No longer a pushover

Chapter 17

Noelle stood in the hallway, her gaze locking on Lucas.

Lucas, clearly embarrassed and on edge, was the first to break the silence. "You came to enjoy the show, didn't you? Having fun? Does it feel good to watch people mock our family's team? Bet you're loving this!" Noelle's expression remained cold and unyielding. "You're just not good enough."

Before Lucas could snap back, Team Trailblaze entered the backstage area.

Noelle's sharp gaze shifted toward their captain, Marty Gildon. He had been the one to spew insults before. "Let me ask you. Are you an orphan? Do you have any parents?" Marty's face darkened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's literal. Your mouth is so disgusting. I figured that your parents might have passed away early and never had the chance to teach you any manners," Noelle said smoothly. Marty's fury ignited instantly. "You brat! Say that again, I dare you!"

Noelle's icy demeanor didn't crack for a second. "Here's the deal. If you lose this match, you'll publicly apologize to my parents in front of the press for the garbage you've just said." "Lose? Us? You're out of your mind!" Marty sneered.

"What's wrong? Too scared to agree?"

Marty took the bait without hesitation. "Fine! But if you lose, your captain has to publicly apologize for what you just said, too!"

With that, Team Trailblaze stormed off, their aggression practically radiating off of them.

Noelle remained calm. Deep down, though, she already knew how this would end.

Team Luminark was enveloped in a tense atmosphere.

Lucas scowled, his frustration boiling over. "If we lose, you're the one apologizing. Don't act like you're a part of this team, Noelle. You have no right to make decisions for us!"

"I'm only doing this to make him apologize for insulting my parents. Nothing more." Noelle's tone remained steady as she spoke.

Before Lucas could argue further, Frank came rushing into the room. "Noelle! Seeing you here makes me so happy. Finally, our family is back together."

Noelle pressed her lips into a thin line, offering no response.

around the room. "Where's

his jaw tightening. "No idea. She ran off after I called her

the team shifted uncomfortably before speaking up. "Lucas, Xenia was just really desperate to win.

trains on her computer late at night. She's doing her best," another

Lucas. Honestly, what you said earlier was pretty harsh,"

words sank in. "Harsh? What do

idea to join the team. Naturally, without the talent, she would have

a big mistake. Lucas wondered if he couldn't call

to the fire. "Exactly! Xenia's worked so hard-sacrificing her schoolwork, no less-yet you still scold her, Lucas? Sure, you're only about to lose the

with frustration. He questioned the reasoning behind this argument and wondered why

be to you, and look at what you did to her. You yelled at her, broke her heart, and drove her away. Is that what

not even the same thing! This was Xenia's fault-" Lucas shot

trap. As the

No matter what he said, Frank refused to

watched the scene unfold, her arms crossed and her expression coldly detached. "Finally, Lucas is getting a taste of his own medicine. How does it feel to be blamed? Misunderstood? To have no

through the silence. "If you want to win this match, you'll have to follow my lead for the

"And why the hell should

locked onto his, steady and unyielding. "Because I know how to win." Her tone

closely observed Team Luminark's gameplay. She understood

Don't act like you're invincible just because you've got some talent. You haven't even been training lately, so

pressed into a thin line. "If you don't follow my

sound filled with derision. "Quit,

"If no one else has a better plan, we should at least

his mouth to argue but found that he couldn't. Deep down, he knew that Frank was

slipped on the headset, her eyes sharpened with determination. This time, she wasn't here to win Lucas' approval. She was fighting

the second floor of the arena, Cedric stood by the window, his gaze fixed on Noelle as she

you say that she was just here to watch the chaos? Yet look at her now-she's stepping in to compete. No matter how unfairly