Eye Contact by Heron Djenne Canvasback

Chapter Nine: Technical Difficulties

When they all return to their residences, the teams tell of their troublemakers. They accepted responsibility for their actions and apologized. The teams start realizing the penalty of disloyalty. They also recognize that they have to earn back what they lost.

(Team Coup, courtyard, week eight)

Cade beat boxes until Pixie sits down. "Everything is all wrong."

"I know that you didn't mean for this to happen," Pixie says.

Cade: "Now we got to face the monster that I created."

Pixie: "It's not just your monster."

Cade: "I've failed all of you. I've failed myself. I can't even blame anyone."

Pixie: "Cheer up. You and Chanel still have time to repair what you've done," she wiggles her ears.

Cade: "I should have been smarter."

Pixie: "Hey, you did what you did. You can't undo it. Just don't do it again."

Cade: "You'll still listen to me?"

Pixie: "Even the boss screws up sometimes. If you lead, I'll follow."

"That's good to know," he smiles.

(An e-mail conversation)

"Do you remember your first race?" Octavius asks.

"My mom is a NASCAR fan. The first one that I remember I was five," Ado says.

Octavius: "What did you think about it?"

Ado: "I wanted in. I wanted to lose myself in the speed."

Octavius: "Why did you want to do that?"

Ado: "I felt restless being grounded. I wanted to soar."

Octavius: "How many NASCAR races have you been to?"

Ado: "I've been to ten."

Octavius: "Is that what you want to do?"

Ado: "More than anything else."

Octavius: "How did you get mixed up in illegal racing?"

Ado: "I was fourteen and I hung around boys mostly. They introduced me to it."

Octavius: "Do you like cars or motorcycles better?"

Ado: "I like them equally."

Octavius: "At first, I stole because my stepfather couldn't buy me something, now I do it for the hell of it."

Ado: "What's your favorite thing to steal?"

Octavius: "I love cars. I want to work on cars. I want to fix them up and sale them."

Ado: "Do you do that with the ones that you steal?"

Octavius: "No, I only steal cars in good condition and then I sell them underground."

Ado: "How did you get mixed up in that?"

Octavius: "My neighbors did it. I'm really close with them."

Ado: "Do you think that we'll outgrow these bad habits?"

Octavius: "In the real world, we have to, or we'll end up in prison."

(An e-mail conversation)

"What got you into fighting?" Khan asks.

"I watch boxing with my mom and wrestling with my dad," Chanel says.