"Get lost! Don't let me see you again, or next time, I won't go easy!"
Ryan gave one last kick to the thug on the ground and spat to the side, chest heaving with adrenaline.
He felt like a hero today.
Four guys had just taken on more than ten and won. That was the kind of story you could brag about for an entire semester.
He turned, expecting to see a crowd cheering or maybe even a few impressed girls. But instead, his jaw dropped.
Ivy Mae - no, Sophia - had already rushed over to Aiden James, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
Ryan's expression soured immediately.
"Damn it," he muttered.
"Bro, you've been hiding your strength all this time, huh?" Jason said, half in awe, half in disbelief. "You've got to tell us - you used to train, right?"
"Yeah, no way someone fights like that without experience," Ethan added. "Guess we never stood a chance against you even if the three of us teamed up."
The group laughed, but underneath, a trace of envy lingered.
They finally understood why girls were always drawn to Aiden James, it wasn't just the confidence or looks. There was something else.
Of course, they didn't know the real reason most girls admired him wasn't because of his fighting skills. It was because of his quiet, mysterious charm and the fact that he always seemed one step ahead of everyone.
Aiden ignored Sophia's attempts to cozy up to him. She wasn't his type, pretty, yes, but shallow. The kind of person who measured worth in appearances and gossip.
He brushed the dirt off his hands and glanced at his reflection in a nearby window.
His body felt stronger, more balanced - almost lighter. It was strange. Ever since his recent workouts and stress fights, he could feel subtle changes. His frame had stretched just a bit - he looked a little taller, his shoulders a bit broader.
No wonder he'd been hungrier lately.
"Sorry, Ivy," Jason said awkwardly, "we got into that mess at your gaming lounge. I think a few computers didn't survive."
"It's fine," Ivy Mae said quickly, waving her hands. "Just some monitors. Don't worry about it."
Ryan frowned. "At least let us help pay for the damage..."
"Seriously, don't!" she interrupted, eyes darting to Aiden. "You guys are his friends. It's all good!"
The guys exchanged looks of disbelief.
Jason leaned toward Ryan and muttered, "Did she just say even if we broke the whole place, it'd be fine?"
Ryan groaned. "What is it with this guy? He walks in and girls just lose all logic."
By the time they turned around, Aiden was already gone - disappeared into the night air outside the lounge.
He couldn't stand Sophia's fake sweetness any longer.
She used to talk behind his back, always whispering poison into Emily Rose's ear when they were dating. She was one of the reasons things had fallen apart.
And now, after everything, she had the nerve to look at him that way?
Even if he'd moved on from Emily, this - her best friend throwing herself at him - was a new kind of shameless.
Aiden sighed and walked down the quiet street, hands in his pockets.
"Superficial best friends," he muttered. "The world's full of them."