Tempted by My Buddy after Getting Cheated On

Chapter 8 Marching Off to Battle

Talon heard the recognition and smiled, his smirk as cocky as ever. "Yes. Glad you all still remember me."

But Ash didn't seem pleased. "I thought you quit the team," he spat.

Talon didn't flinch. "I did. Couldn't stand watching your nonsense. But I'm still a student here. And by the way, Ash? Today's an internal match. We're your opponents."

"You?" Ash sneered. "So, you brought in someone from another school to help you? Talon, you've really sunk that low just to win?"

Talon laughed, unbothered. "Don't be so dramatic. There is no one from another school."

"Him!" Ash snapped, pointing accusingly at Elrod.

Talon wasn't in the slightest. Ash, undeterred, pressed on, "Talon, you're a student here, yes. But he isn't! He has no right to compete! I'll have him thrown out of here."

Ash reached for his phone, clearly about to make a call to the school to deal with it.

Before I could shout, "Don't you dare!" Elrod stepped in, his face cold. He turned to snap at Talon, his voice icy. "You can't even handle this?"

Talon looked thoroughly aggrieved, opening his mouth to defend himself, but Elrod had already ripped open the front of his football jersey.

He turned around, stopping in front of Ash with a smirk.

"See this?" Elrod pointed at the jersey. "This is the school's uniform. I'm... now a student here!"

I froze, staring at the familiar jersey in front of me. It took a moment before it clicked.

Elrod, noticing my confusion, took his nameplate off and pressed it into my hand, his voice apologetic but tinged with amusement. "I've been busy transferring, so I didn't get the chance to find you. But looks like I didn't have to. Someone's already looking for trouble."

His gaze turned dark, landing squarely on Kiana. She shivered under his stare and quickly darted behind Ash.

'So... he wasn't avoiding me these past few days?'

A wave of guilt washed over me. For the past few days, I'd been upset with Elrod.

I'd thought he was a terrible friend.

He made those flirtatious comments when we caught Ash cheating, only to vanish after I got things sorted with Ash.

It was like he'd only said those things to comfort me.

Feeling guilty for misjudging him, I felt embarrassed for doubting him. I looked at his hand as he took mine. His voice was decisive, almost possessive. "This is our team's cheer captain," he said, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Tell me, does she have the right to wear this uniform?"

He glanced over the crowd, cold and unwavering, as if it wasn't up for discussion but a declaration.

No one spoke. They were clearly taken aback by the turn of events.

After he released my hand, Elrod turned, pointing a finger straight at Ash. "You picked on Melissa. Today, I'll make sure your team loses, and you lose badly."

Elrod spoke like a prophet, already predicting the downfall of Ash's team.

Spitting toward Elrod, Ash wasn't about to let it slide and sneered. "Talk big, huh? If you lose, you better leave this school and never show your face in front of Melissa again. And you better walk out, muttering to yourself that you're a coward."

Elrod grinned, his reply instant. "Deal."

Ash's smile was triumphant. This was his turf, his rules, and no one had ever dared challenge him like this.

But that smug look didn't last long.

Without a word, Elrod bent down and grabbed the football that had been tossed aside. The next moment, his eyes were cold as he looked at Ash, and before anyone could blink, he sent the ball flying toward Ash's head.

Ash froze, unable to react in time as the football came flying toward him.

He stared at the speeding ball, paralyzed with fear. His feet wouldn't move.

But Kiana, standing next to Ash, screamed, covering her head with her arms and collapsing onto the ground.

"No! Please!" she screamed. Her words, however, were little more than a bitter irony.

The ball sailed past Ash's cheek, leaving a faint red mark before it landed perfectly in the end zone behind him. 'Six points!'

That single moment solidified Elrod's strength.

Every inch of the throw, his strength, and the trajectory of the ball were flawlessly planned out with surgical precision.

In an instant, applause erupted from the crowd.

I joined in, clapping from the heart, proud of Elrod and even more grateful that such a person was my friend.

Elrod didn't let the moment pass quietly. He stood tall, his chest puffed out in smug arrogance, and pointed at Ash and Kiana and their entire football team, his voice sharp and taunting.

"If you lose," Elrod said, his voice dripping with confidence, "I want you and your pet over there to kneel and apologize to Melissa."

Elrod's confidence radiated from deep within, an undeniable charisma that outshone everyone in the crowd.

There was something almost regal about him, a presence that suggested he was a king.

Some of the more observant people in the crowd couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity. "Why is he looking so familiar?"

They exchanged puzzled glances before pulling out their phones and scrolling quickly. Their eyes widened in surprise.

"Wait... is that... Elrod Melville? The one the national team called the next prodigy to lead the football team to international glory?"

"Yeah, that's him."

Their eyes were all filled with anticipation, the excitement in the air contagious as the news quickly spread like wildfire.

What had started as a simple, low-key school match quickly turned into something far more exciting when people from other schools started showing up to watch.

In an instant, what was supposed to be an ordinary internal competition became the talk of the day.

Just before the game began, noticing the difference in the number of cheerleaders on both teams, Elrod walked over to me, his expression serious. "Are you sure you're okay with this? Just you against their whole cheerleading squad?"

I glanced at Kiana with disdain, like I was looking at garbage. "What, you think I'm worried about losing to them?"

That confidence of mine made Elrod chuckle, and his own smile was full of assurance while adding, "Melissa, just watch how I'll win this for you."

As he turned to walk away, I couldn't help but be drawn to the powerful, confident lines of his back.

At that moment, I could almost picture him as a hero marching off to battle.

The game kicked off with intense energy.

Ash, seemingly determined to make things difficult for Elrod, kept attacking, but Elrod handled everything with ease, while Ash repeatedly made basic mistakes.

As the match wore on, Ash's team began to lose momentum.

Meanwhile, Elrod kept playing at his best, scoring point after point, leaving Ash looking increasingly frustrated.

They huddled together, trying to strategize, but nothing they came up with could stop Elrod's relentless offense.

By the time they reached match point, Ash's team hadn't scored a single point, and panic was starting to set in.

They all knew that Elrod was far too strong. If this continued, they had no chance.

In a desperate bid to avoid kneeling before me, Ash clenched his teeth and made a decision, one that was as reckless as it was shameless.

Just as Elrod wound up for another powerful throw toward the end zone, Ash, without hesitation, launched himself in the opposite direction, hurtling directly into the path of Elrod's throw. He was headed straight for the ball, blocking its trajectory with a reckless, all-or-nothing move!