I stared at the alleged meatloaf that had just been plopped down on my plate. Mom used to make me a lunch to bring to school, but since she’s got a new boyfriend, she’s lost interest in me. It’s funny that that is the biggest reason I miss my dad.

“Hey asshole! You mind moving?”

“Sorry.” I hadn’t realized that I’d been staring at my meatloaf for almost a minute.

When I left the lunch line, I was annoyed that a group of bullies had grabbed the corner table I usually tried to sit at. It’s generally away from most of the other kids. I haven’t been bullied at all this year. Which is actually a bit disconcerting. Well, it’s only two weeks into my junior year. I’m sure everyone will catch up.

As I stood in the middle of the lunchroom trying to decide where to sit so I could read my Kindle, some motion caught my eye. I looked over at it and saw Nova waving her arms at me. We’ve been friends since middle school. When I bugged her about such a weird name, she said it was because she’s such a bright burst of sunshine. It annoyed her when I told her it meant “doesn’t go” in Spanish. Anyway, she was trying to get my attention. She was sitting at a table with the rest of the cheerleaders.

When I approached, she pointed at the empty seat next to her. “Ronnie! Sit down. I want to talk to you. Actually we all do.”

As I set my book bag down and sat down, I grinned and said, “I’m sorry. I can’t date all of you at once. You’ll have to take a number.” None of the cheerleaders laughed or even cracked a smile. Even though some people have told me I’m cute, I’ve been poison with girls for some reason ever since my date with Chloe back in the ninth grade. I’ve never tried to move past friend level with Nova.

Nova scowled at me. “That’s not why I called you over.”

I adjusted the position of my lunch tray. “Do I have time to eat?”

Nova giggled. “Of course.”

I poked at my meatloaf and asked, “Why did you want to talk to me?”

Nova hesitated a second and glanced back at her fellow cheerleaders for a moment. She sighed and then said, “I… well, we have a modest proposal for you.”

I chuckled as I put my hands up defensively and said, “Hey. I have the same rule for marriage as I do for dating.”

A girl behind Nova said, “We’re not lesbians.”

Nova frowned. “Can you be serious for just a minute? Remember last spring when they held the tryouts for this year’s cheerleaders and you came to watch me?”

I nodded. “Of course I remember that. And I thought you were wonderful. I said you were a shoe-in to be on the squad.”

Nova said, “I remember you saying something else… that you wished you could be a cheerleader too like your sister two years ago.”

It was my turn to scowl. I growled, “I told you that in confidence! Why are you saying that in front of everyone?” I started to stand up.

“Ronnie!” exclaimed Nova. “Please sit back down and hear me out, okay?”

I just stood there, my hands on my tray ready to walk away. I felt betrayed. “Why should I? Are you joining forces with ‘Bat Guano’ Benson in harassing the sissy?” Benson was a bully who’d been the bane of my existence since middle school. He hates me not just because he considers me a worthless sissy, but I’m responsible for his nick name. But that’s another story.

“Sit… down!” hissed Nova. “Before I change my mind.”

I hesitated a few moments, and then sat back down. I sighed. “Okay. I’m listening.”

Her eyes widening with excitement, Nova lowered her voice and said, “The cheerleader coach and I were talking this morning. We currently only have five cheerleaders…” She paused to point to herself and then pointing to each girl she counted.

I rolled my eyes at her. “I know how to count.”

Shrugging, Nova said, “Anyway, coach wants to bump us up to six. She says we could do more with a sixth member. But the tryouts were last spring and since so few people tried out, we don’t have any alternates.”

“So what does that have to do with me?” I asked.

Looking frustrated, Nova said, “I’m getting to that! Coach tossed around the idea of having legacy members. If your sister was a cheerleader, you get fast-tracked for consideration. You still have to pass a minimum try-out, but you’ll get first consideration. I told coach about you. How your sister Janet was like the cheerleader’s cheerleader. She remembered your sister, who she was very impressed with, and agreed to let you try out to be our first legacy cheerleader! Cool, huh? You get your dream and we get an extra cheerleader!”

I frowned. “I’m a boy.”

Nova grinned. “She doesn’t care. We’re all about inclusion now, aren’t we?”

One of the cheerleaders gave me a funny look. “You’re a boy?”

“Did you tell her about me?” I asked.

Nova shrugged. “Maybe not everything. Oh look. There she is! Coach Martin!”

The girl’s coach was walking past us to go sit with other teachers for her lunch. On hearing her name, she turned and walked over where all of us were sitting.

The coach smiled at us. “Hey girls. What’s up?”

Nova pointed at me excitedly and said, “This is Ronnie, who I wanted you to meet about the legacy cheerleader spot.”

Coach Martin smiled at me and said, “Nice to meet you, Ronnie. Nova has been saying nice things about you. And I most definitely remember your sister. She’s in our Hall of Fame. Are you interested in joining the squad?”

I turned to face the coach more directly, I said, “I don’t think Nova told you I’m… Ow!…”

Nova kicked me in the shin and then scowled at me. I continued, “that I... uh I’ve never been a cheerleader before.”

Coach Martin grinned. “That’s okay. I’m sure Nova can bring you up to speed quickly. You look fit and just like your sister, and trust me, it’s fine that you don’t have much going yet on top. In fact, I could probably use you on the gymnastics team.”

Shrugging, I said, “I appreciate the consideration and all, but I don’t think I’m cute or perky enough to be a cheerleader.”

She waved her hand dismissively. “Pish posh. A little make-up and a smile and you’d be the prettiest girl at the table. I need to run, but if you’re interested, drop by the girl’s gym this afternoon and watch our practice. If interested, I’ll give you a form for your parents to sign. Nice meeting you, Ronnie.” She turned and started walking back to the teacher’s table.

Wearing a wide grin, Nova shouted, “Woo hoo! You’re practically in!”

Feeling exasperated, I said, “Are you nuts? She thinks I’m a girl!”

A different cheerleader looked at me funny and asked, “Aren’t you?”

Nova touched my hand. “Don’t worry. We’ll get everyone on the same page. Please, please please come to the practice today!”

I took a deep breath. “I don’t know…”

Nova looked at me seriously. “Girl, you have to!”

I frowned at her and said, “I’m not a girl and I don’t have to do nothing.”

Nova covered my hand with both of hers. “It’s your dream, Ronnie. You’ve told me as much.”

The bell signalling the end of lunch rang. I saw all the bullies start to get up from their table along with just about everyone. They dispersed but Benson made a bee-line towards our table. All the girls stopped getting up and sat back down. They all gave Nova a worried look.

Benson walked up to Nova, grinning. He didn’t seem to notice me. His eyes were locked on Nova. “Good morning, ladies. Have you considered my offer yet, Nova? Yeah, I know the Homecoming dance is about a month away, but as my daddy always says, no time like the present.”

Nova scowled at Benson and turned to the other girls. She asked, “Has hell frozen over and nobody told me? No? Okay, sorry Bat. My first answer still stands.”

An angry mask flashed across Benson’s face before regaining his smile. “Come on, Nova. Please come to the dance with me. And don’t call me Bat. You know my name is Tony.”

Nova shook her head. “Don’t make me say something rude. Just get lost, please, Tony.

“You’ll come around!” Tony growled as he stormed off. Thank God he didn’t notice me.

Nova looked over at me and shook her head. “See what girls have to put up with?”

I just chuckled.

Am I nuts? I thought to myself as I walked through the quiet, after school hallways towards the girls’ gym. Nova was right of course. She was the only person I’d admitted to wanting to be a cheerleader. And even with my short hair, I get confused a lot in school with people thinking I’m a girl. Becoming a cheerleader certainly won’t help that but I’ve gotten used to most of it. If Bat just called me names, I could ignore him. But his bullying style is physical. One time last year after he pushed me to the floor, a teacher got on to him by saying “Don’t you know not to hit girls?” Bat laughed so hard he didn’t even notice when I scrambled away.

I stood in front of the closed doors to the girls’ gym. I could hear the coach’s voice and I think Nova’s on the other side. If I walk through those doors, I’m admitting I want to be a cheerleader. A voice screamed in my head, “Turn around! Turn around!”

“Oh hello, Ronnie!” Coach Martin said with a smile. “Did you decide to join us today?” I just nodded.

Nova waved and with a huge grin exclaimed, “Ronnie!”

The coach walked up to me and said, “I had a talk with Nova this afternoon. We need to discuss some things. Come to my office.” She turned to the other girls and said in a loud voice, “Nova. I need you to join us in my office. The rest of you, keep working on that tumble. Beverly has it right.”

Feeling nervous I followed the coach into her office. Once inside, she closed the door. “Have a seat, ladies. Just move that box off the chair. Just put it on the floor.”

It amused me that the coach addressed Nova and me as “ladies.” I’d hoped Nova had informed her by now.

Interlacing her fingers, Coach set her hands on the top of her desk. She looked directly at me. “So Ronnie. Do you want to be a cheerleader or has Nova been pulling my leg?”

I glanced down at my shoes for a moment and then said, "Actually, I do. I’m not saying I want to be a girl necessarily. But I used to watch my sister. She was always so pretty, and graceful and popular. Everyone loved her. But that wasn’t the case before she became a cheerleader. She was pretty, but not particularly popular.”

Trying to sound encouraging, Nova said, “You’re pretty, Ronnie. Prettier than a lot of girls.”

Not sure how to respond to that, I just said, “Thanks.”

Coach Martin nodded. “You are pretty, Ronnie. Until Nova told me an hour ago, I never would have dreamed that you’re a boy.”

I sat up a bit straighter and said, “I am a boy, ma’am. You can check my records.”

Coach gave me a wry smile. “I did. Not only are you a boy, but you’re a good student. Mostly. You excel at English and Art. You do okay in math and history. But pardon the vernacular, you really suck at PE. You do realize that cheerleading is a PE class?”

I nodded. "PE is all sports. I’ve never been good at football or baseball. Stuff like that.”

Leaning back in her chair, Coach asked, “What do you think your parents will say if you join the cheerleaders?”

I looked down at the floor. “My father died when I was twelve.”

Nova piped up and said, “Yeah. He found out just why lobster fishing is the most dangerous catch.”

Coach Martin glared at Nova. “Nova! You don’t joke about things like that!”

I looked down at my feet. “Actually, it’s true.”

Looking embarrassed, Coach said, “Well, I’m very sorry to hear that, Ronnie. What do you think your mother would feel about it?”

I frowned deeply. “She’s too busy with her boyfriend to care what I do.”

Looking even more embarrassed, Coach said, “I’m sure you’re exaggerating. But regardless, do you think your mother would have a problem signing that permission form?” She slid a paper form across her desk to me.

“I don’t think that’d be a problem,” I said as I picked up the form.

Coach looked at me and said, “I’ve talked to the principal and she has no problem with a boy being on a girls cheerleader squad. In fact, she supports it. But we still need to keep quiet about you being a boy. She doesn’t want to have to deal with parents or the media. You can’t use either the girls or boys locker rooms when changing into or out of your cheerleader uniform so we’ll have to figure something out. You can use the girls restroom as long as one of the squad goes in first. These are her rules in order for you to be on the squad. For now, you can’t dress as a girl for regular classes. Just on Fridays and sports events. I’ll send a memo to all the teachers.”

I shrugged. “I’m not trying to be a girl.”

“One last thing,” said the coach. “You’ll have to drop boys PE. Cheerleading is basically girls PE. Will that be a problem?”

I shook my head. “Not at all, ma’am.”

Coach Martin smiled. “Well, let’s go watch the practice to see if you want to pursue that.”

Nova laughed. “Of course she does, coach. She wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

Was that true? I honestly can’t say.

As Mom signed the permission form, she laughed. “Your father always figured you for a fairy.”

To be continued