Quadruple Impact

"Right?! Can you believe she actually said that?!" Ranko giggled at the back of the classroom, paying little mind to her English teacher.Kumiko tried to stifle her own laugh, but could not, and the pair of cheerleaders devolved into a cackling fit together. Kumiko was almost doubled over on her desk. Mr. Yosuta had gotten a telephone call at his desk, and he was still talking to, presumably, someone from the main office, so class was interrupted anyway.Ranko beamed at her friend in her matching red-and-silver cheerleading uniform. She was so glad she'd talked Kumi into joining the squad. She was still easily the worst gymnast on the team, but she was steadily improving, and Ranko had plenty of time before the Invitational to get her ready. All of the girls had been nearly that bad last year, and the nearly meter-tall trophy in the glass case in front of the admin office was proof of how effectively Ranko had mentored them. She wouldn't let her best friend in school fail at something that meant so much to her. And besides, at least in the choreography department, Kumiko's skill was rapidly increasing, her confidence along with it."Miss Tendo?"It took Ranko a few moments to stop giggling with Kumi at the latest shenanigans their friends on the squad had gotten up to, looking up at the teacher. They hadn't realized he had finished his phone call. "Yes?" She looked down a little, embarrassed as her classmates turned to look at her."Please report to the main office." The teacher gestured to the door, his arm not quite extending all the way in his tan suit coat that was at least one size too small for him.Kumiko cringed as her friend stood. "Sorry," she mouthed quietly as Ranko collected her belongings and made for the door under the tittering stares of her classmates.Stuffing her things in her satchel and slinging it over her shoulder, she made her way for the door. Pushing her way through it, she muttered under her breath to herself as she made her way to the office. "This sucks. Everybody else was talking while he was on the phone, not just me. Why's he gotta single me out? Maybe he wants to make an example of the popular girl? Fuck, wait. I'm the popular girl? How the shit did that even happen?!"She climbed the stairs to the second floor and strode briskly through the empty corridors. Ranko stopped for a moment as she passed the glass display case along the administration office's front wall, resting her hand gently on the glass and smiling at the trophy she and Shiori had lifted together just a few months earlier. I won't let you down, Shi'ri. I'll get them back there for you. I promise. I'll make you proud.Sighing, she pulled the left side of the glass double door open and entered the office, walking up to the reception counter with a contrite bow. "Hello? I was sent up here by Mr. Yosuta. I was talking in class. I'm sorry."The receptionist looked up with a smile, shaking her head. "Oh, no, honey, we called you up here. You aren't in trouble."Ranko looked up, blinking in surprise. "I'm not? Then why am I…"The elderly receptionist motioned to the second closed door on her left. "Mrs. Ikara needs to see you. You can go ahead in, honey. She's expecting you."Adjusting her black school satchel on her shoulder, the cheerleader made her way to the door, knocking twice. "Come in," she heard, the voice muffled beyond the door, and she swallowed hard as she turned the doorknob."Hello, Mrs. Ikara. You… called for me?" Ranko blushed. She made it a point to avoid the school counselors. She did not need them knowing what was going on in her head most days - that's what Fred was for. Beyond that though, they were always trying to talk to her about the future, and Ranko had no time for that. She was living her future right now, rocking with her band and being Mrs. Akane Tendo. She needed nothing more. She wanted nothing more.The counselor, who could not have been much older than Crash, stood from behind her desk and smoothed her crisp navy pencil skirt around her thighs. "Ranko, hello! Good to see you!"Ranko nodded nervously, setting her school satchel down in one of the two brown vinyl chairs on the visitors' side of the counselor's desk. "Sure. Um, why am I here, please? You're kinda freaking me out."Mrs. Ikara waved her hands dismissively with a bright smile. "Oh, no, honey. There's no need to be freaked out. This is a good thing! I called you down here because there's someone here to see you. Would you mind following me, please? You can leave your things."Ranko's eyes narrowed. Who the heck would pull me out of class to see me? It's not like they can't find me at the Phoenix…She followed as the tall young counselor led her out of the office, turning right and proceeding down a narrow hallway to the third door on the left. Not until Mrs. Ikara had opened the door and stepped out of the way did Ranko's eyes fall on her visitors. One, a black-haired American in her late twenties wearing a knee-length green skirt and an ivory blouse, waved with a smile, but it was the other woman in the room that made Ranko's mouth fall open in surprise and excitement."Shiori!"Ranko's former cheerleading captain squealed excitedly, running forward and giving her friend a tight hug. "Oh, gods, I've missed you, Ran-chan! How's things? How's the squad? How's the wedding?!"Ranko blushed. She wasn't entirely sure she wanted to discuss her upcoming extralegal lesbian wedding in front of the school counselor and a complete stranger. She was saved by Mrs. Ikara clearing her throat. "Girls, there will be time to catch up later, but we need to talk first."The redhead made nervous eye contact with Shiori as her friend took her by the hand, leading her to one of the brown leather chairs at the head of the short boardroom table. "What is this about?" she mouthed silently to Shiori, but received naught but a bright smile in return.After all four women had taken their seats, the American opened a manila folder in front of her. Inside was what looked like a letter with purple and blue letterhead, but from the other end of the long mahogany table, Ranko could not make out any details on it."Ranko, my name is Julie Akers. I'm from Minato University. It's so good to meet you."Ranko's eyes were wide as saucers. Minato University?! That can only mean one thing! She rocketed out of her chair. "Did something happen to Akane?! Where is she?! Is she okay?!"Shiori laughed, shaking her head with a disbelieving smirk. "One too many energy drinks today, Ran-chan? Akane's fine. Sit down, will ya?"The cheerleader slowly lowered herself back to the leather chair with a little shiver. The chair was positioned directly under the air conditioning vent, and the cold leather felt like ice cubes dripping down her bare legs under her red-and-silver cheerleading skirt."So, Ranko," Julie continued in perfect Japanese. "Shiori here tells me you did the impossible a few months back. Landed a quadruple twist with a front layout at the All-Tokyo Invitational? That's incredible."Ranko blushed, fidgeting with her hands. She squinted up at the young woman, who was largely silhouetted against the mid-morning sun streaming in through the large windows at the back of the conference room. "Yeah, well, it was that or land on my face, so, had to try something, y'know?"The American nodded. "Shiori also tells me that you became an effective leader to your squad as the season went on, too."The redhead looked over at Shiori. "Do you just get off on making me blush or something? What the heck is going on here, Shi'ri?"Shiori shook her head with an excited grin. "Just shut up a minute, would ya?""Ranko," Ms. Akers continued, "what are your plans for after graduation?"Ranko sat up a little straighter in her seat, smiling proudly as she fiddled with the diamond solitaire on her left hand. I'm gonna be Akane Tendo's wife, that's what. "Well, I… I'm gonna be making music. I'm in a band. We just released our first album about six weeks ago.""Oh, I'm quite aware," Ms. Akers said with a smile. "We've been listening to it a lot at practice."Ranko blinked. "Practice? I'm sorry, but, what is all this about?"The American smiled. She'd deliberately held this information back. This was one of her favorite parts of the job. In fact, she remembered when she'd had a similar conversation with Shiori just a few months prior."Well, Ranko, over at Minato University, I'm the cheerleading coach. And, after you graduate, we'd love for you to come and join our squad. Someone with your gymnastic talent, leadership aptitude, and the extra benefit of your performance skills would be an enormous asset to our group, and Shiori can't say enough good things about you."Shiori squeaked excitedly. "She's just the best, Julie!"Ranko blushed, but it quickly gave way to a frown. What I'd give. To be able to cheer for Akane? It would be like a dream. But, Shiori knows I'm not going to college. She knows I can't afford it even if I wanted to, and I've already got a career that's gonna need my focus. Why would she tease me like this?"I… I really appreciate your offer, Ms. Akers, I do, but…"Ranko was interrupted by an open hand shooting up from the woman at the other end of the table. "Call me Julie, please."Ranko nodded. "Julie, then. But… I can't go to college. My grades are terrible, and I'm flat broke. I appreciate you thinking of me, but there's just no chance." Her voice carried more than a tinge of shame.The Yusue counselor patted Ranko's hand from her seat to Ranko's left. "Honey, the Minato entrance requirements are actually pretty reasonable. You already make the grades for it - if only just - so all that would be left would be an entrance exam and the paperwork.""But…" Ranko sighed in embarrassment. "Mrs. Ikara, It doesn't matter if my grades are all fives, if my bank account's at zero."The American smiled, pulling the paper out of her manila folder. "That's actually what we'd like to talk to you about." She slid the paper across the table to her potential new recruit. "We'd like to offer you a full athletic scholarship to Minato University for cheerleading, Ranko."Shiori squealed in excitement as her friend picked up the letter and began to read it."This is… wow." Ranko sat back in her chair, having finished reading the short letter twice. "I… I don't know what to say."Shiori giggled. "You say yes, dingbat! Come rock out with me again!""But, there's my music, and…" There's no way, is there? Don't get your hopes up. You don't need it, no matter what Nodoka says. Ranko blushed. The room was spinning a little bit. But, if I could really cheer for Akane?Julie stood, smiling broadly. "You don't have to answer now, honey. Talk it over with your family. But we hope we'll see you in April."