#Chapter 66: Beauty & Grace

Rowena The gymnasium erupted with cheers and applause as the announcer's voice boomed over the speakers, signaling the start of the cheerleading ceremony. My gaze instinctively drifted towards Eric, standing tall and proud amongst the victorious warriors from our camp. A pang of sadness tugged at my heart as I realized that, according to the rules of the competition, he would soon be allowed to select one of the winning cheerleaders to accompany him on a date to an upcoming dance. It was only natural, I supposed—he was our camp’s top warrior after all, and had proven his prowess by securing victory in the final team round. Still, the thought of Eric going on a date with one of the overly made-up, giggly cheerleaders left a bitter taste in my mouth. What did I expect, though? He was a skilled, desirable warrior in the prime of his life. Of course the cheerleaders would be fawning all over him. Just picturing the cheerleaders being with him made my gut twist. I quickly