Page 93 of TJ Powar Has Something to Prove
“Yes,” he says. “You did.”
The confirmation hits her like a blow, but she takes it andnods. Charlie’s never been one to shy away from her rough edges. “I’m sorry—” she begins, but he cuts her off.
“I still wouldn’t do something like that. Not to you, not to anybody. You have to know that.” His eyes grow warm. “And whatever you did is already forgiven.”
And because she knows him to be honest, she exhales in relief.
The door opens. It’s the same volunteer that let them in. “We’re starting.” She remains in the doorway, waiting for them. Their ten minutes of extra prep time are clearly up. TJ wonders if they screwed themselves over by not using it to fix their case.
Charlie tucks his notepad into his bag. “Ready to go one last round, myesteemedpartner?”
One last round.
After this—it’s over. No more brainstorming sessions, no more antics, no more practice debates or Word Salad games, or weekend trips to tournaments with the club. No more Charlie.
He’s waiting for a response, so she smiles through the bittersweet weight in her chest. “Ready if you are, myvaluedcolleague.”
He nods with a smile, and she gets the feeling they spent their ten minutes exactly as they should have. When he stands, so does she, and they follow the volunteer into the hallway, footsteps in unison. TJ’s so busy wondering if she’s matching him or he’s matching her that she almost misses his last comment.
“By the way, TJ, don’t believe everything you hear.” Charlie adjusts his cuff links. “It was cheese, not chocolate.”
TWENTY-FIVE
***
There’s a steady buzz of conversation in the ballroom when they arrive. News of the delay has clearly spread fast. Maybe even the rest of the drama. There are so many layers to this debate.
TJ and Charlie head to the stage, where two cloth-covered tables sit, facing each other at a slight angle. When TJ takes her seat, she notes the judges’ tables; four of them, closest to the stage. In the center is the Speaker’s table. Beside it, the timekeeper’s chair. Rajan is sitting in it. Really? They couldn’t find anyone else for the job?
Jenna and Isaac are whispering to each other as the Speaker calls the debate to order. They don’t even glance TJ and Charlie’s way, they’re so focused. Oh boy.
The resolution is announced to the crowd. TJ knows the Speaker script so well she can practically mouth along the words:Welcome to the final round of the Canadian Senior Nationals Debate tournament. The resolution is: This House Believes That inner beauty is more important than outer beauty. On Side Proposition, Isaac and Jenna Turner will be arguing in favour. On Side Opposition, Charles Rosencrantz and Tejindar Powar will be arguing against. Each speaker will have seven minutes to present their case, with one minute of protected time at the beginning and end. I now call upon the first speaker forSide Proposition to present their opening arguments, including definitions.
Isaac rises from his seat. He stands in front of his desk and smiles at the audience before speaking. “Honourable judges, worthy opponents, esteemed guests,” he begins, “we’re here to debate whether inner beauty is more important than outer beauty. We on Side Proposition don’t see this as much of a debate, and we don’t think you will, either. To start, I invite you to ask yourselves: What aspects of yourself will remain in fifty years?” He pauses. “Think that over while I provide some definitions.”
As expected, their definition of beauty is indistinct enough to encompass personality traits. TJ glances at Charlie. He shakes his head minutely. They can work with it; she nods in agreement.
When Rajan finally holds up theONE MINUTEsign ending protected time, Isaac says, “Inner beauty, unlike outer beauty, can’t lie. Think about the people you love the most. Are they always the most physically attractive? Probably not. But they’re still beautiful to you, because of who they are on the inside. Now think of the people you dislike the most. They can do whatever they like to enhance their appearance, but they will never be appealing because their personalities are not. The truth is, you can hide what you look like, but you can’t hide who you are.”
Both TJ and Charlie stand up, chairs scraping back simultaneously. Isaac barely bats an eye. “Yes, I’ll take a question.”
He doesn’t specify from who, but Charlie waves TJ on, so she remains standing and clears her throat.
“Honourable Speaker, inner beauty can most certainly lie. People can pretend to be someone they’re not and only show their true colours later. We’ve all known people who talk one way and act another behind your back. Wouldn’t Side Proposition agree?”
She offers a sugary smile. Isaac does not return it.
“No, we would not. It’s much easier to fool someone by continually altering your appearance and lying about what you really look like.That’squite the lie.”
Now Isaac’s the one smiling. TJ keeps her face blank. She supposes if she went for a personal blow, then it was only fair that Isaac do the same. She sits down. Beside her, Charlie has a white-knuckled grip on his pen as he writes.
Isaac wraps up a few minutes later. “Side Opposition will undoubtedly try to convince you that outer beauty is what forms first impressions. Butlastingimpressions are what really matter. By the end of this debate, we are confident we will have made a lasting impression on you. And we won’t do it based on our looks.”
The judges smile and nod. The Speaker calls on Charlie next.
He adjusts his tie slowly before rising and strolling in front of his desk. As always, when he takes command of the stage, TJ is compelled to listen. Especially when he starts his rebuttals.
“Side Proposition’s first contention was that outer beauty fades, but inner beauty only deepens over time. Their thesis question wasWhat aspects of yourself will remain in fifty years? Their answer was inner qualities only. Our opponents make it sound like we’ll all be corpses by the time we’re fifty. We wouldrespectfully disagree. We believe beauty is not attached to age, and to say otherwise is ignorance.” Charlie flashes a smile at the audience. TJ hides a grin. Truly, a smart move to try to win over the older judges. Isaac scowls, but doesn’t rise from his seat, as protected time is still going. Charlie moves on.