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The Girl's Exit Was Louder Than Silence
Novelix
new
Completed
Ava, the quiet and devoted team manager, has secretly dated Dylan, a star player, for two years—but he keeps their relationship hidden and treats her coldly in public. When Dylan uses his influence to replace Ava with Madison, the popular new girl, Ava is humiliated, abandoned, and falsely accused. Finally realizing Dylan never truly valued her, she breaks up with him, cancels the Miami trip her father was sponsoring, and decides to study in London. Dylan later learns the truth—Madison lied, the team was wrong, and Ava’s family wealth was behind the team perks—but by then, Ava has already moved on.
Chapters (3)
第1章
After practice, Madison—the most popular girl on campus—and I both brought my boyfriend a drink at the same time.
I’d picked out his favorite blueberry Gatorade.
Madison had casually grabbed a bottle of water from the vending machine.
But Dylan walked right past me, took the water from Madison’s hand, and drained it in one go.
Logan, the team captain, noticed me standing there alone with my head lowered in embarrassment. He took the drink from my hand to save me from the awkwardness.
“If Dylan doesn’t want it, I’ll take it. I’m practically dehydrated after that scrimmage.”
But the second I handed it to Logan, Dylan snatched it out of his hand and tossed it straight into the trash.
He was always like this.
He did whatever he wanted without caring about my dignity, what anyone else might think of me, or even the disappointment written all over my face.
At that moment, something inside me finally clicked.
There was no reason to keep our relationship a secret anymore.
Because there was no reason to keep the relationship at all.
...
The teasing look disappeared from Logan’s face.
“That was way out of line, Dylan.”
“Ava already gave it to me. What gave you the right to throw it away?”
Then he turned to me.
“Dylan’s just got a shitty temper. Ignore him.”
He apologized on Dylan’s behalf, then bent down and pulled the bottle out of the trash without a trace of disgust.
I stopped him.
“It was in the trash. Don’t drink it.”
Logan twisted off the cap and took a long swig.
“It’s fine. The seal was intact.”
Dylan, sitting nearby, let out a scoff.
“How do you know it was?”
“You trust her that much?”
“Aren’t you worried she might’ve slipped something weird in there to mess with you?”
He deliberately left the rest unsaid.
The guys around us immediately erupted.
“Wait. Has Ava pulled something like that on Dylan before?”
“No wonder I always thought Dylan had it out for her.”
“Even when Dylan hates someone, he usually doesn’t humiliate them in front of everyone.”
“But Ava? He’s never once been nice to her.”
“He won’t even take a drink from her. Hell, he doesn’t even let her touch his basketball.”
I stood there helplessly, unable to get a single word out.
Because everything they said was true.
Dylan didn’t want people thinking I’d gotten my position on the team because of him, so whenever outsiders were around during practice, he never spoke to me first.
Everyone thought we barely knew each other.
Now they thought he outright hated me.
“If someone like her stays on as team manager, aren’t the rest of us in danger too?”
The entire gym went silent.
Logan’s hand froze.
He swept an icy look over the guys who’d been talking, and they immediately shut their mouths.
Madison, on the other hand, looked delighted by the drama.
She raised an eyebrow at me before deliberately provoking me.
“You should be careful, Logan.”
“Regionals start next week.”
“If something happens to you, what’s the rest of the team supposed to do?”
I was so furious my head spun, but I still forced myself to defend myself.
“I literally just bought that drink from the campus store. If you don’t believe me, go check the security footage.”
“I never touched it after I bought it.”
Madison didn’t even blink.
“I was just giving Logan a friendly warning.”
“If you’ve got nothing to hide, why are you getting so worked up?”
I knew exactly how rumors worked.
One sentence could start one, while disproving it could take forever.
I was about to argue with her again when Logan stopped me.
“I believe you.”
He turned toward Madison, visibly irritated.
“If you don’t have proof, then you’re making a false accusation.”
“This is a closed team practice. We didn’t invite guests.”
“So I’m going to ask you to leave. Now.”
Dylan stood up with an impatient click of his tongue.
“It was a joke, Logan. Do you seriously have to make such a big deal out of it?”
“I invited Madison today.”
“A few days ago, I suggested to Coach Anderson that we add another team manager.”
“He agreed.”
“Starting today, Madison’s part of the team too.”
第2章
My head snapped up.
Dylan calmly met my eyes for a second before looking away.
My phone suddenly buzzed.
An email from Coach Anderson popped onto the screen.
“Based on feedback from the players, Madison will temporarily take over your position as team manager.”
Everyone around me started clapping.
I knew I was supposed to smile, clap, and welcome her too.
But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t lift the corners of my mouth.
In the end, the smile I managed looked worse than crying.
When the team had first advertised the manager position on campus, dozens of students had applied.
I’d been scared I wouldn’t make it, so I’d once begged Dylan to quietly pull some strings for me.
“If I get picked, won’t we get to see each other every day?”
He’d refused without hesitation.
“If everyone got in through connections, the team would be packed with useless pretty faces.”
“If you don’t think you can earn the position yourself, don’t apply.”
I’d worked my ass off to prove I wasn’t some useless pretty face.
Eventually, I’d beaten every other applicant and earned the position myself.
Then Dylan told me we needed to keep our distance around the team.
“You earned this on your own.”
“But if I tell them you’re my girlfriend, they might assume you got special treatment and start resenting you.”
Back then, I’d genuinely believed he was protecting me.
I’d even been touched.
Until today.
Today, he’d openly used his connections to shove Madison onto the team.
Nobody judged her.
Nobody excluded her.
Instead, someone excitedly suggested, “Since we’ve got a new team member, why don’t we all go out for dinner later?”
“What do you think, Logan?”
The school covered one team dinner a week, so Logan had no objection.
Once he agreed, refusing to go would only make me look petty.
Before we left for the restaurant, I stayed behind to put away the basketballs.
By the time I changed and came outside, everyone was already in the van.
I was about to climb in when Logan spoke.
“We’re full.”
“Last one in has to Uber there.”
The van normally had exactly enough seats for everyone.
With Madison there, I was suddenly the extra person.
My fingers tightened slowly around the door handle.
Without thinking, I looked toward Dylan.
He was sitting right beside Madison, their heads close together as they talked quietly.
When he realized the van still hadn’t moved, he raised his voice.
“Whoever got in last, just get out already. Stop holding everyone up.”
My eyes stung.
I silently stepped back out of the van.
I stood there until even the exhaust disappeared from sight.
Still, I didn’t move.
The chat between Dylan and me remained completely silent.
He didn’t ask whether I’d gotten a seat.
He didn’t even ask whether I knew where the restaurant was.
It wasn’t until Logan posted the address in the group chat and tagged me.
“Uber to this location. I’ll reimburse you for the ride.”
I was about to reply that I wasn’t coming when Dylan suddenly sent me a license plate number and a trip link.
“I already called you an Uber.”
“Move faster next time. You’re always dragging your feet.”
“See? You got left behind again.”
Madison might’ve officially become the team manager, but she spent the entire time glued to Dylan.
All the actual work was still left to me.
Feeling increasingly wronged, I called Dylan to explain.
He immediately declined the call.
“I get carsick. I can’t talk right now.”
“Just get in the Uber and come over.”
By the time I reached the restaurant, everyone had already found their seats.
There were two empty chairs at the round table.
One was across from Dylan.
The other was beside him.
Without thinking, I assumed he’d saved the seat beside him for me.
But just as I reached it, Madison came back from the restroom.
“That’s my seat.”
第3章
I froze.
It took me a second to realize she was talking to me.
Madison crossed her arms, looking like she couldn’t wait to watch me embarrass myself.
“Don’t believe me?”
“I set out my napkin before I went to the restroom.”
I looked down.
The napkin had indeed been unfolded, and someone had already drunk from the glass.
Still, I stubbornly looked straight at Dylan.
“What if I insist on sitting here?”
Dylan’s voice was flat.
“Stop making a scene. Seats are first come, first served.”
“If you want this seat, get here earlier next time.”
A few teammates glanced at me and started whispering.
“Seriously? Can’t Ava tell Dylan wants to sit with Madison?”
“They’re obviously into each other. Why’s she trying to third-wheel them?”
“No wonder Dylan can’t stand her. I’d be annoyed too if someone had that little self-awareness.”
For one reckless second, emotion crushed every ounce of reason I had left.
“Dylan and I are actually—”
Before I could finish, Dylan suddenly knocked over a glass beside him.
It shattered against the floor.
“Sorry. My hand slipped.”
I instantly came back to my senses.
My mouth snapped shut, and cold sweat soaked my back.
There was no point revealing a two-year secret relationship when we were already about to break up.
It would only humiliate both of us.
Besides, Dylan had deliberately shattered that glass to warn me.
If I still said it after that, I’d only be humiliating myself.
Someone who clearly loved drama leaned forward.
“You and Dylan are what?”
“You can’t stop halfway through! I’m gonna be up all night wondering now.”
“Knock it off.”
Logan shot him a look, then waved me over.
“There’s an empty seat next to me. Come sit here.”
“Okay.”
I turned and sat beside him.
Logan poured me a glass of water, looking apologetic.
“I was on the phone with Coach Anderson in the van. I didn’t notice you hadn’t gotten in.”
“If it happens again, I’ll have someone ride with you.”
“It’s not safe for you to be alone.”
I shook my head.
“No need.”
Once I left the team, the van would have exactly enough seats again.
Throughout dinner, Dylan sat beside Madison.
He kept refilling her water and even cut her steak for her.
Suddenly, I realized I couldn’t remember the last time Dylan and I had eaten together.
Ever since I joined the team, the closeness we once had had slowly disappeared.
And the whole reason I’d applied to be manager in the first place was because I wanted to be closer to him.
Dinner tasted like nothing.
Dylan glanced at me several times.
The second he put down his silverware, he texted me.
“Don’t leave after dinner. It’ll be dark outside, and it’s not safe for you to go home alone. I’ll drive you.”
I replied with a simple okay.
Even if I was going to break up with him, I should at least say it to his face.
But just as I was getting ready to leave with him after dinner, Madison spoke up.
“Dylan, can you drive me home? I’m scared to go alone.”
I stopped about sixteen feet away from them.
“Ask someone else to take you,” Dylan said.
He glanced back at the other guys.
They laughed and shoved one another around, each suddenly claiming he had somewhere else to be before making a quick escape.
Dylan hesitated for a few seconds.
Then he lowered his head and texted me.
“She doesn’t live far away. I’ll drop her off and come back for you.”
And like an idiot, I believed him.
I sat there and waited for him to come back.
Logan eventually finished settling the bill and walked out of the restaurant.
He looked surprised when he saw me still waiting outside.
“Everyone left. Why are you still here?”
“Did you need to talk to me about something?”
I immediately stood and brushed the dust off my clothes.
“I’m waiting for Dylan. He said he’d come back after dropping Madison off because he needed to talk to me.”
I still didn’t tell Logan about my relationship with Dylan.
But the second he heard my answer, his brows pulled together.
“Madison lives way outside town. It’s a two-hour drive each way!”
“He seriously left you here alone to wait for him?”
