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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/2294146-Nowhere-to-run-nowhere-to-hide
Rated: 13+ · Short Story · Contest Entry · #2294146
"Writer's Cramp" competition entry
Competition Details

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Heads started to turn at the theatrical tone in the gym teacher's voice. Most of them had, at one point or other, been on the receiving end of a dressing down and, just as much as they dreaded being the target of one of these onslaughts, it was always entertaining when some other poor sod was the victim. The crimson-faced Jim Robertson appeared to be the transgressor on this occasion.

"I...um...I forgot my gym kit," he stuttered, painfully aware that he was becoming the centre of attention.

"Oh, did you now? And you think that's a good enough reason to skip the class?"

Jim knew better than to attempt to answer one of Mr Paterson's rhetorical questions. He was on the verge of tears anyway, and doubted he would have been able to get a coherent answer out anyway. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have forgotten there was a gym class today? He had been so excited when he had sneaked into his parents' bedroom that morning before getting dressed for school that it had completely slipped his mind.

"You know the drill. You can do the class in your underwear. Get undressed and come through when you're ready."

And with that he turned and walked away. The discussion was over. As his classmates pushed past, he got a few funny looks - they had no idea what his problem was, but they were about to find out. Jim barely noticed them. He was in a state of blind terror. While intellectually he had always known there was a risk, he had pretty much lived in denial that it could ever go wrong for him. And he had got away with it for many months now, but today was where it was going to end. And end badly.

Standing alone in the changing room, he was shaking with fear as he stripped down to his underwear. He felt like throwing up as he padded down the corridor to meet his fate. There was no escape though. He whimpered out loud, the tears finally starting to fall, as he pushed the door open and shuffled into the gym.

"Oh my God!" Rick had been the first to see him. For the second time in a matter of minutes he was silencing the room as all heads yet again turned in his direction. The moment before the laughter started seemed to last forever. Tears streamed down his face as Mr Paterson tried to restore order. Turning to Jim he snapped: "Get dressed and go and wait in my office!"

Jim fled back to the privacy of the changing rooms. He put on his shirt and, with shaking hands, eventually managed to fasten the buttons. It was even more of a struggle to put on his tie. And finally he pulled on his trousers, tucked in his shirt and fastened them, hiding the cause of his shame from the world. But it was too late for secrecy now...way too late.

As he stood in Mr Paterson's office, waiting for his life to start falling down round his ears, all he could think about was the slogan from that stupid TV ad and that silly woman mugging to camera and saying "I can't believe it's a girdle!" As his mother's long leg panty firmly held him in, he had absolutely no problem believing it was a girdle. But unfortunately for him now, nor had anyone else.
© Copyright 2023 Dave Ryan (daveryan at Writing.Com). All rights reserved.
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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/2294146-Nowhere-to-run-nowhere-to-hide