Akane and I weren't speaking. At least that's what I'd figured when I left for school the next morning. I gathered my things and I hurried down the stairs. I was running late for being early. If I wanted to beat Akane to school I had to step on it. It's not that I didn't want to resolve things with Akane. It's just that there were two possible outcomes. The first, I would try to resolve things and say something incredibly stupid and offensive. The second, things would be resolved, but at the cost of me being paraded around like a spandex and glitter clad show pony. Damn that woman could be evil sometimes.
As I was stepping through the doorway, I heard Akane bounding down the stairs. She grabbed her shoes and hobbled after me.
"Ranma! Wait!" She called with unexpected enthusiasm. I peered over my shoulder at her. She was just too much sometimes. She was trying to run and put her shoes on at the same time. This could not be good. I met my undoing with a smile.
"You're speaking to me?" I asked, curious.
"Ranma, its silly to fight, I've come to terms with your idiocy." She smiled smugly.
She let me know that whatever it was that she wanted was hers already.
"Oh, great!" I imitated her enthusiasm. "Whatever keeps the tights away."
"Oh…I see. I meant to talk to you about that…" Akane admitted.
"I'm sure you have plenty to say about it." I quipped.
"Well I do! I really think we should help Gena out. She could use some supporting members of the student body." Akane protested.
"Oh I know what you're after. You're just trying to coerce me into taking lessons with you." I accused.
"Though it would be hilarious to see you get in touch with your feminine side, I don't care if you're interested in it or not. Who'd want a clod like you stepping all over her feet? I personally think ballroom dancing looks fun. I'm sure it would help my martial arts a great deal." She defended.
"Oh please tell me you'r ejoking. You? A ballroom dancer? Akane…grace is not in your bag. Smashing bricks…that's in your bag. Smashing skulls…that's in your bag. You're way too clumsy and careless. Do you really want to twirl around in a sparkly dress? And you know you actually have to touch the guy you dance with right? The Akane I know would never…"
I knew it was coming and for all of my best efforts I just couldn't stop myself. I was way too jealous to let her dance with someone else. I had to put the idea out of her head. I saw her eyes fill with anger and I cursed myself mentally. Why did I always have to make her so damn miserable? Now all I needed was Thor's mighty hammer to come down on my head, sending me to the depths of self-loathing. I got the next best thing. Akane's hammer came down on my head , sending me to the depths of unconsciousness.
"I'll prove you wrong!" was the last thing I heard. I knew deep down she would.
When I made it to school, I was twenty minutes late. I had to stand out in the hall and hold two buckets of water until the next class. It really wasn't that big of a deal, I've had worse. Akane's right hook.
Gena was in my second class. She was telling me that she and Akane had made plans to talk to Principal Kuno during lunch today. That was until Akane pulled her by the arm and informed her that "We're not talking to him."
The rest of the day passed in a blur. The next thing I knew, I was sitting in my last class period, wondering what I could ever do to get Akane to notice my presence again. When class ended, I asked her if I could walk her home.
"No thanks," she said coldly. "I'm helping Gena post flyers around school."
"Well, I'd like to help…if you don't mind." She looked at my face, noting whether or not I was sincere. I truly was. When she's upset it drives me crazy. I would have done anything for her forgiveness. That kind of thinking was going to get me a first class ticket to ballroom dancing. All pride be damned.
"Really Ranma?" she asked, but she knew.
"Yes, I'm really sorry about earlier."
"Well…ok." She reluctantly warmed to me.
As Gena, Akane and I distributed the flyers, Akane told me about the conversation they'd had with the principal. They explained to the principal the benefits of having a ballroom dance club. It would teach students to be civilized, sophisticated, well-rounded and upstanding adults. Those were all things he absolutely could not say no to. Before the meeting ended he began searching for an instructor to lead the club.
While they talked, I posted the last flyer in the hall next to the library. It was odd that I somehow felt lighter. I felt a little less gloomy when I looked at the dancing couple on the flyer. They were poised in some classical dance pose. The woman wore a long flowing gown and the gentleman wore a tuxedo with tails. As I stared at the picture, I thought of Akane in a dress like the woman's. I thought of her dancing the night away with that kind of grace. I blushed when I realized that I'd pictured myself in that scene too.
"Well, that's enough for one day," Gena announced, pulling me out of my daydream. "Yeah," I nodded, "That's for sure."