“The World is quick to label you, but it will take ages to take a stand!”

― Avijeet Das

It is also important for computer engineers to keep up with rapid advances in technology. Therefore, many continue learning throughout their careers. This can be helpful, especially when it comes to learning new skills or improving existing ones. For example, as the relative cost of fixing a bug increases the further along it is in the software development cycle, there can be greater cost savings attributed to developing and testing for quality code as soon as possible in the process, particularly before release. THWACK!

“What’s up convict?”

James winced and felt the back of his head where he was slapped. Looking up at the culprit, he was not too surprised to find Bobby Buchanan or BB as his friends like to call him staring back at him with a cocky grin. James sighed; he hated dealing with BB. But if he did nothing, the harassment would continue. So, he said.

“One, I’m not a convict.”

“It’s only a matter of time. After all, your father is an inmate. Your brother is heading that way too. It’s only natural you’d end up the same as them.”

BB snickered, and his friends who were standing or sitting on desks behind him laughed at his not funny joke. James just shook his head and tried to go back to reading his textbook. BB was not going to leave him in peace though. Before James knew it, BB had snatched the textbook right out of his hands.

“What ya reading convict? Can you read?”

On cue BB’s pack of hyenas which he calls friends laughed at his last question.

“That’s funny BB.”

Said a boy who James did not know the name of and did not care to know. BB read the textbook cover.

“Modern Software Engineering. Ha, you got to be kidding me.”

Without another word, BB threw the book over his head. James was pissed, but he remained calm. One of BB’s lackeys caught the textbook and looked at it.

“Why the hell would a criminal be reading something like this?”

James did not answer the boy, it did not matter anyway. Whatever he said, they would twist his words and make fun of him. BB still had that grin on his face as he spoke.

“Don’t ya guys know? James here wants to be a computer engineer. He wants to develop software and codes and shit like that.”

BB and his hyenas laughed as if becoming a computer engineer was some kind of joke or an impossible dream. Then, BB spoke again.

“Come on, man. A thug from the hood with a crack head mom and a drug dealing father and brother don’t have the smarts to become a computer engineer.”

James just shrugged before replying.

“You’re free to have your own opinions. Now, give me back my book. I wasn’t finished.”

“Oh yeah.”

BB said. His demeanor changed. Placing both hands on James’s desk, he leaned forward saying.

“Whatcha gonna do if I don’t give it back?”

James did not lean back; he would not give BB the satisfaction of being intimidated. But if a fight were to break out, BB’s friends would jump in. It happened before and will happen again. But James would not back down. He smiled at BB which threw the boy off. Then James said in a cool calm voice.

“You know BB, you’ve got it all in high school.”

James’s statement caused BB to frown, wondering what James was trying to say. So, he asked.

“What the fuck you gettin’ at convict?”

James smiled and spoke.

“Look at you. Top quarterback on the football team, popular at school, and you get to go to all the coolest parties.”

BB nodded agreeing to what James was saying, but then James’s tone became cynical.

“Too bad none of that translates to academic achievements. Your grades are piss poor, and your attitude is for shit. Maybe you’ll get a football scholarship to a top college or university. If not, your parents will probably pay your college tuition. But in the end, you’ll wash out because you’ve never faced true adversity. You’ll just be another high school football legend who couldn’t cut it in the big leagues.”

With each word James spoke, BB got angrier and angrier, his face was turning as red as a cherry. James could see it, but he did not care. He poured on the words; he would not stop.

“But don’t worry. Even when you do fail, daddy and mommy will be there to pick their little itty-bitty baby boy back up. You’ll end up working at your father’s business. Of course, as an executive bossing others around. Others more qualified than you. Because they have the brains which you lack.”

That was it. BB could not take anymore. He grabbed James by his collar and shouted.

“You piece of shit! I’m not a loser! You’re the loser motherfucker!”

BB cocked back a fist ready to throw it at James’s face. But James was ready. He knew how to defend himself. He took mixed martial arts lessons at the gym for self-defense. James was prepared to disable BB with a few critical strikes at precise points on his body. But before the fight could start, another boy shouted.

“That’s enough you two!”

Both James and BB closed their eyes in mutual agitation. Both knew the owner of that voice; it was Mr. Perfect himself Arthur Prince. Arthur Prince was your all-American home-grown boy next door. Tall with blonde hair and blue eyes, he was very handsome and popular at school and half the girls at school had a crush on him. A student athlete, Arthur was not just good at football. He was good at any sport he played whether it be football, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, or even golf, Arthur had it all.

To make matters worse, not only was he good looking and athletic. Arthur had brains to go with his brawn. He is the only one in the whole school to be number one in academics. James came in a strong second, but he had a feeling Arthur did not like the fact that the son of a drug dealing, murdering father and a crack head mother was that smart.

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Many in the school believed James was cheating somehow. They could not prove it, but they were sure of it. James ignored the haters and nay sayers. He would do him and to hell with anyone else.

“You couldn’t help yourself. You had to make trouble.”

Arthur stared straight at James and did not even look in BB’s direction. James rolled his eyes; he was used to this. Always receiving the blame for someone else’s misbehavior.

“Look man, I just want my book back. I was doing just fine before your teammate here decided to bother me.”

James declared, pointing at BB. BB and Arthur are on the same football team. Even if they were not, Arthur would always side against James.

“Book? What book?”

Arthur asked.

“This book.”

Said a boy who handed the textbook to Arthur. He took it and read the cover before shaking his head and giving it back to James.

“What’s the point in reading a textbook like that? To be a Computer Engineer takes hard work.”

Arthur said as though he were imparting wisdom to an idiot. James could not help himself; he snapped back.

“Of course, that’s why I’m working hard to be a Computer Engineer. I’ve been working hard towards that goal since I was in middle school.”

“Bullshit. Everyone knows you cheat.”

The words did not come from Arthur, no, they came from the person James never wanted to converse with again. He looked in her direction and saw Cara Sanchez. A Puerto Rican beauty with long midnight black hair and crystal-like chocolate brown eyes. The clothes she wore were tailored to show off her best assets. James once had a crush on her, and so in their sophomore year he decided to ask her out on a date.

Instead, of just saying no like a normal person. Cara decided to humiliate James in front of the whole school. On that day, James found out that beautiful things can hide the ugliness inside. Cara was cruel and vindictive. James killed his crush for Cara and decided to focus on himself. His mother was no help. She was either high or drunk or both. James saw that Cara was not alone, she had her girlfriends in toe.

“Your right Cara I do cheat and I’ll tell you how I do it. I read books…”

James held up the textbook he had been reading and continued.

“…then I memorize the words, and when I take a test, I know the answers because I have the words in my head. I cheat by memorizing and keeping knowledge in my head.”

James said all this with a cherry upbeat tone. Cara just looked disgusted, and she made her feelings clear when she said.

“There is no way a thug criminal piece of shit could be second place in academic achievements. You’re going to end up like your father, an inmate. Or maybe, you’ll end up dead on the street.”

Inside, James was sad. One time he thought very highly of Cara. To learn she believed the rumors and thought so poorly of him. Well, it stung. Cara was in third place, right behind James in academics. But she refuses to believe James had studied and worked hard for his spot.

Suddenly, the bell rang. It was time for class. BB and Cara gave James ugly looks before going to their assigned seats. Arthur just gave James a pitying look before taking his own seat. Then, their first period teacher Mr. Donald Abbot walked into the class.

“Alright, class. Be seated and no talking. I’ve got the results of your test scores.”

Mr. Abbot was bald, but he says he shaved his head. For a man in his fifties, Mr. Abbot was thin and fit. He was also a white man who did not think too highly of James a black teenager family issues. Mr. Abbot returned the test papers to the students, he announced to the entire class.

“Mr. Arthur Prince, it seems that your throne has been usurped by Mr. James Cross.”

James looked at his paper and saw that he had a high score. He expected it because he studied hard for the test. But to no surprise he saw his classmates giving him unapproving and jealous gazes.

“I don’t understand Mr. Abbot. What do you me?”

Arthur asked. Mr. Abbot gave an understanding smile before answering.

“Well Mr. Prince, Mr. Cross scored higher than you on the test.”

“Ah! That’s not fair. Mr. Abbot, everyone knows James is a cheater. There must be something that can be done about his cheating.”

“Mrs. Sanchez, I understand your frustration. But there is no and have never been any evidence of Mr. Cross cheating.”

James heard the condensation in Mr. Abbot’s voice. The teacher believed he cheated, but James did not care what the teacher thought. He stopped caring a long time ago. Just when James thought the argument about his test score was over. BB spoke.

“Mr. Abbot, I think we should sign a petition to deal with the convict’s cheating.”

Before Mr. Abbot could respond, James had had enough.

“Every test score, grade, and achievement I have received at school I have earned.”

James said this with finality, as if no one could challenge his words. But of course, BB had to open his big mouth.

“You ain’t earn a damn thing. All you, your father, and your brother know how to do is steal and take and cheat.”

James would have responded with something unflattering, but Mr. Abbot cut in before he could utter a word.

“Mr. Buchanan that will be enough. It is not polite to disparage your fellow classmate because of his origins.”

BB leaned back in his chair but said nothing. James did not see any sign of him apologizing in the future. Then, Mr. Abbot turned his attention to James. James knew what was coming next.

“Mr. Cross, despite your…family issues. I would ask you to please not disrupt the class. This is your and your classmates last year in high school. Many of you will have plenty of opportunities to improve your grades and attract some good colleges and universities. So, no more outbursts from you. Okay Mr. Cross.”

James did not reply. He sat back in his chair and seethed. Mr. Abbot was no different than the other teachers. Why was Arthur, Cara, and BB not reprimanded for disrupting the class with their James is a cheater nonsense. James sighed as Mr. Abbot began teaching the class. James did not need to listen to the lesson, he had already read about the subject in a textbook.

James stared at the ceiling, thinking about his future away from this high school, town, and state. He thought about the college he would go to. The degree he would earn, and maybe someday he would meet someone. Get married and have his own kids. He would not fuck up their lives like his parents did to him and his brother. He would have a normal life at last.

As he was thinking about what his future wife would be like. James’s thoughts abruptly stopped because his eyes were playing tricks on him. That is the only explanation he could come up with because he could not be seeing what was up underneath the ceiling right now.

A circle of white light with lines and symbols appeared underneath the ceiling. The circle encompassed the whole classroom, and the light of the circle grew brighter.

“What the fuck is that on the floor!? That wasn’t there before!?”

The question came from a random student, James did not know who and did not care. He looked down and saw the same exact circle which was mirrored on the ceiling. It too was getting brighter. Someone said out loud.

“What the hell is going on!? There’s one on the ceiling too!”

Mr. Abbot had stopped his lesson. He too saw the circles on the floor and ceiling. The lights from the circles grew so bright, James could barely see anything. Then suddenly, there was a bright flash and James found himself in empty space. All around was darkness, a dark void he could not fathom or explain. Then, there was another bright flash of light. James felt the cold floor beneath him.

Looking around, James saw his classmates all on the floor. A few were standing and scanning their surroundings. He decided to do the same. Standing up, James realized they were not in their classroom anymore. They were in a circular room with gray walls with torches attached to the walls. Then, he saw…James had to blink a couple of times.

He was looking at armored knights standing by the walls. Knights from medieval times. But for some reason the knights’ armor looked more advanced than the armor he saw on TV, or the museum, or even in history books. James could also feel some kind of energy coming from not just the armor. But also, the weapons the knights held.

But the knights were not the only people in the room with them. To one side of the room James saw people in gray or silver robes. Some were young, some were old, and they were a mix of men and women. What in God’s name is going on? That was what James was thinking when the people in gray and silver robes parted to reveal a tall and powerfully built man in gold armor and wearing a gold crown inlaid with gems of different colors.

The man approached the class with hands spread out as if in greetings. Then he spoke in a powerful and authoritative voice.

“Welcome young heroes! Welcome to the world of Elantra.”

James said the only thing that came to mind.

“Holy shit. I’ve been isekai.”