Page 76 of TJ Powar Has Something to Prove
Guilt overcomes her again. She pulls out her phone and starts drafting a text to him. She agonizes over her wording for several minutes, not wanting to sound desperate or, on the opposite end, like she doesn’t care at all. She shows the finished product to Chandani and Piper.I’m sorry about what I did. Can we call a truce? For the debate?When they nod, she hits send.
He never responds.
∗
School starts again. Rumours fly in Northridge’s halls about what happened with TJ and Charlie (some of which she kind of wishes were true). Although there are plenty of whispers and smirks, no one dares ask her about it directly. That makes TJ sort of glad for her bitchy reputation.
Then some other couple becomes the subject of schoolgossip, and her own little scandal becomes old news.
The next few weeks pass in a blur. The one benefit to being benched most of the time in soccer is she suddenly has much less responsibility, and more time for other things. With graduation looming, her class is in a frenzy to get every last school thing done; there’s yearbook quotes to be submitted and gown fittings to be attended and outfits to be put together and RSVPs to be submitted and of course, somewhere in there, studying to do. Not to mention debate; Mrs. Scott recruits Ameera and Saad to help TJ practice as Nationals loom closer.
“I asked Simran, too, but she said she was busy,” Mrs. Scott says at their first session. TJ almost snorts. Since their time debating together is over, they barely see each other, and when they do, Simran heads in the opposite direction. Maybe after years of their relationship being one-sided Simran is content to leave it in the past. It’s a horrible thought.
As if determined to highlight all her failures, Mrs. Scott adds, “Is Charlie coming? I thought we agreed we should do more practices with both of you together.”
Like that’s going to happen. The last time she checked, her text to Charlie had gone from unread to read. The unspoken message is loud and clear—leave him alone. Maybe that will help cool things down so she can properly apologize at Nationals. “He’s busy, but we’re meeting outside of school to practice,” TJ lies. Ameera and Saad say nothing, although they probably know she’s full of it. Time for a subject change. “Um, can we brainstorm impromptu topics?”
“Of course,” Mrs. Scott sniffs. “Current events are key, so let’s take a look at the news.”
Just what she needs. More homework.
Speaking of extra work, Mrs. Scott ropes the members of the debate club into helping prep for the tournament. There’s a lot to do in hosting a huge event like Nationals. She and the others are constantly on the phone securing caterers, wrangling schedules, and booking hotels and buses. Because TJ’s actually debating at Nationals, she’s only given the relatively light task of finding volunteers for timekeeping. But even that is difficult.
Chandani offers up her little brother, who’s in eighth grade, for the position.
TJ’s skeptical. “Did you even ask him?”
“No, but I’ll give him a swirlie if he doesn’t.”
Desperate for volunteers who aren’t being threatened by their older sisters, TJ even attempts to recruit Rajan one lunchtime just over a week before Nationals.
He’s already shaking his head. “It’s a no from me.”
“What else could you possibly have to do? Weekend detention isn’t a thing.”
He gives her a lazy grin from where he’s lying across one of the benches in the foyer, hands tucked behind his head. He’s so tall that his legs hang over the edge. “I have... social plans.”
A date with his drug dealer, probably. “What if I let you cheat off one of my tests later?”
Rajan yawns theatrically, but before he can respond, someone calls TJ’s name. She looks behind her, and there’s Amy at the newspaper stand, restocking the special body-positivity edition and waving.
“These pamphlets run out so quickly. Isn’t it great?” Amy says when TJ leaves Rajan’s side to come over. Without waitingfor an answer, she adds, “They’re going to be distributed throughout the school district. I had to do some convincing to get Whitewater on board, though. Charlie can be so stubborn sometimes.” Pause. “I guess that might have to do with you being on them.”
So that’s why TJ’s been summoned. For gossip. “Why would you think that?” TJ asks evenly.
“Oh, well, everyone knows you two have history after the Spring Break trip,” Amy says in an apologetic whisper. “But it didn’t end well, did it? At least, that’s the impression I got from Charlie at the district council meeting yesterday.”
TJ knows she’s being baited. But suddenly she has to know. “What’d he say?”
“Nothing. He flipped through the pamphlet and looked at your page for a really long time. Then tossed the whole thing back at me and said no.” Amy watches her closely.
TJ keeps a poker face. Well. Charlie’s angrier than she thought.
When she gives no response, Amy goes on. “I had to go around him and ask Whitewater’s principal directly for approval. Charlie didn’t like that, but that’s fine. Personal feelings shouldn’t get in the way of a good campaign.” There’s an annoyed undercurrent to her tone. Probably not the first time she and Charlie have clashed.
But for him to make a fuss overthis... TJ doesn’t want to think too much about it. Keenly aware Amy’s still studying her, she busies herself picking up a pamphlet from the stand.EVERY BODY IS BEAUTIFUL, the title reads in a cute font. She’s seen it many times now, but has never been able to stomach movingpast the cover. Now, bracing herself, she flips it open.
She lands right on her own photo, positioned next to the text of her interview. The image has been put through a black-and-white filter that makes the hair on her face less obvious. Her head is tilted thoughtfully, neck long and graceful as a ballerina. Her skin gleams in a way TJ wishes it would in real life.