the summer. I’m sure I don’t have to emphasize how fantastic an internship will look on your transcripts, especially for those of you who wish to study political science in college.”
My mouth drops in surprise, even as everyone swivels to look at me. I pull my features into a serene mask, not letting them see that I had no idea Daddy was doing this. No one told me anything about it, but now the professor’s buzzing makes sense. A two-week internship in Daddy’s office would be a killer addition to anyone’s resume, and everyone in my class starts twitching like sharks when there’s blood in the water.
I glance around the room, sizing up my rivals. Where before the other students in this class were mere annoyances, now they’re my direct competition.
A good number of the students in my class intend to go into politics, so the competition is going to be fierce. Sylvia’s dad is gearing up for a gubernatorial run, and Rahul’s dad is in the British Cabinet. Still, I’m pretty sure I can best both of them.
The biggest surprise? The focused look on Ricardo’s face as our professor gives us a few minutes to work on our projects. My sister told me he wants to be a teacher back in Haiti, so why would he be interested in an internship with a U.S. Senator? Being a teacher is noble, but it doesn’t exactly require government experience. And really, it doesn’t matter if Ricardo tries for the internship or not. He’s a good student, but I’m better. I can beat him handily.
This internship? I’d be perfect for it. Plus, it would be a great way to show Daddy that I could be his heir apparent. It’s a good thing Cal isn’t in this class, or there’s no way I’d ever win the internship. Frowning, I shun the thought as soon as it rises. It’s not Cal’s fault Daddy is so blinded by oldest son syndrome that he inadvertently ignores me. At least, I’m pretty sure that’s what it is. None of that is on Cal.
This is definitely going to require a lot of late nights, but it’s going to be worth it. Having Daddy to myself for two weeks? Priceless. Bucking up, I take my tablet out and pull up my project research.
Despite the dead silence outside my door, I can’t sleep. I’m way too keyed up about the internship announcement in class this afternoon. And my resulting conversation (re: argument) with Ricardo didn’t help. When I asked—okay, confronted—him about how focused he was on his work during class, he declined to tell me what he was doing for his project.
And then he had the gall to assert that he’d be an excellent intern for my dad.
As if.
When I asked him if he wanted the internship, he didn’t deny it, which only made me angrier. A teacher does not need government experience. What was his problem?
Huffing, I throw off the covers and sit up in the pitch black. If I can’t sleep, I might as well get some work done. Blinking, I allow my eyes to adjust as the lamp on my nightstand flares to life. My eyes move to my top desk drawer, where I used to keep a tin of “mints.” They were actually amphetamines I got from Professor Rook, but I haven’t taken any since Adrienne caught me with them last semester. It had been sloppy of me not to transfer the pills from that clear baggie to the tin. Nobody thinks twice if they see you eating a breath mint.
I know there are only three pills left in that tin, but I haven’t thrown them away yet. I should do it, but something is preventing me. What if I need one of them at some point, just for a tiny boost? This is the most important semester of high school, and I have to excel in all of my classes if I’m going to go to Georgetown. It’s a tough school to get into, and failure isn’t an option.
Stupid Ricardo. Why did he have to needle me about the internship?
Jumping out of bed, I stalk across the floor to my mini fridge, flinging the door open to see what I’ve got left inside.
It’s empty.
Adrienne, Genevieve, and Ricardo have all been spending a lot more time in my room than ever before, and they’ve eaten all of my contraband. I’ll have to get Mikhail to drive us to the store tomorrow so I can refill, but