WebNovels

Chapter 11 - The Countdown

It had already been nearly a month since the bet started. Time slipped by faster than Adrian expected, and that meant one thing, he only had a month left to win. One month to make Ivan fall, head over heels, no way out. Adrian had no intention of losing.

He'd been laying the groundwork like a strategist in some stupid dating sim. The little conversations, the forced proximity and the little "accidents" where he stepped in just when Ivan needed someone, playing the savior card so naturally it didn't look staged. Now, with the school's annual Sports Day just around the corner, Adrian saw the perfect stage to push things further.

Of course, the teachers had roped him in as one of the students in charge of organizing the event. Declining wasn't even an option, not for Adrian. His reputation depended on that golden balance, a good student and a charming troublemaker. The kind of boy who never said no to teachers but always knew how to bend rules for fun.

So here he was, in the middle of class, clipboard in hand. His eyes scanning the list of students that already signed up. His classmates milled about noisily, chatting and half-listening while the class leader stood at the front, trying to wrangle names for the last few empty slots.

"Alright, listen up," the leader called out, voice weary, "we still need two more people for the relay and one more for long jump. If you're free, just sign up. Any volunteers?"

A few students groaned dramatically, as if he'd asked them to donate kidneys instead of run a hundred meters.

Adrian smirked faintly, ticking off names on his sheet. Poor guy. He sounds like he's running a charity drive.

The leader scanned the room, eyes landing on a tall boy in the back. "Hey, Sam. You're good at sports, right? Why don't you take one of these?"

Sam, lounging at his desk, blinked like he'd just been accused of murder. "Huh? Did someone call me?" He pointed at himself, face the picture of innocence. Then, before anyone could pin him down, he clutched his stomach dramatically. "Ah, damn, I think I've got food poisoning. Gotta hit the bathroom."

And just like that, he slipped out the door before anyone could argue. A collective groan rose from the class. The leader pinched the bridge of his nose. "Unbelievable. Every year it's the same."

Adrian smirked faintly, shaking his head. Coward. At least make it believable.

Meanwhile, Ethan had already swaggered up to the front. He was halfway through scribbling his name onto the sheet, pen moving like it was a sword signing his declaration of war. Adrian joined him, casually picking up the second pen and leaning in beside him.

The rule was simple. No more than three events per student. Which meant strategy mattered.

"Picking already, huh?" Adrian asked.

"Hell yeah." Ethan's grin flashed bright and sharp, competitive fire sparking in his eyes.. "What? you thought you'd get all the glory again this year?"

Adrian leaned back in his chair, folding his arms with the kind of smirk that said he'd already won. "I don't 'get' the glory, Ethan. I earn it. There's a difference."

Ethan scoffed, clicking his tongue as he scribbled his name onto another event, like he was doubling down. "Fine. Let's make it interesting. We'll see who racks up more wins this year. Bet you can't beat me if I'm serious."

"You're always serious," Adrian pointed out dryly. "And you still lose."

The students sitting nearby snorted, unable to hold in their laughter. Everyone knew the script by now. Every Sports Day turned into Adrian and Ethan's private Olympics, tallying medals like it mattered more than grades.

Ethan bristled, puffing up like a rooster. "This year's different."

Adrian leaned down just enough to scribble his third event onto the paper, his smirk never fading. "We'll see about that. Don't cry when I'm standing on the podium again."

A chorus of "ooohs" rippled across the room, adding fuel to the fire. Ethan scowled, muttering curses under his breath.

The class leader clapped his hands, trying to bring the noise back down. "Guys, please. Just sign up. The sooner this is filled, the sooner we're done." He watched the both of them with thinly veiled exasperation. "And you two do realize this isn't the Olympics, right? It's just a school event."

"Tell that to him," Ethan said, jerking his thumb at Adrian.

"Please," Adrian replied smoothly, pen clicking shut. "He's the one obsessed with beating me. I'm just here to have fun."

"Fun, my ass." Ethan snorted, but there was a spark in his eyes. Rivalry lit him up every time.

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