Authors note: most of this series was written last summer and so I
apologise for this final chapter for coming so late. Lots of people asked
me for it, but I think I'll have to say that the story finished in part
ten, and this is but a glimpse into the characters' futures. I really
enjoyed writing this series and was a little sad that when I put it al in
one place I lost all of the great reviews people had given me. So please
review, it'd be great, and it'll encourage me to write more.
Disclaimer: If you don't know they're not mine, you really haven't been paying attention.
Epilogue
College was both less than she'd thought it would be and more. Less because somewhere along the line she'd lost what her mother called "the obsessive desire to win at everything even remotely having to do with cheerleading" and more because through some quirk of fate and college applications she ended being relatively close to all of her best friends. But somewhere along the line cheerleading dropped out of the picture and Torrance Shipman became a good student, getting grades that would have made Les, on the other side of country in Boston, very proud of her.
Or at least that's what he told her in between long emailed tirades about the how the cutest guys on campus were also the straightest ones and how the lack of a cheer squad, or the lack of a place for him on a cheer squad (she wasn't sure which) meant that he had to life weights instead of bodies and suspected that as a result he was losing his ability to, as Pulaski had put it, "throw people in the air". But he was okay, surrounded by his intellectual peers and making his parents proud. He was doing fine.
As was Cliff, whose dual love of music and, of all things, politics, meant a happy and tuneful time in UC: Santa Barbara. She missed him, but had to admit that around hundred miles of distance was nothing, especially when compared to the other places he'd applied; New York, Chicago. A hundred miles was nothing, and she spoke to him every day and saw him every week. He'd talked about transferring down but she'd convinced him that a little distance was good, and he'd stayed where in was, the dorm he loved, with new band mates. They'd yet to play, but she'd got reserved front row seats for every gig they'd ever do and that made her happy.
Jan and Missy made her happy too. Suffering under regulations that insisted all freshmen had to live in campus accommodation they'd set out to plan next year instead and had spent the first few months of this year searching the city for a suitable apartment. The only they'd found had three bedrooms, and they hadn't hesitated before asking Torrance in with them. Jan had joked how great it would be to have two beautiful women under one roof for so long that Missy had in the end been forced to hit him, at which point he'd apologised, but the mischievous glimpse in his eyes promised the subject would be revisited in the future.
"Not that I'd want to, like, hear you and Cliff, " Missy had qualified, awkwardly, "But it'd be nice to have us all in one place."
Jan had hugged her from behind, leaning his chin over her should making puppy dog eyes at Torrance.
"Come on Torr," he after his pouting had caused her to giggle, "Is this a face you can refuse?"
That had caused her laughter to begin afresh, but when it had finally subsided she said what they'd all known she would say, which was yes, and the move in had been scheduled for the first day of the summer break.
"We'll get jobs," Missy had said, "It'll be great. Cliff can come down."
And he had, and the arrangement of his sleeping on the sofa had only lasted for about ten minutes after he'd entered the place, but no comment was made. Torrance knew after all that the only reason why Missy and Jan maintained separate bedrooms was so any parents visiting wouldn't take exception to the sleeping arrangements. Also so that Jan would have somewhere to go when Missy kicked him out for snoring so hard that her "books were rattling on the damn shelves!"
And life went on. Missy kept up her gymnastics and Torrance tried them too but found that everything except the floor she just didn't enjoy, somehow lacking the balance to work the parallel bars to the degree she would have liked. So she ran instead, joining the track team while Missy pulled in medals for her balancing and flipping skill. The day Torrance won her first race was a day they all celebrated, Cliff coming down for the night and the four of them hitting the town, dancing til dawn and generally acting like the depraved, but in love, college students that they were.
In some ways running gave her freedom she'd never had with the squad, and she savoured it, because for everything she'd been then, she was more now. Balanced and healthy and loved.
She watched two of her best friends fall in love with joy, watched them grow and smile and live, and it was enough for her. She had Cliff and her own fairy tale. And it for enough for her.
She felt like a complete person for the first time in her life, with her studies, her sport, her friends, her life. It was more than enough.
And she didn't need any trophy to tell her that.
*****
End Epilogue.
End Series.
***** I really enjoyed writing this series, but it's nice that it's finally done. Please let me know what you thought, as any feedback, good or bad, is always appreciated.
Disclaimer: If you don't know they're not mine, you really haven't been paying attention.
Epilogue
College was both less than she'd thought it would be and more. Less because somewhere along the line she'd lost what her mother called "the obsessive desire to win at everything even remotely having to do with cheerleading" and more because through some quirk of fate and college applications she ended being relatively close to all of her best friends. But somewhere along the line cheerleading dropped out of the picture and Torrance Shipman became a good student, getting grades that would have made Les, on the other side of country in Boston, very proud of her.
Or at least that's what he told her in between long emailed tirades about the how the cutest guys on campus were also the straightest ones and how the lack of a cheer squad, or the lack of a place for him on a cheer squad (she wasn't sure which) meant that he had to life weights instead of bodies and suspected that as a result he was losing his ability to, as Pulaski had put it, "throw people in the air". But he was okay, surrounded by his intellectual peers and making his parents proud. He was doing fine.
As was Cliff, whose dual love of music and, of all things, politics, meant a happy and tuneful time in UC: Santa Barbara. She missed him, but had to admit that around hundred miles of distance was nothing, especially when compared to the other places he'd applied; New York, Chicago. A hundred miles was nothing, and she spoke to him every day and saw him every week. He'd talked about transferring down but she'd convinced him that a little distance was good, and he'd stayed where in was, the dorm he loved, with new band mates. They'd yet to play, but she'd got reserved front row seats for every gig they'd ever do and that made her happy.
Jan and Missy made her happy too. Suffering under regulations that insisted all freshmen had to live in campus accommodation they'd set out to plan next year instead and had spent the first few months of this year searching the city for a suitable apartment. The only they'd found had three bedrooms, and they hadn't hesitated before asking Torrance in with them. Jan had joked how great it would be to have two beautiful women under one roof for so long that Missy had in the end been forced to hit him, at which point he'd apologised, but the mischievous glimpse in his eyes promised the subject would be revisited in the future.
"Not that I'd want to, like, hear you and Cliff, " Missy had qualified, awkwardly, "But it'd be nice to have us all in one place."
Jan had hugged her from behind, leaning his chin over her should making puppy dog eyes at Torrance.
"Come on Torr," he after his pouting had caused her to giggle, "Is this a face you can refuse?"
That had caused her laughter to begin afresh, but when it had finally subsided she said what they'd all known she would say, which was yes, and the move in had been scheduled for the first day of the summer break.
"We'll get jobs," Missy had said, "It'll be great. Cliff can come down."
And he had, and the arrangement of his sleeping on the sofa had only lasted for about ten minutes after he'd entered the place, but no comment was made. Torrance knew after all that the only reason why Missy and Jan maintained separate bedrooms was so any parents visiting wouldn't take exception to the sleeping arrangements. Also so that Jan would have somewhere to go when Missy kicked him out for snoring so hard that her "books were rattling on the damn shelves!"
And life went on. Missy kept up her gymnastics and Torrance tried them too but found that everything except the floor she just didn't enjoy, somehow lacking the balance to work the parallel bars to the degree she would have liked. So she ran instead, joining the track team while Missy pulled in medals for her balancing and flipping skill. The day Torrance won her first race was a day they all celebrated, Cliff coming down for the night and the four of them hitting the town, dancing til dawn and generally acting like the depraved, but in love, college students that they were.
In some ways running gave her freedom she'd never had with the squad, and she savoured it, because for everything she'd been then, she was more now. Balanced and healthy and loved.
She watched two of her best friends fall in love with joy, watched them grow and smile and live, and it was enough for her. She had Cliff and her own fairy tale. And it for enough for her.
She felt like a complete person for the first time in her life, with her studies, her sport, her friends, her life. It was more than enough.
And she didn't need any trophy to tell her that.
*****
End Epilogue.
End Series.
***** I really enjoyed writing this series, but it's nice that it's finally done. Please let me know what you thought, as any feedback, good or bad, is always appreciated.