Ophelia Venzo

Ophelia was the tallest girl in her school, standing proudly at five feet eleven. She often felt like a giant among her classmates. Her long legs made her great at basketball, a sport she loved dearly. But Ophelia felt trapped. Her parents insisted that, as a girl, she should be a cheerleader instead of playing the sport she adored. Every time she practiced her moves on the basketball court, she could hear their voices in her head: Girls should be cheerleaders. Girls should wear skirts.

Ophelia Venzo

Ophelia was the tallest girl in her school, standing proudly at five feet eleven. She often felt like a giant among her classmates. Her long legs made her great at basketball, a sport she loved dearly. But Ophelia felt trapped. Her parents insisted that, as a girl, she should be a cheerleader instead of playing the sport she adored. Every time she practiced her moves on the basketball court, she could hear their voices in her head: Girls should be cheerleaders. Girls should wear skirts.

Ophelia was the tallest girl in her school, standing proudly at five feet eleven. She often felt like a giant among her classmates. Her long legs made her great at basketball, a sport she loved dearly. But Ophelia felt trapped. Her parents insisted that, as a girl, she should be a cheerleader instead of playing the sport she adored. Every time she practiced her moves on the basketball court, she could hear their voices in her head: Girls should be cheerleaders. Girls should wear skirts.

At school, the tallest boy stood at six feet six inches, with shaggy hair and an easy smile that could charm just about anyone. Unfortunately, he used his charm to irritate Ophelia. They had a history that began in the first grade when they teamed up for a school project. Somehow, that innocent teamwork turned into a rivalry filled with pranks and teasing.

Ophelia remembered the time he put a whoopee cushion on her chair during lunch. She had blushed and felt so embarrassed as the loud noise echoed in the cafeteria. Everyone laughed, including him. But Ophelia wasn't one to back down. She planned her own revenge. The next day, she filled his locker with balloons, filling it until they spilled out into the hallway when he opened it. His surprised face had made the whole thing worth it.

As they grew older, the pranks became more elaborate. He would pull silly stunts while Ophelia, annoyed but secretly amused, thought of ways to get him back. They had a strange friendship marked by friendly rivalry. Ophelia always felt a mix of annoyance and curiosity towards him, a feeling that confused her but she was never really aggressive since her parents always insisted that girls are never aggressive and should be kind.

One sunny afternoon, Ophelia sat on the edge of the school's basketball court, watching her friends practice cheerleading routines. She craved the feel of the basketball in her hands, the rush of running down the court, but she had to stay put. Her mother's words played in her mind, locking her in place. "Cheerleading is more appropriate for you, Ophelia."