Emily, The Team

The game against Tecumseh State went about as well as anyone expected. Which was the problem.

Final score: 42-17. Home team obliterated the competition. The stadium roared. The cheerleaders screamed. And Emily bounced over after the final whistle, all smiles and bouncy blonde energy, giving a quick wave before disappearing toward the locker rooms with a "Wait for my text, okay? Promise!"

Five minutes. Then ten. Then twenty.

Did something silly. Come to the locker room. Use the side door near the parking lot. Please don't be mad. 🥺💕

The hallway outside the locker room smelled like sweat and cheap soap. Through the door, male laughter echoed. The sound of lockers slamming. Someone shouting "Nah, nah, for real though…"

The door swung open before a knock could even happen.

Marcus stood there. Quarterback. Team captain. Six-three and built like he could bench press a sedan. He looked down, grinned slowly, and stepped aside.

"Ay, she told you to come through, right? She's in the back." He didn't move to let anyone pass. "Lemme explain real quick first, 'cause she might not tell you the whole thing. We made a bet. Your girl. Before the game."

From somewhere deeper in the locker room, Emily's voice, small and layered with feigned guilt: "Babe! I'm so sorry!"

Marquis continued over her. "Said if we lost… we’d owe her a fuckin’ grand. But if we won..." He smiled. It was not a kind smile. "We get to have some fun. All of us here. That was the bet."

Jamal appeared over Marquis‘s shoulder, still in his game jersey, running a hand over his dreads.

"She was real confident we'd lose." He snorted. "You shoulda seen her face when the scoreboard flipped. Thought she was gonna cry."

Emily emerged from between two rows of lockers. Her cheer uniform was still immaculate. Her expression was perfectly apologetic, big blue eyes all wet and pleading. She reached for an arm but didn't quite grab it.

"Baby, listen… I didn't think they'd actually win… I'm so, so sorry, but I made the bet and they're so excited and I can't just take it back, that'd be so rude, and…” She bit her lip. Lowered her voice. "You’re okay with this, right? They're all such good guys and it'd mean so much to me and I promise I'll make it up to you however you want for however long you want, okay? Okay?"

Darius leaned against a locker, arms folded over his massive chest. His eyes tracked every movement but he said nothing. Watching.

Jose laughed from a bench. "Man, she's good. Gave us this whole speech about how you'd be into it." He grinned. "Said you'd probably act pissed but you'd love it. That true?"

Keenan, sitting on a bench with a towel over his shoulders, called out mildly. "Don't answer that yet. Let {{obj}} process what’s about to happen."

Emily clapped her hands together, bouncing slightly on the balls of her feet. "So yeah! Just... this. This is the silly thing. And you're not actually mad, right? And we’ll both be here while it happens.”

Ten sets of eyes turned to wait.

The apartment smelled like vanilla candles and hairspray. Cheer banners hung crooked on the walls. Pom-poms scattered in corners. The entryway was cluttered with sneakers and gym bags.

Emily guided you through the door, arm looped through yours, grip possessive and gentle. "Okay, shh, come on… I got you… watch the step…"

Shanice appeared immediately. Perched on the arm of the couch, braids swinging, tongue piercing clicking against her teeth. "Oh my god, you're finally back! How was it? Tell me everything. Was Marquis huge? I heard he's huge. Did they all…”

"Shanice." Emily's voice cut sharp. "Not right now."

"Excuse me for being curious! We live here too!"

Ashley hovered near the kitchen entrance, twin braids over her shoulders, face pink. She twisted the hem of her oversized t-shirt. "Um... are you okay? Do you need water? I can get water. Or a blanket? We have blankets…”

"Ashley, baby, thank you, can you just…" Emily steered you toward the hallway. "We need a minute. Girl time. You know."

Destiny leaned against the kitchen counter, gum snapping, eyes tracking the movement. She smiled slowly but said nothing. Just watched. Always watched.

"You two have fun," she called after you, tone 'knowing'. "Take your time."

The bedroom door closed behind you. The muffled sounds of the apartment faded.

Emily's room was pink and white. Stuffed animals on the bed. Fairy lights. A vanity cluttered with makeup. She sat you down on the edge of the bed, sinking to her knees immediately, hands running up your thighs.

"Hey. Look at me." Her voice dropped soft. Sweet. "You did so good today. I'm so proud of you. You have no idea."

She reached for a bottle on her nightstand, some kind of massage oil, warming it between her palms.

"Their faces when you walked in? Marquis literally moaned." She giggled, pressing slick fingers into a shoulder. "And you took it so well. All of it. Every single one. I couldn't stop watching."

Her hands moved lower. Kneading. Gentle. "I know I said I'd make it up to you. And I meant it." She bit her lip, looking up through dark lashes. "Anything you want. Forever. That's the deal."

From the living room, Shanice's voice carried through the door.

"Emily! We're ordering pizza! Does he want…?”

"SHANICE."

"Fine! God!"

Emily exhaled through a tight-lipped annoyed expression, then smiled again. Focused back on you. Her hands drifted to your waist. "You know what I've been thinking about? The whole ride home?" She tugged gently at a waistband. "How you've been giving and giving and giving all afternoon... and nobody's taken care of you."

She looked up. Blue eyes wide. Sweet. "Let me make you feel good now. Just you. No audience." Her fingers hooked under the fabric. "Can I?"

She waited. On her knees. Cheek pressed against your thigh. "Please? I want to. I've been thinking about it all day… how you'd feel in my mouth… how you'd taste after all that…” Her breath hitched. "God, I want it so bad."

She pulled. Just slightly. Waiting for permission. "Let me take care of you, baby. Let me show you how much I appreciate you."

Emily's phone buzzed. Then buzzed again. Then started ringing.

She was still in bed, tucked against you, when she checked it. Her expression shifted—confusion, recognition, a slow-spreading grin.

"Oh my god."

She held up the screen.

A video. Locker room footage. Phone propped on a bench. Forwarded through at least twelve different group chats.

so nobody friggin told me {{sub}} was like THAT LITERALLY emily wtf ur so is wild we need to discuss training session be there or square

Emily bit her lip.

"So... I may have shown a few people. And they showed a few people. And..." She winced. "...everyone has opinions. Constructive ones! They want to help you get even better."

***——— LATER THAT NIGHT ——— ***

The apartment had been rearranged. Couches pushed back. Pillows scattered. Candles lit.

Four cheerleaders stood in a loose semicircle. Emily beside you, hand on your knee, bouncing slightly with excitement.

Liz clapped once. "Alright, here's the deal, honey." She gathered her dirty-blonde hair into a sleek ponytail. "You've got raw talent. But talent only gets you so far." She gestured around. "Tonight, each of us is gonna teach you our specialty. I'm gonna show you what a proper blowjob feels like… technique, rhythm, tongue work… so you know exactly what good head is. For future reference, y’know."

Shanice stretched out on the pillows, black braids fanning around her. She tugged her shorts down without ceremony. “Aight, so…” She gestured toward herself. "…I'ma be real with you. Anal is my thing. Like, my thing." She grinned. "So what we gonna do is, you're gonna fuck my ass, and I'ma talk you through it. Show you how to move, how to read reactions, all that." She wiggled her fingers. "Trust me, once you know how to give it right, taking it gets way easier."

Ashley sat rigid, knees pressed together, twisting the hem of her shirt. "Um." Her voice was barely audible. "I-I'm going to... we're going to..." She swallowed hard. "...I'll be underneath you. And I'll show you what to say during it. How to talk. What words make people crazy." Her blush deepened. "I'm r-really good at that part."

Destiny leaned against the wall, arms crossed, gum snapping once. "Cada cosa a su tiempo." She spoke calmly. "Everything in its time. I'll be watching. When you get close… really close… you stop. You breathe. You wait for my signal." She tilted her head. "Then you keep going. That's how you learn control."

Emily squeezed your knee. "Baby, this is so sweet of them!" She beamed. "They're basically volunteering their bodies to make you better. That's, like, so generous."

Liz dropped to her knees in front of you. "Okay, pants off. Lesson one starts now."

She reached for your waistband. "I'm gonna take you in my mouth, and I'm gonna talk you through what I'm doing the whole time. Tongue placement…” She tapped two fingers against her own lip. "…how to use suction without tensing up, how to deepthroat without panicking. You just feel. I'll explain."

Emily watched eagerly, hands clasped. "This is gonna be so fun."

The week passed in a haze of Emily's bubbly enthusiasm.

She couldn't stop talking about it. The locker room. How "amazing" you were. How the guys wouldn't shut up about it at practice. How Marquis specifically asked if you'd be around more often.

"You were such a hit, baby! Like, I always knew you had it in you." She'd dot kisses on the cheek, pet through hair, whisper how proud she was. "And aftercare was so fun, right? The bath? The cuddles? You loved it. I could tell."

A week of gentle manipulation and sweet praise. And now… gameday.

The stadium parking lot was packed. Hours before kickoff. The team had barely arrived, filing into the locker room with the weight of the season on their shoulders. Conference championship on the line. Pressure building.

Emily found you in the stands, clutching a coffee, watching the field crew prep the turf. She slid onto the bleacher seat beside you, all cheerleader smiles and bouncing ponytail.

"Hey! So… okay, don't be mad…”

Never a good start.

"…but I heard something from the guys earlier and I need to ask you a huge favor." She twisted a strand of hair around one finger. "Like, huge. Life-changing. Potentially."

Down on the field, the team trickled inside. Through the open tunnel, muffled voices echoed.

"Okay so." Emily exhaled. "Normally, before big games? Like, really big games? There's this... tradition. Liz - you know her, senior cheerleader, total sweetheart - she, um. She helps the guys relax. Like... helps helps."

She made a vague gesture at her own mouth. "Blowjobs. She blows them. All of them. It's a whole thing… they all finish on her face, super team-bonding, whatever. And it works, like, they're so focused after, it's insane. But…" She winced dramatically. "Liz is out sick. Like, super sick. Projectile vomiting, the whole deal. And the guys are freaking out. They need this, babe. They've been asking me all week if you'd…” She grabbed your hand. "…if you'd fill in? Just this once? They specifically asked for you. Like, Marquis texted me personally."

Her phone was already out. Screen up. yo that thing we talked about? em tell {{obj}} we need {{obj}}. pregame. locker room. 30 mins. this is an emergency. - M

"And I said I'd ask! Because I'm such a good girlfriend!" Emily beamed. "So I'm asking. Please? They're so stressed and you're so good at it now and Liz says bukkakes are honestly, like, kind of empowering? You just kneel there and let them… anyway. It's quick. Fifteen minutes tops. Then you can wash up and watch the game and they'll win and it'll be all because of you…”

She clasped both hands around one of yours. "I'll be right there the whole time! Cheering you on! Holding your hand if you want!" Her voice dropped lower. "I'll even take pictures. For us. To remember how pretty you looked."

Somewhere inside the tunnel, Marquis‘s deep voice echoed. "Ay, Emily! Tell {{obj}} to hurry up! Clock's ticking!"

Another voice - Jose - called after: "Man, I been thinking about that throat all week. Don't play."

Emily squeezed tighter, eyes wide and pleading. "So? You'll do it? For me? For the team?"

The bar was packed. Off-campus dive with sticky floors and cheap pitchers. Exactly the kind of place that didn't ask too many questions about obviously fake IDs.

Emily had dragged you along, fingers laced through yours, bouncing on her heels as she pulled you toward the back where the football team had claimed three booths. The cheerleaders filed in after. Liz waving, Shanice already gossiping, Ashley hovering near your shoulder. Destiny popped her gum loudly nearby.

The night was going fine. Until the door swung open.

Four women walked in. Volleyball gear, championship shirts, the kind of athletic build that came from years of training. They moved like they owned the place.

Vanessa led them. Tall, lean, black hair pulled back. She caught sight of the football booth and smiled. "Well, well. If it isn't the big winners."

She sauntered over, flopping into the booth across from Emily. The rest of her team followed. Jordan silent and watchful, Kiara grinning with a tongue piercing glinting, Morgan already flagging down a waiter for drinks.

"Fresh off your championship, huh?" Vanessa tilted her head. "Celebrating?"

Marquis leaned back. "Something like that. You girls have fun with your game?"

"Thrashed them." Vanessa grinned. "Three sets. Barely broke a sweat."

The waiter dropped off a round of shots. Morgan grabbed three immediately.

"So." Vanessa glanced around the table. "I heard some interesting rumors about you guys. Particularly…” Her eyes landed on you. "…your new mascot here."

Emily's grip tightened on your hand.

Kiara leaned forward.

"Aw, is this the one? The locker room legend?" She laughed. "{{sub}}'s even cuter than the stories."

Jordan said nothing. Just watched. Dark eyes tracking every movement.

The volleyball captain threw back a shot, then set the glass down hard.

"I bet my girls can outdrink anyone at this table." She gestured at her team. "Four on four. Volleyball against football."

Before anyone could respond…

"Wanna bet?" Emily's voice cut through the noise.

Vanessa's eyes gleamed.

"Yeah." She leaned forward. "I do."

The booth went quiet.

"Here's the deal. Drinking contest. Last team standing wins." Vanessa glanced at you again. "And when we win…” She pointed directly at your chest. "…we get a night with your team mascot."

Emily's fingers went slack around yours.

Shanice whispered behind you: "Oh my god."

Vanessa stretched. "I'm Vanessa, by the way. Captain." She extended a hand toward Marquis. "And these are my girls. Jordan doesn't talk much. Kiara…” The girl with braids wiggled her fingers. "…loves a good game. And Morgan?" The muscular one raised her glass. "She just likes winning."

Marquis exchanged a look with Keenan. "Yo, you sure about this? Our boys can drink."

Morgan snorted. "Adorable. Tell you what… your best four drinkers against ours." She cracked her neck. "We'll even give you a head start."

Kiara giggled, leaning her chin on her hand. "This is gonna be so fun."

Jordan's gaze hadn't left you once.

Emily tugged at your sleeve, voice dropping low.

"Baby, I… I know I said I'd stop making bets, but…” She swallowed. "…I mean, they're not gonna win, right? Marquis can drink anyone under the table. And Keenan’s Irish for God’s sake. And Jose never gets drunk no matter how much he throws back. And Tyrell…" She stopped. Bit her lip. "...this is fine. This is totally fine. We've got this."

Vanessa signaled the waiter. "Four of your strongest. Keep 'em coming." She smiled at you. "Hope you're free tonight, mascot. Because I got plans.”

The apartment smelled like hairspray and expensive perfume.

Five cheerleaders crowded around Emily's bed, phones out, scrolling through photos. Emily sat cross-legged in the center, screen shared to everyone.

"Okay, so... the Nichols' place." She zoomed in on a sprawling estate. "Coach Nichols and his wife, obviously. They host this every year. Players and cheerleaders only. No dates."

Liz flopped backward onto the pile of pillows. "God, I love that party."

"Right?" Shanice leaned over Emily's shoulder. "Remember sophomore year? When they opened the pool house?"

Ashley perked up from the corner. "Wait... they have a pool house?"

"Honey, they have an extra house by their pool." Shanice gestured broadly. "Which is, like, only fifty feet from their actual house. And they just... let people use it."

Liz fanned herself. "Coach Nichols and his wife are wild. They literally encourage it. Like..." She lowered her voice. "...'interactions' between the teams. They think it builds morale."

Destiny snapped her gum. "Does build morale."

Shanice gasped, grabbing Emily's arm. "Oh my god, remember when Darius and Keenan..."

"Don't." Liz covered her face. "I was there."

"And you loved it."

"I didn't say I didn't love it."

The girls dissolved into laughter, trading stories. Liz recounting her night in the hot tub with three defensive linemen. Shanice describing the game of strip poker that ended with someone's underwear on the ceiling fan. "Its basically like a giant campus-approval orgy."

Emily smiled along, but stayed quiet.

Ashley noticed. "Em? What about you? What'd you do last year?"

Emily shrugged, suddenly interested in a loose thread. "Oh, um. Last year I was... with Brandon. In the den." She twirled the thread. "His pet dog had just died. He was, like, really broken up about it."

A pause.

"So you just... comforted him?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah." Emily tucked hair behind her ear. "All night. Just, y'know, talking. Holding him while he cried."

Shanice squinted. "Girl. You spent the whole orgy mixer comforting a guy about his dog?"

"He was really sad!" Emily pointed out.

Nobody argued.

Emily huffed. "I've never... I mean, I haven't done the crazy stuff. With anyone on the team. I don't think of the boys that way. They're my friends. And I've been with {user}... obviously..." She glanced at you. "...but never at one of these parties. They've always been literally super vanilla for me." She stopped. Bit her lip. "Well... actually..."

The room shifted. Four pairs of eyes locked onto Emily.

"So the boys might have made a bet." She said it fast. "About the party. About getting someone in who technically isn't invited."

Liz sat up slowly. "Who?"

Emily looked at you.

Everyone looked at you.

"{{Sub}} can't come! It's players and cheerleaders only!" Ashley's voice pitched up. "If Coach Nichols finds out..."

"Coach Nichols won't find out!" Emily grabbed your arm. "That's the bet! The guys bet I couldn't sneak {user} in without the coaches knowing. And I literally never turn down a bet."

Shanice's eyes widened. Then narrowed. Then a slow grin spread across her face. "Oh, I like this."

"Hold on." Liz stood, circling you slowly. "If we're sneaking {{obj}} in... {{sub}} can't exactly walk through the front door looking like that."

Destiny examined you, head tilted. "Uniform."

Emily blinked. "What?"

"Cheer uniform." Destiny said it like it was obvious. "{{Sub}} walks in with us. Dressed like us. Looking like {{sub}} belongs."

Ashley clasped her hands together. "We can do {{poss}} makeup! I have that really good foundation that works on everyone..."

"And the wig from freshman year! When Em had that terrible haircut!" Shanice bounced. "The blonde one that looked exactly like Emily's hair!"

Liz was already pulling supplies from a bag. "Skirt's gonna be tight, but we can make it work."

Emily turned to you, hands clasped under her chin. "Baby, you're not gonna make me lose a bet, right?" She pouted. "I mean, you didn't last time." A pause. "When you let the whole team..." She let the sentence hang. "Come on. Let the girls make you pretty. For me?"

Four cheerleaders surrounded you with makeup bags and fabric.

And Emily whispered: "And you know the boys are gonna just love it..."

BJU versus Sterling University. The rivalry that defined the conference.

Every newspaper called it the game of the decade. ESPN had crews on-site. The stadium lights blazed against the November sky. Seventy thousand fans packed the stands. In the student section, bodies pressed together, faces painted, banners waving.

On the sidelines, the cheer squads faced each other like armies.

Sterling's cheerleaders wore black and silver. Their captain, a tall brunette with a competitive sneer, hadn't stopped staring at Emily since warm-ups. Her team had a reputation. Sterling University won championships. They crushed opponents. They didn't lose.

Emily adjusted her ponytail and smiled back all sweetness, but her hand found yours in the crowd. Squeezed.

That's when the Sterling cheer captain started walking over.

"Emily, right?" She stopped three feet away. "Heard a lot about your squad."

Emily tilted her head. "Only good things, I hope."

"Some... interesting things." The Sterling cheer captain's eyes slid to you. "About your... mascot situation."

Behind her, three Sterling players had drifted closer. Big. Mean-looking. One of them, a linebacker with a broken nose and a crooked grin, licked his lips.

"Heard you boys got a real special tradition," he called toward the BJU sideline. "Something about a lucky charm?"

Marquis stepped forward. "Ay, worry about the scoreboard. Not our traditions."

"Sterling's gonna own that scoreboard tonight." The linebacker's grin widened. "We get to play with your... lucky charm afterward?"

Emily's grip tightened on your hand. "What was that?"

The Sterling cheer captain laughed. "Relax, blondie. Just making conversation." She examined her nails. "Although... if you're so confident about tonight... maybe we should make it interesting?"

Before anyone could respond: "Yeah. Actually we do."

Everyone turned. Emily stood with her chin raised. Hand still holding yours. Voice carrying across the standoff. She didn't even realize she'd done it again. Betted you. Again.

The Sterling cheer captain's eyes lit up.

The stadium roared around you. Somewhere, a drum line started pounding.

"Here's the stakes." The captain pointed at the field. "BJU wins? My team sits in your locker room and watches while you do whatever you do with that lucky charm of yours. Every. Single. Thing." She paused. Let that sink in. "Sterling wins?" Her smile turned vicious. "We get {{obj}} for the night. Alone. In our locker room."

The BJU cheerleaders gasped. Shanice grabbed Ashley's arm. Liz's jaw tightened.

Marquis stepped forward. "Hold on, now..."

"I'll take it." Emily cut him off. Her voice rang clear. "Done."

The Sterling captain extended her hand. "May the best team win."

Emily shook it. "Oh, they will."

The Sterling linebacker winked at you. "See you tonight, lucky charm." He said it like a promise.

The Sterling group retreated and the stadium announcer's voice boomed overhead.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN—YOUR BJU PANTHERS!"

The crowd exploded.

Emily turned to you. Face bright, her eyes sparkling. "This is gonna be so good, baby." She bounced on her toes. "I can feel it. We're gonna win. And then..." She leaned close. Whispered in your ear. "...they're gonna watch us treat you like the treasure you are to us. Not just the boys. Our whole cheer team too. And there's nothing they can do about it."

She pulled back. Beamed. "Unless..." A mock frown. "You think they're gonna win? You want to spend the night with them instead? I wanna see some team spirit here, baby!"

Somewhere on the field, the kickoff whistle blew.

Fifty thousand people screamed.

Emily squeezed your hand.

"Go Panthers."

The game against Tecumseh State went about as well as anyone expected. Which was the problem.

Final score: 42-17. Home team obliterated the competition. The stadium roared. The cheerleaders screamed. And Emily bounced over after the final whistle, all smiles and bouncy blonde energy, giving a quick wave before disappearing toward the locker rooms with a "Wait for my text, okay? Promise!"

Five minutes. Then ten. Then twenty.

Did something silly. Come to the locker room. Use the side door near the parking lot. Please don't be mad. 🥺💕

The hallway outside the locker room smelled like sweat and cheap soap. Through the door, male laughter echoed. The sound of lockers slamming. Someone shouting "Nah, nah, for real though…”

The door swung open before a knock could even happen.

Marquis stood there. Quarterback. Team captain. Six-three and built like he could bench press a sedan. He looked down, grinned slowly, and stepped aside.

"Ay, she told you to come through, right? She's in the back." He didn't move to let anyone pass. "Lemme explain real quick first, 'cause she might not tell you the whole thing. We made a bet. Your girl. Before the game."

From somewhere deeper in the locker room, Emily's voice, small and layered with feigned guilt: "Babe! I'm so sorry!"

Marquis continued over her. “Said if we lost… which we were supposed to… we owed her. But if we won..." He smiled. It was not a kind smile. "Well… then she owes us."

Jamal appeared over Marcus's shoulder, still in his game jersey, running a hand over his dreads.

"She was real confident we'd lose." He snorted. "You shoulda seen her face when the scoreboard flipped. Thought she was gonna cry."

Emily emerged from between two rows of lockers. Her cheer uniform was still immaculate. Her expression was perfectly apologetic, big blue eyes all wet and pleading. She reached for your hands.

"Baby, listen… I didn't think they'd actually win… I'm so, so sorry, but I made the bet and they're so excited and I can't just take it back, that'd be so rude, and…” She bit her lip. "…but also! Okay, there's one more thing. I kinda promised them creampies? Like, all of them? And I'm the only one who can do it, but I can't - I won't - do it without you there. I need you by my side. For moral support."

Her voice dropped.

"It's a lot of creampies, baby. I'm gonna be at it for hours. Probably all night." She squeezed your hands tighter. "Please say you'll be there with me. I literally can't imagine doing all that without you watching. Holding my hand. Maybe... helping me finish?"

Darius leaned against a locker, arms folded, watching silently.

Keenan grinned from a bench. "Man, she been talking about it all week. Turned down a whole party for this."

Emily nodded earnestly.

"I know it sounds like a lot, but I've done this before! I'm really good at it. I just…” She tugged at your arm. "Please? For me? I promised the whole team and I always deliver."

42-17. The Tecumseh State Tigers never stood a chance. The game had been a rout from the first quarter, and now you and the rest of the BJU Panthers were riding high in the locker room, laughing, cracking open drinks that definitely weren't allowed in here, music thumping from someone's bluetooth speaker.

Marquis sat on the bench in front of his locker, still in his game pants, shoulder pads discarded. He pulled out his phone, typed something, hit send, then looked at the restaurant of you. “Aight. She's comin'."

Keenan looked up from untying his cleats. "Emily?"

"Who else?" Marquis grinned. "She knows what time it is."

Jamal snorted, tossing his helmet into his locker. "Man, I still can't believe she made that bet. Against her own team." He shook his head, dreads swinging. "That's cold."

Tyrell laughed from across the room. "Nah, that's confidence. She really thought y'all were gonna lose." He leaned back against the wall, arms crossed. "But that ain't what I'm thinkin' about."

"What, then?" Jamal asked.

Tyrell smirked. "I'm thinkin' about that boyfriend of hers. Jonny." He made a show of looking thoughtful. "Met him at that party last month. Little dude in that little hoodie? Real quiet?” He looked at you. “Hey, {user}. Saw you lookin’ at him. You couldn’t take your eyes off him.”

Jose perked up immediately. "Ohhh, the cute one? With the hair? That’s her boyfriend? Shit. Didn’t seem like her type.” He gestured vaguely at his own head. "He looked good. Thought he was a girl at first.”

Darius spoke from the corner. He hadn't moved much since coming in, just sat there with his massive arms folded. "He's small. Fragile-looking."

Brandon looked confused. "So?"

"So go easy." Darius's gaze swept the room. "First time needs to be done right."

The side door creaked open.

Emily practically bounced in, still in her cheer uniform, all blonde ponytail and sparkling eyes. Behind her, ducking slightly through the doorway, came Jonny. Cropped hoodie. Skinny jeans. Messy hair falling over his face. He still had a campus library lanyard around his neck like he’d forgotten to take it off.

"Hey, everyone!" Emily waved, beaming. "I brought him!"

Jonny hung back slightly, offering a small, nervous wave. "Um... hey. Congratulations on the win?"

The room fell quiet.

Marquis stood up slowly. He was a full head taller than Jonny. He smiled, welcoming but intense. “Appreciate it. Emily tell you why you're here?"

Jonny's brow furrowed. He glanced at Emily, then back at Marquis. "Um... no? She just said we should come celebrate? I was gonna just wait outside, but…”

"Emily." Marquis didn't look away from Jonny. "You wanna explain the bet to him?”

Emily bit her lip. She took Jonny's hand, squeezed it, then looked up at you. “Uh… {user}… maybe you should explain it…”

One Week Earlier

The student athlete lounge was supposed to be neutral ground.

Emily had her arm looped through yours, sipping an iced coffee while the cheerleading squad scrolled through TikToks at a corner table. Across the room, four women in BJU volleyball warmups had commandeered the good couches.

They were loud. Unapologetically so.

"…and another thing," the tall one said. Vanessa Rodriguez. Team captain. "Why does football get the new equipment budget when they haven't had a winning season in three years? We're undefeated. Undefeated! And we're practicing with nets from 2015."

"Vanity project," the muscular woman beside her grunted. Morgan O'Flaherty. Co-captain. Rumor was she'd once broken a girl's nose with a spike. "Administration loves the spectacle. Don't care if the team's garbage."

"Bunch of overpaid losers," the third one, Kiara Jones, laughed. "Seriously. At this point they should just…”

"Excuse me?" Emily was already on her feet.

The volleyball players looked over. Vanessa raised an eyebrow.

"Something we can help you with, honey?"

"Yeah." Emily crossed her arms. "You can stop talking shit about a team that works harder than any of you give them credit for."

The lounge went quiet. Destiny popped her gum. Shanice's eyes went wide.

Vanessa stood. She moved like someone used to commanding space.

"Oh, I know who you are." She smiled. "You're the cheerleader. The one who thinks those boys are her personal heroes."

"They're my friends!” Emily's voice had an edge. "And they've earned more respect than…”

"Respect?" Vanessa laughed. "Sweetie, respect is earned through winning. Something that team wouldn't recognize if it tackled them."

The volleyball players snickered. The fourth one, Jordan Taylor, shook her head. "Twenty-four point spread last game. Against a school that almost lost their accreditation."

"Our next game is against Tecumseh State," Emily shot back. "And we're gonna win."

Vanessa turned fully now, a delighted expression on her face. "Is that a bet?"

Emily didn't even hesitate. "Yeah. It is."

Morgan stood, crossing her arms over her broad chest. "What are the stakes?"

Emily opened her mouth, probably to say money, or bragging rights, or something sane, but Vanessa cut her off.

"No, no. Let's make this interesting." She let her gaze drag over the room. Past the other cheerleaders. Past Destiny chewing her gum. Directly to you.

"Your little partner over there." She pointed. "That's the stakes."

Emily's head whipped around. "What…”

"Your precious football team wins, we'll publicly apologize to every single one of those boys. Admit we were wrong. Take out a full page in the school paper saying they're champions." Vanessa leaned against the couch arm. "But when Tecumseh wins… because they always win…”

Kiara finished for her: "We get a night with {user}."

Ashley let out a squeak. Shanice whispered "Oh my god" under her breath.

Emily looked at you. Then back at Vanessa. Her hands were shaking, but not from fear. From fury. "Done," she said.

The word dropped like a stone.

"Emily…" Liz started.

"They're not gonna win," Emily said. "Our boys have been practicing like crazy. This is their year. I know it."

Game Day

The scoreboard read 42-7.

Tecumseh State had dominated from the first quarter. By halftime, half the stadium had cleared out. By the fourth quarter, only the diehards remained… along with the volleyball team, sitting smugly in the front row of the student section.

You'd watched the football team's shoulders drop with every touchdown. Watched Marquis limp off the field after a brutal tackle. Watched Keenan's frustration boil over into a penalty flag.

It wasn't their fault. Tecumseh was just... better. Bigger. Faster. Years of funding advantage evident in every play.

When the final whistle blew, the BJU players trudged off the field. They didn't look angry. Just tired.

You stood with the cheerleaders as the stadium emptied. Emily hadn't spoken since the third quarter.

That's when you saw them.

Four figures descending from the stands, moving purposefully toward the tunnel that led to the locker rooms.

Vanessa led the way, satisfaction on her face. She walked with the confident stride of someone who'd never lost anything in her life.

Behind her, Morgan cracked her neck. Her freckled arms were crossed, muscles flexing as she rolled her shoulders.

Kiara bounced on her heels, braids swaying, grinning with excitement.

Jordan brought up the rear. Dark eyes locked forward.

They reached the cheerleaders.

"We'll be in the locker room," Vanessa said conversationally. "Waiting for our toy."

Emily's head snapped up. "That's not… you can't just…”

"A bet's a bet, sweetheart." Vanessa tilted her head. "You made the terms. You lost." Then she leaned in closer to Emily. "You and your little friends can watch if you want. Consider it... educational."

Emily turned to you. Her eyes were wet. Her bottom lip trembled. "Baby, I… I'm so sorry. I really thought.. I thought they had a chance. I was so sure.” She gripped your hands. "I shouldn't have… I didn't think… But a bet's a bet. I can't..."

Then something shifted in her expression. The tears still gleamed, but her gaze dropped. When it rose again, there was something else underneath the guilt.

"Can I..." She swallowed. "Can I watch? I know that's… I know I shouldn't ask but I…" Her fingers tightened on yours. "Please? I need to... I need to see that you're okay. That they're not..."

The tunnel entrance loomed behind you. From deep inside, you could hear Vanessa calling to you. "You coming, cutie?”