TIME & TIED: ESCALATION

ARC 2.1 - From the Past

PART 28a: HISTORY LESSON 1

Carrie was in trouble almost immediately after her alliance with Julie became public knowledge. It was Monday morning, so at first, she’d thought that she’d merely misremembered her locker combination. But after two more attempts, upon peering a little closer at the lock, she noticed a white substance congealed around the mechanism. She frowned.

"Here," Julie remarked, coming up behind the blonde. She tossed Carrie a new lock. “Anticipated something of the type. Happened to me too. No sweat, we'll get the janitor to cut off your old one before class."

***

Three days later, Chartreuse chased Corry down the hall. “Corry! Oh, Corry,” the green haired girl called out. “I was sick yesterday. Could I, like, borrow your notes from science class? Please? You always take real good notes."

Corry stopped walking and turned to her. “That won't be possible," he said tersely. "Seeing as I need to find someone with a fresh copy of the notes since Monday myself."

Chartreuse blinked. "What? Why?”

"I'd rather not talk about it," was Corry's final word on the matter.

***

The following week, Julie opened her locker at the end of the day, only to have two dozen condoms spill out onto the floor. She pursed her lips, as around her, people's eyebrows went up. "Crude, but effective," the brunette murmured.

***

A week later found Mrs. Willis growing upset with one of her students.

“Corry, will you PLEASE correct your tuning?" Mrs. Willis pleaded. "Your notes sound at least a semitone out."

"But I've already tuned twice," Corry protested. "Maybe the flute is... wait a minute..." Corry leaned over to glance at the stand of the person next to him. Then he looked more closely back at his own music.

His eyes widened, then he bit down on his lower lip. "I'm sorry, I don't think this is the same part you handed out at the end of last rehearsal. Do you have another copy available?"

***

The feuding continued like that right through into December.

A week before Christmas, Carrie dropped by the LaMille mansion in advance of a shopping trip. She was easily persuaded to hang around long enough for a cup of hot chocolate, in order to allow her friend to finish working on something.

“Julie,” the blonde began tentatively as she leaned back in one of the plush chairs of the sitting room. "Can I ask something about school?"

Julie glanced up from the coffee table, where she was making notes. "Hm? Sure, what is it?"

"It's about Corry. At this point, we have pretty clearly defined friends, and he has other friends, and yet there's still this dominance thing going on between you two. Which seems to be continually escalating," Carrie added. "Yet a couple months ago, you said Corry would eventually cease to be a problem. So... I mean, how soon is eventually?"

Julie half smiled. "You're not questioning my plans, are you?"

"Nah, nothing like that," Carrie said dismissively. "Just curious as to where this is going. I mean, you don't want this to be a never-ending battle... right? Eventually some seniors will get caught in the crossfire, or lord help us, administration. And that Mr. Hunt, he can really freak a person out."

“Don’t worry,” Julie assured. She scrawled a couple more items down before adding, "I've got something in the works. The feud will end before our exams in January.”

Carrie leaned forward once again. "I knew you had a plan! Come on, can't I at least get a hint about what it is you're up to?"

Julie sized Carrie up. “Okay. You remember that picture of Corry I tacked up on the bulletin board last week?"

Carrie grinned. "The cute baby picture? Yeah! Hey, where did you get that anyway, from his sister?"

"No," Julie said, shaking her head. "But the source was someone close to Corry. Someone who has now proven that they are willing to assist me instead. Someone who will help bring things to a close."

"Oooo, crafty," Carrie remarked. “Okay then. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

"I will," Julie assured her. “Patience. For now, simply wait and watch."

Carrie nodded. "Okay, okay, sure." She tapped her fingers absently on the armrest as Julie resumed writing. "So, you almost done? I do want to get to the shops before they close."

"Almost," Julie confirmed.

“I still don't know what to get as a Christmas present for dad," Carrie grumbled. "It's been a tie the last two years, maybe I should show more originality. Not that he'll really notice... hey, what are you getting your parents?"

Carrie turned back to Julie, only to find herself on the receiving end of an icy cold stare. "O-Oops," the blonde said meekly. "No talking about your family, right. Sorry. Slipped my mind for a moment."

Julie set her pencil aside and stacked the pages where she’d been writing. "I'm ready," she said simply, her expression turning back into a smile. "Let's hit the mall."

***

The New Year came and went. School resumed, for the final weeks leading up to semester one exams. And Corry opened his locker at the end of the day on Thursday, to find a note lying on top of his books.

''Friday marks four months since we first saw each other. We both know that's when it's going to end. Meet me before school on the balcony section of the gym. 8am. No recording equipment, no tricks, no sidekicks. Let's finish this.''

"Yes, let's," the redhead murmured, picking up the note and crumpling it in his hand.

***

The two teenagers stood staring at each other in the silence of the large gymnasium. As it had been back in September, their expressions were cold, neither of them willing to blink first. Ultimately, Corry succumbed. But Julie was the one who spoke.

"This can't go on," she began. "So it ends here. Today."

Corry nodded. "I agree. One of us has to bow aside and let the other claim victory."

Julie brushed some of her long hair back off her shoulder. “I believe the winner will be based on the results of the Christmas fundraising drive. I've heard that those numbers are being announced today."

“Correct,” Corry agreed. “It’s a bit silly really, the band raising money by selling Christmas ornaments. Fruit, now that’s where the real money is."

"I’ll take your word on it," Julie shrugged. “Band isn’t my thing. That said, you have managed to sell quite a number of those ornaments.”

Corry grinned. "You did get that delivery then. Good."

Hands moving to her hips, Julie began tapping her foot on the floor. “What, precisely, were you hoping to accomplish by signing me up for $200 worth?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

“Yes, but go ahead and confirm my suspicions. I'm sure you're dying to any way,” Julie said, gesturing Corry's way.

Corry inclined his head in acknowledgement. "It's quite simple really. The fact that I got you to purchase such a large quantity of items from me would be seen by others as a lessening of hostilities. By paying me, you're also implicitly accepting me in a position of authority. Thus there would be talk if you persist in rebellious activities following this incident. In particular, I would be most wounded and confused by any breach in our ‘ornament agreement'."

"I could always refuse to pay you," Julie countered. "Claim that you forged my signature. Seeing as you DID."

"Oh! Such a lack of school spirit," Corry gasped, bringing a hand to his chest. “Come off it, Julie. I wouldn’t have done it without knowing that your family could afford it. Besides, I think you knew what I was doing, and did nothing to stop me. It’s too late to cry wolf now."

"Indeed," Julie said dryly. She shifted attention to a fixed point off to Corry's right. "Not a bad plan, really. But here’s the thing. I obviously have more school spirit than you think, since I paid for $300 worth of those useless ornaments."

Corry lifted an eyebrow. "You think raising the stakes gets you out of this?"

"Yes," Julie remarked, looking back at Corry. "Particularly when the records reveal that everyone only expected that amount to be $200."

Corry frowned. "You can't change the past though," he argued. “And you only received $200 worth of merchandise. In a war of my word against yours, I win out."

"Well, no," Julie countered. "Because I DID receive $300 worth, and my personal records show a loss of $300. Which gives me the stronger case. I wonder, where did that extra hundred GO, Corry? Surely you're not using it for anything unscrupulous!”

She brought her hand to her chest, mimicking his earlier action. “Now, we can write it off a simple accounting error - that I had to bring to your attention - but only if you acknowledge that I’ve come out on top in our little war of one-upmanship.”

Corry narrowed his eyes. "Impressive. However, you couldn't have managed something like that alone."

Julie tapped a finger against her cheek. "Perhaps you're right. Perhaps there's someone you shouldn't have trusted quite so much."

There was a moment of silence. "You got to Sue," Corry concluded. "It's the only answer. She's one of the few who knew what I was going to do, but more than that, she offered to run the final tally sheets in to the company before the Christmas break. Gives her both means and opportunity. But what was her motive? What did you offer her?"

"That's confidential, I'm afraid."

Corry pursed his lips. "I could take $100 from my personal savings to cover the situation."

"Which still means that underneath it all, I win," Julie pointed out. "You have to acknowledge that."

"True. Point, counterpoint, very nicely done. Except there's one little detail we still need to cover."

Julie’s hint of a smile vanished. “What might that be?"

"The fact that I already knew Sue was working with you."