"Wow! She's so awesome. I just cannot believe my eyes. How are we even supposed to perform if we have such a pro in the group?"
"I could watch her all day without getting tired!"
"Guys, I'm wondering, which did she start practicing from the womb first? Was it archery, shooting, or even martial arts? Seriously, I feel so defeated right now."
"Comparison kills indeed. Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!"
"To think she's only sixteen. I feel like I've wasted my life. What was I even doing all these years?"
The students didn't bother to even hush their voices when they were discussing Lolita's performance. No one understood why Master Kai called for them until they witnessed everything.
All of them were awed by Lolita's skills, but one person who commented about her archery techniques in a tone filled with envy. She didn't even attempt to hide it.
"Do your arrows have eyes or something? Because I don't see any other reason why you should be so good."
Lolita ignored the hater and bid goodbye to everyone. It would be a total waste of her time to be bantering words with someone who has such an amount of hatred in her heart. She had better things to do anyway.
When she got to the entrance of the training rink, master Kai approached her and said, "we leave at seven o'clock. We'll pick you up. What do you say?"
Lolita only shook her head and said, "Never mind. See you at the airport" Master Kai could only nod in agreement, even though he was not pleased with her decision.
This night is set to be an extremely long one for him, as he fears that the genius might just change her mind and bail out on him. Until Lolita is on the plane with him, Master Kai's heart would never rest.
***
"Has anyone seen Lolita? Anybody?" Master Kai enquired of the students. However, no one had seen or heard from her. He kept calling her also, but Lolita's phone could not be reached.
He was so worried that he couldn't stop repeating the question until the student who was displeased with Lolita spoke up,
"What's with this little girl exciting everyone? We are all here, so why bother about someone who's too pompous to show up for the competition?" She then mouths under her breath that she hopes Lolita gets left behind.
"So, according to your logic, I need to search for those who are already here? Perhaps I should send a search party after you?" Master Kai responded in anger, even though his tone was still calm.
The man was so tense that his pressure could even go up if he doesn't see Lolita. However, the student chose to rub it in his face, and Master Kai wasn't having that.
The other students didn't wish for the team leader to be aggravated any further. As a result, they spoke up one after the other and snubbed Fiona.
"Ignore her, Master Kai. She's just too bitter to think straight. How could you be so jealous of such a little girl?"
"I wonder if you can direct your arrows to hit their targets in your current mood."
"Should we call Lolita?"
"You don't think Master Kai would be searching for her without calling her first, right?"
The team captain then spoke up and asked, "Master Kai, What do we do now?
"I.. I.. I didn't mean it that way, Master Kai. I.." Fiona suddenly responded in panic. She felt so embarrassed that she swore to make the team beg her before she could participate in the competition. After all, they'll need her contribution points to level up also.
The glares from her colleagues didn't go unnoticed by Fiona, and neither did the students even attempt to mask it.
Moreover, Master Kai ignored her and walked away. He then beckons the students to follow him since they were called to approach the departure terminal once again. Master Kai could only swallow his bitterness and move forward with the other students.
He watched all the students walk in until he was the last person in line. He then notified Professor Mason to take the lead, as he wished to use the remaining fifteen minutes to wait for Lolita.
Master Kai waited for thirteen minutes and felt like crying. He had pinned his hopes on Lolita so much that he was feeling her absence. He couldn't help wondering what went wrong, as Lolita didn't seem like she was lying about her intent to join them.
[Tap! Tap!] Lolita suddenly tapped Master Kai.
Master Kai suddenly felt someone tap him, and he jolted from his thoughts. When he saw Lolita, he was close to hugging her, but her next words felt like he had been drenched in ice water.
"I felt tired of watching you this way. I really thought you were going to cry. Too bad I won the bet"
Master Kai looked at Lolita as if she had developed another head. He could only force out, "How do you mean?"
Lolita responded without any remorse, "Professor Mason had a bet with me. He said you'll cry if I don't show up. So I was waiting to capture the golden moment for my reward. Tsk"
Master Kai looked strangely at Lolita who stepped away from him and moved towards the terminal. However, he heard her say, "All you had to do was cry. There goes my five million"
At that point, he realized that his friend had played him once more. He knew all along that Lolita was around, but he never mentioned it.
"Shit! Mason.. You scumbag son of a bi**h! I'll surely make you cry."
The announcer called for departure one last time and Master Kai rushed to join the plane.
When he sat beside Professor Mason, he whispered in a cold voice, "I will break your bones for this. Let's see who ends up crying."
Lolita watched the two grown-ups behaving like kids when Professor Mason tried to talk his way out of the situation. He even attempted to deny his involvement in the whole stunt that Lolita pulled earlier.
She shook her head and placed an earphone over her ears, then she closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.
Suddenly, Lolita heard a voice that kept beckoning her to hurry. She didn't know who it was, but she could only attribute it to Kurah's dire situation. She swore to save her, even if she had to burn the whole of Wolftown to the ground.
Lolita's mind wandered to the discussion she had with her mother's friend the previous evening. She couldn't help thinking about so many daring thoughts that kept invading her memory.
"What if my mother found something no one should, and is being held prisoner in Wolftown?
Who even imprisons a mother right after she delivers her child? Who are you people?
Could Kurah be right? Is Gavin a rogue alpha?"
With a deep sigh, she mouths under her breath, "Dark-Dawn Avenue! Your nightmare beckons!"
***