Page 91 of TJ Powar Has Something to Prove

“Word on the street has it, Fletcher’s dad was on a scholarship committee. Isaac was trying to suck up. Even if it meant giving a big public middle finger to his best friend. It’s not like Charlie ever cared anyway. Famous last words, if you ask me.”

“Get to thepoint.”

“This is where the story gets murky,” Nate warns. He pausesdramatically. “There was a student council lunch the day before the election where Charlie confronted Isaac. No one knows exactly what tipped him over. But depending on who you ask, he either told Isaac to go to hell, broke one of his trophies in the foyer display, or, in my favourite version, shoved him into a chocolate fondue fountain. Whatever it was, Charlie got his one and only detention, and Isaac’s still butthurt about it.”

Wow. TJ rubs her temples. “And then Charlie won the election anyway.”

“Yeah, and Brandon Fletcher’s a sore loser. I bet he stole Charlie’s phone for Isaac.” Nate sighs contentedly. “Don’t you just love high school drama?”

The boardroom door opens. Mrs. Grayson pokes her head out, looking disgruntled. TJ and Nate straighten, waiting with bated breath until she speaks.

“The debate will go on as planned.”

∗

They’re given ten more minutes to prepare.

TJ closes the door behind her after everyone files out. Charlie’s still sitting in the same place, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor. He doesn’t look up when she comes in.

She sits next to him, unsure what to say. “Should we go over our—”

“He did this to get to me,” Charlie says. “And it worked.”

Her heart plummets at the bleakness in his voice. “Charlie. Don’t say that.” Ifhe’snot ready for this debate that will surely be a disaster, how can she be?

“I should’ve known,” Charlie mutters. “This is what he does.”

TJ’s had enough. “Thenwhydid you put up with it, Charlie?”she bursts. “Why were you friends with him for so long?”

“Because he was mybestfriend,” he retorts, finally looking up to glare at her. “He’s in every childhood memory I have. But he—he—he—he changed, and I didn’t know how to let him go. I kept hoping things would go back to how they were. I could excuse everything he did. Ev-ev-ev—” He makes a frustrated sound and abandons whatever phrasing he was going to use. “There was this school election. You remember Fletcher—?”

“Yes,” TJ says hurriedly. “Isaac backed him instead of you? And that pissed you off?”

“No. I—I—I already knew he was going to back Fletcher. I just told myself he needed more help than I did. It wouldn’t affect the outcome. But...”

“Something happened,” TJ prods.

“Yeah. There was a luncheon.” His jaw works for a second. “I didn’t know about it until the last minute, although apparently everyone else on council did. I’m pretty sure Isaac wouldn’t have said it if he knew I was there.”

“What’d he say?” She wants to cover her ears, almost. Hearing what hurt Charlie will almost certainly hurt her.

There’s a long pause. She thinks maybe, like before, he won’t tell her.

But then he smiles grimly. “I only heard the tail end of it. ‘At least Brandon can speak in full sentences.’ Funny, right?”

TJ’s speechless for a second. Now she gets why Charlie got detention for however he reacted. TJ’s pretty sureshewould have landed a suspension. “Please tell me you actually dunked him in the chocolate fountain.”

Charlie gives her an odd look. “What?”

“Um, never mind. You were saying?”

He returns to staring at his hands. “Well, I lost my temper. Said some things I regret, and—”

“Why would you regret it?” TJ demands. “He’s just pissed you didn’t stay his doormat.”

“I regret it because every time I think he’s going to let it go, he does something else to remind me he hasn’t. And the thing is, he knows everything about me. He knows how to trip me up. W-w-w-when that happens, I’m done.” He waves a hand irritably and takes a deep breath before speaking again. “I’m already stuttering. I can’t do that onstage.”

“Why not?”