Page 99 of Break Points and Face Offs

“Rosenthal Asset Management have decided to give the internship to someone else.”

Seeing as my stomach already feels like it’s by my feet, the news I hadn’t even known I had to dread doesn’t hit me the way it should. “Oh.”

She keeps looking at me, so I ask. “Who?”

“I’m not allowed to say, but I’m sure you can guess.”

At first, I can’t. Then it comes to me.

“Priestley.”

Professor Moreno looks down into the wooden surface of her desk.

“I’m sorry, Will. This is the world of finance. But we can change it. We can fight against it.”

“It’s okay,” I shake my head. I don’t know what else to say.

She moves some papers around on her desk, pulling out a sheet of A4 and sliding it toward me.

“I have some excellent opportunities you’d be great for, and you’d best believe I’m writing you the best letter of recommendation anyone’s ever seen. Alice already has something perfect lined up, and I think I have just the thing for you. We will not leave you high and dry. I know you’ll have a job offer by the time you graduate.”

“Thank you.” I mean it, I just can’t feel anything right now.

She lets me go and I wander out of the building in a daze. Why the fuck didn’t Priestley talk to me about this? Where the fuck is he and why is he ignoring me?

When I call the house, Dad answers.

“If you wanna talk to your mom, she’s out. Will I do?” he jokes.

I smile, but I feel like crying.

“I don’t know, maybe.”

“If it’s boy trouble, I’ll try my best. I was a twenty-something guy once, too, you know.”

“Priestley got the internship over me.”

There’s a moment’s silence before he answers. “Oh, sorry son. You knew that was a possibility, right?”

“I was top of the leaderboard, he got it anyway.”

Dad pauses again, probably scratching his head over what I just said.

“How’s that?”

“His dad is the CEO of the company.”

As soon as I say it, rage builds up in my chest. I can feel myself snarling. See Professor Moreno saying that’s the way the finance world works.

“How could I be so stupid, Dad?”

“Hey, listen to me, kiddo. You are anything but stupid. Ever since you were little, you’ve been smart as a whip.”

“Yeah? Well, not with him. I trusted him, Dad. He screwed me over.”

“Hey now, you don’t know that, do you? Could be it’s not his fault. What’s he said about it?”

“Nothing. He’s ignoring me.”