Let Him

(Day 23: Monday Afternoon)

"I can't believe Ben quit," Carlos comments as he and Jay walk to History class.

"Yeah. I don't know how our team's going to survive without him."

Carlos smiles, "You're a pretty good player."

"Yeah," Jay acknowledges, "but we can only win as a team. I doubt half of those players are going to toss me the ball, even if I pass it to them."

"Right," Carlos frowns. "Well, at least you've got the coach's support."

Jay nods, "That's true. As for the rest, well, I'm just going to have to prove them wrong."

"It doesn't take long at all for your confidence to bounce back, does it?"

Jay laughs, "With charm and good looks like mine that's a given." but his smile quickly falls as Chad rushes up to Carlos and pushes him against the lockers, causing the books to fall from his arms.

Carlos half-laughs, "Hey, Charming. What's up?"

"Don't Charming me," Chad seethes, his hand clutched onto Carlos's shirt. "It's because of you that Ben quit the team."

"How is that my fault?" he exasperates.

"If Ben didn't think other players could pick up the pace, then he would have never left."

Carlos grins in disbelief, "Do you even hear yourself right now? I'm the worst player on the team!"

"Even more of a reason for you to quit," Chad reasons before raising his arm into the air and pointing a fist at him. "Say you'll quit."

Jay takes a step forward, "He's not quitting."

Carlos gives Jay a look, "Stay out of this." before turning back to Chad. "I'm not going to quit the team just because some narcissistic moron wants me to."

Chad shakes his head, "Last chance. I'm warning you."

Jay takes a few more steps, but Carlos stops him with his hand, "No. Don't. Let him."

"What?" Chad asks, his arm lowering a bit.

He stares him in the face, "Do it."

It takes a moment for Chad to respond, "You're messing with me. You think that if you say do it, then I won't do it."

"Hey, look. Someone's a genius," Carlos sarcastically comments, before he frowns at him. "No. I'm serious. If you really want to do it, then just do it. I've got a class to attend."

Chad looks at his fist before lowering it to his side, "No."

"What?"

"I said no," Chad repeats as he shakes his head. "I never planned to punch you."

"So, what then?" Carlos nearly yells. "Your fist was just a prop this entire time?"

Chad shrugs, "Kind of. Yeah."

Carlos lets out an irritated breath, "I mean, that's kind of boring. Don't you think?" before the corner of his mouth turns up into a smirk. "Are you sure you don't want to give it a try, leave me a bruise or two, maybe see if you can make me bleed?"

Chad looks at him in shock, before he finally releases his shirt, "No." and takes a step back. "God. You're really messed up."

When Carlos watches Chad begin to walk away he steps out into the hallway and yells, "Don't walk away from me you coward. I'm on your territory. If you think I'm such a threat, then come back here and defend yourself."

Jay walks up to him and grabs his arm, "What are you doing?" but Carlos only responds by pulling away and glaring off at Chad.

When Chad turns around he calmly responds, "You know, it would be just like a villain's kid to get off on pain." He looks over him, "I just thought it'd be the other way around."

Carlos's anger dissipates into a frown as he sees the crowd that surrounds them for the first time. They saw it all, they heard it all, and there's no telling what they think of him now. Soon a voice comes in from the intercoms, "Chad Charming and Carlos De Vil. Please come to my office immediately."

- Yeah. Chad probably thought that if he didn't actually punch him, then he'd get off scot free; however... he may be wrong.