"Hey, which department are you from?"
"The College of Liberal Arts!"
"What?"
The coach froze, dumbfounded.
Students from the College of Liberal Arts were supposed to be buried in books, not blowing past trained athletes on a professional track. It sounded insane - like some kind of prank.
"You're kidding, right? You're from Liberal Arts and you just smoked my entire athletics lineup?"
Just then, Brad Brook's expression darkened.
He recognized the runner instantly.
Aiden James.
They'd clashed before, and the grudge ran deep.
Back in high school, Brad had seen Aiden as the definition of an annoying simp - always hovering around the same girl, Victoria Braun, the one Brad had his eye on.
Brad had even set up a fake "hero saves the damsel" stunt - two buddies from outside school would act like thugs, he'd show up just in time, rescue Victoria, and win her over.
But Aiden ruined everything.
The guy had been shadowing her like a guard dog, spotted the setup, and blocked Brad's two hired "villains."
Brad had to play along, fighting his own friends just to keep the act alive and afterward, Aiden still followed Victoria home every day, like a bodyguard who'd never been hired.
Because of that, Brad's grand plan fell apart.
He never got the girl.
And ever since graduation, that humiliation festered like a wound.
Now here he was again - this same "nobody" stealing his spotlight all over again.
Before Brad could spit out a word, the coach turned to Aiden, practically glowing.
"You know this kid, Brook? Perfect! Listen, son - doesn't matter if you're from Humanities. I'll make an exception and slot you directly onto the track and field team. You've got raw speed that's off the charts. If you join, I'll give you our school's only provincial recommendation spot!"
The coach could barely contain his excitement.
He'd been in athletics for twenty years, but this kind of natural speed? He'd never seen it.
"With proper training, you'll dominate the state championship, no question. You could go national, maybe even international. The Olympic track, son - ever thought of that?"
Brad's face went pale.
"Coach… wait. You promised me that recommendation spot!"
"Brad, you're good - really good but you saw it yourself. He's something else. You might take second at state; he'll take gold. I'm telling you, that boy's built to break records."
The coach wasn't exaggerating. The difference between Brad and Aiden wasn't a gap- it was a chasm.
And worst of all…
The "worthless simp" Brad once mocked had just crushed him in the one thing he was most proud of.