Short of Guts

Chapter 8

Sam had a dangerous look on his face. Everybody who knew him recognized it. the hall way leading to the shower rooms suddenly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"What were you just doing PAL?" Sam growled as he swung his arms around Jake's shoulders squeezing Jake in a hug that bordered on violence.

"Hey, I can explain..." replied Jake simultaneously withstanding Sam's physical assault and trying to calm the situation without sacrificing Holly. He managed to drag Sam with a concerned Holly muttering about big brothers who don't mind their own business out from the hall way to the parking lot. They left behind a smug looking Amber and a smirking Brandon with echoes of "Everybody knows, right Brandon?Sam's sister is out of bounds" from the rest of the guys at the locker hallway.

It all started when Brandon was having a party to celebrate the Titans win at the nationals 2 years ago. Everyone on the football team including cheerleaders were invited. Holly couldn't go because she was feeling sick. All of them were high and got pretty drunk. That's when they started betting on who could get a girls V-card. Sam had to leave to send Renee back. Suddenly one of the guys told Brandon if he could get Holly's V-card, they would all give him 100 bucks. Brandon who always felt he had something to prove picked up the dare. The guys never knew he would actually do it as they were all drunk and didn't mean what they said.

Brandon started flirting with Holly asking her out without Sam's knowledge. She was mooning over him by the second term and all Andrea ever heard about was Brandon this and Brandon that. but by the end of the term Holly became very quiet and tensed distancing herself from Andrea and her own family. When Andrea confronted her about it, she finally told her about how Brandon was pressuring her to have sex with him and that he was avoiding her after she backed off as she remembered her vow at a No Apologies seminar she had just attended at her church. She had vowed she would keep herself for the person she would eventually marry even if it meant she was the last virgin in America. Born in a family where her parents married their first loves had influenced Holly in making this decision. When she saw how her parents sneaked off together thinking nobody noticed their disappearance or when they made up after an argument, Holly felt she would only bhappy if she had what her parents had. She didn't care if her friends boasted about their sexual exploits after a weekend party or whispered about her prudishness or implied she was a cold fish. After her experience with Brandon, Holly was more determined to stick to her decision.

Being Holly's twin, Sam sensed trouble where she was concerned. It wasn't long before he found out about the bet and one afternoon just before practice, there was a blow up. Sam went head on toward Brandon butting him in the stomach as Brandon stepped into the field. Luckily the coach and the rest of the team helped to break them up. As a result both Sam and Brandon were suspended for three months. Holly who saw what happened across the field was also suspended by her coach because she broke ranks and charged across when the fight broke out. It was a painful time for both Holly and Sam, who was so angry with Holly for keeping her relationship with Brandon a secret that he refused to talk to his twin for 2 weeks until their parents intervened. Holly was not only heartbroken but angry and ashamed for almost falling for a bet. Thank God, Andrea was there to help Holly through her depression then one day, Holly knew that if she continued being like this, it would only mean Brandon had won. She was going to show him she was a fighter. With that thought, Holly worked hard when she returned from her hiatus ignoring the snickers and whispers behind her back were the hardest. She channeled her anger and pain toward her cheerleading practice and eventually became the head cheerleader. She never got herself into a relationship from that day onwards. Whenever a guy asked her out, she would decline. That was one of the reasons she didn't have a boyfriend even though she was one of the prettiest girls and most popular girls at Cleveland High. The guys at school who were not footballers had been turned down so many times they don't ask any more.

Meantime, coach declared all siblings of team members out of bounds which caused a lot of grouses and complaints but nevertheless the unwritten rule remained until today.

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This chapter was more about Holly's past with Brandon. It's not that great:D leave a comment and vote too! Thanks!