling?

I don't understand the double standard!! Killing a human is a crime, but killing an animal is considered brave, caring for a human is good, but caring for an animal makes me a weakling?"

Hearing his explanation, I started laughing.

"Huh, are you laughing at me, sis?"

"Uh, no, no. It's just that I wondered what you were so unhappy about but it just happened because those guys didn't care about the life of an animal. That was making you so anxious huh?"

"Oh, I guess, but is that a bad thing?"

"Bad? Nope, far from it. It means that you care, right? You care for an animal's life, so it's definitely a good thing."

"Ah now that you put it this way, I feel much better. Hey, did you even wanted to discuss about that Science Project?"

"Ah, that. Who knows? He-he. It's great that you are feeling better now, you know how gloomy you were looking before? You always say that you will become the best scientist but you haven't said it once today. "

"Ah, I see. So, you agree that I will become the best?"

"Nah, I don't see that happening, I will definitely be better than you so you have just 2-3 years of margin to become the best"

"Mom, bring a mirror, this child has no idea what she is talking about. Let's show her reality."

"He-he. Now, you look more like yourself. And don't worry even if you fail as a scientist, I will create a communication device to talk with animals, okay?"

"Okay, deal. But I don't think you would be able to achieve it if I can't."

"About that, only time will tell."

[Back to Anish's PoV]

[Ah, this was a depressing day, for the whole time I had to see the gloomy face of Ravi.]

But, all is well that ends well, I guess.
Seeing the happy faces of Ravi and his sister brought I smile to my face. Today was a day where unexpected things happened. I never thought Ravi can get this depressed, never thought that the thing which was making him depressed was disregard for animal life. And neither did I thought that her devil sister actually cared about her brother this much.

Devil or no devil, a family is a family. I smiled and suddenly it got dark.

[AHH!! Guess it's time for the scene to change again]

I tried opening my eyes, but the light was blinding me. My head was aching and can hear some faint panicked voices.

"Anish, Anish."

"MOM!!"

[Huh, why am I seeing Mom?? Wasn't I dead? Or rather was it a dream or this one is? !!]