"I don't think so. Carol, let's see you run again," Erica challenged, her piercing gaze locked onto me, a mix of determination and defiance shining in her eyes.
A murmur rippled through the group of girls, one of them finally speaking up, "You don't have to do this, Erica. Just believe it; she beat you." Her words were met with a chorus of giggles, a sound that bounced around us, sending annoyance flashing across Erica's face as she directed a glare at the girl who had dared to speak up.
With a persistent edge in her voice, Erica demanded Roman's watch. Roman hesitated, his reluctance visibly etched across his features. The tension hung in the air momentarily, but as Erica's audacious conviction radiated towards him, he ultimately relented, handing over the watch. The moment felt charged as if the outcome now lay within Erica's hands.
