The Geek Revolution ✓

46 | approach

DELANEY IS LATE TO ENGLISH again.

It's odd only because she texted this morning that she was freezing her ass off at school with no-one to talk to. So, I figured she arrived with plenty of time to spare. I would have thought she would have sought warmth in the classroom by now, but only Callum sits at our usual table.

Twenty minutes into the period, she finally marches her fiery head into class. I expect a scolding from Mr. Williams, but he nods understandingly at her and asks, "All done?"

"Yes, sir," Delaney reports mockingly. Mr. Williams rolls his eyes. She walks to her seat next to Callum and me. In her arms is a pile of lime green flyers, which she slips into her backpack in place of her English workbook.

Callum leans closer to her and asks under his breath, "What was that about?"

"I had to chase down some juniors to ask them to sub for the Debate A team. I have a bunch of permission slips to hand out to them. We have our last competition in a few days."

"Why so last minute?"

Over the last month, Delaney and Benjamin have been busting their asses to prepare for their respective competitions. Benjamin's trip to New York is fast approaching, while the Carsonville Debate team is resolving the third and fourth places in their pool with the Debate equivalent of playoffs.

"Three of our usual A team caught mono. Hopefully not from each other, but you never know," Delaney quips. "I've been running around trying to convince our best sophomores to step up. But they're not taking the bait."

Callum whistles slowly. "Can you blame them? They're sophomores. They're totally green."

Flicking a stray lock of hair away from her mouth, Delaney raises her eyebrows. "I was A team in my sophomore year. Fuck, I was President. I expect the same from them. It's just a matter of increasing the pressure till those lumps of coal turn into blades sharp enough to win."

"You clearly don't have a solid grasp on how chemistry works," Callum retorts.

"And you do?" Delaney sneers, "C-minus." Callum and Delaney are in the same AP Chem class, Callum because he wants to be an Engineering major, and Delaney because she clearly likes hurting herself.

"Shut your mouth," Callum bites back teasingly. "You should be kinder to fellow students, Delaney, considering you have to guide a bunch of them to victory."

His words knock her right back into reality. Delaney stiffens like she's had a pail of water thrown on her, but I know she is just contemplating the debating skills of her fellow debaters. "Shit. Do you think negative reinforcement will fail? I have my work cut out for me."

"Where are the seniors? Or the juniors?" I wonder.

"Please," Delaney scoffs. "Half of the last two years' Debaters left after Brittany scared them off."

Callum slips his pen off his book and into the corner of his lips, curious eyes aimed at Delaney. "What happened with that again? All I heard was that you and Britt got into a wrestling catfight, which — bearing in mind she's evil incarnate — I was truly heartbroken to miss out on."

Delaney throws her head back and cackles, slapping Callum's shoulder with enough force to make him wince. Intentionally. "Nothing so sapphic, unfortunately, Cal. The bitch siphoned the gas from the school vans the night before our regional competition. We missed our slot and, you know, got disqualified."

"How do you know? Why would she even do that?"

"She tried out for the team but didn't make it and got really bitter. And in cases like that, sabotage really is the only option," Delaney spits sarcastically. I hum in agreement, having heard the grizzly details once before.