Tumblr Imagines

Athlete (LuKe)

Warped dance music flooded my ears, my headphones barely managing to stay in as I moved about. There were a lot of perks to being the captain of the varsity cheer squad. Everyone at school knew who I was, and due to my lack of stereotypical popular bitchiness, everyone liked me. I got in free at all the school sporting events, mainly because I was preforming in them, and leniency when I was in trouble for skipping class or sassing a teacher. But there were just as many drawbacks.

                Like, for example, being stuck in the stinky small gym at my shitty little high school on a Saturday, choreographing a new routine for the state cheer competition. As a senior, I’d made captain three years running, largely in response to being co-captain to the dance team as well, and the pressure was on. Last year’s routine had been as close to perfect as they come, winning us state and moving us up to nationals.

                “Five, six, seven, eight..” I count the steps under my breathe, laying out in my head who would be stunting and where. For the most part, the routine I have in mind is clean and simple, but the stunting has the greatest amount of difficulty. Yet, with enough time on our hands, I think we can get it down.

                With a sigh, I pull my iPhone from the case on my arm band, turning off the annoyingly loud electronic cheer music and checking the time. 2pm. I’ve officially been here four hours. My muscles are already strained, my tendons screaming as I take a step towards the gym doors. With luck and some Epsom salts, they won’t be too sore on Monday at practice.

                I grab my gym bag, taking a long swig from my water bottle before slinging it over my shoulder. The walk to the student parking lot is short, but it feels like miles with the halls empty and my feet echoing against the linoleum. As I pass the big gym, my attention is caught by an angry and anguished sigh. My interest is immediately peaked, and I slip through the doors quietly to see who else would be here on a Saturday.

                My eyes land on a tall and lanky figure, blonde hair sticking to his forehead with sweat. It takes me half a second to recognize him. Luke Hemmings, star point guard to Westview High School’s varsity basketball team. I watch him silently for a few moments as he runs through plays, faking right around an invisible opponent and going for a jump shot. The ball bounces off the net, flying to the side to lay forgotten on the floor. Luke lets out a frustrated groan, racking his hands through his hair and pulling.

                Luke and I have known each other basically our whole lives, from kindergarten all the way on up through senior year, though we’ve never been particularly close. We dated briefly in the eighth grade, mostly just holding hands and exchanging a few awkward kisses before moving on to other people and forgetting all about it. Now I only see him at games and parties, and the occasional AP class we have together. But I’ve always had a thing for him.

                In eight grade he was awkward and lanky, completely uncoordinated and taking an extra bus to a math class here at the high school because he was too advanced for the rest of us. He wore those awful jean shorts that reach just above his knee with flipflops and some sort of brand name t-shirt, and all of us questioned how he managed to pull it off without looking like an idiot. Yet, despite his obvious quirks, he was well liked. But it’s nothing compared to now.

                In the four years since our brief acquaintance, he’s captured my attention exponentially. Though he’s always been tall, in past few years his height has skyrocketed. My normal 5’ 7” stature is nothing compared to his near 6’ 4”. Along with that his shoulders have broadened, sloping down deliciously into  an expertly carved torso and a v-lined hip structure. But he’s never looked hotter than when in his uniform.