
The Cheerleader’s Lesson
By yalepom976

17 Apr, 2025

Ethan, a lanky junior with a mop of unruly hair, creeps through the propped-open doorway, heart racing.

He glances over his shoulder, clutching his backpack tightly, and ducks behind a row of lockers as footsteps echo closer.

The room is warm and humid, the remnants of post-practice energy lingering in the air.

Madison, the captain, stops abruptly, her gaze narrowing. Jenna and Tara flank her, arms crossed.

"What do you think you’re doing here, Ethan?" Ethan freezes, cheeks burning as the girls surround him, their faces a mix of amusement and annoyance.

"You know, boys don’t belong in here," Jenna teases, twirling a pom-pom. "Maybe he wants to learn what it’s like to be one of us," Tara adds, a wicked grin spreading across her face.

"Girls, I think we should teach him a lesson he’ll never forget," Madison declares, her eyes glinting with mischief.

Ethan protests, but the girls are relentless, ushering him behind a row of lockers. "Hold still!

We need to make you presentable," Jenna insists, dabbing blush onto his cheeks. "You’re going to look fabulous," Tara teases, slipping a bow into his hair.

Ethan stares at his reflection in horror, barely recognizing the cheerleader staring back.

"Smile, Ethan! You’re one of us now," Madison says, snapping a selfie with him.

Ethan flushes deep red, feeling every eye in the room on him. The girls chant a cheer, encouraging him to join, and his voice cracks as he tries to keep up, mortified by the giggles around him.

"Let that be a lesson, Ethan—respect our space," Tara says, her tone softer now. Ethan nods, pulling at the bow in his hair, realizing that some lessons leave a mark that’s not so easily washed away.

The sound of laughter fades, but the memory lingers, vivid as the red of his borrowed skirt.