Total pages in book: 41
Estimated words: 41137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 206(@200wpm)___ 165(@250wpm)___ 137(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 206(@200wpm)___ 165(@250wpm)___ 137(@300wpm)
The guys stare at each other, but I can’t stop looking at Jason.
I can’t believe him. He’s turning this internship into a competition. He’s going to pit us against each other, all in order to win a spot to this conference, and maybe even to become a real employee, not just some intern.
“Can you believe it?” Coop whispers. “Holy shit. I mean, this is amazing.”
“He’s not taking you,” Alan says.
“He’s not taking you, either,” Coop shoots back.
“He’ll take me,” Howard says confidently, and shoots me a sneer. “You’ll be staying home.”
I roll my eyes at him. What a fucking dick.
But he’s probably right. I’m sure Jason’s going to bring him.
Alan, Coop, and Parker are all mediocre. They’re not stupid, they’re just… slow. I finish twice the tasks they do, almost more than all three combined. The only person that gets anywhere close is Howard.
But none of them care about that. They just think I’m some stupid girl that doesn’t deserve to go.
I feel a fire light underneath me. I know this is exactly what Jason wants. He wants us to fight against each other, to compete, to work harder.
It pisses me off. I hate being manipulated like this. I hate having to compete when it’s not what I signed up for.
But I can’t help myself. I’m sick of these guys looking down on me.
I dive into my work. I double down.
I’ll show them how fucking wrong they are.
And I lose myself in it. The session flies by and everyone leaves, except I linger. I stay logged in, I do some more work. Jason stands near my terminal, watching me type away.
“You don’t have to stick around,” he says finally.
I look back at him. “You want us to compete. So I’m competing.”
He sighs. “I don’t mean…”
“You don’t? That’s not what you want?”
He hesitates. “Okay. Maybe it is. Maybe I do want you all to work harder, or at least to try and elevate the work you’re already doing.”
I shrug a little. “I get it.”
He frowns. “You’re angry.”
“Maybe.”
“Why?”
I don’t want to tell him. I’m pissed, pissed about Howard, pissed at how they treat me, pissed that he’s not just bringing me when he knows that I’m better than they are.
I’m just pissed.
“Nothing,” I say finally, feeling like a petulant child.
He sighs and sits next to me. “Clara, listen.”
I don’t look at him.
“Clara.” He puts his hand on mine. I stop typing. “Listen.”
I look at him, into his pretty eyes. I hate myself, but it always makes me melt, just a little.
“Howard, the others, they’re… they need this. They need motivation.” He cocks his head. “I know you don’t.”
I bite my lip. “So why lump me in with them?”
“I can’t treat you differently. You know that.”
I sigh. “I know.”
“But that’s not what’s upsetting you.”
I turn away. “No, not really.”
“Tell me.”
It’s a command, a compulsion.
And I know I can’t resist him. As angry as I am, as confused as I am, I can’t help it.
“How did Howard know where you lived?”
He arches an eyebrow. I feel so stupid. I’m jealous of Howard, like a moron.
“He hacked the university’s payroll.”
I stare at Jason for a second. I feel like a shot jolts up my spine. “What?”
He laughs softly. “Seriously. I know.”
“That’s insane.”
“That’s what I said.”
“He could go to jail.”
“I know.”
“All for what?”
“His idea was good.” He shrugs and laughs. “Not game changing or anything, but smart. We might use it, I’m not sure.”
I bite my lip. “He risked jail… for a bad idea?”
“Not a bad one,” he corrects. “Just a decent one. And yeah. He’s a little…”
“Stupid?”
“I was thinking overeager, but yeah, stupid.”
I laugh. “Wow.”
“What did you think? That I gave him my address?”
I look away, feeling stupid. “I thought maybe… he was your favorite.”
Jason tips my chin toward him. “Clearly that isn’t the case.”
“Just because you’re sleeping with me…”
“Clara,” he says seriously. “You’re my favorite. You’re by far the brightest of the group. You have to know that.”
“Maybe…”
“Clara.” He sighs, kisses me. “They pale in comparison to you. Every one of those hairy morons.”
I smile a little. “You just like me because I’m pretty.”
“That’s part of it. But you do twice as much as they do with half the effort. And your code is elegant. I mean, seriously, it’s beautiful.”
I sigh a little. These words…. They’re what I’ve been hoping for. What I’ve been dreaming of.
I want to be taken seriously, not for my body, or for the sex we have, but for my mind. Because he’s interested in who I am as a person.
“Thanks,” I say, feeling a little silly.
“Listen, keep doing what you’re doing. Okay? Don’t let Howard or the others get in your head.”
“And?” she asks softly.
“And you’ll be coming on this trip.” He grins, leans forward, kisses me. “Now get out of here. Seriously, go have a life.”
“I’d rather sit in here with you.”