Edward and his Cheerleaders

Note: All characters within this story are above 18 years of age. This is a fictional story and is meant to be read as a fantasy by adults (18+). Any apparent lack of consent is purely a narrative element within this fictional setting and is not meant to reflect acceptable behavior in real life. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Another disappointing day in his stupid life was officially in the books, that’s what Edward Bae thought to himself as he walked home from high school. The afternoon sun beat down on the back of his neck, making his shirt stick uncomfortably to his skin. He kept his head low, earbuds in, so people wouldn’t try to talk to him. It wasn’t like he was some total loser. He got decent grades, stayed out of trouble and there were even a couple of girls in his class who sometimes smiled at him in the hallway. But that wasn’t enough.

Edward had always wanted more. Specifically, he had always dreamt of dating a cheerleader. Not just any girl, one of those confident, untouchable ones who moved through the school like they owned it. He was nineteen now, on the very edge of turning twenty in a few months, and senior year was slipping away fast. Every time he saw them practicing on the field after school, laughing, flipping, stretching, the same heavy feeling settled in his chest. He wasn’t ugly. Lean from the taekwondo his parents had **** him into for years, sharp features, dark eyes. But he still felt invisible to them.

He kicked a small rock down the sidewalk, watching it skitter into the road. Lily Kim’s face flashed in his mind, that cute Korean girl with the short bob haircut and the way her yoga shorts always rode up her thick little ass during routines. He had jerked off thinking about that ass more times than he cared to admit. Wet dreams that left him frustrated and empty the next morning.

“Pathetic,” he muttered under his breath.

The suburban streets were quiet like always. Same rows of neat houses, same manicured lawns. Edward adjusted the strap of his backpack and kept walking, shoulders slightly hunched. His parents would be home late again tonight, both buried in work as usual. Another evening alone with leftover food and porn tabs on his PC. The thought made his jaw tighten.

He was so lost in his head that he didn’t notice the old man until it was too late. Edward’s shoulder bumped hard into the stranger’s arm, nearly knocking the guy off balance.

“Shit… sorry,” Edward said immediately, stepping back. He had been raised right. Always apologize to your elders if you cause them hurt.

The man looked exhausted. Late sixties maybe, with a long grey beard that reached halfway down his chest and deep wrinkles around his eyes. He wore a flowing purple and gold robe that looked completely out of place on this ordinary sidewalk. For a second Edward wondered if the guy had wandered off from some Renaissance fair or was filming something nearby. The robe moved slightly in the breeze, catching the light in strange ways.

The old man steadied himself and looked Edward over slowly, almost like he was measuring him. Those tired eyes seemed sharper than they should have been. Edward shifted uncomfortably under the stare but didn’t look away.

“Young man,” the old man said, voice rough but calm. “Can I have some water?”

Edward hesitated for half a second. The guy was tall, even slightly hunched, almost a foot taller than him and something about him felt… off. But refusing would feel wrong. He swung his backpack around, pulled out his half-full water bottle and handed it over.

“Here.”

The old man took it with both hands and drank. It was an impossibly long gulp, the entire bottle gone in one continuous flow without him even pausing for breath. When he finished, he let out a satisfied sigh and handed the empty bottle back.

“Thank you.” He reached out and ruffled Edward’s messy black hair like he was a kid. The touch was surprisingly gentle. “Young men with such good upbringing like yours are rare these days,” he said, sounding almost sad. “Your parents must be really proud.”

Edward gave an awkward laugh and tried to keep eye contact, staying polite even though the whole situation felt weird. “Yeah… I guess so.”

The man’s hand slipped into the folds of his robe. When it came out again, he was holding a shiny blue rock. It was smooth, almost egg-shaped and it glowed with its own soft inner light. Edward’s eyes locked onto it immediately. The glow wasn’t reflecting sunlight, it seemed to come from inside the stone itself. He wondered if it was some kind of fancy glass with LED lights or maybe even radioactive, though that last thought made him almost smile, surely there was a simpler explanation.

Before Edward could say anything, the old man grabbed his right hand, turned his palm up and pressed the stone into it. The rock felt warm against his skin.

“Here,” the man said, voice serious now. “This stone will help make your dreams come true. But be careful what you wish for. You will only have one shot.”