Bully Lord

Part-225

As the crowd began to disperse, James and Mili stood up, ready to leave. "Thanks for bringing me here," James said, turning to her. "It was actually kind of fun."

Mili smiled, the earlier awkwardness between them long gone. "Yeah, I’m glad you came. We should do this more often."

James nodded, feeling a newfound sense of camaraderie between them. "Definitely. Maybe next time, we’ll even see Banani win."

Mili laughed. "Yeah, maybe."

As they left the stadium together, James couldn’t help but feel that something had shifted between them. Not in a dramatic way, but subtly—like their friendship had deepened, even if neither of them acknowledged it out loud.

As James and Mili were about to leave the stadium, the sound of someone calling out Mili’s name stopped them in their tracks.

"Hey, Mili!"

James turned, curious to see who it was. Walking toward them was one of the players from Saint Abraham—the star of the game, Jawal. Tall, athletic, and with an aura of confidence, he was the kind of player who drew attention wherever he went. James recognized him as the ace of the match, the one who had led his team to an overwhelming victory against Banani High.

For a moment, James wondered if Mili knew him. The familiarity in Jawal's voice and the way he called her name with such casual confidence caught James off guard. But what surprised him even more was Mili’s reaction. She stood still, almost frozen, her usual fiery energy replaced with an awkward stillness. There was something in her posture that felt... uneasy. James glanced at her, confused by the sudden shift, but he decided not to say anything.

Jawal approached, his gaze fixed solely on Mili, ignoring James completely. "I knew you’d come," Jawal said with a smirk, his voice filled with the kind of self-assuredness that only someone like him could pull off.

Mili, however, didn’t seem thrilled. In fact, she looked irritated. She avoided his gaze, crossing her arms defensively. "It’s not like that," she replied, her voice a little too sharp. "It’s just a coincidence. I didn’t even know you were at Saint Abraham."

Jawal chuckled, clearly not believing her. "Come on, Mili, don’t lie. I know my sister told you I was here. She mentioned you still keep in touch."

Mili rolled her eyes, clearly fed up with the conversation. "Don’t be annoying, Jawal. I came to watch Banani High, not you."

Her words were biting, but James could sense the tension beneath the surface. There was history here—something he hadn’t been aware of until now. He stayed silent, unsure of how to react, but watching the interaction carefully.

Jawal, unfazed by her coldness, simply shrugged. "That makes me sad," he said with a fake pout. "I was happy when I saw you in the stands—I thought you came to cheer for me."

Mili’s gaze hardened. "So you noticed, huh? Well, you’re late. You never noticed me before, so it doesn’t matter now."

The subtle bitterness in her voice caught James’s attention. This was more than just an old acquaintance—they had a past, and it wasn’t a pleasant one.