After what had happened with Fiona in the waiting room, Aldrich stepped onto the stage feeling invigorated, his senses sharpened, and his mind locked in place. He was ready.
Or at least, he thought he was.
The moment he entered the arena, he was met with thunderous cheers. Appreciated, only it wasn't meant for him.
The crowd erupted in a singular chant, a wave of excitement echoing across the stands.
"Kyle! Kyle! Kyle!"
His own name? Nowhere to be heard.
Aldrich exhaled through his nose.
"Come on, Al… You should be used to this by now," he muttered under his breath, forcing himself to shake it off.
He had stood in arenas like this before. He had competed in enough tournaments to recognize the swell of a crowd when they favoured one side over the other. But it had been a long time since he was on the receiving end of that neglect, where all the cheers, all the anticipation, all the admiration were funnelled toward someone else.
