Page 59 of TJ Powar Has Something to Prove
A few weeks ago, TJ might’ve said it sounded great. But now... “I’m not sure I like the message. Why does being beautiful matter?”
“What do you mean?”
TJ crosses her arms. “I just think who you are is more important than what you look like, that’s all. Maybe that would be better to focus on.”
Amy snaps her fingers. “I’ve got it! You can be our rep forinnerbeauty.” TJ stares at her until she explains. “We’ll do an article on you as part of the campaign, you know, since you’re one of our school’s star soccer players. To shift the focus off your looks and let people get to know you for who you are and all the hard work you’ve put into it. How does that sound?”
Sounds like the exact sort of fluffy bullshit the school loves to do instead of real work, but TJ doesn’t say that. At her silence, Amy looks to Simran as if waiting for support. That’s probably why Simran was dragged here, TJ realizes. To help convince TJ. Which is clearly not going well.
But if this is a school council project... it’s Simran’s project, too. Maybe helping with it can get TJ back into Simran’s good books.
“Okay,” TJ says. “I’ll do it.”
∗
One week later, TJ shows up at the multipurpose room after school as scheduled. She expects it to be set up as a quiet space for the interview, but instead, the expansive room is bustling with activity. Black curtains have been hung up, there are racks of props and clothes everywhere, and the theatre club’s lighting equipment has been put to use, making the area bright and welcoming. Students mill around in assorted outfits.
This must be the photo shoot. TJ doesn’t really know any of the models, though. At least two of them are from differentschools. She casts a look around for Simran, but she’s nowhere to be found.
“Hi, TJ! Ready for your photo?”
TJ whips around to find Yara approaching, holding her camera. TJ frowns. “I’m here for an interview, though.”
“Yeah, I know. Amy just wants a photo to go with the article. It’s weird to have a profile on somebody without a picture going along with it, you know?”
No, TJ doesn’t know. Would’ve been nice if Amy gave her a heads-up so TJ could refuse it right then and there.
Yara’s smile wavers at TJ’s silence. “Someone else can take your picture, if you want. It doesn’t have to be me.”
Her voice is uncertain, and TJ instantly changes her mind. “Nah, let’s do this.”
“Are you sure? Simran asked me to help with camerawork after Amy turned me down as a model, but I just didn’t know if people would want me to photograph them. Especially... you.”
“Of course I’m sure.” TJ smiles, hoping what she isn’t saying comes across. Even if Yara took the most horrendous photo in the universe, it’s not her fault it snowballed into what it did. Then she catches up to what Yara said. “Wait. You wanted to be a model?”
Yara shifts on her feet. “They were looking for plus-size models for one of the posters, and, well, I volunteered.”
“Amy said no?”
“She said she already found someone. I probably wasn’t a good fit to be a model, anyway.”
TJ looks back at the plus-size model who’s currently on herphone in the corner of the room. She’s not willow-thin, but Yara is definitely heavier. “Why wouldn’t you be a good fit?”
Yara looks down, touching the acne scars on her cheek self-consciously. “My face isn’t very model-worthy.”
“That’s exactly the opposite of the point we’re trying to make.” TJ frowns, but she’s distracted from her thoughts when Amy enters the room.
Amy looks up from her clipboard and spots TJ. “You’re here! Let’s get started.”
Her voice carries through the room. TJ’s alarmed to see her descending with a small army wielding makeup brushes and hair curlers.
“I don’t need all this,” TJ says, when really she wants to say,I don’t need a photo, but Yara’s right there, and it’s too hard to explain.
Amy waves a dismissive hand. “They’re not doing much, don’t worry. Just sit down, okay? While they’re working on you, we’ll do the interview.”
TJ looks at Yara. Yara beams. TJ sits down.
While her hair gets curled and her skin touched up, she answers Amy’s questions about soccer: how she got started (her parents enrolled her in rec soccer as a kid and it turned out she was naturally gifted), how much work it takes (several practices a week during the season), how many trophies the team has (a lot), and whether she’s joined a university team (um... no). She never did email those scouts. The deadlines passed a while ago. If she tells Coach she’s not going to the final tournament, either... Well. She’s putting that conversation off.