Page 111 of TJ Powar Has Something to Prove

“Whowouldn’tlet you go overtime?” Chandani purrs, a hand on her hip.

Kill Billsirens go off in TJ’s head. She steps on Chandani’s foot. “Get in the back seatnowor we aren’t taking you anywhere.”

Chandani mutters an insult under her breath. But she and Piper move, throwing their soccer bags into the back. TJ, however, leans into Charlie’s window. She’s sweaty and dirty and smells like grass, but judging by his expression, it’s working for him. “I didn’t see you on the sidelines.”

“I stayed in the car. I didn’t want to distract you.”

She scoffs. “I would’ve liked to see you there. You wouldn’t have distracted me.”

“Are you sure? You distract me. All the time.” He looks at her mouth. “Your lip gloss is distracting me.”

She’s surprised she hasn’t sweated it off by now. “I bet it would look even more distracting on you,” she says, and kisses him.

When she leans back, his lips are smudged cherry red. Helooks in his rearview mirror with interest. “You’re right. It does.”

She laughs. “I’ll give you one for Christmas.”

As soon as the words leave her mouth, she wants to take them back. Why’d she say that? They’re not going to be together by December. She’s already resigned herself to, as Chandani said, a summer fling. Just for fun.

But Charlie doesn’t miss a beat. “Make it Hanukkah and it’s a deal.”

She can tell, from his meaningful gaze, that he understood what she meant. “Really?” she breathes as her friends clatter noisily into the back seats. He nods. “Are you sure? I’m going to Western. You’re going to Queen’s.”

“Like we’ve never gone to different schools before.” His lips quirk up. “Besides, it’s not like there’s no opportunity to meet. They do plenty of debate tournaments in Ontario.”

That’s true. With so many universities in the province, there are tons of intervarsity competitions. Her heart lifts with hope. “It’s British Parliamentary Style in university. Heckling’s allowed. Ready to get owned every time you face Western?”

She can just imagine what it would be like. Being on the opposite side of the floor once again. The battles they’ll pick with each other. The competitiveness that will rise when they face off during questioning. Same old, same old.

Except new, and better.

His eyes sparkle. “But there’s two teams per side. Maybe we’ll end up on the same side of the floor.”

“And if not,” she says with a grin, “there’s always World’s.”