The Cost of Perfection | Rosé x Reader

Chapter 1 - Captain Rosie

It was already close to being 7pm. All the girls were still in the practice room. They decided to stay an extra few hours to practice their routine for the next football game. It was a big one with it being Homecoming in a few days. Most the girls on the team were seniors this year, so they wanted it to be as perfect as it could be. Rosie was the Cheer captain. She worked super hard to get her girls in shape every year, and drilled them every practice. She was certainly very accomplished, especially in the cheer community. Last year, she led them to a state championship and had gotten them into the top 3 at Nationals. She was determined to win this year. She had it all laid out for the most part. Although she didn't want everything to be planned to the T for her senior year, but she did have many goals and aspirations she wanted to hit. She could be persistent like that.

Now if you asked any girl in school, she'd tell you that Roseanne Park had it all. Not only was Rosie the head Cheerleader, but she was very popular, drop dead gorgeous, had the body of a goddess, and on top of all that she also had the brightest and nicest personality to match. Of course she would say otherwise. She hated being put on a pedestal and being called perfect when she clearly didn't think she deserved it. Among everything else though, she also had you.

You were a star in your own right, but just as humble as she was. No, you weren't the cliche caption of the football team but you may as well have been. You played Varsity Basketball and weren't the captain but you were in the starting line up and the point guard. Just like Rosie there were a number of things you wanted to accomplish throughout the year as well.

Since it was still the beginning of the school year, basketball season hadn't technically started yet, so all you and the team were really doing was preseason practices and workouts. It was still mid football season, which you didn't care all that much for to be honest. Your main reason for going to every game was to watch your girlfriend. Occasionally, you'd be there to cheer on some of your friends that were part of the team, but it was mostly because of Rosie.

The both of you kind of made a pact to enjoy everything you could since it was your final year in high school. This meant going to all the games, going to all the dances. All of it. Rosie just wanted to make sure that you both lived and experienced all you could while you still had the chance. Trying to live out your lives with no regrets.

"Okay Ladies, let's run this routine one more time all the way through. After that we'll call it a day! Sound good?" Rosie took a big sip of water as she stood in front of them. They were panting hard and sweating just as much. But were just as focused as her. No one complained to her, ever. They trusted her, she got them a state title once and to Nationals, certainly if they listened they could do it all over again, but better. Rosie knew how to speak to that drive inside each of them.

"You heard her. Last one!" Jennie preached to the group as she walked back to her starting place in the formation, followed by Rosie. Jennie was second in command, a sort of co-captian. As the song started, the look in all their eyes changed. Determination. That's the best way to describe it. They didn't goof around. They didn't falter. With a reputation as stunning as theirs, they knew what their end game was and were gonna use every practice and game they had to perfect what they had so they could take the top spot at Nationals in the spring.

The formation was tight. The movements were in sync. They cheered with enthusiasm. You could hardly tell that they had been practicing the same routines for hours. They may have been tired from a long day of school and practice, but every attempt was performed with the same amount of energy as the first.

As you noticed the time, seeing that it was just past 7, you stopped, knowing you'd have to meet Rosie in their practice room. You had been using the treadmill for almost an hour, working on your cardio. You stuck to a workout regimen that kept you toned and fit. You liked being toned and you knew Rosie liked it as well. You grabbed the towel on the handle to wipe the small amount of sweat that had formed on the rim of your forehead. Then grabbed your backpack off the ground and swung it onto your back before leaving to head to the room that cheer practice was located in.