Blooming

With a small smile, he ran his fingers over the fabric, feeling it brush his legs as he twirled a little, the skirt flaring around his hips.

"What are you doing?" his sister asks, causing him to jump, flushing even further from embarrassment.

"I'm," Ethan started, trying to come up with some excuse as to why he's wearing the cheerleading outfit. It's been weeks since the cheerleading incident, but Ethan couldn't bring himself to give it back, explaining to Benny that it might be needed later on. "What if more cheerleaders need saving?" he had asked, trying to hide the fluttery feeling in his stomach from holding the dress.

"Well?"

"I don't know, to be honest," Ethan murmurs, no longer looking at his sister. "Please don't tell anyone," he whispers, far too embarrassed that he'd been caught with the skirt on.

Of course he forgot to lock the door.

Jane just raises a brow, sticking her hand out and Ethan sighs. He's lost more money to her in the past year than he has his whole life.

He grabs his wallet from the desk anyway, flushing a little when the skirt twirls with him, causing butterflies to erupt in his stomach once again, causing him to freeze a second.

"Ethan?" Jane asks, voice a little tight, almost sounding worried.

"Here," he mutters, handing her a $20.

She nods, finding the amount sufficient enough. "I won't say anything to anyone, but you should probably lock your door."

Ethan mocks her, pushing her out of his room and locking the door behind her, embarrassed to have been found out.

Ethan sighs, leaning against the door, running a hand over his face as he stares at the wig on his desk.

Ethan looks at Benny, tray of food in his hands, hearing Rory talk about all the hot cheerleading ladies he get to hang out with.

"And there's this one blonde hottie McLovely. Name's Betty. So into me!" Rory says, lovestruck, Ethan trying not to laugh at the look of disgust on Benny's face when Rory talks about how hot his cheerleading costume is.

"Yeah, I... doubt that, dude."

Ethan is curious now, wondering how hot he looks in his costume, wondering if he pulls it off like Benny does.

"What about Veronica?" he asks, hoping to hear that she's good looking, hoping to hear that he was cute.

Rory's face scrunches up a little. "Well... she's okay."

His heart sinks a little.

He doesn't understand why.

"Just okay?"

"Her legs are kinda bandy. But Betty, I just wanna sink my fangs--"

Ethan's hurt beats, painfully, in his chest, finding that, even though it wasn't directed at him, his feelings are hurt.

He's glad when Benny cuts Rory off and they continue talking as though this conversation never happened, but the feeling of not being cute enough doesn't leave him.

Why is it affecting him so much?

Ethan takes his skirt off, ashamed to be wearing it. He's a man. He doesn't need to wear a wig, even if the hair running down his back feels amazing. He doesn't need to wear the cheer shirt, even though the lower neckline is comfortable compared to all the man's neckline. He doesn't need the skirt, even though the feeling of his legs being out in the open, the skirt brushing his thighs gently feels absolutely perfect.