Noelle found Cedric slumped on the couch. "You're back?"

Cedric's eyes flickered open at her footsteps. "Just got in. School today?" He'd seen her college application forms on the coffee table.

Noelle nodded. "Yeah, picked up the forms."

Alfred emerged from the bathroom, dripping wet in a bathrobe. "Nelly, your streams are huge! Lucas knows, right? Regrets losing a sister like you?" Cedric's face hardened. "Get dressed!"

"Oops, got carried away!" Alfred scurried back to his room. Who knew Cedric was so jealous?

Seeing Cedric's exhaustion, Noelle made a fruit platter.

Cedric glanced at it. "Decided on a platform yet?"

"No. Firestorm's contract has crazy streaming hours. School's starting; my schedule's packed." She still got paid, but she wouldn’t get the platform's boosted traffic.

Alfred reappeared. "Easy, renegotiate with Firestorm. They'll agree."

Noelle was surprised. "Seriously? Their contracts are standard; they rarely change them."

Alfred coughed. "Try. You're amazing. They'd be fools to refuse."

Noelle suspected he was joking, maybe using his connections, but she didn't want to owe him. "Forget it. I've earned enough for tuition and living expenses."

Alfred, munching fruit, said, "Lucas? He recognizes your voice, right?"

Cedric shot him a glare. "Eat."

Noelle chuckled. "I saw him at school, but he didn't know it was me."

Alfred grinned. "He's insecure! Show your face on stream tonight! Scare him!"

Noelle shook her head. "No need. I want to stay away from them."

Alfred tried to continue, but Cedric silenced him with a look.

Later, Alfred whispered to Cedric, "Let me help her get back at them. She doesn't have to do it alone."

Cedric seemed to already have a plan.

...

Thirty minutes before Noelle's stream, viewers flooded in. Xenia watched, green with envy as the follower count hit 300,000. "Lucas, what's the plan?"

Lucas stared coldly at the stream. "Watch."

Xenia gritted her teeth. Firestorm featured Noelle's stream, driving massive traffic.

"Ms. Nelly, your analysis is amazing! Played pro?"

"Team Luminark's captain wants you! Which team?"

"Yeah, he's the top supporter, right here!"

Noelle, noticing Lucas, said calmly, "Luminark approached me, but..." Lucas visibly tensed.