Mom Forced Me Into Pom-Poms - Part 4

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"You should be more excited, Jess," she said, looking at him through the rearview mirror. 

"I remember when I got my first cheer uniform, I couldn't wait to try it on."  

He wanted to say, yeah, but you're a girl and you like cheer, but he bit his tongue and offered a weak smile.  

They were no sooner in the door than his mother uttered the words he had been dreading ever since they picked up the parcel.  

"Okay, Jess, let's see how it looks on you."  She led him up the stairs to his room. He knew there was no point in trying to postpone the inevitable.  His mom placed the parcel on his bed and opened it eagerly, taking out each item, holding it up, and turning it this way and that, examining it.  

"Oh my God, they are lovely," she said. "They are so cute and feel so nice too. Come on, get out of those clothes. I can't wait to see how you look."  Slowly, Jesse began to take off his clothes. Even though he hated the clothes his mom made him wear lately, they were far more preferable to what he had to put on now.  

"Take off your jockey shorts too, Jess," his mother instructed. 

"You've got to try your new cheer briefs."  

She held the navy blue briefs out before him so he could see them clearly. 

They looked like the girls' spankies his mom made him wear before, he thought. They certainly didn't look like any of his regular underwear. His mom made him lift his left foot, then his right, as she pulled the briefs up his legs and adjusted them snugly. 

They were almost the same size as his own briefs but felt softer, and nicer, just like the spankies he wore for practice. They even kind of made him look flat in front.  Next, she took the underliner and pulled it over his head. It was kind of like a vest and matched his briefs. 

Then it was the shell top. He really didn't like that at all. It was starchy and short and sparkly, with Spartans written on the front in glittery silver and gold letters. He had never worn anything like that before, and it was way more girly than any of the cheer tees his mom bought him.  

"Now for the skirt," his mom said, picking it up.  

"No," he squealed, pulling away from her. "Can't I wear the shorts or the pants? I mean, like, the pants must be for me."  

"No," his mother answered. "The pants are for when you are cheering in colder weather. Cheerleaders put them on under their skirts in order to stay warm." 

 "Can't I wear the shorts then, mom, please?" he pleaded, his lower lip trembling. 

"You've got lots of shorts like those already," his mom replied, sternly. "I want to see what you look like in your skirt. Now, quit your moaning and put it on."  

"But it's not like I'm going to be wearing it in cheer for real," he shouted. "I will be wearing pants or shorts then."  

"Maybe," he mother sighed, exasperated. 

"But just indulge me for the moment and put on your skirt... NOW. This instant."  

He saw that determined, scary look in her eyes, and it frightened him. Defeated, he stepped into the skirt and allowed his mother to fix it in place. It was a deep blue, A-line skirt, with gold trim, that fell to about four inches above his knee. 

He was used to cheer skirts. He had been wearing them for the past few weeks, but this was different. 

All along it was as if he had been playing a game, placating his mother, making her happy, doing something nobody else would ever know about.  Now it was all too real, too final, as if some irreversible line had been crossed. Now he was wearing exactly the same clothes as Ashley and Megan and Britney and Cassie and all the girly girls in his squad. 

It was as if he had been utterly emasculated. And, almost as bad, it dawned on him that all the items fitted him perfectly. He wasn't too big for them. He wouldn't have to return anything to Mrs Hayes. He was the same size as most of the girls in his squad.  "Now stand tall till I look at you," his mother ordered after she finished tying the laces of his new cheer shoes. And small though he felt, and crushed though his spirits were, he tried to stand erect.  

"Oh my, don't you look awesome," his mom exclaimed, clapping her hands in delight. "Come here, Jess. Come, look at yourself in the mirror." 

 And, taking his hand, she led him out of his room into hers and put him standing before her full-length mirror. 

Having no alternative, he surveyed himself from head to toe. It was as bad as he had feared. Except for his hair and face, he looked just like the cheerleaders he saw in his school every year. 

He looked just like those preppy, girly girls he and his friends used to sneer at but also admire. He wanted to throw up; he wanted to cry. 

It was a nightmare.  He saw his mother standing behind him, gazing at his image, admiring how he looked. It was as if she was caught up in some kind of reverie. Then, suddenly, she gave a little start and looked at her watch.  "Oh my gosh, Jess," she said, beginning to usher him out of the room. 

"It's almost two o'clock, and I've got to get you over to Ashley's house. We need to get ready."    

"I don't want to go," Jesse declared, resolutely. "Please, Mom, I want to go to the park instead. My friends will be all there. I hardly ever get to see them now."  "You can go to the park any time," his mom shot back, as she opened his closet and began to search inside. 

"Besides, you accepted Ashley's invitation, and it would be rude not to go. Plus, she and Megan are nice new friends to have, and it would be good for you to spend time with them. I bet your old friends will be jealous that you are getting to hang out with pretty girls." 

 "No, they won't," he shouted back. "They'll think I'm a fag or a sissy. None of my friends would be seen dead hanging out with girls."  

"That's their loss then," his mother responded, "because you're going to spend a lovely afternoon with your new friends. Now strip off and put these on."  

He saw her placing his lime green coffee shorts and white shirt with matching lime green cap sleeves on the bed. 

He began to rebel again.  

"No, Mom, not those," he said, gesturing to the clothes pile. 

"Can't I wear my regular jeans and tee, please?"  

"These are your regular clothes and they look good on you and that's what you're going to wear. Now quit your moaning and put them on, or I will put them on you myself." 

 He removed his new cheer uniform and put on what his mom had laid out for him. 

He hated the bright green color and hated the soft feel of the material, and he hated how the shorts barely went past his butt, and how the cap sleeves of the tee left his arms almost entirely exposed. His mom told him there was no need to put on any socks. He could wear his cheer shoes or new flip-flops instead. 

He chose the shoes.  

"Maybe you should wear your cheer jacket in case it gets chilly later," his mom continued.  As much as he didn't want to be seen in his girly tee, he thought the cheer jacket was even worse, and so he turned down the offer. He didn't need a jacket, he told his mom.    

When they finally found Ashley's house and his mom brought the car to a halt, she offered Jesse some final instructions.  "You be a good boy and behave properly. I want to hear nothing but positive comments from Ashley's mom when she drops you home. 

Understand, Jess?"  He nodded, sullenly. 

"Yes, mom."  

"Okay then, out you get now, hunny, and I'll see you later."  Jesse scrambled from the back seat and made his way shyly to the de Klerk's front door. He heard his mom start the engine and the car moved slowly away. 

Now he was truly on his own, alone and apprehensive.  He didn't even have time to press the bell before the door opened, and an excited Ashley stood there with Megan by her side. They must have been watching out for me to arrive, he thought.  

"Hey, Jess, great. You made it. Come on in," Ashley exclaimed, breathlessly, holding the door back so he could step inside. She led him through the hallway to the back of the house where the kitchen was. Ashley's mom was at the table, baking cookies.  

"Jess is here," Ashley told her, stating the obvious. "Is it okay if we go upstairs to my room?"  

"Hi, Jess," Mrs de Klerk greeted him, smiling warmly, noting how he was dressed but choosing to say nothing. 

"Welcome to our house. Of course, you can all go up to your room if you want, Ashley. You kids have a great time, okay?"  "Thanks, Mommy. We will," Ashley replied, then hesitated. "Hmmm, are you baking those cookies for us?"  "Sure am," her mother said. 

"We can have a little party later."  

"Great, Mommy, thanks so much. My mommy bakes the most wonderful cookies," she informed Jesse, before leading him and Megan out of the kitchen and towards the stairs.    

Not having a sister, and having no history of hanging out with girls, Jesse realized that this was his first time entering the sanctuary of a girl's bedroom. It was a large room, slightly larger than his room. 

He wasn't sure how it ranked on the girlyness scale, but it looked very girly to him. The carpet was white and flush and thick; the walls were painted in what he thought was a peach color, with matching lace curtains on the two big windows. There was a white vanity table with a large mirror, and a chair that matched, and on the wall stood three white shelves lined with books and dolls and all kinds of trinkets. 

Several comforters adorned the Queen-size bed. A door led to what he presumed was a closet, and hanging on the door was her cheer uniform, identical to the one he had been encased in only an hour before.  Ashley's taste in music was obvious because her room was a shrine to One Direction. 

Every wall had a least one poster of the five boys, her duvet cover was also of the band, while in the corner stood a life-size cutout of the boys. He almost expected them to come to life.  The girls climbed on the bed and invited Jesse to do the same. As he sat shyly beside them, his feet draped over the edge, it dawned on him that he was the only one of the three who was in shorts. 

Ashley was wearing yellow three-quarter length pants with a blue top, while Megan had blue jeans with a white tee. Both had their hair in high ponytails. 

Suddenly, Jesse felt very exposed and very embarrassed. Ashley must have read his mind.  "I love your outfit, Jess," she gushed. "It's really cute."  

"Yeah, the colors are adorable," Megan chimed in. "Where did you get it? I want one like that too."  Jesse shrugged his shoulders, as his face turned red.  "I dunno," he mumbled. "My mom buys my stuff."  "Well, she has real good taste," Ashley opined.  

"Mmnnn," Megan began. 

"Do you shave your legs?"  Jesse shook his head vigorously. "No. I just don't have a lot of hair," he protested, a little too quickly.  "It's okay if you shave them. I think they look really good," Megan replied.  

"Hey, Jess, have you tried on your cheer uniform yet?" Ashley asked, changing the topic.  He gulped and nodded. 

"Yeah, Mom made me try on it as soon as we got home."  

"Like, everything?" Megan looked at him. 

"I mean, like, did you try on the skirt, too?"  The look on Jesse's face gave away the answer.  "Oh my god, that's awesome," exclaimed Ashley. "Did you like it? What did you think of it?"  

"I bet you looked really pretty," Megan added.  Jesse shrugged his shoulders again. "We did it just for fun. It's not like I'm ever going to wear it."  "I don't know," said Ashley. 

"I don't think there's anything wrong with wearing it. I mean it's just a uniform. And you like wearing cheer shorts, right?" 

 "My mom likes me to wear them," he replied, wishing they would change the damn subject.  "Well, I think you look super cute in them," Megan said. "I mean, like I said, you got great legs and everything." 

 Both girls giggled, but Jesse knew that they weren't trying to humiliate him or put him down. They were actually trying to be nice.  "We tried on our uniforms right after we got home, too," Ashley said. "I just love how they look. I'm, like, super excited for the season to start." 

 "Me too," added Megan."  After about ten seconds of welcome silence, Ashley spoke again.  

"Hey, Jess,  she asked. "Which of the boys is your favorite?"  Jesse looked at her blankly. What boys, he wondered. What was she on about?  She noted his bewilderment.  

"One Direction," she said. "Aren't you a Directioner, too?"  

Now it dawned on him. Of course, he knew what a Directioner was, but he wasn't a Directioner, and he didn't know the names of the five members of One Direction, and he certainly didn't have a favorite member. Heck, he didn't even like boy bands.  

"No, I'm not," he replied. 

"I don't really like them, I guess."  Both girls recoiled in horror.  

"You're not a Directioner? Oh my god, seriously, how can you not be a Directioner?" Ashley exclaimed, dramatically. "I mean, like, they're super awesome. They're, like, the best band in the whole world. You must have a favorite member and a song of theirs; that's your favorite song."  

"I mean, like, everybody loves the boys," Megan stated, authoritatively.  

"I don't have a favorite," Jesse reiterated. 

"I kinda heard some of their songs on the radio and stuff but I don't know them."  Ashley got an idea. 

 "I know what, Jess. You tell us which of the boys you like most, and then we'll tell you who we like."  Jesse hesitated, not knowing how to respond, and did not like this conversation one little bit. Ashley pointed at the large One Direction poster on the wall in front of them. 

 "Just tell us who your fav is. Who you like best. It'll be super fun."  Seeing no way out, and wanting to get this latest ordeal over with as quickly as possible,  Jesse studied the poster. They all looked more or less the same, he thought. Finally, he pointed at the blond guy with a big smile in the middle. Both girls screamed in unison. 

 "Oh my god, oh my god, Niall! You like Niall Horan!" squealed Ashley. "He's mine, too. I love him, too. He's super cute. I mean I love his hair and his big blue eyes and his super sexy smile. And I love his accent. He's Irish, you know. I'm going to marry him." 

 "I love him, too," Megan chimed in. "I used to really like Harry Styles, until Haylor, and then I got so annoyed that I dumped him."  

Who or what was Haylor? Jesse gave her a puzzled look, and Megan rushed to explain.  

"Haylor was, like, him and Taylor Swift. If you put Harry and Taylor together, you get Haylor," she explained as if this was a critical piece of knowledge. "When he started dating her, it made me, like, so, so mad. I mean, I still like him cos he's one of the boys, but I like Niall way more.

 I love him."  Trust me, Jesse thought, to randomly pick the one boy that both his new friends loved.  "It's awesome that we all like Niall," declared Ashley. "It's like the three of us like all the same stuff." 

 He wanted to ask her if that meant that they liked the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Cowboys, too, but he bit his tongue. He was trapped in a girly world for the time being, and he would just have to suffer through it until he was released back to normality. 

 "So what's your favorite song then?" Megan asked him. "I mean, your favorite One Direction song?"  Jesse shook his head. "I don't have one," he said.  

"You gotta have one," Ashley said. "Everyone has a fav song of the boys."  

Maybe everyone in her little circle of friends, he thought, but none of his friends liked One Direction or any of their stupid love songs.  It was then that he felt like he was punched in the stomach: for the awful realisation swept over him that he was one of her little circle of friends now. That's how they see me, he thought, and how I will be seen. 

My mom's cheer obsession has led to this. It is ruining my life.  "I dunno any of them good enough to be able to choose," he replied, seeking a way out.  "It's cool. I guess you haven't listened to them as much as we have," Megan said. 

 "I know what you can do," Ashley said, hopping off the bed, her ponytail swinging. She went to her desk and retrieved a dvd, then reclaimed her spot on the bed.  "This is a movie about the boys," she explained, handing it to him. 

"It's super awesome and you get to learn so much about them and to hear lots of their songs, too. We've watched it, like, a hundred times. You can have this cos I have a copy on my computer." 

 "I'll bet you'll like the same songs as we do, too," said Megan. "It's like we're programmed to like the same stuff." 

 Jesse took the 'This is Us' DVD.  "Thanks," he said, weakly. 

"I guess I might watch it later."  "No, you have got to watch it later," Ashley insisted, "and then tell us next time what song you like best. Okay?" 

 "Okay," he conceded, defeated.  "Niall is so dreamy," he heard Megan gush beside him, as she gazed at the singer's image on the wall. "I'd love to kiss him and have him hold me tight." She sighed.  The thought sent a shiver through Jesse. He could never imagine wanting to kiss anyone like that, least of all a guy.  

"I fangirl over him, like, every day," Megan went on. "We both do."  

"Do you follow the boys on Twitter?" Ashley asked.  Jesse shook his head. 

"My mom doesn't allow me to have Twitter."  

"Mmnn, that's, like, really weird," Megan considered. "Why won't she let you sign up?" 

 "I dunno. She's just real protective, I guess."  

"Well, you gotta get Twitter, and then we can follow each other on it, and you can follow the boys. It's a super easy way to find out all the latest stuff about them," Megan said.  Ashley climbed off the bed again and returned with her laptop. 

"Here, look," she said, turning it on. She clicked on her Twitter account and showed it to Jesse.  "Right now, I have, like, 13,400 followers and I follow 15,000. And most are Directioners or friends from school. And we fangirl over them, like, all the time. 

The boys have got, like, millions and millions of followers. It's really easy to get followers if you follow back."  "Yeah, and we write fanfiction, too," Megan added. "I suck at writing, at least compared to other girls, but I love making up stories about me and the boys, especially Niall, and I love reading other people's stories. 

There's loads of super fanfiction sites."  Ashley clicked on a couple and showed him what Megan was talking about.  

"This is my favorite one," she said, showing him a site called 1Dsexualfrustrations. "It's kinda naughty cos some of the stories have sex stuff in them, but it's super fun cos you can imagine that you're that girl."  

That's one thing Jesse knew he would never be imagining.  

"And when you get Twitter, there are lots of super cool cheer accounts you can follow, too," Megan told him. "Promise you'll sign up. 

We can ask your mom for you if you like."  He didn't want them doing that. 

He promised he would ask his mom himself.  There was another short pause as Ashley shut down her laptop. Then, another line of thought popped into her head.  "Have you done any back-to-school shopping?" she asked, turning towards him.  "I never do back-to-school shopping," he said. "My mom does all that kind of stuff."  "Well, you better start thinking about it. Megan and I have done some of ours already."  

Ashley got off the bed again and went to her closet, which, Jesse discovered, was one of those large walk-in type closets with lots of space and clothes. 

She withdrew a grey and white sleeveless stripe skater mini dress with a peek-a-boo open back, and lace detail, and held it up against herself, turning this way and that.  "This is my back-to-school dress. 

I got it from Delia's. Isn't it super cute?"  She brought it closer to him for inspection. He had to admit it did look nice. 

 "I got mine, too," Megan said. "It's a berry color flare dress with white polka dots. It's kinda short and it's got this really cute tulle detail on the hem. It's from Justice, and I just love it."  

"Sounds nice," Jesse said, again, trying to look enthused. 

The last thing he could have imagined at the beginning of summer was that he would be sitting in a girl's bedroom talking with girls about what to wear back to school. 

 "You should tell your mom to take you back to school shopping soon," Ashley advised. "I know you probably didn't care much about it in the past but you're a cheerleader now and in Seventh Grade, and, like, we have got to set a standard. Cheerleaders rule the school. 

The other kids look up to us."  She was perfectly serious, but Jesse thought she was being perfectly insane. None of his friends gave a damn about what anyone wore for back to school unless it was an obviously totally weird outfit, and he didn't see why anything should change just cos he was a cheerleader now. 

After all, it was not as if he were a girl and needed to worry about clothes and stuff like that.  Then, they heard Ashley's mom call from downstairs. 

 "Hey, kids, come on. Time to eat." 

 "Coming, mommy," Ashley answered, scampering off the bed, her ponytail swinging again. Megan and Jesse followed her downstairs.  

"I've set it up in the back garden," Mrs de Klerk announced, as they entered the kitchen. "Just some soda and cookies. I'll come join you when I've finished up in here." 

 Ashley led them out back. On a garden table on the patio sat a plate of cookies, some glasses, and a large jug of soda. Jesse tugged on the hem of his shorts. They had ridden up a little while he had been sitting, plus he was acutely aware of just how short they were. While the girls chatted away, he nibbled quietly on a cookie and enjoyed his juice. 

 "You kids having a good time?" Mrs de Klerk asked, suddenly appearing by the table.  "Yes, mommy," Ashley answered. 

 "The cookies are really awesome," Megan said.  Ashley's mom turned to Jesse.

"How are you enjoying cheer, Jess?" she asked.  "It's good, thanks," he answered, shyly. She noted his embarrassment.  "I saw you try out. You're really good, you know."  

"Thank you," he blushed.  "And I love your outfit," she continued. "The color suits you. Did you mom help you buy it?"  

He nodded. "Yeah, she got all my cheer stuff."  "Well, you've both got really good taste." 

 "We were telling Jess how he needs to do some back-to-school shopping real soon," Ashley told her. "I mean, the school will be back before we even realize it." 

 "I'm sure Jess' mom will look after that," Mrs de Klerk replied.  She noted how smooth his legs were and that, clearly, they had been shaved. She wondered if that was his doing or his mom's. 

It was most unusual to have a boy in their town wanting to join the cheerleading squad and to be dressed so effeminately. Good on him, if that is what he truly wants, she thought. He certainly seems to be a well-behaved boy, and the two girls love hanging out with him. Such a shame he seems so shy, though.