After the Game

I pulled into the lot reserved for seniors by the side entrance of my school. As I grabbed my cheer bag from the trunk and walked toward the door, I breathed in the pleasant autumn air. The leaves were changing and starting to fall. A few clattered across the parking lot on the light breeze. The sinking afternoon sun was golden, and the blue October sky was cloudless.

I felt comfortable in my athletic shorts and T-shirt. I was glad it would be a nice enough evening for our warm-weather uniforms. I liked performing in the skirt and shell top without the ugly tracksuit pants we would wear under them on the cold nights of the late fall.

I always parked on the far side of the school on Friday nights so I could slip out after the game, avoiding the traffic at the football lot. I'd cut through the building again on the way home.

When I got to the locker room, several girls were changing into their uniforms. I saw my friend Belle in the corner and dropped my bag on the wooden bench next to her. She was checking her hair and makeup after pulling on her shell top. She gave the bow in her ponytail a final tug before deciding it met her standard.

"You look cute," I said.

"Thanks, Kelly" she said with a smile. I pulled my uniform out of my bag and peeled off the clothes I'd worn from home.

"How was your video call with the coach from State?" I asked

"Oh. So good," she said, clutching her hands into fists as if she could barely contain her excitement. "I think I'm in love with that program, and the coach seemed interested in having me."

"Are they going to give you money?" I asked as I shimmied into my skirt.

"A little bit, maybe. You know there aren't full rides in cheer."

"Yeah. Can you afford it?"

She nodded. "I think so. And talking with some of the girls on the team, I heard that sponsorship deals are possible through social media stuff. Like, with clothing companies or whatever." Belle shrugged. "What about you? How was your visit to Maybury?"

"Good. I think I'm going to apply for an early decision."

"And you still think you're not going out for cheer there?"

I shook my head. "Nope. I'm done after this. I love you girls, but I want to move on when I go to college." A few of the other senior girls smiled over at me.

Belle laughed and made a heart with her hands on her chest. "And we love you. But Brian will be disappointed," she said with a grin. "You know he has a thing for cheerleaders. What happens when you ditch the skirt?"

I grimaced, but I smiled back. "Yeah, he likes the uniform."

"He ought to," Belle said, "You look cute as fuck in it. It pops with your red hair."

I blushed and giggled. My fiery red hair was the thing I liked the best about my appearance. "But it's been good. He's a nice guy, and homecoming was super fun."

"Especially the after party," Belle teased.

I blushed, but I nodded in agreement. "It was special. And he made me feel so great." I finished tugging my shell top into place.

I knew I wasn't Brian's first, but I wasn't jealous. I thought of myself as the beneficiary of his experience. He never failed to make me come for him. It was better to me that some other girl experienced his first clumsy attempts. I liked his practiced technique.

Belle helped me fix my hair bow. "See? Cute as fuck," she said.

"I think Brian's going to be upset about more than just cheer if I go to Maybury."

"Are you going to break up with him if you go away?"

"I'm not, like, planning on it," I said with a shrug. "But he's talking about staying here and going to State. I want to leave. I don't see how that can work. It's so far away."

I could imagine the rest of the year with Brian. I thought about dates, hiking together, and going to prom in a few months. We could enjoy ourselves. I thought about how good he made me feel. How sexy and desirable. But I couldn't see a long-distance relationship. Was that wrong? I didn't think so. I wasn't sure what he thought.

Belle shrugged. "So why not break up?"

"We're still having fun now. You don't have to marry everyone you date, right?"

"Or fuck," interjected Belle.

I rolled my eyes at her. "You can be so crude, Belle."

"But I get right to the point," she said.

"That

is

what the boys say."

She pretended to gasp and put a hand flat against her chest. "Are you calling me a slut, Kel?"

I laughed. "No. I'm calling you a fun date."

"Sure, bitch," she joked. "Well," she said, putting a hand on her hip, "I certainly

am

fun."

"I thought 'locker room talk' was a guy thing."

"Whoever told you that?" she said with an incredulous look.

We slung our bags over our shoulders and started to walk toward the field, following the gaggle of other girls.

"It does make me a little self-conscious how much Brian is into the cheerleader thing."

"Why? It's part of who you are."

"But the other parts are just as important. More important."

"I think he likes all of your parts, Kel."

"Oh, my God. You are impossible. I'm being serious. It's hot that he likes it, but I don't think he'd want to date me otherwise."

Belle put a hand on my shoulder. "He's nice. You have fun together. He's cute. Like you said, you don't have to marry him."

I nodded. "You're probably right."

"And doesn't it make you feel sexy when he watches you perform?"

"Yeah," I agreed, "it really does." I thought about the way he looked at me from the stands. It sent an electric shiver through my body.

"Is he coming to the game tonight?"

"Oh, yeah. He wouldn't miss it." We laughed as we walked through the gate to the stadium.

"Are you seeing him after?"

"I don't think I can. My parents are expecting me home as soon as the game is over. We're going camping this weekend."

"Oh, God. You poor thing."

"No, I like camping."

Belle shook her head in disbelief. "You are an odd one. And you like hiking too, which is just walking but dirty. And not the good kind of dirty."

I laughed. "It's a family thing. I grew up in the woods practically."

"They still don't know you and Brian are hooking up, right?" Belle asked. I saw our coach coming into the stadium. Belle and I started our warm-up and stretching routine.

"They've met Brian and know we're dating, but they

don't

know we've been hooking up. Mom would flip out. I had to call the insurance company to make sure they wouldn't see my pills on the statement."

"You're both adults. You're 18."

"Yeah, but that's not how they see it while I'm still home, so Brian and I sneak around."

Belle shrugged. "Seems silly. You'll be at college in less than a year. Do they think you'll spend all your nights studying?"

"I don't know what they think, and I don't intend to ask. I don't want the fight. It's not their business. They mean well. They're just naïve."

Having limbered up, I took a running start and practiced a tumbling combination across the grass. Belle clapped. "Go, girl! Are you sure you aren't going to try college cheer? You know you could make it."

I straightened my skirt as I jogged back to the sideline. "Nope. I know I could, but it's not what I want for college."

I stopped and took in the sight of the football stadium filling up with students and families. The crowd hummed with excitement, and I heard the rumble of drums as the band formed near the music room. I breathed in the pleasant evening air. We only had a few more Friday night games left in my high school cheer career.

"This has been magical," I said. "I have loved being a cheerleader. But cheer, for me, will always be part of high school. After senior week, it's over for me."

Belle nodded, but I knew she didn't share my point of view. That was okay, too.

The coach called us together, and we finished getting ready. Belle led us through more stretches, and then we jogged over to get set for the team's entrance. The stadium was full now. The band marched into place in the endzone.

The public address announcer stirred the crowd into a roar as the band launched into the fight song. The players came racing onto the field, and we flanked them, waving at the crowd. Some of the girls carried poms. I picked a clear patch of field and leaped into a cartwheel. I pulled out my best flips and somersaults as I tumbled across the field. The crowd cheered as I landed my last stunt. Without breaking stride, I ran toward the home bleachers, waving.

I felt the thrill of performing in front of a packed football stadium. Despite the warm night, I had goosebumps on my arms. I knew I would miss this feeling, but the tiny twinge I had felt in my shoulder as I completed my tumbling pass reminded me of the toll this sport was taking on my body. I needed to move on.

As we took our place on the sidelines, I saw Brian in the front row. We made eye contact, and I waved at him. He waved back and smiled. I saw the hungry gleam in his eye as he checked me out in my short skirt. I shivered with excitement as a warm feeling grew in my groin. It felt good to be desired. I gave him a wink, and he grinned at me.

Brian was a tall soccer player with an athletic frame. He was muscular without being bulky. His blond hair was usually tousled, but his ice blue eyes were striking.

For most of the game, I was focusing on the cheer routines. Now and then, I glanced up at Brian, and I always found him watching me perform. The warm feeling lingered. I found myself restlessly shifting my weight from one leg to another. I felt an overpowering urge to rub myself. I pretended to adjust my skirt and let my hand slide across my groin. I drew a sharp breath and shivered. I saw Brian's mouth turn up in a grin as he watched. I bit my lower lip.

When Belle put her hand on my arm, I jumped and felt a surge of energy run through my body. She laughed at my reaction.

"Jumpy?"

"Sorry, I was just distracted."

"As I could tell."

"What?" My face flushed red.

"You don't think I haven't notice you and Brian eye fucking each other the whole game?"

I let out a laugh. "I guess you could say that."

"I bet you wish you

were

going to see him after the game."

I moaned. "You're not kidding. God, the way he looks at me always gets me going."

Belle giggled. "I bet you could figure something out."

I shifted on my feet so my thighs touched. I shivered again. "I might need to."

Belle and I both laughed.

The game was close. Sometimes, I lost track of the play while focusing on our routines. Long after sunset, at the end of the fourth quarter, the excitement was too much with the score tied. Belle and I turned to watch as the final seconds ticked off the clock. Our quarterback dropped back and let loose a long pass. The receiver stretched out and brought down the ball with one hand. The fans erupted as he ran in open space toward the end zone. He crossed the goal line with the clock showing 0:00, and the roaring crowd reached a new peak. Belle and I hugged and jumped up and down in excitement as the band struck up the fight song one last time.

As the celebrations wound down, Belle and I grabbed our cheer bags and turned to walk toward the gate out of the stadium. "I think with tonight's win, there's a good chance we make the playoffs," Belle said.

"Probably," I agreed. "I won't object to a few more games on the sidelines with my best friends." I said it loud enough for the rest of the squad to hear. They answered with a chorus of cheers.

"Are you sure you're not going to the bonfire party tonight with Brian?" Belle asked. "Maybe just for a little bit?"

"I really can't. It's across town. My parents are probably already waiting for me to get home so we can get on the road. They'll drive most of the night to get there."

Belle shrugged, and we rounded the corner by the gate.

Brian was waiting for me just outside the entrance. I ran up and threw my arms around his neck, pressing my body against him. His hands held my waist. We kissed deeply. I felt my body yearning for his hands to touch me all over, and I let out a small moan. Brian chuckled when I finally broke the kiss. I leaned back to look at his face while we still held each other.

"You're affectionate tonight, Babe," he said. "I like it." He gave me a wink and a grin. His hands squeezed my waist. My whole body ached to be touched further. However, I reflected inwardly that I still hated being called Babe. It was something Brian had only recently started doing. I hadn't realized right away how much I disliked it. Now, it felt awkward to bring it up. He meant it to be sweet, so I endeavored to receive it that way. It didn't put me off. We could talk about it later.

I smiled back at him. "It's just to say thanks for coming to watch me cheer."

"I wouldn't miss it. I was going to come to the game anyway." He shrugged.

"It seems you spent most of the time watching me instead of the action on the field."

He grinned again. "I was watching the action I wanted to see." His hand slipped just under my shell top to run his fingers on the bare skin of my back. My pulse quickened, and I ached with longing for more touching. I lifted my face to kiss him again. Our lips smacked softly. I liked the sensation of his strong arms around me.

Belle cleared her throat behind me. "Don't let me interrupt, but you two are making a scene."

That was hardly true; nobody seemed to care, but we were putting on a public display of affection in the middle of the main exit to the parking lot. I giggled, and Brian and I parted.

He took my hand as we joined the people heading toward the school and the parking lot. Car doors slammed, and engines turned over as the people started to make their way home. The usual gridlock blocked the lot. The night air was just cool enough that I felt a chill in my short skirt and shell top. I moved closer to Brian's warmth. The band was passing by to the boom and rattle of the drumline as they returned to the music room.

Belle waved goodbye before she headed toward the locker room. She gave me a wink as she turned to go. "Bye, bitch," she said with affection. "See you Monday." I returned the wave. A passing older woman glared at Belle in apparent disapproval of the language.

I decided not to go back to the locker room to change so that Brian didn't have to wait for me. He held my hand as we walked to the school's back door. He knew that I always cut through the halls back to my car. He usually parked next to my car in the far lot when he arrived for the game.

Once we left the wing near the gym and locker rooms where the athletes were changing, the dimly lit halls were empty. At night, only a few of the ceiling lights were lit. Our footsteps echoed down the corridor. My body was crying out to be touched, to feel him inside me, but I knew I was expected home. I gnawed on my lower lip in frustration.

"Hey, Babe," Brian said, "do you want to swing by the party? I just thought we could, like, have a moment together." It would not have been the first time we slipped into a dark corner at a party to fool around. "You look so cute tonight. It's driving me crazy."

I giggled. "I know, but I can't. Trust me, I'm feeling it, too. My parents will be suspicious if I go on a side trip across town. I'll be too late."

He sighed. "It's okay. I'll just have to wait for you."

I laughed again. "I don't think you will."

"What?"

I stopped and turned to face him. He put his hands on my waist again. Pressing my body against him, I could feel his cock was hard for me. My yearning for him was like a wildfire spreading from my groin.

"You aren't going to wait," I whispered. "You're going to take care of yourself as soon as you get home, aren't you? After you've been staring at this short skirt all night?" I swayed my hips. "You're not going to wait for me."

Brian chuckled. "Yeah, probably not. But I'd much rather be with you." His right hand slid under my top. He pushed the tight-fitting fabric up and ran his hand over me. My breath caught in my throat, and goosebumps rippled across my flesh. I lifted my face to kiss him. Our tongues flirted together. I was aware of a painful, empty feeling in my body. I knew that only having Brian inside me would make me feel full again.

Brian's other hand was under my skirt. I broke our kiss to draw a heavy breath. My thighs burned where his fingers touched me. I groaned as he finally caressed my pussy over the tight spankies I wore under my uniform skirt. I dropped my bag. Brian pushed me toward the side of the hall until I was pressed against a row of lockers. His mouth was on my neck. My pulse surged as I let him take control. He couldn't wait, and I didn't want him to.

I helped Brian tug the modest underwear down a few inches. His fingertips explored my pussy tentatively. He found that I was slick inside with my arousal. I moaned as he dipped his fingers into me and spread the natural lubrication over my pussy lips. I gasped as he found the mound of my clit. I wanted the release I knew he could give me.

I loved how Brian took charge when he was worked up. I knew he would get like this if I teased him with my uniform. It was exactly what I wanted. A naughty little corner of my mind wondered if I could even stop him from taking me if I wanted to at this point. Probably. Brian was a nice boy. I felt safe with him, but the thought of him being on the edge of self-control sent a thrill through my body. I shivered.

We both jumped as a door closed down the hall. We heard footsteps and the sound of voices approaching. I guess we weren't the only ones cutting through the halls to beat the traffic. Giggling, I tugged my uniform into place and grabbed my bag. Brian pulled me gently by the arm. "In here, Babe."

I followed him into the nearest classroom. He closed the door and drew the shade on the little window that would have allowed anyone in the hall to look into the dark room. The shade was still moving as the voices and footsteps passed us by. Suppressing a soft giggle, I threw my arms around Brian again. His kisses were urgent. Together, we pulled my underwear down below my skirt again. Once they were below my knees, they dropped to my ankles. I stepped out of them.

Brian held me close to him with his strong arm behind my back. His other hand was under my skirt stroking my slick pussy lips. I could hear the wet sounds his fingers made as they swirled. I lifted a leg against him to give him more access while I held myself up against his shoulder. Each time he touched my clit I moaned. I kissed him again.

I was rocking my body against him as he rubbed me. Brian matched the motion of my body. The feeling was like a rising tide. Each touch was as a another wave against the shore. The sensation was intense each time but receded as his fingers slid past my most sensitive spots. But each wave of pleasure was greater than the last as my body responded to the touches. It was building to the point of no return, when the waves would break, releasing my sexual tension in a flood of energy. I moaned as his relentless touches brought me to a climax. My body shook as I felt the pleasure pulsing through me. Brian grinned as I tried to catch my breath.

I lowered my leg to the ground, still shivering from the rush of the climax. Brian pulled me close to him. I felt the strength in his arms as he held my body against him. His hands probed my smooth skin as he urgently kissed me again.

I felt better after the orgasm, but I was unsatisfied. With Brian, I'd discovered that the intensity of my climax was greater when he was inside me. His cock filled my pussy and pressed against places in my body I'd not realized were so important in my self-exploration. I still needed him to fuck me to be truly sated.

"Goddamn, you look so fucking hot in that uniform, Babe," he whispered into my ear.

"I know you love it. I see how you look at me from the stands. Like you're hungry."