You charge at her

You’re still on your knees, your hand throbbing from the crushing defeat Chloe just handed you during the test of strength. The smug smirk on her face is burned into your mind, and the playful way she toyed with you, barely breaking a sweat, made it ten times worse. You thought you’d win easily, but now your confidence is shaken.

But not gone.

You clench your fists, your pride still bruised, but your competitive edge refuses to give up. As Chloe turns her back for a moment, stretching her free arm casually, you see an opportunity. She’s off-guard. She’s too cocky. And you, despite the humiliating start, still have the muscle.

You tell yourself there’s no way she’ll expect this next move. If you can catch her by surprise, you can still win. After all, she’s only got one arm free. Maybe you underestimated her strength, but if you can use your full weight to knock her off-balance, you’ll have a real chance.

You slowly rise to your feet, trying to be as quiet as possible. Chloe’s back is turned to you, her attention seemingly on Amanda, who’s whispering something to her. The sound of your sneakers lightly scuffing the floor is drowned out by Amanda’s laugh. You adjust your stance, shifting your weight forward, eyes locked on Chloe. Her black Converse squeak softly against the floor as she moves slightly, still facing away from you, her white frilly socks a stark contrast to the hardwood.

It’s now or never.

With a burst of energy, you rush toward her, aiming to slam into her before she can react. You’re thinking if you can tackle her down, use your full strength while she’s off balance, then maybe—just maybe—you can regain some control in this humiliating situation.

But in an instant, everything goes wrong.

Chloe must have heard the sound of your sneakers or sensed the shift in the air because she spins around just before you reach her. Her blue eyes flash with amusement, and there’s that infuriating smirk again—like she knows exactly what you’re trying to do.

Before you can process what’s happening, she steps aside with surprising agility. Your momentum carries you forward, too fast to stop, and suddenly you’re stumbling. Chloe doesn’t even flinch. As you charge past her, she deftly extends her foot, tripping you up with a swift, effortless motion.

Your body lurches forward uncontrollably, and before you know it, you’re crashing to the floor face-first. The hardwood slams into your chest and knees, sending a jolt of pain through your body. The impact knocks the wind out of you, and you lay there for a second, gasping, trying to understand how you went from charging to lying flat on the floor in an instant.

Laughter erupts around you—Amanda’s, Vanessa’s, even Lily’s giggles cut through the humiliation that’s rapidly sinking in. You roll over onto your back, breathless, staring up at the ceiling, but it’s Chloe’s mocking voice that stings the most.

“Awww, did you really think that was going to work?” she taunts, her voice dripping with condescension. You glance up to see her standing over you, one arm still tied behind her back, looking down with that same smug expression. Her foot hovers teasingly near your shoulder, her black Converse inches away from your face, her frilly socks brushing against your skin lightly as if to remind you how easily she’s handling you.

You grit your teeth, trying to push yourself up, but Chloe presses the toe of her sneaker down on your chest, stopping you from rising. The pressure is light, but it’s enough to send the message—you’re not getting up that easily. She gazes down at you, that playful cruelty in her eyes, and twists her sneaker just slightly against your chest, her frilly sock brushing against your shirt.

“You’re pathetic, Tom,” Chloe says, her voice soft but sharp. “You really thought you could sneak up on me? Is that the best you’ve got? **** tactics because you can’t win the real way?”

You squirm under her foot, but her gaze only sharpens, and she leans down slightly, still holding her balance effortlessly with one arm behind her back. “It’s almost cute how hard you’re trying,” she purrs, the mockery clear in her tone. “But you’re making this way too easy.”

Your body burns with a mixture of pain and humiliation, your pride in tatters. You thought you had her. You were so sure you could knock her off her feet, but now, you’re the one lying on the floor, gasping for breath while she towers over you, barely breaking a sweat.

The girls’ laughter continues as Chloe lifts her foot off your chest, stepping back and allowing you to roll over, coughing. You feel the heat rising in your face, your muscles tense with frustration. How could this be happening?

Chloe steps back again, adjusting her stance, her one free hand resting casually on her hip as she watches you struggle to get to your knees. “You’re really not getting it, are you, Tom?” she says with a sigh, sounding almost disappointed. “This isn’t going to end the way you think it will.”

The smirk on her face widens, and she winks at you as she plants her feet firmly on the ground, those frilly socks brushing lightly against the floor. “Whenever you’re ready for round two, let me know,” she says, her voice full of mock encouragement. “But if that’s all you’ve got, this is going to be over even quicker than I thought.”