The next day was not substantially different from most days. Drew wore another one of her sexy ensembles - a simple, long-sleeved, form-fitting stretchy white blouse bodyshirt, a short, pleated black skirt, and knee-high tan boots with chunky, three-inch heels and platforms. She had to wear one of her gaffs since her skirt was verrry short and tight (but within school regulations, of course), and she didn't want to risk anything. Very sixties and very sexy, just like Taylor Momsen. Not to be outdone, her two best friends wore similarly sexy outfits but all within school regulations as well.

Yes, just another regular day, except for Phil Cohen and his buds.

During lunch, Phil made a point of going to Drew's table. He and his friends did it in such a way that everyone would notice. Phil Cohen loudly confirmed with Drew their race challenge so everyone would hear, and he tried to pin her down for an exact location, date and time for their race. It turned out that wasn't hard to do because Drew wasn't exactly trying to get out of the challenge. In the end, it was Drew who ended up pinning Phil down to a date and time.

Phil didn't know if he was free from moment to moment, given all of his "sidelines," "extra-curricular activities," and other stuff, so, even though Drew knew it was just that he was having a hard time making sure he was free, she made it appear to everyone that he was the one trying to get out of the dare.

In the end, the challenge was set for Sunday morning, about ten AM, in four weeks' time, and they were going to race on a very, very long, fairly straight, newly paved stretch of road that connected to Route 440.

This new spur that connected to the highway was still not open to the public since the Highway Department wasn't done with it yet - although the blacktop was all finished, the street lights, road signs, cats' eye reflectors, concrete barriers and guardrails still weren't there. Other than that, the nice-n-clean gently curving three-mile stretch was ideal for the race they had in mind (especially since there weren't any cameras or tracking stuff installed yet). There was also a kind of roundabout before it connected to 440, perhaps where a tollgate would eventually be installed, but the tollgate booths weren't there yet.

So, it was Phil's souped up Escalade EXT versus Drew's rinky-dink girly ragtop. It was the juiciest new thing that the student body had, and given Phil's rep and Drew's popularity, it was almost guaranteed that everyone would be there to watch Drew's downfall.

They all couldn't believe how foolhardy Drew was being. How can a girly little hottie like Drew know anything about racing cars? Drew even quipped, "Are we racing for pinks?" Most everyone reacted to that.

Some of the spectators were giving her advice to back out while she still could, but Drew waved them down. "She doesn't know what she's getting herself into," a lot of the kids in the crowd muttered.

Phil, his machismo on the line now, agreed, and he said what he felt about welshers. Drew agreed with him, and, after checking that there were no teachers around, she gestured at everyone in the cafeteria. "We got a lot of people here." She called out to the crowd. "So, you guys are all witnesses, okay? Phil and I are racing for pinks, four Sundays from now."

She looked at Phil with one eyebrow arched. "Right?" she asked, and stuck her hand out.

Phil looked at her, and then at her outstretched hand. "Deal!" he said loudly, and shook hands. The crowd roared with approval. "As is!" Phil suddenly amended, referring to any modifications and improvements that might have been installed.

“Well, sure. Street rules – no major changes to the cars until the race. Our word on record.”

“Well, how about consumables repairs and such – like tires, maybe, or sparkplugs?”

“Sparkplugs?” Drew almost giggled at that. “Really…” But she turned to Phil. “Okay, Phil.”

They shook hands again.

That was fine with Drew - her car was to far from stock, but Phil’s Escalade probable isn’t stock either. Drew should have thought of that, too. Good thing Phil brought it up.

When Phil left, the crowd petered out, and everything returned to normal.

Callie and Iola looked at Drew, incredulous and wide-eyed.

"You realize, of course, that after Cohen's done, we're gonna haveta wipe you off the asphalt. No way can your little car win against his monster."

Drew giggled. "You would think," she said cryptically.

The two of them looked at her suspiciously.

"What are you hiding, Drew?"

Before she could respond, Janine and her cheerleader coven came over, all of them sexy as always.

"Wow, girl," Janine said, and sat beside Drew. The others found seats at the nearby tables. "You sure do got a big set of balls on you." She giggled and turned to Callie and Iola. "Your friend is something else, huh?"

"You don't even know the half of it, Janine," Callie said.

"I'm sure she has a plan. Besides, Phil is an idiot. But just in case..." Janine turned back to Drew, "you need us to run interference, girl?"

"No, Janine. I can manage."

"Whatever you say." She smiled to show that there were no hard feelings. "Oh, don't forget the party on Friday, okay? I'd like to show off my new cheerleader."

"Well... I haven't decided yet, actually."

Janine looked at her unsmilingly. "Well, you better decide quick."

She stood up abruptly, gestured to her girls in a manner that could be described as... well, imperious. Drew thought of other words, as well.

They all briskly walked away, Janine not deigning to look back or even smile.

The three friends looked at each other.

"I think you really need to talk with the coach ASAP."

After their classes, the three friends went over to Coach Stoeger's office.

"Oh, there you are, girls," Coach Stoeger said, opening the door for Callie and Iola.

They stepped in. "Hi, Coach," Callie said. Iola waved.

"Is Ms. Nance with you?"

Drew walked through the door. "Hey, Coach," Drew said. "Callie and Iola told me you wanted to see me. It's about the Jayvees, right?"

Stoeger nodded. "That's right." She turned to Callie and Iola. "Girls, would you mind if you left me alone with Ms. Nance here. I'd like to have a private word with her."

The two looked to Drew.

"Drew?" Callie asked.

Drew gave her a hug. "It's okay. You two wait for me in the bleachers?"

Callie shrugged. "Okay." Drew gave Iola a hug as well. As the two stepped out, Stoeger closed the glass door. Although she wanted to close the blinds, she kept them up – it was best not to give anyone doubts that they were only talking, especially nowadays, thought Stoeger. The shatterproof glass and wall looked out into the school's basketball court and, beyond that, the bleachers. They saw the two girls walking towards them.

"So," Stoeger said to Drew and gestured for her to sit in her visitor's chair. "Ms. Shaw and Ms. Morton have been telling me about Janine and her plans for Sabrina and the Jayvees."

Drew shrugged.

"Do you think it's true?"

"I trust Callie and Iola. Yes, it's true."

"But why would Janine do such a thing?"

"I thought the girls already told you why. "

"I'd like to hear it from you as well."

Drew looked at her. "Well, if they haven't, I am certainly not going to be the one to say. Not that I'm scared to say, or anything like that. It's just that they're not things for me or anyone to spread around."

Stoeger looked at her with some respect. This girl knows how to keep others' secrets.

The coach shrugged. "Very well," she said. "Ms. Shaw and Ms. Morton told me that Janine wants to ruin the Jayvees' chances of making it onto the varsity cheerleader team for, shall we say, personal reasons? And that you are planning to stop her."

Drew raised an eyebrow. She knows, Drew thought. "Well... it's not so much as stopping her," Drew said. "It's mostly about giving the Jayvees a fair shot at being on the cheerleader team."

"So you think being a cheerleader is important?"

"Ummm... not particularly..."

Stoeger tried not to take offense. "But Callie and Iola are both cheerleaders. And they're your friends."

"They're my best friends, actually. But not because they're cheerleaders. I mean, they'd still be my best friends even if they weren't."

Stoeger nodded. "I see."

"It's more about Janine," Drew said. "It's not right - what she's trying to do to the Jayvees. Regardless of how she feels, it's wrong. People need to be given their chance, even if it's just about being a cheerleader. No one should be able to take that away." Drew looked at Stoeger with determination. "I will make sure they get that chance."

Stoeger looked at Drew. "This girl certainly thinks very highly of herself," she thought, smiling. "A clear-cut case of Savior Complex. Actually, she sounds just like me when I was her age." She giggled to herself.

"Well," Stoeger said, "it's just cheerleading."

"Yeah," Drew agreed. "In the long run, it doesn't matter, really. Sabrina and her friends will recover. Besides, even if they couldn't try out now, what's stopping them from trying for it again at some other time? Maybe they could even talk to you and explain. Callie and Iola and a lot of people seem to think you're okay, so I think they would get their chance, actually."

"So what's the problem, then?"

"Janine mustn't get away with it. She can't get away with it. No one should be able to take away..." Drew stopped her emotional tirade short. "What's happening to me," she thought. "I don't even know this Sabrina person. Why is this affecting me this way..."

Stoeger stood and came around. "Hey..." She pulled up a chair, sat beside the agitated girl and put a gentle hand on her arm. "Take it easy, hon. It's gonna work out. I know about her scheme now, so..."

"I'm sorry, Coach Stoeger... I just..."

Stoeger gave her a friendly shake of the shoulder. "Lighten up, Drew. I'll take care of it. You are absolutely right about everything."

She went to the chair behind her desk again. "But does it matter, really? Janine is just a student. Why would it matter one way or another if she knew we know?"

"You know how it is, Coach - you were a kid, too. Janine's pretty popular - she can make life bad for Sabrina and her friends in school if she wants to. In fact, she already has, a bit. And, besides, her father's a pretty influential guy in town. She could make trouble..."

"But even if Janine doesn't find out that the Jayvees are going to be given a chance now, she will eventually. Even if she's already away in college, she can still make trouble."

Drew nodded. "Yeah, but if she's away, she can't do much, and between Callie, Iola and I, we can handle that."

"I see..." And she did. As a person that was picked on during high school, she knew firsthand how bad it could be. And she fully agreed with Drew. As a teacher, she could do pretty much what was needed without resorting to all of this... scheming. But, yes, Janine's father was a problem. She decided to help these kids.

Stoeger leaned back and observed the girl. She was clearly getting herself under control. But what set it off? She decided to find out why.

"You know, you have actually been a mystery to me for a while now," Stoeger said. "Your two besties - they talk about you all the time. Callie and Iola keep on saying, 'Drew said this,' and 'Drew said that.' Those two think very highly of you."

Drew looked down. Stoeger laughed at Drew's embarrassment. "She's awfully cute when she blushes," she thought.

"So, tell me about yourself, Ms. Drew Nance."

Drew took a deep breath. "Here we go," she thought.

So Drew gave Stoeger a distilled version of her manufactured history. She tried to keep it light, conversational - natural. Stoeger was very interested, as well as smart and observant, so Drew was a little nervous that a chink in her armor might be exposed. She tried to incorporate her nervousness into her act so as not to raise suspicions. But actually, she wasn't that nervous - as the days went by of her living her life as Drew, she came to realize that it had become less and less of an act. In a fundamental way, she really was Drew Nance - Drew Nance of St. George, Richmond, New York, only child of Mr. Carson Nance, attorney at law and newly hired legal counsel of Tate & Company, and the best friend of Ms. Callie Shaw and Ms. Iola Morton.

Stoeger didn't really know what to expect, but not this. Drew's little story was quite unspectacular - a bright, pretty, well-brought-up single child from a well-to-do family. Almost stereotypical. But the girl was obviously more than that. Something must have happened to make her this way. She knew she'd find out, but later. So she decided not to push for now.

She caught Drew sneaking glances at her watch. "Have somewhere to go?" she asked pleasantly.

"Well," Drew said hesitantly, "it's just that Callie and Iola are waiting..."

"My goodness, you're right! Let's bring them in. Might as well, so we can talk about what to do about Janine." Stoeger waved through her window and when Iola saw her, she waved them in. "And stop being nervous, Drew," she said. "You'll find I'm actually a nice person once you get to know me." She smiled brightly and Drew giggled.

"Okay, Coach," Drew smiled, and sighed in relief.

The two came down from the bleachers and went to Ms. Stoeger's office.

"Hey, Coach," Iola said, peeking around the door. "You guys done now?"

Stoeger waved them in. "Come in, girls, come in!" She gestured to the seats. Drew picked up the heavy armchair that Stoeger had against the wall as a spare seat. It was a very, very heavy old chair Stoeger had brought from home since she didn't have enough furniture in her office. And Drew moved it easily. Goodness...

After they settled down, Stoeger began. "I think we need to discuss what we should do about Janine, Sabrina and the Jayvees," she said. "I thought that the best way was to just allow the Jayvees to try out on the second semester. That way Janine will be away in college so she won't know anymore, and everything would be fine."

Drew was about to protest but Stoeger held up a peremptory finger.

"But!" Stoeger exclaimed, and continued, "Drew doesn't agree. She wants them to have their chance now. As it happens, I agree with her." Stoeger gave Drew a wink.

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Stoeger then explained her plan: She would meet with the Jayvees and their coach privately and tell them that she would conduct try-outs over the next few weekends so as to reduce the queue of applicants, and that, for this Sunday, it'd just be for the junior varsity cheer team. This way, since it was just days away, Janine wouldn't have time to get wind of it. She hoped they'd agree.

Drew made a comment that this might sound a bit fishy to the Jayvees, but Stoeger said she'll take care of convincing them if Drew and her friends would run some interference and distract Janine.

Drew thought about that. Janine's attention was on her at the moment so that'd be easy. She agreed, and looked at her friends. They agreed as well, but reluctantly.

"Okay, then," Stoeger said. "But I want one thing in return for my cooperation."

The three looked at her. "Huh?" Drew said.

"I want Drew to try out for the squad as well."

"What?"

"I checked your records, Drew. It says you were home-schooled until recently, but your test scores were more than enough to let you in as a Junior, and all your grades since you transferred put you near the top of your class. You show great potential."

Drew looked at her uncomprehendingly. "But?"

"But... Your father asked you to be exempted from PE. And it wasn't because of any medical condition - your medical records were sent over by your family doctor. I can only assume that it was a request of yours or something."

"Again: But?"

"That's too bad, because physical education is very important, not just because of the exercise. Like cheerleading, for example."

"I repeat: But?"

"Cheerleading improves confidence, teaches girls to perform in front of an audience under pressure, provides an opportunity to study the proper way to bond with the opposite sex," she winked at the girls, "and helps a person to be positive and optimistic in life." Stoeger shrugged. "And, of course, cheerleading helps to improve stamina, fitness of body, coordination and strength. Cheerleading also improves team work skills and also helps girls to learn to trust other people."

Drew faced this lengthy, very earnest monologue with a raised eyebrow. She tried to stifle a giggle.

"Wow..."

"Shut up, kid," Stoeger said with a smile. Callie and Iola laughed.

"Coach..." Drew began, but Stoeger cut her off.

"Drew, I think you have a lot of potential, and I think cheerleading will help tap that potential. Especially with the help of your friends."

Drew looked at Stoeger. She seemed friendly and earnest.

"I won't take no for an answer, Drew." Seeing the rising rebelliousness in Drew's eyes, Stoeger shrugged. "You can quit anytime. I am not any sort of dictator, but I won't accept a no. Try it out, and if you sincerely don't like it, then you can quit."

Stoeger leaned forward. "And you really have to do your best at the tryouts, coz, believe me - I will be able to tell if you don't. And it won't go well for Sabrina if that happens."

Drew looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Is that a threat?"

Stoeger shrugged. "I guess it's all in how you take it."

Drew smiled a little at that. "I guess I have no choice, then."

"Great!" Stoeger said. She stood up. Apparently, their little meeting was done, so Drew and the girls stood up as well.

"I'll contact Sabrina and her friends," Stoeger said. "I'll try and tell them by tomorrow, and then schedule their tryouts this Saturday or Sunday." She turned to Drew.

"Drew," she said. "I truly do appreciate what you're trying to do. I'll do my part, but you need to do yours, too. Okay?"

Drew nodded, and was surprised when Stoeger gave her a hug.

"And, as for you two," Stoeger turned to Callie and Iola. "I'm gonna rely on you to get Drew ready for her own tryouts. Consider it a prerequisite for remaining in the squad."

"Okay, Coach," Callie and Iola said.

Stoeger giggled. "Oh, if you could see your faces!" she laughed. "I'm joking, of course! Your spots are safe."

"When, Coach?" Drew asked.

"Your try-out? Well, when do you want to do it?"

"Let's get this over with as quickly as possible. How 'bout this Sunday as well? I could join the JayVees."

"I don't know... do you think you'll be ready?"

"We'll make her ready Coach," Callie interjected. "Promise!"

Stoeger looked at Callie, and then at Iola.

"Iola?"

"She'll knock your socks off, Coach," Iola said.

After a moment, Stoeger shrugged.

"Well, okay. Just so long as you guys remember what I said."

-----

The following day after school, the three met up again and went to the telephone company this time. Drew had trouble getting information there since the older people dismissed her as just a kid, plus the fact that subscriber information is not given out to just anyone.

Drew was getting frustrated. Her persistence had allowed them to meet with the department manager in charge of Riverdale in the Bronx, but the man clearly had no patience for kids, and as they sat there in his office, they knew they weren't going to get much information.

Callie thought that it was time to change strategies. While the man took a call, she leaned over to Drew and whispered her idea.

Drew grinned and nodded. She unbuttoned the top part of her blouse, took out her compact and checked her makeup and hair. After the manager put the phone down and turned back to her, Drew changed her expression to a sadder, desperate one.

"Mr. Simon," she began, "we can't really get any information, right?"

Mr. Simon's eyes flicked down to Drew's cleavage for just a second. He couldn't help it since Drew pulled back her shoulders, "inadvertently" emphasizing it. "Ummm, no, Miss Nance," he said, with a bit of a nervous tremolo in his voice. "Subscriber information is confidential. Unless there's a valid reason?"

"It's just that my dad wants to buy this house he heard about, and this was all the information he got. He wants to know more about it, so he sent me to find out. And I don't want to disappoint him." Drew artfully trembled her chin and pulled back her shoulders again. She felt her top pull open a little more.

For their part, Callie and Iola crossed their legs. Callie slid forward in her chair a little bit, making her skirt pull back and allow her to show more thigh.

"Umm, what was the number again?" Mr. Simon asked.

Drew coquettishly pushed her hair to the back of her ear, opened her purse and pulled out a random piece of paper, and pretended to read it.

"It's Edgewood 49-688."

"Okay. And the number of the house?"

She smiled vapidly. In her mind, she was trying to ape Janine. She crossed her leg and pretended to look in her purse. As she did, she absentmindedly rubbed her cheek with her fingertips. "Ahhh, that would forty-three Merrimack Street, Riverdale," she said, as she pretended to read yet another piece of paper.

Mr. Simon nodded and turned to his computer.

As he typed, Callie and Iola hugged each other around the waist in a sisterly manner, except that Callie's skirt was really pulled up alarmingly high and Iola was playing with Callie's hair.

Mr. Simon gulped as he did his computer search.

As Callie's and Iola's actions became less... sisterly, he typed faster.

"Ahhh, here we go!" he said with some relief. "Edgewood 49-698. That number's address was indeed forty-three Merrimack Street in Riverdale, and the original subscriber was Mr. Franklin Jacobs. After he passed away, his daughter Marlee Jacobs took over the account. The number was changed in the sixties, but Ms Jacobs still remains as the subscriber on record." He hit a button and printed out the data.

He handed the piece of paper to Drew, and she pored over it.

"Is that what you needed?"

Drew nodded. "Oh, yes, sir! My dad will be really happy with this. He'll finally be able to call them make an offer on the place."

Drew, Callie and Iola warmly shook his hand in turn, and left the office.

Mr. Simon smiled bemusedly as he watched the three leave his office. Originally, he'd thought they were just another bunch of kids like the ones his daughter hung out with in school. But the taller blonde, that cute Ms/ Nance, turned out to be a polite young lady devoted to her father. How could he not help her? And she was cute, too... As well as her two friends. But he was far too old for them. Too bad, he thought.

-----

After that meeting, they went to Iola's favorite Chinese place in the city, bought enough takeout for four, and started making their way back to the island.

They couldn't stop giggling at what happened at the telephone company. It was so easy, how they manipulated that awful Mr. Simon. So long as a girl is careful, dealing with a dirty old man was a snap, and a pretty girl can get one wrapped around her finger in no time at all. And it was good that there were three of them so the guy didn't have a chance to do anything all of them would regret.

"Old people," Drew sighed.

"Nahhh," Callie said, "there are some that are cool."

"Like Drew's dad," Iola laughed.

"Ewww!" Drew exclaimed. "That's my dad!"

"Why?" Iola laughed. "What do you think I meant anyway?"

Drew snorted. "Whatever! Just leave Pop outa this."

"Awww, Drew!" Iola said. "We're just funning with you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah..." Drew grumbled. "Hey, Callie, where is your place again? I always get lost in this part of town at night." It was getting dark and Drew didn't recognize the streets.

Callie gave short instructions and they were soon on her street. It was Callie's turn to play host that night. That was partly why they got takeout: neither Callie nor her aunt was any good at cooking.

They parked in front and brought their stuff into the little two-floor apartment. Their place was always spic-and-span. Aunt Arlene was a neat Nazi, as Callie put it. Drew and Iola tried not to make too much of a mess when they came to visit.

They decided to work on their homework while they waited for Callie's aunt. Callie expected her home at around nine or so, and this gave them more than enough time to work on their school stuff. They also talked about the info that they got from the phone company, and decided that their next step was to research who Franklin and Marlee Jacobs were, and to eventually visit the house and talk to the people there. Who knows - maybe Marlee might actually still be living there. They also had another chuckle at Mr. Simon.

"So, what do you guys think?" Drew asked. "Head down to Riverdale tomorrow?"

As the mirth died down, Callie nervously cleared her throat. "Ummm, Drew?"

Hearing the tone, Drew's upbeat mood faded. "Yeah, honey?"

"It may have slipped your mind, but..."

"Yeah?"

"It's Friday tomorrow..."

"I know. So?"

"Drew, it's Janine's party tomorrow," Iola said.

"Oh..."

"You know what you're gonna say to the cheerleaders?"

"What's to say? I'll just say I'm gonna try out?"

"Nooo... Janine's not gonna be happy with just that."

"Iola, that doesn't matter to me. I'm just doing this so that Sabrina and the Jayvees..."

"I know that, Drew, and Callie and me - we love you for that. But, Drew... if you say it that way, Janine's not gonna appreciate it. And it might go badly for Sabrina..."

Drew gave Iola a look. "I am not gonna kiss up to Janine!"

"Don't be like that, Drew... I'm not on Janine's side, but what I said is true. Callie, back me up."

Callie nodded. "She's right, Drew. We've known Janine for years, and we know she's one hell of a judgmental bitch. She's self-centered, opinionated, and because of her father, no one really wants to cross her. She can make trouble. Not just for Sabrina, but for you, too. We're not saying to suck up to her. We're just saying, if the point of all this is to give the girls a chance..."

Iola went to Drew, and sat on her haunches to talk to her. "I'm not trying to be a contrarian, or to hurt you."

Drew looked at her, with the same indefinable look.

"Oh, Drew... please... don't be mad..."

Suddenly, Drew reached over and hugged her hard.

"Baby, thank you for being honest," Drew said. "I'm not mad at you. How can I be? You're just trying to help. How can I be mad at you? You're one of my best friends."

Iola exhaled a long sigh. "Thank God for that."

Drew gave her a kiss on her cheek. "No, thank you." Drew gestured. "Callie, get in here." And it became another of their three-way hugs.

And, with school assignments forgotten for the moment, they started "strategizing" for tomorrow's party.

Callie's Aunt Arlene came in at around eight-thirty. She dropped her things on the table by the door and turned to greet them - she had just gotten back from her rotation as a nurse at the Richmond University Medical Center, so she was wearing her nurse's uniform - nurse's scrubs made up of a blue, short-sleeved cotton top with a crossover neckline and an empire waist, blue boot-cut cotton drawstring bottoms, and white sneakers replacing her crepe-soled slip-on hospital shoes. She gave everyone what she liked to call her "patented Shaw welcome-home hugs." Iola just called them Aunt Arlene's Glomps (Drew, not being that big of an anime fan, had to look it up the first time she heard the word).

The resemblance between Callie and her aunt was quite pronounced so one immediately knew they were related, and despite a fifteen-year gap between them, they were often mistaken for sisters.

And if Callie was extremely cute, her aunt was - well, Drew was always tongue-tied when she was around her. She was that pretty. And today, Drew was as tongue-tied as ever.

After she finished hugging Drew, Aunt Arlene pulled back. "Oh, Drew, when will you ever be comfortable around me and quit being nervous? I don't bite."

Drew giggled awkwardly. "Me nervous? I'm not nervous."

"Callie, honey, your friend is so shy."

Callie and Iola looked at each other and bursted out laughing.

"Drew shy?" Iola said, and they laughed again.

"Oh, Aunt Arlene," Callie said, "Drew is anything but shy."

-----

Aunt Arlene brought out a six-pack of Swamp Pop sugarcane soda. It was introduced to Iola and Drew by Callie a month ago and it rapidly became the group's favorite drink. Sadly, though, they could only have it at Callie's since the delicious Louisiana soft drink wasn't regularly available anywhere in New York, and Aunt Arlene didn't want to say where she got her supply. Just as well - they weren't diet or sugar-free, so having them only occasionally suited them and their diets.

Over dinner of Chinese takeout, Swamp Pop soda and sugar-free chocolate pudding, they listened to Callie's Aunt Arlene talk about her day at the hospital, which was always fun, especially the way Aunt Arlene told it.

But the discussion became more serious. Aunt Arlene just found out that her hospital hours were going to be cut, from six days to three. She was afraid that she'd have to take on boarders again to make ends meet. In the lull, Drew though about how she could help them, and then thought up an idea, but she needed to talk to her dad first before suggesting it.

After dinner, Callie in turn told Aunt Arlene that Drew was gonna try out for the cheer squad, and as an ex-cheerleader herself, Aunt Arlene became excited and wished her luck.

"Callie, honey," Aunt Arlene turned to her niece. "Drew's gonna need a cheerleading outfit. Do you think you can spare her something?"

"Lemme go check," Callie said, and went up to her room. She came down after a while with a large paper sack.

"Here you go, Drew," she said. "My old Jayvee cheer skirt's there as well as a matching white, short-sleeved V-neck shell. They're all washed and clean, and they're in shiny polyester so they'll be easy to keep clean. They might be a tad small for you, but they're stretchy so I'm sure they'll fit. And there's bobby socks there as well, and a pair of red-and-black pom-poms."

"Thank you, hon," Drew said.

After a brief lull, Drew changed the subject.. "You know, guys, we haven't really been talking about Exam Week."

Callie brushed that aside. "Don't worry about it. Iola an' I got it covered,"

"It's next week..."

Iola gave her a small peck on the cheek. "We got it, Drew," Iola said. "Right now, we're working on this."

"If you say so."

-----

When Drew got back home, she found her dad in his study working on some stuff, eating a Big Mac and fries, and his big coffee mug in his hand.

He had a troubled look about him as he peered into his computer monitor, but that went away as Drew hugged him around his neck.

He asked about her day and as she helped herself to his fries, she gave him an update on her "case."

Carson nodded and gave some suggestions of what to do next.

She said it had to wait, though, because she had this cheerleading thing, and she had to take care of that first.

"Cheerleading thing?" Carson asked.

So she explained about Janine and Sabrina, what Janine threatened to do and what Coach Stoeger agreed to.

"So what's all this got to do with..."

She sighed, and explained how Janine planned to use her to block Sabrina's chances with the team - that Janine wanted Drew to help fill up the empty spots on the team and squeeze Sabrina out, but Coach Stoeger would not allow that to happen, that is if Drew would try out for the team.

Carson tried to understand what she was saying. "So let's get this straight - there's this girl who wants to be a cheerleader, but there's this other girl who wants to stop her by making you part of the team, but you want to help the first girl to get her chance, and for that to happen, you have to try out for the team? Is that right?"

"Well, essentially...?"

"I'm confused, but... I guess it's okay...?"

"I have to, Pop! I can't stand by and..."

Carson took her hand. "Hold on, hold on. I am proud that you want to help someone. It's just that... well, have you thought of the danger?"

"Danger?"

"Of..." he whispered - "of, you know, being found out..." Carson found it hard to say what he wanted to say, yet be mindful of their one hundred percent rule. They'd said they'd be in character twenty-four seven.

She sighed, understanding. "I have, but... I don't think I will. Really, Pop! I got this locked."

Carson was nodding. Oh, never mind the hundred percent. At least for now. "Yeah. I think so, too. These past months - You have been totally convincing. But, cheerleaders - short skirts, running and jumping, and all that... what if..." Carson waggled his eyebrows.

"I think I got that covered." Both of them laughed at the unintentional pun.

"Okay," he said. "If you're that confident in yourself. The other thing - you know cheerleaders. What they are to you kids, what they represent. Cheerleaders have a very sexual kind of image. If you make it on the team, you're gonna get hit on left and right. Even more than now. What're you gonna do if that happens?"

Drew's eyes flew open. Her dad was so right. And it was so obvious a thing. She couldn't understand why she didn't really think of that. And she went over everything. In the end, she could only think of two things - one was that these things really didn't bother her anymore. Ever since her haircut last Saturday... Has she really accepted this new life? Was she really Drew now, and not Andy anymore? And why did this question not bother her as much as she thought it should have?

There was another reason - maybe it was just that she was thinking of Janine, Sabrina and all that. She preferred that reason, as the other one was just too uncomfortable to think about.

"I guess I'll cross that bridge and all that, Pop. But I'll be careful, just like you said before, and I'll try not to hurt anyone, or lead anyone on."

"Good deal, kid."

"So what were you doing before I interrupted you?"

"I was just reading some of my newsfeeds." Carson turned his monitor so Drew could read what was on it.

There were a few web articles on the screen. One was an article from the New York Times - a little story filler in the financial section about a new campaign being contemplated by the EPA, on corporate environmental responsibility involving factory and plant inspections and other on-site checks, but after a push by a handful of large conglomerates led by American Amalgamated, the program didn't get off the ground. It was canceled in favor of self-policing by the companies themselves, and stricter reporting requirements. It was done to save the federal government millions, so the article says, but somehow the reporter sort of insinuated that there was something behind the decision. The article said that one of the EPA officers did not agree with this and was planning on asking for a reconsideration.

After she finished, Carson popped up another article, from the New York Post this time.

"New York Post?" Drew asked. "Really?"

Carson shrugged. He didn't react too much to that - possible prying ears and all. He just pointed to the article.

It was about a hit-and-run somewhere in Lower Manhattan. It seems that the EPA dissenter from the first article was the victim of a car accident, and died on the spot. New York's finest were on it but they doubted if they could track the driver down. The make and model of the black car that hit the man was pretty common, and no one saw the license plate or the driver.

Carson handed her a note. It said, "I'll try checking this out, as well as the other stuff you found as soon as I get settled in at work."

Drew nodded after reading the note. She tore it up and threw it in the wastebasket.

"So," Drew said in a conversational tone, "when do you start work at the new job?"

"Funny you should ask," Carson said deadpan, and Drew giggled.

"I'm reporting in on Monday. They gave me a corner office at the Tate Center in Manhattan, so that means I'll have over an hour's drive to work everyday, maybe less if I'm lucky." The Tate Center was the fifty-story worldwide headquarters of Tate Holdings, American Amalgamated, and Tate & Company, of course, and Carson's new office was somewhere on the forty-eighth floor. The corporate executive offices were from floor forty-five up, and only the company bigwigs stayed there - it was a big deal to have an office on the forty-eighth.

"That's not too bad. You can always take the bus if you don't want to drive, though. What am I thinking? Of course, you can't take the bus. Not anymore."

"I don't know. I still could... Oh, they also gave me a secretary. Alice is supposed to be the best in their secretarial pool. She's about fifty years old, and looks a little like your old math tutor. But she does have this voice that makes her sound like an operator on one of those 1-900 numbers."

Drew giggled. "That's good. You all set then? Do you need a new briefcase? A new tie? Maybe a lunchbox?" She giggled again.

"I am planning on spending the day shopping tomorrow. Good enough?"

"Good deal," Drew said, and grabbed some more fries. "Well, I'm gonna get ready for bed. I haveta get up early tomorrow. I have to go to a party. Yayyy..." she said ironically.

"You sound really excited about it," Carson said sarcastically.

She made a shooing gesture. "Not really looking forward to it. Just something I have to do. Blame the girls."

Carson was about to ask something but Drew shushed him.

"I'll tell you about it later, Pop. Anyway, good night."

She gave her dad a kiss on the cheek, and went up to her room to start her nightly routine.