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“Oh, hey, Audrey,” said Jane.
“I’m so glad I found you. I need a lot of help,” said Audrey.
“What’s up?” asked Carlos.
In the background, they could hear Chad sobbing. “Audrey! Audrey, don’t do this!”
“Ignore him, he’ll be fine,” said Audrey, rolling her eyes. “Jane, we’re really glad to have you on the team, and you’re sure you can handle Cotillion duties too?”
“For sure!” said Jane.
“Great,” said Audrey, and she dumped the box on Jane. “That’s all the planning we’ve done so far. You’re going to have to work closely with Mal, since it’s her big debut. Although hold on, I don’t think Ben’s asked her yet, so she probably has no idea she has to do all this. So maybe remind Ben he’s got to formally ask her.”
“He’s working on it as we speak,” said Jane.
Audrey didn’t respond, and tapped her pen against her forehead, thinking. “What else. Oh, and do you have a date yet? Just curious.”
“No,” said Jane. “Not yet.”
Carlos blushed and tried to look somewhere else. He’d heard vaguely about Cotillion, but hadn’t realized that it was a date type of situation. So far at all the balls and parties, everyone went as a group, even Mal and Ben.
“Oh,” said Audrey, looking condescendingly at Jane. “It’s okay if you don’t.”
“I know it’s okay,” said Jane, rolling her eyes and struggling under the weight of the box. “Carlos?”
“Yes!” he said hopefully, standing at attention.
“Will you help me bring this box back to my dorm?” she asked sweetly.
That was so not what he expected to hear, and Carlos’s smile wavered a little. But he rallied. “Of course!”
Jane doesn’t have a date for Cotillion.
One day at a time, he thought.
It was the afternoon of the final R.O.A.R. tryouts. Carlos had already won his spot on the team, and now it was Jay’s turn. The field was whittled down to the last four guys, and Jay crushed them all in quick succession. If he did well in the final round, he would make the cut too.
“Ready?” said Chad, suiting up.
“Believe it,” said Jay, examining his sword.
“We’ll see,” Chad said with a smirk, but he didn’t have his usual overconfident tone and his curls appeared a tad wilted.
“Something wrong, man?” asked Jay.
Chad shrugged. “Nothing. Audrey dumped me. Whatever.”
“Oh, that’s too bad,” said Jay. “Sorry about that.”
“It just doesn’t make any sense!” wailed Chad, adjusting his face mask.
The coach blew his whistle to start the match. Chad tapped his sword against Jay’s. “Let’s go!”
“En garde!” said the referee. “Prets. Allez!” On guard. Ready. Go.
“Allez,” said Jay, pulling down his face mask. He raised his sword as Chad did the same. On the balcony circling the courtyard, a group of cheerleaders and random students gathered to watch the match.
Chad came out swinging, literally, and Jay feinted and parried, advanced and attacked. If the breakup with Audrey had affected Chad, he didn’t show it. Years of lessons had turned him into a graceful and formidable swordsman. But Jay held his ground, executing riposte after riposte.
