Nicole Nowlin

Question

Mathew Fulone
11A

Behind The Cheer Pom-Poms
Alaysia sat in a straddle position on the mat at the cheerleading gym, surrounded by the chatter and laughter of her teammates. Although loud and energetic, the sound felt distant as she traced the patterns of the freckles on her arm. At sixteen years old, Alaysia had been cheering for as long as she could remember. With her brown hair cascading down her back and long lashes that framed her wide brown eyes, she seemed like the perfect cheerleader—effortlessly gliding through routines that left others in awe. But beneath her bright smile lay a struggle that she had kept secret for too long.
Ciana, one of the older girls on the team, had a personality of charm. At eighteen, her black, curly hair framed her delicate facial features, giving her an almost enchanting look. She was not only Alaysia’s friend but also considered like a sister to her though little did she know, secrets often lingered in the spaces between them.
While Alaysia excelled at cheerleading, she felt an unbearable weight pressing down on her. Her mom, the coach, scrutinized her every move with an intensity that made Alaysia’s heart race in dread. Everyone fell at her feet but they had no idea of the fears she battled every day. The expectations built higher and higher and became a struggle for her and it felt like an unrelenting storm, and her love for cheerleading began to crack day by day.
As weeks passed, whispers began to circulate within the team. “Why does Alaysia always go home with Coach?” one teammate wondered, eyes narrowing with curiosity. "She must just be getting a ride," another replied dismissively. Yet, Ciana’s keen eyes had begun to connect dots that the others ignored. “Why do they look so much alike?” Ciana pondered, her mind racing with suspicions. There was a profound mystery in Alaysia’s relationship with the coach, and the uncertainty brewed like dark clouds on the horizon.
The tension increased every practice as Alaysia faced Ciana’s watchful gaze. Every lunge and routine seemed to amplify the underlying tension. Alaysia felt the weight of countless eyes bearing down on her, especially when yelling filled the air. “Her yelling hit me like a ton of bricks,” Alaysia thought, hoping against hope that none of her teammates would see through her forced smile.
One fateful afternoon, the situation escalated. Ciana had pushed for a better understanding of what was happening, pulling Alaysia aside after practice. "Why are you always getting yelled at? There must be something you’re not telling me,” Ciana pressed gently, her voice laced with concern.
In that moment, the dam broke. Alaysia’s composure shattered, and she found herself crying in front of Ciana, the rush of emotions pouring from her like a waterfall. “Cheerleading isn’t as easy as it looks! It’s hard with my mom as the coach. She expects so much from me, and sometimes I want to quit,” Alaysia admitted through her sobs.
Ciana’s expression shifted from concern to betrayal as she processed the revelation. “You’ve been lying to me, Alaysia! This…this changes everything,” she said, stepping back as if the truth had pushed her physically away. The rift between them formed almost instantaneously, widening with each word unspoken.
In the aftermath of the climax, Alaysia found herself grappling with the fear of losing her friend while also struggling to confront her reality. Ciana needed time to process, and Alaysia, filled with regret, promised herself that she would be honest moving forward. Day after day, she showed up to practice, facing her fears head-on, and slowly began to open up to her teammates about the struggles she had kept hidden. To her surprise, Alaysia discovered that many shared similar fears and pressures, forming a bond through vulnerability.
By the end of the season, everything changed. Alaysia stood beside Ciana, her cheeks still glistening with remnants of tears but now filled with determination. Secrets no longer twisted like thorns in her heart; instead, they had transformed into support and acceptance among friends. Ciana, now firmly by her side, had forgiven and understood, which mended the tear in their friendship.
As they prepared for the upcoming competition, Alaysia no longer felt like a facade or a perfect cheerleader. Instead, she embraced her true self, flaws and all, reshaping the expectations she felt burdened by. The truth of her struggles had come to light, illuminating the path forward, allowing her to cheer not only for herself but for everyone around her. They were a team, after all—united through the complexities of life, behind the pom-poms.

make this less profession and in MLA format

Answer 1

Certainly! Here’s a version of your story written in a less formal style and reformatted to fit MLA guidelines, including a title page and general formatting.

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Nicole Nowlin
Mathew Fulone
11A
October 2023

Behind The Cheer Pom-Poms

Alaysia sat on the cheer mat, legs stretched out in a straddle, surrounded by the chatter and laughter of her teammates. Even though the gym buzzed with energy, it all felt distant as she traced the patterns of the freckles on her arm. At sixteen, Alaysia had been cheering for as long as she could remember. With her brown hair cascading down her back and long lashes framing her wide brown eyes, she looked like the perfect cheerleader—gliding effortlessly through routines that amazed others. But beneath her bright smile, there was a struggle she had kept secret for far too long.

Ciana was one of the older girls on the team and had a magnetic personality. At eighteen, with her black, curly hair framing her delicate features, she almost seemed enchanting. Ciana was not only Alaysia’s friend but also felt like a sister, although little did she know that secrets often lingered between them.

Though Alaysia excelled at cheerleading, she carried an unbearable weight on her shoulders. Her mom, the coach, scrutinized her every move with such intensity that Alaysia's heart raced in dread each time. Everyone admired her, but they had no idea about the fears that plagued her daily. The expectations kept piling up, becoming a heavy struggle; her love for cheerleading started to crack a little more every day.

As practices went on, whispers began to spread through the team. “Why does Alaysia always go home with Coach?” one teammate wondered, narrowing her eyes with curiosity. “She must just be getting a ride,” another shrugged off. But Ciana’s sharp mind started piecing things together in ways the others ignored. “Why do they look so much alike?” Ciana thought, suspicion brewing within her. A profound mystery surrounded Alaysia’s relationship with the coach, darkening the atmosphere with uncertainty.

With every practice, the tension grew as Ciana's watchful gaze seemed to follow Alaysia. Each lunge and routine felt heavier as she sensed her teammates' scrutiny, especially when the yelling began. “Her yelling hit me like a ton of bricks,” Alaysia thought, desperately hoping no one could see through her forced smile.

Then one afternoon, the situation hit a turning point. Ciana pulled Alaysia aside after practice, pushing her for answers. “Why are you always getting yelled at? There must be something you're not telling me,” she said gently, concern ringing in her voice.

In that moment, everything fell apart. Alaysia’s composure shattered, and she found herself crying in front of Ciana, emotions spilling out like a waterfall. “Cheerleading isn’t as easy as it looks! My mom expects so much from me, and sometimes I want to quit,” Alaysia confessed through her sobs.

Ciana's face shifted from concern to betrayal. “You’ve been lying to me, Alaysia! This…this changes everything,” she said, stepping back as though the truth had physically pushed her away. Just like that, a rift formed between them, widening with every unspoken word.

In the aftermath, Alaysia grappled with the fear of losing her friend while also facing her own reality. Ciana needed time to process, and filled with regret, Alaysia vowed to be honest from then on. Day by day, she showed up at practice, confronting her fears, slowly opening up to her teammates about the hidden struggles. To her surprise, Alaysia found out that many shared similar fears and pressures, creating a bond through their vulnerability.

By the end of the season, everything had changed. Alaysia stood beside Ciana, with tears still lingering on her cheeks but now filled with determination. Secrets no longer twisted like thorns in her heart; instead, they transformed into support and acceptance among friends. Ciana, now firmly by her side, forgave her, mending their friendship.

As they prepared for the next competition, Alaysia no longer felt like a façade or a perfect cheerleader. Instead, she embraced her true self, flaws and all, reshaping the heavy expectations she had carried. The truth of her struggles shone through, paving the way for her to cheer not only for herself but for everyone around her. They were a team, after all—united through the complexities of life, behind the pom-poms.

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