Breaking Walls by Tracie Puckett

making impressions. But what if our current impressions were all we were guaranteed? Then what would I do? I needed time for damage control. What if everyone else thought the same as Carla? What if they all thought that I’d only showed up at the park to drum up pity and secure the win for myself?
    “So you don’t think that I’m— ”
    “Guaranteed the scholarship just because you were hookin’ up with Gabe?” he asked, and my jaw unhinged at the accusation. “No.” He straightened his stance and looked me square in the eyes, making sure that I understood that this was his heart-felt honesty. “There’s been talk amongst the group, but no one’s giving it much weight. You’re a nice girl. Gabe’s a great guy. We’ve all accepted that this could pan out in your favor, and if it does, then it’s because you earned it, and not because . . . you know.”
    “Oh boy.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Fletcher, I wasn’t going to . . . I was just wondering if . . . okay, that’s not what I was going to ask you.”
    But it didn’t matter anymore what I planned to ask. He’d already assured me that at least he believed that if I won, I would win by my own merit. If Fletcher thought that I could still earn my way to the top, even after everything that had happened with Gabe, then it only gave me more hope that I could keep things moving in my favor.
    “Just for the record, though, Gabe and I weren’t…” I shook my head. “It wasn’t like that. I just… I just really, really liked him, that’s all.”
    “Oh,” his mouth twitched. “Sorry. I just assumed—”
    “Apparently assumptions aren’t worth much around here,” I said, forcing a smile, though I knew he’d never understand. “But thank you.”
    He scrunched his brow, uncertain as to why I thanked him. Still, he shrugged as if to say no problem . Even I wasn’t sure why I’d offered up my thanks. Maybe because he’d given me a little peace of mind when it came to my place in the group, or possibly because he was just doing what any nice person would do—offering some much-needed solace and comfort.
    I was glad to call Fletcher my friend. I just hoped he wouldn’t turn out to be the same kind of friend as Carla. I liked him too much to have to hate him.

    Chapter Five
    I was drowning in a sea of uncertainties. It was already Wednesday, bringing us officially two and a half weeks away from the end of the program, and I still had yet to find a way to tip the scales of the RI scholarship in my favor. It wouldn’t be easy, especially in competition with Carla, but it was doable. That was the silver lining. I just had to stop, think, and figure out what would resonate with our group and with our town. What would it take to really make a difference around here?
    I’d been wracking my brain for days, scouring the web, doing everything I could to come up with a new idea, but I felt like all of the really great ideas were either spoken for or two difficult to pull off with such a short time constraint.
    I thought of asking Fletcher if he could help me drum up something earth-shattering and amazing. But then again, I figured if he had something in mind that was grand enough to take the cake, he was probably saving that idea for himself. Maybe he wouldn’t mind putting our heads together and trying to focus our attention on another new project like we’d done with the clothing drive. I was open to any collaborative ideas, but I wasn’t sure he would be. I knew if I pitched the idea to tackle another huge task together, he’d sense my desperation, and he’d probably bring up the dance finale again. Don’t sweat it, Parker. You’re doing great. You’ve got the dance finale to take credit for . So then I’d have two options: tell him the truth that Carla had taken over and refused to let me have a hand in it, or shrug it off and pretend like I just wanted to take on more.
    I wouldn’t throw Carla under the bus. That wasn’t an option. I