Finding My Normal

Ch 49: Rah-Rah-ah-ah-ah!

It's Thursday and I wake up tired from my dream last night. The boy in the dream keeps popping into my head. I recognize him so that must mean he is someone at Ashley Waters. The features were so familiar, but seeing a younger version is throwing me off.

I think about it all day and before I know it school is over and it's time for the pep rally. Karen left me the Meeko costume in the coach's office. I'm glad Gabriel and Nathan offered to go with me to get it because it's kind of heavy to lug around.

"Sang, do you need help changing?" Gabriel asks me.

"Well kind of, but you can't go into the girls locker room."

"Oy! You can't go by yourself, you could drown in that costume. I'm fucking helping you. Hey, Nathan watch the front. Yell if anyone is coming in."

Nathan nods and stands guard at the entrance to the locker rooms while Gabriel and I go inside carrying the costume.

I've never been the mascot yet, as we had decided Karen would do all the football games and I would take basketball season, so I'm a little apprehensive as to how this afternoon will go. Karen warned me the costume was hot and stuffy. In preparation I brought shorts and a tank top to wear underneath instead of my regular clothes. Since Gabriel is here I decide to change in the restroom stalls. I put Meeko's head on the bench in front of me and gather my clothes to go change.

"Sang, where are you going? We have to put this on."

"I'm just going to change into these shorts and stuff."

"Oy! You can change here, I won't look." Gabriel says as he turns around.  As if that's proof enough that he won't look! I know he wouldn't though, I trust him.

To prove my trust I change right there by the lockers. I hurry and in less than a minute I'm done.

"Okay." I tell him.

He turns around and takes in my short shorts and tiny tank top. "Sang! Thank fuck you're putting the costume on. That outfit should be illegal! Are you sure those are clothes and not underwear?"

I blush as I look down at my clothing. My mom bought it for me as pajamas, so maybe it's not considered regular clothing. It was the lightest thing I had besides a swimsuit so it will have to do.

I shrug my shoulders and Gabriel just shakes his head. He helps me get the costume on and its heavy. I take a few cautious steps, feeling out the weight and movement of everything. Next Gabriel places Meeko's head on me and I start to topple over.

"Whoa!" Gabriel grabs my shoulders. "Are you going to be able to do this?"

"Yes, it was just hard to see so I lost my balance." My muffled voice echos through the empty locker room.

Gabriel puts my clothes and bag in the locker and spins the dial before we head out.

"Umm, Gabriel."

"Yes, Sang"

"I have to go." I whisper.

"I know, I know! We have to get you to the pep rally. They're going to start soon." He starts to hustle out the locker room door.

I waddle my way over to catch up with him and tug on his shirt sleeve.

"No, I have to go." I say again with a little potty dance to emphasize what I mean.

"Oh shit, now to get this thing off of you." He hurries back into the locker room, ushering me along with him, "Let's go, come on!"

I finish my business and Gabriel and Nathan drop me off at the back of the gym where all the cheerleaders and football players are congregated.