A person said, "Yeah, but even if it's a niche, they've got Sean on their team. Did you all forget?"

"That guy's a total prodigy. Rumor has it he's the only one who can actually go head-to-head with Aiden."

Another person said, "Exactly. Sean might keep a low profile on campus, but he's always at the top of the rankings."

"Even the freshmen who haven't met him know his name."

Someone else asked, "So what? A niche is still a niche."

"There's no way they can compete with Professor Lawson's hotshot team. They're definitely no match for Aiden's crew!"

"Honestly, I doubt Sean's team will even make it to the second round. They're probably just here to make up the numbers."

Hearing all the gossip, Natalie couldn't help but look smug.

Natalie thought, "Josie probably won't even make it back for the competition. After all, she should have received my present by now. I wonder if she's got enough backbone to even make it to the police station. Or maybe she'll just snap and do something really stupid? Now, wouldn't that be just perfect?"

Natalie smirked. If Josie missed today's event, her team would not be able to stay in the competition. There was no way Sean could ever steal Aiden's spotlight.

Natalie thought, "No way am I letting that happen. The guy I want has to be the center of attention. No one is allowed to overshadow him."

Even though she knew Sean was no match for Aiden, Natalie absolutely refused to let anything unexpected happen.

"Anyone else can make it to the second round today, but Josie and her team? Not a chance," she told herself.

"Hey, Sean, Claire. You're here!" a bright, clear voice rang out from the back of the crowd. The voice was a little loud, brimming with happiness and excitement. It was obvious the speaker was in a really good mood. That voice was so sweet and clear. It was almost too pleasant to be real.

Everyone instinctively turned to look, only to see a cute, fresh-faced underclassman in a vibrant, youthful outfit, running over to the tall, stunning pair. The pair was none other than Sean and Claire.

Claire was tall and had long legs. She had a mature, sophisticated look and a steady, confident style. She looked like a total queen. Sean, meanwhile, had changed into a black overcoat layered over a gray hoodie. Just like Josie, he was sporting a pair of black boots.

The one calling out to them was Josie. As Josie ran over, both Sean and Claire looked at her with doting smiles.

"Cutie, you look absolutely gorgeous in that outfit today!" Claire said while giving Josie's cheek a playful squeeze. She took her hand and led her forward. "Come on, let's go grab some seats up front."

Sean didn't hurry to catch up. Instead, he lifted his head and swept a casual glance at Aiden in the distance, then let his gaze settle on Natalie's face.

"How is this possible?" Natalie thought, stunned.

Just one look from Sean made her knees buckle. She suddenly felt like prey caught in a predator's stare. She instinctively stepped back, her face going pale in an instant.

"What's wrong?" Kyle, standing behind her, reached out to steady her.

Only then did Natalie realize she'd lost her composure. She quickly straightened up, giving a quick smile and shaking her head. She said, "It's nothing, I was just a little surprised. Josie seems different from before!"

"She's really changed," Aiden said, his hand tightening slightly in his pocket. He added, "Back then, she was all about her research. She never even bothered with her appearance."

"So she really has gotten superficial," Aiden thought, a flicker of disdain passing through his mind.

Gavin narrowed his eyes. "Gotta say, Josie actually looks surprisingly good like this."

Kyle said, pushing up his glasses, "Doesn't matter how good she looks, she's still just a country bumpkin. She can't compare to Natalie's presence and ambition. Gavin, don't get fooled by just a pretty face."

Jaden couldn't take his eyes off Josie. "How did I never realize she was actually this pretty?"

"Funny, you never noticed and yet you still pursued her," Vincent said, sounding a bit annoyed, "I figured you were into her looks from the start."

Jaden shot him a look. "I went after her because she's hardworking, well-behaved, and smart. She is a real down-to-earth girl. You think I'm that shallow, only caring about looks? Honestly, now that she's changed like this, I'm not even into her anymore."

Natalie pursed her lips, thinking, "These people always say one thing but mean another. I really can't count on any of them."

"Who would've thought Josie could still be the hot topic around here, even after leaving our team?" Natalie said with a sly smile. "You all must've been pretty tight with her back then, right?"