The Spencer Girls

by Ashley Steele

 

Friday morning, I awoke earlier than usual. I bounded down the stairs wearing the same denim skirt and white oxford shirt as I had worn a week ago today. I found my mother in the kitchen still dressed in her nightgown.

"well, I see that your up early and dressed, Amy".

I have to get to school earlier and meet Linda and the cheerleaders. She wouldn't say why. She just said it was a surprise and to meet them in the girls' locker room.

What do you want for Breakfast, Amy"?

" cereal and juice is fine, mom".

"one cereal and juice coming up".

After I finish with my breakfast, I grab my denim jacket and purse and I am out the door.

As I'm walking to school, it just occurred to me that this is the first day that I didn't walk with Cindy. Feels kind of lonely without my best friend beside me. Well, we can catch up on our "girl talk" during lunch period where she can grill me on how my appointment with my shrink went.

When I enter the locker room, Linda and the girls are already waiting for me dressed in their cheerleading uniforms.

Amy, I'm glad that you finally made it, said Linda. We better get started".

"can you now tell me the reason that you wanted me here, Linda, I asked".

" I can tell you but I rather show you, said Linda.

Before I can say anything else, Linda brings out a garment bag from another locker and inside it, is a blue and white cheerleading uniform just like the others are wearing. At first, I'm puzzled looking a the extra uniform but once I spot the name, Amy, embroidered on the upper left breast of the shell, I knew for certain that it was mine".

"what's the idea, I asked. I'm not a cheerleader".

"we know. We figured that you're more than just a manager for the girls' basketball team, You're also their mascot too. All of us thought that it would kind of cool if you showed up at the games wearing the school colors of the cheerleading uniform, Jackie explained. You'd fit in so much better in the school colors than you would wearing a suit".

"what about coach Williams? What does she think about this, I asked"?

" we talked to her all about it. She said it would be OK only if you felt comfortable about it, Linda explained. Lets get started".

First they had me strip down to my panties and bra, then I slipped on the pleated blue and white cheerleading skirt. The blue turtle-neck shirt was next which got tucked into the skirt. The blue and white shell was the next thing to be put on.

I was also given white ankle socks with lace edging near the top. Linda gave me pair of blue and white cheerleading shoes. Finally, the last thing was to tie a blue and white hair ribbon in my hair.

When they were finally finished with me, they stood back and stared in astonishment.

"I just knew it. I knew that you'd look so hot in a cheerleading uniform, bragged Linda".

"I had my doubts but he looks absolutely adorable, agreed Jackie".

"Amy looks just like any of us, claimed Beth".

"you were right Linda, Amy is perfect as the sixth member of our squad and she'll be perfect for the top position for our pyramid, claimed Kimberly".

"if I'm expected to be a cheerleader, then what about the games that I'm supposed to be doing the stats for, I asked".

" you can still do the statistics but you can still do them while wearing the cheerleaders' uniform. Then during halftime you can perform the routines with us, explained Annie".

" I must admit that I think that I would fun to be a cheerleader and as long as it's OK with the coach and the team, I countered".

"like I said before, it's fine with the coach and the rest of the team loved the idea when we brought it up with them last night".

The team thinks that it's unique of have a girl manager wearing a cheerleading uniform, said Linda

"I admit that I have never heard of anything like this, I admitted. Maybe I should change back to my street clothes, I suggested".

"no you can't. You're one of us now. As a member of the cheerleading squad, you have to be in uniform all day today because of the pep rally this afternoon, explained Jackie".

"pep rally, I asked?" the game isn't till next week.

"it's a rally to introduce the new members of the girls' basketball team and you'll not only be introduced as their manager but also as one of us cheerleaders. It's our job to get students excited about the first game next Friday, said Beth".

"you can lock your street clothes in a locker and bring them home after the rally, suggested Linda. Just remember to make sure the lock is locked like I'm always forgetting, Linda teased". Now you better get to your first class, Amy".

So here I am, walking down the hall wearing this short cheerleading skirt swishing around my hips and I can feel every male pair of eyes leering at me. What can I do but to continue on like any of the other cheerleaders that are in the same boat as I am in".

After I enter the social studies classroom. I take my seat next to Cindy and she too looks at me in astonishment.

"so you're a cheerleader now, Amy"?

" it was Linda's idea. I feel like I'm half naked in this short skirt".

"well, speaking for myself, I happen to love it. You look so hot", whispered Cindy.

"Oh please, now you teasing me"!

All of a sudden, Mrs. Hansen breaks in; "alright if Miss Jacobs and Miss Spencer will be kind enough to be quiet we can get started with today's lesson.

Cindy wasn't the only person to think that I looked hot. I received the same reaction from Nikki Johnson. Every time I passed her in the hallway, she gave me the same glances that all the boys kept giving me. Except for Nikki, I found myself glancing back as if I was flirting with her and she was flirting back.

"what is wrong with me? What is happening to me? I feel myself reacting to both overtures from Cindy and Nikki. My hands are starting to sweat. Oh gross! I have to think of something else. Yes, that's it. Think of something. Painting with oils, fly fishing, dresses, skirts. Even try thinking of Hilary Duff, no wait, bad idea. Think of anything that distracts me from Cindy and Nikki.

With all the turmoil that my mind was going through, I suddenly realize that a group of students began to gather about me and all I could think of doing was to burst into tears and run away. That's what I did. I ran all the way to Aunt Janice's office. Maybe she could help me with what I was feeling.

I ran all the way to the gym, not caring that the other kids were stopping to stare at me. I only wanted to get to the safety comfort of my aunt Janni.

I burst into her office, crying out her name—Aunt Janni! I don't know what is happening to me, I cried".

"why Amy, what's the matter and why are you crying, asked my Aunt Janice while coming over to embrace me and wipe away my tears. "now, tell your Aunt Janni what got you so upset. Just calm down because your hyperventilating".

Soon that hyperventilating causes me to have a fit of asthma. Aunt Janni opens my purse to get my inhaler and hands it to me. I grab that inhaler like a man dying of thirst grabbing for a glass of water.

"now, take a few deep breaths and just relax and when your calm down enough, you can tell me what upset you so much, Amy".

Finally when my breathing is under control, I begin to answer Aunt Janice;

"Oh, Aunt Janice! I don't what's is happening to me. I was walking to my next class when I ran into Nikki and the way she was looking at me and I was looking back".

"so, what's wrong with that", asked Aunt Janice.

"it just isn't the way she looked at me. It's the way that I was reacting to her, it's like we were flirting with each other in the way that boys and girls do but I was in the girl role. During the whole time, I felt myself getting excited and hard. Same thing was starting to happen with my friend Cindy too".

As I was pouring my heart out to my Aunt, there's a knock on the door and Cindy pokes her head in;

"oh my. I just had to check to see if she was alright".

She's fine now. She just had a little scare".

Cindy knows about me, Aunt Janice". she knows about me being a boy".

"what happened just now, asked Cindy".

"I think that I'm a little confused about feelings that I'm having about you and Nikki and I got scared, I replied".

" do you want to go home, Amy. I can get you excused".

"no, I think that I'll be fine.

"sure, that would be fine but I think that you should lie down for awhile at the nurse's office . Cindy, will you take her".

"I'll be happy to, coach Williams.

"thank you, Cindy".

After Cindy walked me down to the nurse's office, where the nurse checked me out and declared me fine but still had me lie down and rest for a while.

"can I stay with her, asked Cindy".

"I don't see there would be any harm in that, replied the nurse".

After the nurse left the room, I asked Cindy; "now, I suppose that everybody thinks that I must be some kind of a nutcase or a complete ass"..

"don't worry about that. When you ran off, I had explained that you were only experiencing your little monthly visitor, explained Cindy".

'what do you mean by monthly visitor, I asked".

"what I mean is that I explained that you were having your period and that seemed to work with everyone. You'll find that your period is a great excuse for getting some privacy. Often if people think a girl is having her period, they usually leave her alone".

The thing is, Cindy was right. For the rest of the day, the boys pretty much left me alone. It's like they were saying to me; better not screw with Amy Spencer today cause she's PMS—so don't fuck with her!"

Cindy , do you often do this even when you don't have your period, I asked".

 

Obviously, you can't do it everyday because then people will think that you're constantly in PMS mode. I usually use it in an emergency, especially when I need to be alone. All you have to do is to act bitchy and crabby as if your are completely irritable from the cramps.

Actually, I was tempted to go home but I knew that I had agreed to show up at the introduction rally as a cheerleader and I was going to go through with it. Throughout the rest of the day, I was so nervous. Not of being discovered, but in that I was dressed as a cheerleader for the whole day and it was going to be in front of the whole school during the afternoon's pep rally.

By the time that the rally was to start, I was a nervous wreck. My hands ere clammy and my knees kept shaking. First the school band played the Rivervale high school band played the school fight song, then the coach came to the podium and introduced each of the girls of the basketball team. I was expecting to be named but I wasn't yet. I was introduced when the cheerleaders were brought out. After Linda, Beth, Annie, Jackie, and Kimberly's names were called and they came out, the coach said, "and finally the sixth member of the Rivervale high school girls' basketball cheerleading squad and part-time manager of the team is ---Amy Spencer. As I came out to join the other cheerleaders, the student body began yelling and screaming as the band started up with the school fight song to fire up the crowd. As a member of the cheerleading squad, I was doing my part. I only just performed the moves that the girls had so patiently taught me.

The weirdest part of the rally was when the crowd began chanting the names of the stars of the team and then they added my name to be chanted, "AAAAAmy, AAAAAmy, AAAAmy! The chick royally rules!!"

I couldn't believe how my life had suddenly changed in the one week that I've been Amy Spencer. I feel smarter in all my classes, I seem to be among the "in" crowd, and I'm making so many friends that I didn't have as Andy. I was on cloud nine.

As all good things always come to an end, the rally did to. I gathered up my pom-poms, my purse, put on my denim jacket, and grabbed my clothes that I had worn this morning and headed for home with Cindy.

On the way out the door, we were met by some of the other cheerleaders.

"hey Amy. You were just great out there, said Linda. I knew that you would and apparently the whole school thought so too".

"I'm so proud of you Amy, said a beaming Cindy and giving me a hug".

"Why don't you and Cindy join some of us for a pizza at Pizza Hut, asked Linda. Then afterward, we can catch a movie together—I think that there might be some chick flick that's playing at the mall".

At Pizza Hut, we had so much fun, eating pizza and drinking Pepsi. It was just myself, Cindy, and the other five cheerleaders. It was when Nikki came with her girlfriend, Rachel, when things got a little tense for me. The two of them sat at a separate table and I kept noticing that Nikki couldn't keep her eyes off me

Soon Rachel must have noticed, because they began to argue but I couldn't hear what they were arguing about. I thought I heard Rachel say something like bitch and fuck you.

"looks like there's trouble in paradise, whispered Linda to all of us. We better get going if we're going to see that movie".

We each paid our part of the bill and left a still arguing Nikki and Rachel at the Pizza Hut.

 

"why do you keep looking at that Spencer bitch, asked Rachel".

"what are you talking about Rach?"

"you know damn fucking well. I'm talking about the way you salivate over that new girl—Amy Spencer. Am I too butch for you? Seems like you want that cute little petite princess type with the perfect face".

Leave Amy out of this. This is about you and me. I think that we need to see other girls. In more than a year, we will be graduating and at least I will be going on to collage and you will be living your life. I just think that we need to go our separate ways for awhile".

"bullshit! Everything was fine until that Spencer bitch came to town and then you act like you're head over heels in love with her. You don't even know if she's a lesbian and even if she is—she may not be interested in you".

Like it said before, it has nothing to do with Amy Spencer. It has everything to do with you and me and our futures, whether it is together or not".

"like I said before—fuck you and fuck your new girlfriend Amy, "the bitch", Spencer.

Rachel now gets up and storms out of the Pizza Hut leaving a stunned Nikki.

After Rachel left, Nikki sits at the table while she sips her coke and thinking:

Rachel is right. It has everything to do with Amy Spencer or should I say Andy Spencer.

Ever since the first day I saw him dressed as Amy, I haven't gotten her out of my mind. I have always thought of myself as a lesbian and was happy with it. Now I have doubts for the first time in my life. Yes, I think that I may be in love with the "girl" Amy Spencer.

Then in the hallway at school today, seeing him in his cheerleading uniform with his cute little ass swinging back and forth—it was driving me nuts. It was always a dream for me to be dating a head cheerleader while I was the jock. It was the moment, that very afternoon that I realized that I was actually flirting with him, except that I was in the male role and he was in the girl role. Amy had me so hot and I may have had her so hot, in the way she ran off. What is going on with me, Nikki asked herself".

"oh hell with it, Nikki said to herself. I may as well pay the bill and go home. Tonight is totally shot to hell".

 

 

Before we went to the movies, called my mother on my new cell phone to ask permission if I could go the movies and she said that it was OK but as long as Cindy and I were back by ten. Then we went back to Linda's house so we could change out of our cheerleading uniforms into our street clothes. I was back into the denim skirt and oxford shirt that I had been wearing this morning while the other girls, including Cindy wore jeans and t-shirts. Then we all rode together to the mall to see our chick flick.

As we walked to the theater, Cindy and I held hands the whole time. I was so comfortable around this girl. I think that I may be falling in love with her. I wonder if she feels the same about me.

A few hour later, Cindy and I arrive back at my house to find my mother working in her home office and she looks up as we come in;

"well, hello girls. How was the movie, asked my mom".

"it was good. Your typical chick flick, I answered".

"don't forget that we be going to Hartford to see Dr. Burrows tomorrow, it was so nice of her to squeeze you in on such short notice because of what happened today".

"I remember, I responded".

"Cindy, are you OK staying here for a few hours while we're gone".

"well, actually Miss Spencer, if it is ok with you and Andy, I would like to come along to offer Andy emotional support. He said that it would be ok".

"if he's ok with it, then I am too and besides I have a feeling that Dr. Burrows might want to talk to you too. Amy, why don't you go upstairs and change into your nightgown so I can have a short talk with Cindy".

"ok mom, I said and headed for my room".

"Cindy, first of all, I'd like to thank you for being such a good friend to my son".

"it has been totally my pleasure. Amy is my best friend. If you don't mind, I'll keep referring to him as Amy so as I don't give him away".

I supposed that your mom talked to you about Amy after I told her".

"she was pretty cool with it but I wasn't surprised. It has always amazed me of how understanding she is".

"now, why don't you go upstairs and change while I make some popcorn for you two and then you can watch TV before you go to bed".

"thanks Miss Spencer".

Faith Spencer kept stealing glances at her child and his friend Cindy. Each of them looked so adorable in their silk nightgowns while cuddled together on the coach watching TV. Faith also had to laugh to herself, seeing the two of them giggling at some thought that only the two of them shared but had also left her feeling a little lonely in that she was being left out. Her child was developing relationships that were separate from her.

Later that night, we had gone up to bed. I quickly fell asleep and was plagued by dreams.

I dreamt that I was in a giant maze trying to find my way out. Every which way I turned I came to a dead end. I began to panic and began to run even faster, turning down corridors that I had been down before. I began to cry, realizing that I was never going to come out of the maze—I was stuck here forever.

"Amy, are you ok? You are having a nightmare, Cindy said as she shook me awake".

"Oh Cindy, I cried into her waiting arms. It was horrible. I had a dream that I was trapped in a maze and couldn't get out. I could hear you calling my name but couldn't find you. I was so scared".

Shhh! It was only a nightmare Amy, soothed Cindy while stroking by hair".

"it just seemed so real. I'm scared that I may be losing myself, of who I am".

"so are you telling me that you don't want to be Amy"?

"I don't know who or what I am, or who I want to be".

Taking me into her arms, Cindy tells me;

"Tell you what Amy. I will always be there at your side. We will discover all of this together".

"thank you, Cindy. You are my best friend that I have ever had, I sniffled".

The rest of the night, we cuddled together in each other's arms until we drifted off to sleep once again. Almost immediately, I had the same dream but less scary because in this one I had Cindy at my side to help guide me though the maze that my life had become. I have so many friends now that support me. Cindy, my mom, aunt Janice, even Linda and the other cheerleaders are with me.

At least as Amy, I know I no longer feel as lonely as I felt as Andy. Maybe I should bring this up with Dr. Heather tomorrow.

  

  

  

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