Top Secret

by Sarina Bowen

He sighs. Then his phone chimes, and he picks it up. “Bo seems to think that Luke wanted the internship but didn’t think he could make it work. Bo offered him an unpaid position.” “Oh.” I feel a pain right between my ribs for Luke. A job he wants but can’t afford? That’s just cruel. “Luke can’t work an unpaid internship. He barely has enough money right now to eat. He works late-night hours every weekend just to make the rent.” “Isn’t there financial aid for that?” my mother asks. “He has a full academic scholarship. But it only covers tuition. And his mother calls every couple of weeks asking him for money.” My father sits back in his chair, a disgusted look on his face. “What kind of mother asks her kid for money?” “His kind.” Dad picks up his phone and starts tapping again. “Honey, at the table?” my mother complains. “Just a sec,” he says. “I’m telling Bo to offer that kid an actual summer job and one of our corporate studios in Hoboken.” I wonder if Luke will kill me for interfering? Then again, what difference does it make? He’s not currently talking to me. If he gets this job, he’ll be better off and still not talking to me. Yup. Worth it.