Page 70 of TJ Powar Has Something to Prove
Chandani looks up at the ceiling and dabs delicately under her eyes. “Stop ruining my makeup, bitch.”
TWENTY
***
Now that TJ and Chandani are back on speaking terms, the rest of their time in Tofino flies by. Piper is elated to find the two of them together the next day. It’s almost like old times.
Except, as Piper tells them about her night with Jake through giggles, TJ catches Chandani listening with a strangely cold expression. Oh, great. She may have made up with TJ, but the freshly dug-up seventh-grade incident with Piper has opened a different can of worms.
Piper seems oblivious, however, and Chandani says nothing. So they spend the next few days together, ziplining, exploring hot springs, and laughing at each other’s surfing wipeouts. They spend their evenings at the pool—TJ becomes comfortable lounging in her two-piece—and dodging supervisors to stay in each other’s rooms past curfew.
Their final day on Vancouver Island comes sooner than seems possible. The last hurrah is a sailing trip around the shoreline and peninsula; TJ dresses for sightseeing, but it turns out they actually have to help haul the sails. Chandani spends the majority of the morning laughing at TJ tripping over the rigging in her wedge sandals, for which TJ retaliates by refusing to lend her a hair tie when the strong winds blow her hair into her face. It feels like old times. TJ’s almost disappointed when the trip is cut short to catch their shuttle back to the ferry terminal.
Except, as they find out once they’ve docked, the shuttle is late. The chaperones go to sort it out with the tour company, leaving the group to their own devices in the small indoor seating area. TJ hobbles to sit next to Chandani, who’s wrangling her windswept hair into a hair tie Piper gave her, and scrolls through her social media. She’s been so busy she’s barely looked to see what other people have been up to on Break. Ameera, who didn’t come on the trip, is ranting about a show she binge-watched that had a crappy ending. Nate accompanied his father to a work conference in Australia and has posted unflattering photos of Dr. Chen at each destination with the caption #professorbae. And Simran’s sister got a new tattoo, which just reminds TJ that Simran’s still avoiding her. She’s not on social media, so TJ can only imagine what she got up to.
Chandani elbows her. “My mom says hi.” She shows TJ the text. “Apparently her and your mom knew we weren’t talking for a while.”
“Wow. They didn’t say anything?”
Chandani snickers. “They never do, anymore.”
TJ smiles, too. Their moms have seen them get into countless fights. They just didn’t realize how serious this one was.
Just then, the volume level rises considerably. “What’s going on?”
TJ looks behind them. Most of her classmates are crowded around Jake. He’s sporting several gift shop bags, handing out cylindrical bottles. Piper’s next to him doing the same. TJ squints to read the label on them. Silly String. She and Chandani exchange confused looks.
The group around Piper and Jake begins to thin; they’re all heading to the exit of the terminal. At that moment, Piper spots TJ and Chandani and waves them over.
“Weren’t you paying attention? Whitewater’s here, too,” Piper explains. “They just docked. We’re playing a prank.” She shoves cans of Silly String into their hands.
“Whitewater?” TJ manages, but Piper’s already turned away.
Chandani shakes her can experimentally. “Of course it’s Whitewater. Who else would we stoop to cringey pranks for?” She sets off to follow the group at a brisk pace. TJ scowls at her back. Her aching ankles can’t keep up and Chandani knows it.
For a minute, TJ considers just staying behind. Because Charlie might be there.
Then her stupid, traitorous body moves anyway, because: Charlie might be there.
She exits the shuttle area, following the Silly String trail. Lined up at the dock are several of the sailing company’s near-identical boats, each with tall masts, canvas sails, and complicated systems of ropes and pulleys that could’ve come from a different century. TJ’s eyes are drawn to the last two tall boats in the line. They’re still full of people—swarming, really—and also very... colourful.
By the time she hops onto the first Whitewater boat from the dock, it’s clear there’s nothing much left to vandalize. Silly String hangs from everywhere; the mast, the rigging, the cabin, the railing. And of course, from the Whitewater students milling about. But no one’s spraying anyone anymore. The Northridgers and Whitewaterians are just hanging out on deck. TJ sprayssome Silly String onto a tarp without enthusiasm.
Then she turns and finds herself face-to-face with Liam.
He’s holding three cans of Silly String and pauses upon seeing her. They haven’t spoken since the breakup. She doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t seem to, either.
“Hi,” she says finally.
“Hi.” He runs a hand through the dark curls TJ used to love messing up. Funny how things change. Now, she can’t look at his face without remembering his disgust. She can’t hear his voice without thinking of the things he said.
Liam shifts on his feet awkwardly. “Look, TJ, I’m not into you anymore.”
She snaps out of her staring and realizes he thinks she’s checking him out. She opens her mouth to correct him, but he goes on in an infuriatingly apologetic tone. “It’s for the best we broke up. We’re not compatible.”
TJ has a feeling he’s mentally patting himself on the back for his oh-so-mature speech when in reality what he wants to say is that she’s a freak. She snorts. “You think I care whether you’re into me?” She steps around him, but he stops her in her tracks.
“I’ll give you a tip, TJ, since I know I was your first boyfriend.No one’sgoing to be into you when you look like that.”