Confessions of a Reformed Cheerleader, Chapter 4
By Jonica
I bury my forehead into the pillow and open my mouth to scream. My body tenses and my hands claw at the fitted sheet stretched across the mattress. I grip is so hard it slides loose at the headboard. I low guttural howl builds in my throat while I try to hold back the inevitable eruption building in my body. I close my eyes tightly as the force behind me pushes the crown of my head against the headboards with a thump. “Nhhhhggggghhhh,” I moan lightly from the impact. His hands feel warm on my sides as my hips begin to wiggle and squirm against the coming tide. I open my eyes and moan again. His thighs pound the backs of my legs mercilessly. A rhythmic slapping sound echoes throughout the room and mixes with our sighs, groans, moans, and growls to form a kind of symphony of ecstasy. Finally, my body tenses one more time and I can hold it back no longer. The burning eruption comes in short bursts accompanied by little yips, “Oh” and “oh” and “oh” and “oh,” over and over. My body rocks and wriggles until the tide begins to seep away. I relax and roll to my side....his strong hands guiding me.
A little while later we are lying sideways...my butt pushed into his tummy...his hand resting on my hip. I have since caught my breath and I lay still enjoying the sounds in the room. I close my eyes and whisper, “Wonderful....”
He replies, “Yes....”
I smile and begin to nod off, but then my eyes open again and I ask, “But how is this part of my wrestling training?”
A short moment goes by, then Tony replies, “W-well....it's aerobic conditioning....
Split the "V"
Dot the "I"
Curl that "C"
T-O-R-Y, T-O-R-Y
Chapter Four: Charting the Course
“It's time to step up her activity, Mary,” Lorie says to the small group assembled in her office. The group consists of her...the federation manager, Mary....my wrestling teacher and biggest critic, Tony...my manager, and a myriad of underlings and hanger's on. The group all agrees that the federation needs to exploit my inexplicable popularity, but they aren't quite sure how to do it. Lorie refers to me as the “New Face” of the league (a prospect that has angered many of the other wrestlers). However, in my short time here, they haven't figured out if I should be a “face” (explained to me as a goody type) or a “heel” (the bad one). Mary and Tony think I should be a “face” until I at least get more experience. Lorie wants me to try both angles. Since she and her nameless entourage are the rulers of the federation, that is just what will happen.
“Do you have an opponent in mind?” Mary asks Lorie after a short pause.
“You don't seem to like the idea, Mary. Her next opponent really doesn't matter.” Lorie retorts.
“You are going to get her hurt. She's lucky Katrina didn't smear her all over the mat. She will if they wrestle again.”
“Mary, Joni has shown great promise. Ratings are up. Souvenir sales are at an all time high. It's time to use her to her fullest potential!”
“You mean it's time to exploit her until someone new comes along.”
This exchange goes back and forth until it finally boils over into the two former champions standing nose to nose yelling at each other. It takes a full minute for the crowd to separate them.
“GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY OFFICE!!!” Lorie demands, “Sadie! Sadie will be her next opponent. Friday night!”
The room goes quiet. Mary looks at her with mouth agape, “Sadie?” She shakes her head, “Sadie has been wrestling since she was 9 years old. In case you haven't noticed, that's ten years longer than Joni.” Mary shakes her head again, “She will decimate your new 'face.'”
“Mary...the match will be Friday night. You underestimate your protege. Now get out.” She emphasizes that the conversation is over by turning her desk chair to stare out at the Mississippi.
I never really understood politics of any kind, and it's no different here. I don't want to argue about which course I should take in my new career. All I know is I am making a boatload of money for the first time in my life and I don't want that to end.
“I don't know her.”
Tony thinks for a moment and says, “Well...she was one of the stars of the promotion but she left for a tour of Japan about a year since we arrived. She's very talented. She's also a vicious heel.”
I look at her promotional photo again.
“Really? Her? A heel?” I cut my eyes at Tony, “She looks like the sweet girl who lives next to my grandma.”
“That's how she suckers you in. She acts all sweet and innocent. She doesn't talk much. Then she cheats like a five dollar hooker.”
I squint my eyebrows trying to think what a five dollar hooker does to cheat, but Tony cuts me off before I can say anything, “She's really good. Championship material good. She's only 19 years old.”
I look at him quizzically, “Only 19? How can she be THAT good?”
“I guess you will just have to learn the hard way.”
The conversation ends with a knock on the door. “You're up, Joni.” A voice calls from outside. I smile sweetly at Tony, “Time to get win number two,” and I walk into the corridor leading to the arena with him in tow.
Sadie is already in the ring when I make my way down the aisle. The chorus of cheers tells me that I really am the fan favorite tonight. I am wearing what is becoming my trademark purple two piece outfit with gold trim...the colors of my beloved Louisiana State University Bayou Bengals. A pair of ankle high wrestling boots complete the outfit.
Tony holds my hand and steadies me as I walk up the steps to the ring apron. I take a deep breath and step between the middle and bottom rope, then I do what is becoming another hallmark of my performances...I smile sweetly and perform a series of backhand springs across my side of the ring. I come up with my hands raised over my head and the crowd goes wild! My smile is genuine. I am quickly overcoming my fear of wrestling in front of crowds.
Across the ring, Sadie rolls her eyes and tries to look relaxed. She is basically posing...showing off her incredible body with her elbows resting on the top ropes. The announcer begins his introductions and confirms that we are pretty much even in height and weight. She is an inch taller than my 5'2” but we weigh almost the same at 112 lbs. He annouces that she is from Alabama. Now that is very interesting! Everyone knows the intensity of the LSU/Alabama rivalry is second to none in the South. She even looks like a country girl from Alabama...at least she dresses the part. For her ring attire she has chosen a black sports bra and a pair of cutoff blue jeans cut extremely high in the legs...a genuine pair of Daisy Duke's! A pair of short, black wrestling boots finish the outfit. Again I think, there is no way she can be a heel! She looks like the prom queen. Well....if Bumfuck, Alabama has a prom queen, that is.
The referee goes through his normal pre-match routine of patting us down for weapons or foreign objects...which is basically his way of getting a free shot at fondling us. When he is finished, he walks to the middle of the ring and motions for the bell. I take a deep breath and move out of my corner. My tummy is suddenly tied into knots when Tony's words of warning come back to me. How good can she be?
We circle and close the gap between us. Her eyes shine with a bright glow that says she loves this and she loves the thrills found here. She raises her hands and wiggles her fingers at me. I take this as an invitation to test our strength against each other. My hands raise to meet her and our fingers interlock. We begin pushing against each other. The muscles in our arms and neck strain and it becomes apparent that we are pretty much evenly matched in the strength department, but too my surprise I get a little momentum going and she takes a step back. I press the sudden advantage and step forward....right into the sole of her boot...which sinks deep into my tummy.
My eyes open wide as well as my mouth. The air is driven from my lungs from the unexpected kick to the belly. I drop to my knees as Tony's admonition rings in my ears, “She cheats like a five dollar hooker.”
I don't get much time to ruminate on his warning because Sadie has her hand in my hair. Her voice echoes throughout the arena when she taunts, “Idiot!” then snaps a knee into my chest. The blow knocks me onto my back. I begin to roll toward the ropes, but she snares one of my feet and pulls me back toward the middle of the ring. Then she stops and kicks the toe of her boot into my hamstring.
“Aggghhhh!!!” I scream from the sharp, stinging pain and I yank my foot trying to pull it free, but she plants her boot on my tummy and twists my foot causing pain to rocket through my ankle and into my knee.
“I always knew you Cajun twats were worthless,” she continues to taunt. She lifts her boot and slams it onto my tummy. I squirm and try to pull my leg free again but she twists my foot violently causing me to gasp then scream so loud the crowd goes silent.
“NGGGHHHHHHAAAAGHHHH!!!!”
I guess even they realize I am outclassed in this one.
But then a funny thing happens. Remember when I said I am not into politics? I was filled in about the entire conversation between the interested parties. I know that Mary...my coach...doesn't think much of me. I know Lorie wants me to succeed...but only for the good of the federation. I think Tony sincerely likes me. The rest are looking at the bottom line. All I know is I want to earn more money and have fun doing it. I won't be earning much money at all if Sadie breaks my foot off...which is what she seems to be trying to do. Also, I won't last much longer here if I don't start showing improvement. They will find another “face of the federation” and I will be back to dancing on polls. The funny thing is that I no longer feel the pain...even though it feels like my foot is being torn off. It seems to focus me on the task at hand. It makes me angry. It makes me want to beat Sadie until she pees herself. It makes me want to win.
The boot of my free leg draws back then slams forward against Sadie's balancing knee. The look on her face tells me the move worked. She releases my foot and falls onto her side. I quickly scramble away and get to my knees. I stand and nearly fall back down from the damage done to my own foot, but I regain my balance and stare at my opponent as she rocks from side to side holding her knee.
“Oh fuck!” I think I say it aloud. I truly hope I didn't cripple her! But she puts my fears to rest when she rolls onto all fours and starts to get to her feet. I waste no time...I'm still pissed about damn near everything...in rushing her and kicking her in the ribs like a football placekicker. She rolls onto her back holding her ribs. A dark bruise forms where the toe of my boot landed and her hands try to cover that area. She grabs the ropes and begins to pull herself to her knees and I run in again. This time...the top of my boot slaps against her side and lower back. She falls onto her butt and tries to grab the ropes again. The referee pushes me back and orders me to my corner, but fuck him! She started this shit! Plus I have to prove I am one of the top talents here!
I push back by the referee and grab Sadie's hair just before she can slip out of the ring.
Anger can be a powerful motivator. It can also be a huge downfall. I learn that last lesson painfully when Sadie reacts to me grabbing her hair by slamming an elbow into my crotch. The low blow stops my surge of momentum in it's tracks. I bend over suddenly and slam my knees together. Back peddling, my hands go to my aching crotch. I feel the sudden urge to vomit. I make it all the way into the corner and rest my butt on the middle turnbuckle.
By this time, Sadie is on her feet rushing at me. Another surge of anger washes over me and I forget about the pain in my lower abdomen. I push out of the corner and meet her charge. She has a slight momentum advantage but due to my position on the turnbuckle, I am lower, therefore, I have a slight leverage advantage. These circumstances lead to us meeting in the middle and coming to a dead stop.
This federation is all about wrestling. We are professionals who pride ourselves on training to be the best in our chosen field. We are athletes who love competing and love the thrills associated with human combat. Now...with that said...Sadie is probably one of the most talented wrestlers I will ever face. She is only 19 but she has the ring acumen of someone much older. She may have the skill and determination of Mary, and the strength to match up with Lorie. I...on the other hand...have been described as a diamond in the rough. I don't have much skill, but I make up for it in will and determination. Lorie says I have the best ring presence she has ever seen...although I am sure she is lying. However...at the moment none of that makes a difference. When we slam together in the middle of the ring, the rules of wrestling suddenly get tossed out the window and we literally fight like two cats in a confined space!
We spit, growl, curse, and roll around like two high schoolers fighting over a boyfriend as the beleaguered referee tries to separate us. My top gets ripped in the wild melee and hers gets pulled down to her bellybutton. After a few minutes, the ref finally manages to pull us apart and stand between us until we back into our respective corners. I glance outside the ring and see Tony staring in wide-eyed fascination. Mary has her forehead resting on one hand and she is shaking her head slowly from side to side. Lorie, though, is smiling from ear to ear because the crowd is cheering wildly. The excitement in the arena is palpable. The place is truly rocking!
The referee gives a few moments to get our composure then he steps aside and says, “Wrestle!”
Slowly we move out of our corners and circle each other. The anger we both felt earlier has been replaced with steely determination. We both not only want to win this match....we have to win this match.
This time I make the first move. I step to one side the when she reacts I quickly step back the other way. My right arm sneaks out and loops around her head. I move back in the other direction and I pull her cheek hard against my side in a classic side headlock. I have decided to try and wrestle using the methods Mary has taught me...hopefully this will calm me and let me out wrestle the cheater. However, I forgot that Sadie is one of the most talented grapplers in the federation...or so they keep telling me. I twist my hips and drive my side into her tummy. Twisting back the other way, I execute a perfect hip toss that that drops me right on top of Sadie. But remember my earlier comment about her grappling skill? When I land...she pushes up with her hips and creates enough momentum to roll me onto my shoulders in a variation of the small package pin. I kick my feet wildly to escape, but Sadie grabs the back of my shorts to help her keep my shoulders down. The referee slaps the mat...once....twice.....but stops when I hook my foot under the rope. He immediately calls for Sadie to break the pin.
We both get to our feet and glare at each other. The crowd has grown silent so they can settle in and see the rest of the show. Sweat runs down my nose and the harsh overhead lights beat down on the bare flesh on my body. I wipe my forehead and try to dry my hand on my spandex shorts then I react to the onrushing Sadie. She grabs my wrist before I can pull away and twists my arm painfully while pulling it straight. My elbow points at the ceiling, and...in turn...I have to bend forward at the hips to keep her from pulling my arm out of it's socket. I spread my feet to get a good defensive base, but she kicks me in the armpit with the toe of her boot. I hiss, “Bitch!” and drop to one knee. She responds by twisting my arm again.
I look up briefly and see shadow of concern in Tony's eyes, but Mary seems interested in the match again. Lorie still has her wide smile. Another twist of my wrist and I nearly faceplant on the mat. However, this is all I need to be able to reach the ropes. My freehand grabs on for dear life and the referee calls for the break.
Sadie breaks the hold cleanly and starts to step away, but then she changes course and grabs my hair...twists her hands in deep...and pulls back so hard that I land on my shoulder blades. The back of my head snaps against the mat making me see stars for a moment. The referee backs her into the corner and allows me to get to my knees. I shake the cobwebs out of my head and try to clear the fog, but before I can, Sadie is rushing at me again.
Her body slams into mine and we topple through the ropes and land on the floor outside the ring. We roll over a couple times with our arms fighting to lock the other but then she shoves me and I slam back first into the steel divider between the ring and the audience. I fall forward with my back arched inward and Sadie grabs my hair and pulls me face first into the ring apron. Again, I see stars. Bright pretty ones. A fist to the kidneys then I slump to the floor as she climbs back into the ring. She watches from a corner as the referee begins to count me out.
By the time he gets to four...I am on my feet, rubbing my forehead. By the time he gets to six...I am climbing onto the apron. When he gets to eight, I roll back into the ring breaking the count. The ring vibrates under me and I know Sadie is coming. I look just as she leaves her feet for a body splash. I twist my upper body and push off the mat with my knees and hips. Rolling to the side just as she makes contact. I use her momentum against her as we roll over and I push my weight against her butt and the backs of her legs. I roll her into a picture perfect matchbook pin. The ref's hand slaps the mat once....Sadie's body tenses to kick me off. His hand lands twice but I can feel her starting to move. She will kick out before he completes the count.
Sadie's Daisy Duke's ride down her ass so far her cut butt is partially exposed. That isn't what interests me, though. The cute blue thong with the red Superman symbols around the waist catches my attention. Her legs begin to spring forward to break the hold but my hand grabs the thong and twists it deep. The thin material cuts so deep into her booty and crotch that she squeals! The referee slaps the mat a third time and calls for the bell. I quickly let go of her thong and roll off her and into the corner.
I don't even think the crowd is sure what just happened. They sit in stunned silence until the referee grabs my wrist and holds my hand in the air. Pointing at me, he proclaims, “Winner!”
The crowd erupts with wild cheers and screams! I cannot hide my smile as it sinks in. Sadie is championship material....and I beat her! Of course, I did cheat. And Sadie is letting the ref know that I cheated.
“I didn't see it.” He states flatly then looks at me with a sly wink. He climbs out of the ring with Sadie hot on his trail.
I quickly scoot out of the ring and Tony is there to greet me. “Great job, sweetie!” He proclaims as he gives me a victory hug.
The arena is dark and most of the parking lot is empty when I leave. Fresh from the shower, my hair still damp. I walk toward my car thinking about what has happened in my life over the course of the last few months. Lorie couldn't wait to come into the locker room. Her smile tells me that she is beaming about the reviews of the match. She even tells me that a national wrestling publication wants to do a feature story on me! She even tells me that I am closing in on being ranked on the championships contender's list.
My, I have come a long way from the strip clubs on Airline Highway. It's a long way from the swamps of Iberia Parish to where I am now.
I smile when I reach my car. My thoughts distract me so much that I do not hear the person sneaking up behind me. The smile is still on my face as I sink to my knees and then flat on my face. The person behind me slips the blackjack into a dark jacket pocket and quickly leaves the area.
