Recapping the characters:
My Ma, Pa, older brother Jethro and younger sister Trixie
My Uncle Jimmy & Aunt Shirley, and their 2 sons, Stan & Billy
My cousin Dirk
My boyfriend Bobby
Sonja, the bitch cheerleader
*
As the basketball practices came and went over the next two weeks I became increasing nervous as the first away game was now only just over a week away. Uncle Jimmy's team had their first game of the season, a home game, this weekend, with the following weekend being the first away game in which I was expected to travel with the team and actually get out onto the court as a solo cheerleader. Our college had its own cheerleader's squad, but they only performed at the home games.
The thought of parading around a full stadium dressed in an outfit that was miniscule even by cheerleader's standards terrified me and it prayed more on my mind as each day passed. The thought of how much of my body would be exposed was just mortifying beyond belief.
At the practice sessions Uncle Jimmy and Sonja seemed hell bent on making them as demeaning for me as they possibly could. One of Uncle Jimmy's sons was always given the task of leading the warm up sessions, and for some reason these always included an inordinate amount of routines that involved jumping up and down or bending over. The boys seemed to take great delight in seeing parts of my body jiggling around. Personally I would have thought it was a needless distraction for a team that was trying to focus on the upcoming championship games. Obviously the Coach thought otherwise as he just stood by and watched with that infuriating lopsided grin spread across his face. In fairness to my brother, Jethro, and cousin, Dirk, they did not join in the sneers and jeers of the rest of their team mates, but there was little they could do. I felt really bad that I was causing them so much embarrassment, but it was not like I had any choice in the matter.
The warm up sessions always seemed to be more physically exerting, so by the time I got to my fitness test I was already nearing exhaustion. When I complained to Uncle Jimmy about the increasing intensity of the warm ups he just bluntly told me to stop being a pussy and harden up. It was not his fault if I was so damn unfit. I countered his criticism by telling him I was going running with Jethro most mornings and doing my utmost to get fit. But there seemed to be no way I could please my Uncle Jimmy.
My results in my fitness tests were not great. I was at least able to increase the number of squats each time, but it was a real struggle. I only managed to achieve it through stubborn determination, although the threat of punishment from Uncle Jimmy if I didn't keep improving on my fitness test was also a powerful motivator. I had no idea what he would do to me in the way of punishment, and I had no desire to find out.
Uncle Jimmy would always find subtle ways of trying to embarrassment me during the fitness test, and I had to fight to mentally block him out so I could keep focused. However it was not easy when he would stand right behind me and peer up my gym shorts while I was squatting down and then throwing my legs back to do a press up. He would make comments like 'you will be pleased to know that little bum of yours is definitely getting tighter' or 'I like your white panties but I think I prefer the yellow ones you wore last time'.
Of course the bimbo Sonja would laugh right along with him, thinking that his attempts to demean me were hilarious.
Sonja continued to take great pride in rubbishing my attempts to learn the cheerleading routine. Even if it was only one song, it was damn hard to learn the routine. Cyndi Lauper and 'Girls Just Wanna Have Fun' just kept getting played over and over through the practice. On one of the few occasions we rested I asked Sonja about the panties I would be wearing with the cheerleaders outfit. I wanted to go out and buy my own; at least that way I could purchase something that was suitably modest and appropriate. But Sonja insisted that appropriate panties had already been purchased. I felt uneasy. I requested to see them but Sonja told me that Uncle Jimmy had my outfit and would keep it in safe keeping until we travelled away.
Afterwards I approached Uncle Jimmy to ask if I could get my outfit now so at least I could try it on at home and check everything fitted okay. He waved me away, saying he couldn't trust me to remember to bring it. He was probably half right. I would leave it behind, but it would be no accident.
One of the few bright spots in my life was my relationship with Bobby, my boyfriend. Since the night when I had agreed to send the photos through to him of me undressing to my underwear he had been very warm and loving towards me. He seemed to have come out of his shell. I could still not believe I had sent the photos, or how I behaved in front of my mirror. The only way I could deal with it was by not thinking about it, but this was hard.
When Saturday came around it was the weekend of the team's first match of the season, at home in our college stadium. The game was scheduled in the late afternoon, and all of our family including uncles, aunts and cousins all had tickets. I didn't really want to go, as watching the team playing and all the hoopla around the cheerleaders was only going to give me trepidation as to what I was going to have to endure the following weekend. However my parents made it clear to me it would be unforgivable if I did not go along and support my brother, Jethro and my cousins, Dirk, Billy and Stan.
All the extended family had agreed to get together at Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Shirley's house for lunch before heading off for the big match. Given I didn't want to go along to either the lunch or the basketball match I was in a foul mood. I sulked in the corner, picking away at the turkey, grits and salad on my plate. I was deliberately trying to stay as far away from Uncle Jimmy as I could. But it was to no avail as he deliberately made his way over to where I had sequestered myself away from everyone.
"Well, if it isn't my cute little cheerleader. All ready for your big debut are you?" he goaded.
I choose to ignore him.
"I can't wait to see your pretty little tush flashing around the stadium," he continued.
I still ignored him.
"I bet it makes you all wet just dreaming about it,' he laughed.
I could not believe he could be so vulgar, and I just lost it.
"You arsehole," I screamed. "You are just a fucking pervert."
My outburst had a stunning impact on everyone gathered for the lunch. The drone of everyone happily chatting was instantly replaced with deadly silence. The adults were all starring at me with a mix of disbelief and distain. Swearing was something that was very much frowned upon in our conservative little community in Louisiana.
Suddenly my Ma appeared from the crowd, looking almost angrier than I have ever seen her before. I swear there was smoke coming out of her ears. She actually grabbed hold of ear as she began to berate me.
"How dare you speak to your Uncle Jimmy like that?" Ma hollered.
"But Ma," I pleaded, "he was horrible to me. He told me..."
"I don't care what he said. No daughter of mine will ever show disrespect to an adult like that."
"I was only trying to compliment her on how well she was doing in her cheerleading," Uncle Jimmy shrugged. "There is no need to behave like a spoilt brat and a bad sport just because she lost a bet fair and square."
"You prick," I spat out. I could not help myself.
"Right. That's it, Jennifer," my Ma twisted my ear even more. "If you behalf like a spoilt child then you will be treated like one. When you get home tonight you can expect to get a damn good spanking."
My mouth dropped open in horror. "A spanking? Ma, I am 18 years old. Don't be stupid."
I was shamefaced that we were discussing the ridiculous idea of me getting a spanking in front of all my extended family.
"Stupid am I?" My mother raged. "Uncle Jimmy is right. You are behaving like a brat."
"No, I didn't mean you are stupid, Ma. I meant the thought of me being spanked is stupid. I am way too old."
The look of defiance in my mother's eyes sent shivers down my spine. Fortunately it was time for everyone to be leaving for the game so the crowd of bemused onlookers began to dissipate. Not surprising the ride in the car with Ma, Pa and my younger sister, Trixie was completed in stony silence. I tried a couple of times to reason with Ma but she was not in any sort of mood to talk to me so I gave up. My hope was by the time we got home everything would have cooled down and sanity would prevail.
I tried in vain to focus on the game. When the cheerleaders came out I tried to watch how they made all the routines so fluid and exciting. But all I succeeded in doing was watching how revealing their uniforms were, and how much of their bodies they exposed as they threw themselves around with vigour. Knowing that the outfit I was expected to wear was even more revealing just added to my woes.
And of course the spiteful bitch, Sonja, was flaunting herself with gay abandon, lapping up the opportunity to have the males in the crowd ogling at her. But even I had to begrudgingly admit she was a damn good cheerleader. She had such good rhythm and flexibility which seemed to make her a natural. 'If only I could be half as good' I wished wistfully.
The match itself was 'normal reception resumed' for our boys. We got beaten, although that seems a little kind when describing how we played. We got hammered big time. The spiteful part of me was pleased to see Uncle Jimmy storming up and down the sideline, pulling his hair out as the game disappeared down the drainpipe. I tried to feel sympathy for Jethro and Dirk but it did not come easily given the big trouble my Uncle Jimmy had got me into.
The ride home in the car was as sombre as the trip to the stadium. Jethro was now in the car and was taking the loss badly. My parents briefly tried to give him encouragement but it fell flat and the rest of the journey was completed in silence.
Once we were home Ma whipped up a quick supper for us all. Although I hate cooking I quickly went over to give her a hand. She looked distressed and a couple of times she gazed over at me with sad eyes. I felt terrible.
"I truly am so sorry, Ma," I said with genuine remorse.
She looked across at me. "You really have behaved very badly. I know what your Uncle Jimmy can be like, but your behaviour is totally inexcusable, no matter what he may have said. You cannot speak to adults like that, and you know it, don't you?"
I hung my head in shame. I knew it would be pointless trying to argue the point with my mother.
"I am sorry Jen. I know you are 18 but my mind is made up. After supper you will be punished. Now put those alligator steaks in the pan for me."
"Ma, please,' I pleaded.
"Hush girl. I told you my mind is made up so don't make matters worse by disrespecting your Ma."
I could not believe my mother would even contemplate spanking her 18 year old daughter. I had not been spanked for several years and was way too old now. Making matters worse was the fact she always insisted on spanking us three children on the bare bum. Surely she wouldn't consider doing that to her 18 year old daughter. I would just die in shame.
