Modern Family: New Life

Andrew wasn't aware of the discussion at the football team's table; he was walking hand in hand with Pippa while telling her everything about Regina, not skipping a single detail.

"Whoa… who would've thought your ex would be so evil," Pippa commented after hearing about the blackmail Veronica was using against Regina.

"Yeah, and I accepted her stupid confession so she wouldn't get rejected in front of everyone," Andrew said with a grimace.

"Sometimes, being too nice isn't the best option," Pippa said.

"Yeah, that's why I'll stop trying to be a good guy to people I barely know," Andrew said, clenching his free fist, since his other hand was still holding Pippa's.

"Really? Right now, you're helping Regina George, someone who's more of a stranger than anything, and who not long ago tried to blackmail you," Pippa said, looking at him amused.

"Well… this is different. Veronica crossed the line, and I won't let her get what she wants after spreading those rumors about me and using me to boost her popularity," Andrew said.

"Oh, I didn't know you could be vengeful," Pippa said with a slight smile.

"Surprise. I can be, if the person deserves it. Once Regina's photos are deleted from Alan and Veronica's phones, I'll tell Regina to report her to the school administration. I'll back her up by saying I had to step in to make sure the photos were erased," Andrew said with a small, vengeful smile.

That way, Veronica would be punished—though he didn't think she'd be expelled, since her parents had money—but at least she'd get reprimanded.

As for why Regina hadn't reported Veronica yet, it was because she knew that if she did, her picture would be leaked instantly. It was unlikely Veronica would care about the punishment, which at most would be a few days of suspension.

"Mm, that's a good idea, though Regina might not want to report it once the photos are deleted. She'd have to tell the whole story to the adults, admitting that she sent a suggestive picture, and maybe she's embarrassed," Pippa said, looking thoughtful.

"Yeah, but it's just telling the story. I'll convince her. I'll also make Alan testify against Veronica," Andrew said.

"You're really confident about Alan. Do you think he'll delete the photo so easily and also testify against his new girlfriend?" Pippa asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. The power I have in the team will make him say exactly what I tell him. It'll be like taking candy from a baby," Andrew said with a small, confident smile.

Ever since he became an undisputed starter, the team had won every game, achieving the best streak in the school's history and qualifying for the regional playoffs for the first time in over ten years, with one game to spare.

Because of this, Coach David adored Andrew. He saw him as his golden goose. The team had become unstoppable. Every game since the comeback had been a crushing victory.

David, who had previously been more loyal to his nephew Jason, could no longer deny the truth: Andrew had transformed the team.

And that was why he backed Andrew 100%. If Andrew said a player should be on the field, David supported him without hesitation. Andrew's power in the locker room was immense.

Andrew knew this was only possible because he was in a fifth-division school. In higher-level schools, a coach would never give so much power to a player—or maybe they would, if the player was extremely good, like him.

However, Andrew wasn't the type of person to abuse his power for arbitrary decisions. Despite the influence he had, he tried to keep everything as meritocratic as possible. He didn't let personal likes or grudges affect his judgment.

If it were about personal feelings, Andrew probably would have cut Alan from the team since he was friends with Jason, and Andrew's relationship with Jason wasn't exactly the best.

For him, the only things that mattered were performance and teamwork, not old rivalries. He was a leader with a clear vision: only the best, the hardest workers, and those most committed to the team would earn their place on the field.

And that was why everyone on the team respected him, including Alan and Jason's friends, because they knew it wasn't about favoritism—it was about results.

"Well, then it won't be too hard to give Regina a hand," Pippa commented, and Andrew nodded.

That was another reason he decided to help her; it wouldn't be difficult to get Alan to delete the photo from his phone. Just a brief conversation.

"Oh… so you also saw her in her underwear…" Pippa said, stopping and looking at Andrew.

Andrew also looked at her and swallowed hard. He had told her that he checked the photo to make sure Regina wasn't lying. "Are you mad?" he asked.

They stared into each other's eyes in silence until Pippa finally spoke. "I can't deny that it bothers me that you saw Regina in her underwear… but it's not your fault. You had to make sure that manipulator wasn't lying to you. So no, I'm not mad."

"That's good. Thanks," Andrew said, relieved.

"Don't thank me. I'm not an irrational lunatic like Veronica," Pippa said with a smile.

"You're a hundred times better than that witch—no, a thousand," Andrew said, making Pippa laugh.

They kept talking as they walked through the school hallways as if they were on a stroll until the bell rang, and they each headed to their classes.

During the last break, Andrew called Alan to talk privately.

To Andrew's surprise, Alan was very cooperative. The moment Andrew explained the issue at hand, he immediately agreed to delete Regina's photo from his phone.

'I thought he'd put up more resistance…' Andrew thought with a puzzled expression.

Even though he knew he had power within the team, he expected Alan to play dumb and refuse to admit that Veronica had blackmailed Regina and that he had been involved.

But instead, Alan placed 100% of the blame on Veronica. He simply said he had lent her his phone and only had a vague idea of what she was doing.

Before Alan deleted the photo, he called Regina so she could witness it being erased. Seeing Regina's number on Alan's phone, he dialed it, and she arrived shortly after.

Regina looked at Alan with eyes full of fury but said nothing. She was genuinely surprised to see the photo being deleted—she hadn't expected Andrew to accomplish this all in the same day.

Then, Andrew told Alan to get Veronica's phone so they could check her gallery and make sure she hadn't saved a copy of Regina's photo.

Alan agreed instantly, saying he would snoop through Veronica's phone and delete the photo without hesitation if he found it. However, Regina didn't fully trust him, so she asked Andrew to make sure it was done.

To make this happen, she, as the cheerleading captain, would keep Veronica busy during practice while Alan got her phone and met up with Andrew, who would witness Alan checking Veronica's gallery.

The plan was simple, and they pulled it off easily. The only downside was that Andrew and Alan had to be absent from practice for about fifteen minutes, but Coach David allowed it since Andrew always gave more than 100% in every training session and was the team's star player.

As Andrew had suspected, Veronica hadn't saved a copy of the photo on her phone. It was good to confirm it, ensuring she couldn't blackmail Regina anymore.

After cheerleading practice ended, Regina found out everything had gone smoothly and felt a huge sense of relief. Since she had gotten Andrew's number, she asked to meet up with him, as he had also finished his training.

They met behind the gym, both still sweaty. As the cheerleading captain, Regina had gone through a grueling session of routines, jumps, and nonstop repetitions, leaving her drenched and her muscles burning.

She observed Andrew closely, trying to hide her surprise. He was wearing a black compression shirt that fit like a second skin, outlining every well-defined muscle—almost unreal for someone his age.

'How can he be this muscular at his age?' Regina thought, her eyes lingering for a moment on the sharp definition of his shoulders and the contour of his arms.

The technical fabric of his shirt did nothing to conceal how sculpted his body was, and the sheen of sweat only made him look more appealing to her.

Despite being in ninth grade, Andrew's physique rivaled that of veteran players.

Andrew, for his part, couldn't help but glance at Regina—though he wouldn't admit it.

For a brief moment, upon seeing Regina's toned legs after hours of exercise, Andrew found himself agreeing with everything Howard always said about her being a great beauty.

He quickly pushed those thoughts aside—he wasn't like Howard, who only thought with his lower head. Besides, he already had a girlfriend. Regina didn't notice Andrew's fleeting glance at her legs because she was too busy staring at his chest.

"Everything's taken care of. The only thing left is reporting Veronica to the principal," Andrew said, breaking the silence.

Regina seemed to jolt slightly, as if she had just snapped back to reality. Her gaze shifted from his torso, and she quickly lifted her head to meet his eyes, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks.

"Yeah... yeah, you're right. I'll go to the principal on Monday," Regina said in a softer, more hesitant tone than Andrew had ever heard from her.

"Really?" Andrew asked, both surprised and doubtful.

"Yes. Though... I'll have to tell him everything. Including... the photo," Regina nodded.

Andrew crossed his arms, trying to understand why she was agreeing so easily. He knew that for someone like Regina, admitting that Veronica had blackmailed her with a photo in her underwear wasn't a small thing. In fact, it was something that could seriously damage her reputation—something Regina protected almost religiously.

He had expected to have to convince her more to get her to report Veronica.

"Are you sure?" Andrew pressed.

"It's better to deal with a moment of embarrassment than to keep letting Veronica do whatever she wants," Regina said seriously, and Andrew stopped questioning her.

"Well, that's everything, then," Andrew said. As he stepped past Regina toward the exit, she moved to the side, blocking his path.

"Thanks, Andrew. Really, thanks," Regina said in a sincere, softer tone than usual.

Andrew frowned slightly, a bit confused by the gratitude in her words.

"You're welcome..." he said, eyeing her cautiously, as if unsure whether this was genuine or just one of her usual schemes.

"Don't look at me like that, idiot," Regina suddenly snapped, crossing her arms.

"I'm really grateful, that's all," she added.

"It wasn't a big deal," Andrew replied. Deleting the photos had been easy—he had done it the same day Regina asked, and it hadn't taken much time or effort at all.

"You don't get it. I thought my life was ruined. When I found out about the photos, I thought I'd never recover. And… I couldn't talk to anyone else about this," Regina said quickly, her eyes locking onto his.

"And your friends?"

"My 'friends'? Please, all they would do is gossip until the whole school found out. They're not… well, they're not like you," Regina replied with a bitter laugh, shaking her head.

"Like me?" Andrew repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, like you. Someone trustworthy," Regina said after a few seconds, debating whether to answer or not.

Andrew remained silent. The last thing he expected today was for Regina to be complimenting him and thanking him.

"That's why I'll say it again. Thank you," Regina repeated, this time with a small smile that seemed to break through all her usual barriers.

"You're welcome," Andrew replied, this time with a smile, happy that the person he helped was actually grateful—unlike Verónica, although technically, she never knew he saved her from humiliation.

Regina found herself looking at Andrew's smile longer than she intended. For a brief moment, something stirred in her chest—a strange sensation she couldn't quite identify. Her eyes remained fixed on him.

Realizing she shouldn't stay silent for too long, she quickly looked away, feeling a slight warmth on her cheeks. She broke the silence with a nervous laugh.

"Well, on another note, the choreography we did with the girls is going to crush the rival cheer squad. So you better make sure to win today's game," she said, trying to regain her usual confident and haughty tone.

"I'm sure you will. And don't worry about us—we'll win without a doubt," Andrew said with a slight smile, walking away as Regina watched his back.

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