THE DEBATE OF HEARTS

barely

was daring her to do something. D.L. She'd told Kate it was nothing. Told herself it was nothing. But every time

ather was

er and punche

out him," she whi

say anything b

-

dining h,,all where she inhaled oatmeal in about three minutes because she had a library shift at noon. B

r phone

ry meeting. 4 PM. Debat

ips. Just that flat, commanding tone that made h

Kate: What'

n says Lakes has been pacing outs

weird flip thing. She told

-

gh windows, lighting up all these little dust motes floating around like tiny planets. About twenty

ear the back. Kate was alr

Kate whispered, nodd

ey sweater today, no blazer. His hair was a little messy, like he'd been

hought. Nei

d. He didn't need a microphone. His voice filled the wh

ming. I'll kee

l results are in. We took second overall. Chen and Pate

e app

ged. Two-person teams. No alternates. That means every schoo

om wen

y speaker, every possible combination." Hartley's eye

held her

Championship will be-" Hartley paused, and Whitney could've

ed was the loudest thin

murmuring

? The fr

ore, he should get

ate eac

ing to be a

rely noticed. Her eyes had found Darius. He was already looking at

t this either,

ised a han

oom s

inking they don't get along. You're thinking their styl

right. There are safer choices. Saf

en in fifteen years of coaching. They push each other. They challenge each o

stand up and say you're wrong, we

ey wasn't

you agree, you start practice on Monday. If one of you says no, I s

clipboard. "Mee

-

(people offering condolences) and around Darius (people offering congr

tugging her arm. "Le

t y

ly looked. "Whitney. You

kno

ey said it yourself. Y

kno

offee. You have fifteen minutes befor

le

, casting long shadows across the floor. She watched the dust motes

nne

t look up

one row behind her. Close enough to t

d Hartley

eard

not ru

on't

pause. "Ne

s almost touched the back of her seat. Up close, she could

want this?

I want

ot a real

ly reason th

d win with anyone. Chen's good. P

voice was lower. "Chen freezes under pressure. Patel

I'm

d me out in front of an audience and actually meant it. You didn't care about my na

s pounding. "That'

I don't need a partner who agrees with me. I n

fail-their different backgrounds, their different styles, the

r and the pride and the stubborn, stupid ne

we'd do to

dition,"

d an eyebrow

fty-fifty-research, writing, speaking time. And if you ever pull that 'point of information' stu

slowly, his mouth curved.

ea

is palm was warm, his grip firm. They sho

that had nothing to do with debate and everything to do wi

, standing. "Seve

AM is c

ns wake

ed. "Champion

hen paused at the bottom. He did

ha

row away

h the exit doors and disapp

ngers found the metal barrel, the engraved lett

didn't thr

-

the floor of their dorm, surrounded

ng over a stack of index

Her eyes were tired

said. "I'm

o be the greatest thing that ever hap

be b

opped onto her bed. "Jus

ha

e with him, I get to

ew a pillow

didn't