Page 98 of Break Points and Face Offs

“Alternative options?”

I nod, feeling ten-years-old again. Summoned to Father’s office and trying desperately to figure out what he wants before he tells me. All those trick questions I was never fast enough to see coming. Not to mention the rhetorical ones you were never sure were meant to be rhetorical or not.

“You will be working here over the summer.”

“But I wasn’t top of the class, you said⁠—”

“I know what I said,” he grumbles, losing his patience. “Do you really think I’m going to give some nobody scholarship student a prized internship over my own son?”

“Will earned that internship fair and square. He was the best student.”

“He was the best in Moreno’s eyes. Not mine.”

“He was the best, Father.”

His nostrils flare. He puts his empty glass down and crosses the room to his desk.

“You will begin work here as soon as your studies are done for the semester. That’s final.”

“With all due respect, Father, I’d rather you give the opportunity to Will.”

“My word is final.” When he speaks again, it sounds like he’s gritting his teeth. “And that will be all.”

I hesitate. I want to argue. I’m about to, and then he looks at me and years of practiced submission kicks in and I keep my mouth clamped shut.

I leave the room, dazed.

Fuck.

Did that really just happen?

How much of my ‘hard-earned’ life have I actually earned? The presidency at Alpha Sigma Psi? Captain of the tennis team? My place at Princeton? The top grades in every class? Did Father have a hand in all those things?

There is only one person I want to speak to right now, and he is the one person I can’t turn to.

I stole his place, just like he knew I would.

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the worst thing about the whole situation is that Will O’Reilly is going to hate me … again.

23

WILL

Priestley isn’t getting back to me. I can’t stop worrying as I head over to Professor Moreno’s office for this meeting she set up with me this morning. It sounded urgent, so I guess it must be about the internship. But there’s an irrational part of me that’s scared it’s about Priestley.

Fuck, what did Priestley’s dad do?

He’s not an actual psychopath, right? He wouldn’t hurt him or anything?

Professor Moreno calls me straight into her office when I arrive. Before she can say anything, I ask her if she’s heard from Priestley.

“No, why?”

“He went to see his dad and he hasn’t been in touch since.”

“Will, take a seat.”

My stomach drops.