Sometimes a name is all you need, and sometimes its the wrong name

I was excited today. For the first time in two years, I was going to practice on a real spring mat again.

It's possible, but not easy, to do floor gymnastics without one. I have been using just our grass yard for the last two years since elementary school.

I stopped taking lessons after that because I was getting to old my mother said. They didn't have a floor mat in junior high school when they did what they called gymnastics. But this year I will be going to high school and they have one.

My older sister was one of the cheerleaders in high school.

The teacher, Mrs. Walker, said that I could come in and practice on one-half of the mat while the cheerleaders were out using the other half. They weren't going to use all of it, just half. So while they were using their half, I could use the other half. I was going to be in seventh heaven.

When we got to school the Mrs. Walker wasn't there. I was so disappointed, because I thought that the other teacher wouldn't allow me to work out.

Still since the person that was there didn't know who was a cheerleader and who wasn't, so I just took my hair and put it into a high pony tail like my sister and just walked in with Sis.

Then while they went going to the locker room to change, I just went to a corner and slipped off my sweat pants. I was wearing gym clothes that kinda looked like the girls did when they practiced, so I didn't think that she would even notice that I was different.

Teachers can be so stupid some times.

Right after the girls all left for the locker room, I started in with some very simple floor exercisers to warm up with.

The substitute looked over at me and said. “And who are you?”

“Julian” I said.

“Well Julie Ann before you get going too much, why don't you do some warm ups and stretching so
you don't hurt yourself doing all of that tumbling.”

“OK, I forgot.” I said like I was a dumb girl who would forget something like that. And then I started with some upper body stretching to get looser.

The girls started to come out of the locker room at about that time. I knew most of them, as Sis has had them for sleep overs and parties over the last two years to our house. They saw what I was doing and started in on their own version of easy warmups.

When all of them were out the Mrs. Johnson said “Mrs. Walker couldn't make it today so I said that I'd fill in for her. She said there are a couple of things that has to be done today.

First thing is that we have to get ready for the back to school week and the pep rally on Friday and school spirit week in the first week of school. So you have to do make sure that the new girls know all of the cheers for them.

Also you have to measure yourselves for your uniforms today, Mrs. Walker has to order them no later than tomorrow. Mrs Walker told me to have everyone fill out on this card for each persons uniform tonight, and to be put on the final list for the office for the cheerleader squad.

So get in groups of three, one of you measure, the other one write down the measurements, and of course one of you will have to be measured. After you have each switched off, we can then start in on the your practicing cheers.”

As she finished that everyone got up, so I did also. I was walking back to the other side of the room to do some floor exerciser when I heard Nancy call out. “And where do you think you are going Julian?” Nancy was the cheerleader captain.

I turned around and she recognized me at once. “Hello Julian, what are you doing here?”

“Mrs. Walker said that I could practice my floor gymnastics while my sister was practicing with the rest of the cheer-squad.” I replied

Susan called out “Nancy, we need one more person to help in measuring.”

Nancy turned around and looked at Susan and said “OK”

Susan was one of the new cheerleaders this year. Sis had told me in a rare moment of confidentiality that she was also one messed up girl. She had gotten date raped last year and was now a boy hater. Sis said that Susan would like nothing better than to hang all males on the planet by their dicks.

“Julian why don't you come and help us for a second, for me please.” Nancy said.

I'd do anything for Nancy, she was the hottest babe in the world. I walk with her back to the other girls who were measuring each other. “Here Julian, help your sister and Susan with their measurements.” she said.

Sis looked startled and worried and said “Susan can measure me and you write them down.”

“Then your sister can measure me while you write them down, and then I can write them down while your sister measures you.” Susan said.

“Why do I have to get measured?” I asked.

“So that it looks like we all did each other silly.” Susan said.

So that's just what we did. I didn't notice it at the time, but Susan handed in all three cards.

I was on my way back to my interrupted floor exercises when Nancy called “Julian, could you come and help me for a minute?”

I of course didn't say anything, but changed directions and went back to where the girls were lining up. “Could you please take my place Julian so that I can make sure that the other new girls are doing what they are suppose to do.” Nancy said.

I just took her place and put out my hands like I had pompoms like everyone else. It was not the first time that I had helped Nancy like this. They girls were always practicing at home with my sister. So I knew most of the cheers already, from almost everyone else place.

We started the easy 'Give me a B' cheer. Changing the letters each round. I'm sure that the cheer has not changed for the last million years. By the time that we had done it all the way through with out any of the new girls making a mistake, it had been a half an hour.

“Once more Julian.” Nancy asked while smiling at me.

I never did get to do any of my gymnastic floor exercises like I had wanted to. I had ended up the whole time in Nancy's spot.

At the end Susan said, “Maybe we should just add Julian to the squad since she knows all of the routines as well as anyone. And with her gymnastic training she could help out later when we start competitions. We could dress her up as a mascot” Susan said my name making it sound like Julie-Ann. I hated it when she did that, and I think that she always did that just to annoy me.

“That sounds like a great idea Susan.” Nancy said. “All in favor of making Julian the mascot of the pep-squad say aye” Everyone said 'aye'. “It's settled, your now on the pep-squad Julian. Now you have to be here for all of the practices.”

“Don’t I have to try out for it or something?” I said trying to find a way out of 12 girls getting their way. “Wouldn't all of the girls that tried out and didn't get on it be really mad!”

“Well you just tried out, and won, so case closed, you have been selected and that's final. You're better than any of the other girls that tried out. We need you to show us some of your gymnastic stuff that we can use in our dance routines. And there is no one else more suitable to be our mascot.”

“But the school mascot is a girl mermaid!” I remembered.

“We'll do something about that. But being on the pep-squad is the easiest way to get noticed for dates. Have you ever heard of any of us being with out a date to anything we wanted to go to? You'll have them lining up just asking for your phone number. Just ask your sister.” Nancy said.

“Just what I need, a bunch of stupid boy jocks lining up to get my phone number.” I sarcastic replied.

“Don't knock it till you've tried it” Sis said.

“I'll pass.” I said. “Can we go home now?”

“Just a second Julian, I need to have a chat with Mrs. Johnson for a second.” Sis said.

She walked over to talk to her while I went to my corner to get dressed. I noticed that Mrs. Johnson looked over at me a couple of times and nodded her head OK a couple of times.

Then Sis came and got me, and we went out to her car to go home.

“Why did Susan want me on the pep-squad?” I asked Sis. “I thought that you told me that she hated boys.”

“Yep, she hates anything and everything that wears pants.” Sis said.

“Then why did she pull that joke about me being in the pep-squad?” I asked.

“Oh, I think that's just her trying to embarrassed another guy.” Sis said. “Don't worry about it, or take it personally.”