Walt Arnold rubbed his temples, clearly frustrated with the situation. He needed a way to calm down, to control the anger that was taking over him. He decided that the best way to relax would be by heading to the club's sauna. Maybe the heat would help relieve the tension.
"These kids don't understand that I'm their only chance at winning... I can't let this end like this," Walt muttered as he grabbed his towel and headed to the sauna.
...
The steam rose slowly, filling the sauna with a hot mist. Walt sat down, closing his eyes, trying to let the heat ease his frustration. However, something felt different. He sensed the heat intensifying in an unusual way, almost as if the rocks in the sauna were emitting a faint green glow.
Walt opened his eyes, frowning. "What...?" He leaned forward, noticing that the sauna rocks were indeed glowing with a strange greenish hue. Sweat dripped down his forehead, but he felt something more—a new and powerful energy flowing through his body.
"This... this is different." He slowly stood up, feeling stronger, more energized. His breathing was heavier, but he didn't feel tired; on the contrary, he felt invigorated.
...
A few minutes later, Walt returned to his office. As he entered, he found Principal Kwan waiting for him with a serious expression.
"Coach Arnold," Kwan said, his voice firm. "We need to talk about something important."
"What is it now?" Walt asked, irritated but trying to control himself. He could still feel that strange energy flowing through him, but he tried to hide it from Kwan.
Kwan stepped forward, crossing his arms. "Seven of your players cheated on their math exams. This makes them ineligible to play next Friday. We need to deal with this immediately."
"What?" Walt shouted, his anger already starting to show. "You mean my key players won't be able to play? This will ruin the season!"
"I know this is hard, but the rules are clear. They are ineligible. We need to take action now," Kwan said, standing firm.
Walt stepped toward his desk, anger burning inside him. He knew Kwan was right, but the thought of losing the season because of a few irresponsible kids was unbearable.
"You can keep this quiet, Kwan," Walt insisted. "We can handle this in the preseason. I just need a few weeks."
"I can't do that, Walt," Kwan replied without hesitation. "The rules are clear, and I'm not going to compromise the school's integrity."
"Kwan... this will destroy the season. Don't you see what you're doing?"
Kwan didn't hesitate in his response.
"I'm doing what's right. Good night, Walt," Kwan said, turning and leaving the office without looking back.
As soon as the door closed, Walt couldn't hold back his anger any longer. He punched his desk with all his strength.
BAM!
To his shock, the desk exploded into flames. The fire quickly spread across the wood, illuminating the office with a bright orange glow. Walt stepped back, staring at his hands in disbelief.
"What... what's happening to me?" Walt murmured, watching the fire consume the desk in front of him. The heat he had felt in the sauna seemed to have awakened something inside him, something now out of control.
The flames grew, and Walt took a few steps back, realizing that the fire was responding to his anger.
'I... I can control this,' Walt thought, breathing heavily. As he concentrated, the flames began to shrink until they finally extinguished, leaving the room in a cloud of smoke.
Walt looked at his hands again, now fully aware that something had indeed changed within him.
"If I can control this... nothing will stop me from winning," he murmured, a dangerous smile spreading across his face.
...
The next day, outside the school
Pete and Clark walked together, the morning breeze brushing their faces as they headed toward the school entrance. Chloe was right behind them, a peaceful smile on her face, clearly happy with the new phase of her relationship with Clark.
"So, you went to the dance with Chloe, and everything went well?" Pete asked, curious, glancing at his friend.
Clark looked at Pete, trying to suppress a smile. "It was great, Pete. Actually, I have something to tell you."
"Oh, yeah?" Pete said, raising an eyebrow. "What is it? Any news?"
Chloe caught up with them, discreetly holding Clark's hand. Pete, distracted, took a few seconds to notice the gesture, but when he saw their hands intertwined, his eyes widened.
"Wait a minute... you two? Together?!"
Chloe laughed, shaking her head. "Yes, Pete. We're together now. Officially."
"Wow!" Pete said, still processing the news. "I can't believe I didn't see that coming. How did I miss the signs?"
"I think you were too busy trying to find a date for the dance," Clark replied, chuckling.
Pete blinked, still surprised, but soon broke into a grin. "Well, I'm not gonna lie, this is awesome! You two always had a great connection."
Chloe smiled, pleased with Pete's reaction. "It was kind of unexpected, but... I guess it was the right time."
Pete looked back and forth between the two, still smiling. "Well, all I can say is you guys make a great couple. I hope everything works out."
"Thanks, Pete," Clark replied with a sincere smile.
As the trio walked toward the school entrance, Chloe still held Clark's hand firmly intertwined with hers.
...
Clark, Chloe, and Pete entered the school, the noise of students filling the hallways as everyone prepared for another day of classes. Chloe, walking hand in hand with Clark, was especially excited. She turned to Pete, her eyes shining with excitement.
"So, you won't believe the story I'm writing," Chloe said with a mischievous smile. "Seven football players were caught cheating on their math exams. And Whitney got kicked off the team after injuring his arm. Looks like the finals are in jeopardy."
Pete stopped in the middle of the hallway, surprised. "Seriously? The football guys cheated? That's huge, Chloe!"
Chloe nodded, clearly having everything planned in her head. "Exactly! And that's why I'm focused on exposing this story in the school paper. They think they can just get away with it because they're important players, but I'm going to make sure everyone knows what they did."
Clark smirked. "You never miss a chance to bring the truth to light, do you?"
"Of course not," Chloe replied, her eyes gleaming. "This is the perfect story. Who cares if they miss the finals? What matters is that the rules are followed, and no one is above them."
"Well, I won't lie, it's gonna be a bombshell when this story comes out. But do you think it'll look bad for the whole team?" Pete asked.
Chloe shrugged.
"The truth is the truth. They cheated, and now they have to face the consequences. I'm finishing the article by the end of the day and submitting it to the paper. It's going to be huge."
Clark glanced at Chloe.
"You're brave, Chloe. Not everyone would be willing to take on these guys."
"Well, someone has to do it," Chloe replied with a smile. "And I'm the right person for the job."
Clark and Pete laughed, knowing full well that when Chloe set her mind to something, nothing could stop her.
...
It was lunchtime, and Clark walked alongside Chloe, who held the school newspaper with a look of satisfaction. The article about the football team scandal had been published, and the headlines left no doubt about the impact the story would have.
"I have to admit, Chloe, this article is amazing," Clark said with an approving smile.
Chloe smiled, clearly proud of herself. "Thanks, Clark."
As they walked across campus, Chloe spotted some of the football players on the field, practicing. She quickly pulled her camera from her backpack and approached to take a few photos.
"I'm going to get a shot of them practicing to complement the article," Chloe said excitedly, adjusting the camera's focus.
Clark watched carefully, already anticipating that something might go wrong. As Chloe moved closer to take the photo, one of the players, clearly angry about the article, glared furiously in her direction. He grabbed a football and, without hesitation, hurled it hard toward Chloe.
Whoosh!
Clark, with his quick reflexes, saw the ball coming and, in one swift motion, reached out and caught it in midair before it could hit Chloe.
Thump!
The ball stopped with a muffled sound in Clark's hands, which held it firmly. Without hesitation, he threw the ball back at the player with speed.
Bam!
The ball hit the player square in the chest, making him stagger and fall to the ground. The player, caught off guard, couldn't react in time.
"Sorry, sometimes I can't control my strength," Clark said with a mischievous smile, looking at the fallen player.
The other players were momentarily shocked by the scene but didn't dare say anything. Chloe, on the other hand, looked at Clark with a mix of relief and surprise.
"Wow... you just saved my life," Chloe said, laughing nervously as she still held her camera.
Clark shrugged, smiling slightly. "I just didn't want you to get hurt. But I think he learned his lesson."
Chloe shook her head, still laughing. "You really know how to handle these situations."
The two continued walking, leaving the players behind, as the distant sounds of laughter and conversations from other students filled the air.
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