We met up with Rick and Bryan and two other guys standing on the inside of a racetrack. The other four also towered over me.

“Are you lost?” One of the guys, one with jet black hair asked me.

“No,” I replied, as the other three turned to look. Chad and Mike stood a few feet away, so all eyes were indeed on me.

“The girls are somewhere over there,” he pointed with both of his finger into the distance.

“Tony, if she wants to watch us, then let her.”

“I’d like to see a few moves, mamacita,” another boy, this one looked like he would have towered over Robert Wadlow, nodded his head.

Rick started laughing and Bryan shook his head.

I stared at Mike and Chad. “You going to help me out here?”

Chad stepped forward and clapped his hands. “Okay, we’re from Jefferson High. I’m Chad, this is Mike and Lin. Lin’s a guy.”

The tall one started laughing. “You’re kidding me, right?”

“Nope. He was used like one of those old Barbie hair-styling sets by one of the girls on our squad.”

Mike nodded along with Rick and Bryce.

There was a long silence that didn’t end until two guys wearing WCC shirts jogged to where we gathered. They glanced at me, looked at each
other and one of them took out a clipboard.

“Ahh, the girls are meeting on field two.”

“Sounds great. Let’s go guys,” Rick motioned to leave.

“He’s with us,” Chad said with a nod as he pointed at me.

“OK. Great to have all of you here. I’m Justin” Justin said with an excited wave. He wore sunglasses and almost had a look of Tom Cruise. I wanted to ask him if he was—inverted—but decided against it.

“And I’m Chris. Welcome to Cheer camp. I suppose all of you have noticed we’re extremely outnumbered.” Chris stood next to Justin his hands, balled into fists, on his waist, posing like Superman.

“Let’s have your names before we get started.

“Rick.”

“Bryce.”

“Tony.”

“Garrett,” replied as he looked at me and shook his head.

“Chad.”

“Mike”

“Lin.”

Justin took off his sunglasses and laid them on the ground.

“Cheerleading is easier for the guys, at least in the moves department.”

“A few rules, or guidelines you need to know about.”

“And these are important to follow,” Justin exclaimed as he clapped his hands and then started to move his arms and legs in exaggerated motions. “First off, we’re not the girls. Maybe you can do the dances. Perhaps you can pull off a flip.”

“And as much as you think you should shake your rump—”

“—Just don’t,” Chris finished.

“There was this guy one year who was so limber he could kick above his head.”

“Don’t do it. Not here, or when you’re at school. Our goal is to stand, clap, and if needed, support the flyers during cheers.”

We all nodded but there was a part of me that wanted to do a flip or two. I was also confident I could flex my leg and perform any move the girls were probably being taught.

I bit my lip as Justin and Chris explained, once again, that our job was to be like bouncers at a club and just stand there, barely moving, except to perform slight arm movements for our cheers and chants.

“Hey, Chris, I have a question,” Bryce started as he paced back and forth in front of us. “Will we have any free time to…well, fraternize with the girls?”

There were a few snickers and laughs from everyone, including Justin.

“Well, we’re on a tight schedule, you know. We have to be able to move like male cheerleaders.”

“And this male cheerleader wants to se how the female cheerleaders move,” Garret said with a snort.

“Field trip!” Chad announced.

Justin and Chris nodded and we walked across the field, through the side of the field house and onto another field. This one was packed with several large group of girls, all of them wearing matching shirts.

“Do you see our squad?” I asked Chad.

“No, but I see a lot of…wow,” he replied with a whistle.