American Football: Domination

Behind Lilith's seemingly casual words was a lifetime of unseen struggles. Life was never easy. Everyone faced their own challenges, their own uphill battles — even if those battles weren't visible to others.

But regardless of how difficult it was, it remained her battle to fight.

So, she stopped herself from saying more.

The conversation fell into a brief silence.

Lilith waited for Lance's response — but none came.

Surprised, she glanced at him and noticed a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

She blinked in confusion.

Then Lance spoke.

"You probably don't know how hard it is for an Asian player to advance in a sport dominated by white and Black athletes."

Simple, to the point. Yet deeply resonant.

Lilith's lips parted slightly in surprise. A moment later, she chuckled softly, acknowledging her oversight with humility.

"Touché. It seems I missed the mark. My apologies."

A brief pause, then Lilith asked a new question, unable to contain her curiosity.

"Are you always this confident?"

Lance's smile widened.

"Is that how I seem to you?"

Lilith nodded.

"That means I'm doing my job right," Lance replied, matter-of-factly. "Whether I am confident or not doesn't really matter. The important thing is not letting my opponent see through me. Once they believe you're confident, they start to second-guess themselves."

"That's what we call momentum."

He paused for a beat before continuing.

"So, don't."

Lilith furrowed her brow. "Don't what?"

Lance shook his head and clarified.

"Don't doubt yourself. You've already taken the first step — and that's more than 80% of people who just talk about doing something but never actually do it, and more than another 10% who give up halfway through."

With a completely serious expression, he added, "That puts you in the top 10%, and trust me — I know how hard that is."

Lilith couldn't help but laugh. She knew the statistics were made up on the spot, but somehow, she still found herself wanting to believe him.

Then she realized she was smiling. Embarrassed, she tried to mask her reaction by changing the subject, but she was a second too late.

Lance raised his hand and wiggled his fingers in a playful gesture.

Lilith looked up and caught his teasing grin.

"You've got a loose strand of hair," Lance pointed out, gesturing to his own cheek as a reference.

Startled, Lilith quickly tucked the stray lock behind her ear. Her cheeks flushed with warmth, and her normally composed demeanor cracked for a moment.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she shifted the conversation before Lance could speak again.

"Are you bragging about yourself now? You've been trying out different positions — receiver and quarterback. Are you implying that you're in the top 10%, too?"

Lance shook his head, utterly unfazed.

"No. I'm in the top 1%."

Lilith raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not just trying things out," Lance continued with a grin. "In one week, I've already made progress."

"Different level. Otherwise, how do you think I've managed to hold my own in this league?"

His tone was so self-assured, so unapologetically bold, that it bordered on arrogance — yet it wasn't off-putting. Instead, his confidence was infectious, and Lilith found herself both amused and impressed.

Her gaze dropped to the jersey he was wearing.

"So, that's how you plan to become a team leader? I guarantee that if you show up to practice like this, fans will start burning your No. 23 jersey in protest."

Lance glanced down at his attire — a No. 4 Oakland Raiders jersey.

"Exactly," he said with a mischievous smirk.

Lilith crossed her arms. "They'll tear you to shreds."

"Good," Lance replied without missing a beat. "Let them be angry."

Far from intimidated, his smile grew wider.

"Victory is a habit. So is losing. Once you get stuck in a losing streak, that cloud of negativity hangs over you. You may not notice it at first, but in those decisive moments during a game, it can be the difference between winning and losing."

He leaned forward slightly, his voice steady and firm.

"We need that fire. We need passion. We need to ignite the team. Only by burning away the doubt can we clear the clouds and make way for victory."

Lilith stared at him, seeing a side of Lance she hadn't seen before. Gone was the relaxed, easygoing young man. In his place stood a fierce competitor — someone who fought tooth and nail on the field, never backing down.

And yet, that familiar warmth and sincerity were still there.

She could feel her own pulse quickening.

Maybe… maybe wearing a Raiders jersey wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"Are you confident?" Lilith asked, testing him.

"Absolutely."

"No hesitation?"

"None."

She pressed further. "I believe you're confident — but how can you be this certain?"

After all, the team was currently in a six-game losing streak. Everyone at the facility — from players to coaches to staff — was weighed down by the pressure. The entire atmosphere felt heavy, oppressive.

Even the medical staff felt the weight. Conversations were quieter, footsteps softer, as if everyone was walking on eggshells.

Was Lance simply too naive to understand the gravity of the situation?

But Lance didn't flinch. His smile remained steady.

"Look at our season so far."

"The first six wins? Five of those games were decided in the fourth quarter. And the six losses? All six were decided in the fourth quarter, including an overtime loss and four games where we were one possession away from winning."

He spread his hands.

"What does that tell you?"

"It tells me that the teams in this league are evenly matched. Games are often decided by the smallest margins."

"We went on a winning streak because we believed in ourselves after beating the defending champions in Week 1. That belief carried us through the tough moments."

"But then we lost to the Raiders, and doubt crept in. Since then, we've been second-guessing ourselves in those critical moments."

"All it takes is one big play — a touchdown, an interception, a hard-fought win — to flip the momentum. Once that happens, we'll be back on track."

His gaze locked onto Lilith's, unwavering.

"I believe in us."

He didn't say "I believe in myself." He said, "I believe in us."

Then, with a playful gesture, he pointed to his Raiders jersey.

"And I think the Raiders are the perfect opponent for us to turn things around. We're going to beat them. We're going to get back on track."

His voice was calm but resolute.

"I believe we can do it. And I'm going to give everything I've got to make sure we do."

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Powerstones?

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