illuminating every untouched bit.
What I notice first are the bookshelves full of old trophies: soccer statues, swimming medals, and framed certificates. There’re also a bunch of photos: framed pictures of Seth and his mom, Seth and his dad, and the whole McNeal family together. Something else catches my eye.
“You won a blogger award?” I ask Seth. “Last year?”
Seth comes over to look. “Yeah.” He runs his hand over his head, tugging at the dark hair. “The cheat must’ve framed the news release.”
“And look at this.” I point to the top of the desk. “Look at all of these clippings.” Paper printouts cover the surface, some of them yellowed with age. “Your dad must have been following your career.”
“My dad wouldn’t do that.” Seth shuffles through the papers. “Huh. This one was when Veritas Rex hit the millionth-visitor mark. That was a while ago.”
“Cal never gave up on you.” I touch Seth’s arm. “Maybe there’s more to your dad than you know.”
“No. There’s not.” Seth contemplates a picture of his mom for a long time. Then he walks away from me and crashes onto the bed.
I let him. Vestals know better than anyone when people need their space. Instead, I turn back to all the pictures of happier days. Seth looked so much like Sophia, except when he was little and had enormous teeth. She was exquisite. I can tell by the pictures how much she loved him.
Then, for some reason, I can’t look anymore. There’s something inside me that’s sharp and hurting.
Seth’s room is painted cardinal red. There’re baseball pennants pinned to the walls, a guitar in the corner, and a model airplane hanging from a wire in the ceiling. I pull out the wooden desk chair and sit down, taking it all in.
“He ruined everything,” Seth says. I’m not sure if he’s talking to the wall or talking to me.
But I know that Seth is wrong. Because no matter what Cal did, or whatever he does in the future, the past stands as it is. All this will remain, even when every last stick of furniture disappears.
Seth had it all. He had a childhood that I’ve only read about in books. When I buried my head under the covers of my metal bunk bed so nobody in the Tabula Rasa dorms would hear me cry, Seth was here in this room, getting tucked in every night by a mom and dad who loved him. No matter what he thinks, Seth had a great childhood.
Little League, guitar lessons, smiling pictures. A mom who decorated his room, a dad who still cares about him. Why can’t Seth see any of that? Why does he have to be such a jerk?
Cal wants Seth in his life for some reason, so that’s what I’m going to accomplish. Cal said to do whatever it takes to keep Seth coming back. I’ll do whatever it takes, all right.
In the meantime, I’m going to teach Seth a lesson.
Someone needs to cut this Virus down.
Controlling people is easier than you’d think, Barbelo Nemo wrote. All you need to do is make somebody feel important. A little appreciation goes a long way. People love to talk about themselves. Speak their name softly, melodically.
Then you’re halfway there.
Next you make them think that what you want is what they want, and that it was their idea in the first place.
Appeal to their nobler motives. And when all else fails, smile.
That placid smile of Charming Corina’s works in almost every situation. So I decide to play this by the book. Seth is so upset right now that he’ll be easy to work with. “Seth,” I whisper, lying down on the bed next him. “It’s a big deal, you coming here. I bet that wasn’t easy.”
“No, it wasn’t.” Seth rolls over to look at me, so that we’re nose to nose. “But it was worth it.”
“Just to see me? But you’re so busy. I bet you have a million things to do for Veritas Rex . I didn’t understand how famous it was until Cal told me.”
“My dad talked about me?”
“A little bit. I know he’s proud of you.” I run my hand down
What I notice first are the bookshelves full of old trophies: soccer statues, swimming medals, and framed certificates. There’re also a bunch of photos: framed pictures of Seth and his mom, Seth and his dad, and the whole McNeal family together. Something else catches my eye.
“You won a blogger award?” I ask Seth. “Last year?”
Seth comes over to look. “Yeah.” He runs his hand over his head, tugging at the dark hair. “The cheat must’ve framed the news release.”
“And look at this.” I point to the top of the desk. “Look at all of these clippings.” Paper printouts cover the surface, some of them yellowed with age. “Your dad must have been following your career.”
“My dad wouldn’t do that.” Seth shuffles through the papers. “Huh. This one was when Veritas Rex hit the millionth-visitor mark. That was a while ago.”
“Cal never gave up on you.” I touch Seth’s arm. “Maybe there’s more to your dad than you know.”
“No. There’s not.” Seth contemplates a picture of his mom for a long time. Then he walks away from me and crashes onto the bed.
I let him. Vestals know better than anyone when people need their space. Instead, I turn back to all the pictures of happier days. Seth looked so much like Sophia, except when he was little and had enormous teeth. She was exquisite. I can tell by the pictures how much she loved him.
Then, for some reason, I can’t look anymore. There’s something inside me that’s sharp and hurting.
Seth’s room is painted cardinal red. There’re baseball pennants pinned to the walls, a guitar in the corner, and a model airplane hanging from a wire in the ceiling. I pull out the wooden desk chair and sit down, taking it all in.
“He ruined everything,” Seth says. I’m not sure if he’s talking to the wall or talking to me.
But I know that Seth is wrong. Because no matter what Cal did, or whatever he does in the future, the past stands as it is. All this will remain, even when every last stick of furniture disappears.
Seth had it all. He had a childhood that I’ve only read about in books. When I buried my head under the covers of my metal bunk bed so nobody in the Tabula Rasa dorms would hear me cry, Seth was here in this room, getting tucked in every night by a mom and dad who loved him. No matter what he thinks, Seth had a great childhood.
Little League, guitar lessons, smiling pictures. A mom who decorated his room, a dad who still cares about him. Why can’t Seth see any of that? Why does he have to be such a jerk?
Cal wants Seth in his life for some reason, so that’s what I’m going to accomplish. Cal said to do whatever it takes to keep Seth coming back. I’ll do whatever it takes, all right.
In the meantime, I’m going to teach Seth a lesson.
Someone needs to cut this Virus down.
Controlling people is easier than you’d think, Barbelo Nemo wrote. All you need to do is make somebody feel important. A little appreciation goes a long way. People love to talk about themselves. Speak their name softly, melodically.
Then you’re halfway there.
Next you make them think that what you want is what they want, and that it was their idea in the first place.
Appeal to their nobler motives. And when all else fails, smile.
That placid smile of Charming Corina’s works in almost every situation. So I decide to play this by the book. Seth is so upset right now that he’ll be easy to work with. “Seth,” I whisper, lying down on the bed next him. “It’s a big deal, you coming here. I bet that wasn’t easy.”
“No, it wasn’t.” Seth rolls over to look at me, so that we’re nose to nose. “But it was worth it.”
“Just to see me? But you’re so busy. I bet you have a million things to do for Veritas Rex . I didn’t understand how famous it was until Cal told me.”
“My dad talked about me?”
“A little bit. I know he’s proud of you.” I run my hand down
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