I chase the light                         that chases you. 

How cruel, your veins are full of ice-water and mine are boiling.

Emily Brontë      𐦍༘⋆    Wuthering Heights 

Aileen Hemmick-Nielsen's mother used to say: it's you and me and nobody else. Rachel Hemmick carefully manufactured their lives so they would only revolve around two things - each other and cheerleading. It was woven into the fabric of her being, an all-consuming passion that dictated her ambitions, her fears, and even her sense of self-worth. From the thrill of executing a flawless routine to the bitter sting of defeat, cheerleading shaped her every thought and action. It wasn't just about competition or accolades; it was a lifeline, a way to channel her energy and emotions into something tangible and exhilarating. For Aileen, the world beyond cheerleading  (and, by extension, her mother) seemed distant and unfamiliar—a realm where desires outside the confines of the mat held little allure or clarity.

But if there's a lesson that neither of them had ever learned, it was this: ambition is a double-edged word. Her mother's ambitions consumed them both until there was nothing left but the ruins of what once was a dream they shared. And even though Aileen later pulled through despite the scrutiny, her mother's shadow was never far behind, and she soon saw her dreams sidelined once again. The only difference was... this time it was her fault. When you are desperate and afraid, you don't know any better.

Enter Kevin Day. 

Kevin is the constant presence that underscores her imperfections with every calculated move and measured word. He embodies everything she thinks she isn't: disciplined, controlled, a master of his own destiny. Where Kevin exudes a calm precision, Aileen is a whirlwind of reckless emotion. She sees in him a mirror reflecting her own chaos, a stark contrast that she can't ignore. They are as different as lightning and stone. In Kevin's unwavering focus, Aileen sees the shadows of her own lost battles and missteps, the relentless pursuit that led her to stray from her path. 

He gets everything he wants; all she gets is pity, and patching up old wounds is not enough to change her mind. 

   𐦍༘⋆

Aileen Marie 'Ali' Hemmick-Nielsen

flyer     /     tumbler 

Kevin Day

2       /     striker

katelyn mackenzie  /  flyer

marissa baker /  tumbler, base

andrea miller /  flyer

lara prado  / tumbler

hana lai  / tumbler, base

kaila russell  / flyer

leo 'mac' macwan  /  tumbler, backspot

talia monye  /  tumbler, flyer

lana trevino  /  tumbler, base

jordan ortiz  /  tumbler, base

marcelo sosa  /  tumbler, backspot

patrick grant  /  tumbler, base

kate palmer  /  head coach 

jacob fulton  /  assistant coach

sarah fisher  /  coach

jack fisher  /  coach

rachel hemmick nielsen  /  mother

bill nielsen  /  father ✝

danielle leigh 'dan' wilds  /  1, offensive dealer   

   andrew joseph minyard  /  3, goalkeeper

matthew donovan 'matt' boyd  /  4, backliner

aaron michael minyard  /  5, backliner

bryan seth gordon  /  6, striker

allison jamaica reynolds  /  7, defensive dealer

nicholas esteban 'nicky' hemmick  /  8, backliner

 renee walker  /  9, goalkeeper 

neil abram josten  /  10, striker 

david wymack  /  coach

abby winfield  /  nurse

betsy dobson  /  psychologist

   𐦍༘⋆

⭒ okay so I feel like I should apologize for bringing this back for the millionth time instead of writing the other stories gathering dust on my profile, but you guys have to understand that my aftg hyperfixation is back and I couldn't help myself... like, first, Nora sakavic releases a new book in the aftg universe, then Taylor swift releases an album that has a song that is soooo Kevin and Ellie (who is now Ali lol), and then I watched challengers and I started missing cheerleading and it was like... okay I have to do this. 

⭒ so ali (formerly known as Ellie) is still Nicky, Andrew and Aaron's cousin but she is not as happy-go-lucky as Ellie was, she's kind of more bitchy and more like Andrew than she used to be in the previous versions. Also she's not a natural blonde, she bleaches her hair because of mommy issues (btw her mother is kinda important for the fic but I won't spoil anything for now). basically her mother is luther's and tilda's sister and you all know how that family is fucked up so she's obviously quite... strung out. 

⭒ basically this fic is about two people who are like "im nothing like them cause there's something wrong with them and im Fine." while they're both basically two sides of the same coin

⭒ trigger warnings are the same from AFTG, so if you haven't, check them out before reading this fic 

⭒ my inspirations for this fic were mainly dare me (both the tv show and the book), jellicoe road, and challengers a little bit (without the throuple cause I don't think there's anyone else in aftg that I wanna fuck lmao) 

⭒ also this is dedicated to wulfhall and artemistics who always enable me even when I should be focusing on writing my other fics instead of coming up with new ones. I love u babes <3 

⭒ thank you guys so much for reading this and sticking with me through all of my hyperfixations, I appreciate it mwah mwah