Aggravation -

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

The game continued, the frustration replaced by a steady, focused rhythm. They bumped, they jumped, and they started over—learning that the "aggravation" wasn't a wall, but just a reason to keep the dice rolling. aggravation

Elias felt the heat rise to his neck. "That was completely unnecessary. You had another move that wouldn't have bumped me." "Six!" Maya chirped

But the peace lasted exactly ten seconds. Maya rolled a five, landed squarely on Elias’s second marble near the center, and with a delighted clack , sent it tumbling back to the Base. "Aggravation!" she cheered. the frustration replaced by a steady