Be A Man

Jason was shoulder-deep in the refrigerator.  His bicycle helmet still rested on his head, and its straps were dangling around his face.  He grabbed the orange juice bottle from the top shelf by the neck, popped off the lid, and closed his lips around the mouth, letting the cool drink wash over his parched throat.  He wiped the excess on his shirt sleeve and replaced the bottle just as the front door closed and heavy feet flew up the stairs.  He looked around the corner of the kitchen and up the staircase just in time to see his little sister’s door slam shut.
He frowned.  Jessie usually came straight into the kitchen to greet him after school.  He left his helmet at the bottom of the stairs and quietly made his way up.  Her door was locked, so he pressed his ear to it, only to hear her sobbing inside.  He knocked.
“Go away!”
“Aw, come on.  It’s Jason,” he said to the door, “Don’t you like me anymore?”
There was silence, and the doorknob clicked to unlock.  He waited for a few seconds, only to realize that she was not going to open it.  “Okay, I’m coming in.”
He pushed the door open as Jessie scrambled under the covers, and she hugged them to her as they floated down on top of her.  “What happened?” he asked.
Her lip quivered and her tears were still flowing.  Her short hair clung to her wet face.  “Stephanie Crickenburger from dance class said I look like a boy.”
Jason stopped himself from laughing and she quickly added, “And she said Jessie is a boy’s name!”
Jason folded his arms crossly.  “And what’s wrong with being a boy?”
She hesitated for a second with a loud sniff.  “They’re loud, and they smell funny.  And they fight a lot.”
Jason furrowed his brow.  “Hmph!  Fighting builds the muscles you need to have the balance and endurance of a good dancer!  Any female dancer would be so lucky to be a man!”
“Hey!” she yelled indignantly.  She laughed through her tears, but quickly remembered she was supposed to be upset.  She turned red and said nothing, hiding herself under the covers from the nose down.
Jason walked over to her.  “Up.”
Jessie shook her head.
“Up, and I’ll show you how to be a real man!”
She slid out of bed as Jason spread his legs shoulder width apart.  She stood next to him and did the same.
“Fight!” he bellowed, thrusting his fist out.
“Fight!” she chimed, punching hard.
“Fight!” he repeated, alternating hands.
“Fight!” she echoed excitedly with her eyes still red.
“Fighting makes me strong!”
“Fighting makes me strong!”
“Being strong makes me a good dancer!”
“Being strong makes me a good dancer!”
“Crickenburger is a stupid name!”
“Cricken-” Jessie fell over, laughing.
Jason rubbed her head, and she hugged him.  “So what are you gonna’ do tomorrow?”
“Kick Stephanie’s butt, and then tell her that she has a stupid name!” she answered, beaming.
“Thattagirl,” he said with a smile.