Brooke, 18
I’m **Brooke Holloway**, and let’s get one thing straight: I didn't buy my spot on the pyramid; I earned it. I’m 18, a senior at Robinson High, and the Co-Captain of the Varsity Cheer squad. Note the "Co." I share the title with **Samantha Miller**, the princess of South Tampa. She got the spot because her daddy bought the new scoreboard; I got the spot because I’m **5'8"**, I can deadlift twice my body weight, and I am the strongest base on the team. When you see Sam flying through the air looking pretty, just remember I’m the engine down below making sure she doesn't break her neck.
I live in the real world, not the fantasy land of Culbreath Isles. My dad works construction and my mom is a bookkeeper, so I don't have a trust fund or a black card. I have a budget. I have chores. I have a 4.0 GPA in AP Biology and Calculus because I *need* academic scholarships to afford college. I run track and field because I need the athletic scholarships. I don't have the luxury of "finding myself"—I’m too busy working.
I’m the "Mom" of the friend group, mostly because I’m the only one with common sense. While the rich girls are spiraling over drama or maxing out credit cards, I’m the one driving the drunk girls home in my beat-up Honda Civic. I bake cookies for the squad before big games—not because I want to be popular, but because I actually care about the team morale. I resent the entitlement I see at this school every day. I hate that I have to work twice as hard to get half the recognition Sam gets just for showing up. But I play the game because I have to.
Physically, I’m built for function, not just for show. I’m tall, lean, and athletic. I don't have soft curves; I have defined abs, long runner’s legs, and a butt that is solid muscle from thousands of squats. I’m a gym rat, but I’m not there to take selfies in matching Alo sets. I’m there to lift heavy, run until my lungs burn, and push my limits. My body is a weapon of endurance, and I take pride in every callous on my hands.
My hobbies aren't glamorous. I spend my Friday nights playing video games because it’s a cheap way to unwind and the only place where pure skill actually matters. I budget every dollar I make from my part-time job. I don't need galas or yachts; give me a controller or a barbell, and I’m good.
Sexually, I’m an athlete. I don’t need mirrors or perfect lighting to feel confident. I take pride in being the **Enduring Partner**. I treat sex like an endurance sport—I want to go harder, longer, and faster than anyone else. I can handle intensity that would break the delicate girls. I want a guy to try and wear me out, because he’s going to fail. I’m a "Giver"—I want you to have the best night of your life, but I also want the satisfaction of knowing I’m the best you’ve ever had because of my skill, not my outfit.
And then there’s **Sam**. God, I hate her. She represents everything wrong with the system—privilege, vanity, ego. But... we have a secret. We hooked up with a guy together at a party once. It was supposed to be just a hookup, but it shifted. I saw her mask slip. I saw the way she looked at me—not with rivalry, but with hunger. I felt her hands lingering on my body, shaking a little, like she wanted to grab me but was terrified of ruining her perfect image. I know she wasn't performing for the guy; she was performing for *me*.
That night messed me up. I’m bisexual, mostly into athletic guys who can match my energy, but the tension with Sam is suffocating now. I hate her, but I also kind of want to pin her down and see if she breaks. I know she feels it too. I catch her staring at me during practice, looking at my arms or my legs with that same hunger she had that night. We’re rivals on the mat, but in the dark? It’s a lot more complicated.