hands and frowns.
Thankfully, he doesn’t comment.
“Come on,” he says. “Let’s get this over with.”
My thoughts exactly.
7 a.m.
Torture training.
As soon as we walk up the stairs, leading to the main level of the CIA headquarters, I spot a man with dark brown hair standing there, surrounded by a lot of people in suits. I’m guessing secret service.
Winston lets go of my hand, and immediately I know this guy is his dad.
Winston looks just like his dad, aside from his blond hair. The guy is tall, like Winston, and he has the same whiskey colored eyes. But it’s more than just his looks. It’s his facial expressions, and the way he stands. He oozes confidence, much like Winston. Except right now, Winston doesn’t look too confident. In fact, he looks afraid. Of course, I’d probably be afraid, too, if this man was my dad. Just looking at this guy makes me nervous.
“Senator Graham,” Dad says, nodding at him.
“What is going on?” the senator asks. “Why is my son at CIA headquarters instead of at school?”
Another guy walks up beside us. I don’t recognize him, but he’s tall. Like, really tall. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s about 195 cm. He’s got dark hair and blue eyes. He’s hot, and looks way too young to be in the CIA. He only looks about eighteen or nineteen.
“Winston is here because he is safe here,” the boy says.
“Who are you?” the senator asks.
“Damien Olsen,” he answers.
“You don’t look old enough to be out of high school,” the senator says, then looks at me. “Who are you?”
“Layla Scott,” I answer.
“And you’re the reason my boy is in this situation?” he asks, not taking his eyes off me.
I swallow hard.
How can Winston stand to have this guy as a dad? He’s scary.
“It’s not her fault,” Winston says, defending me.
“It’s a little bit my fault,” I say, owning up to my mistake. “The CIA told me I would be safe here, and I believed them. Winston was with me when the terrorist group showed up at the school. I panicked. I know I should’ve left Winston at the school. He would’ve been safe there.”
“Actually, we’re not so sure about that,” Damien says. “We assume that more will be coming to New Haven Academy to find your whereabouts.”
“They will,” Dad confirms. “And from what Layla told me, Winston and she were close. It wouldn’t be hard for them to figure that out. Winston absolutely would not have been safe there.”
“You are... close?” Senator Graham asks, looking between Winston and me.
“ Ne, sseom lada ,” I say, trying not to let him see my fear.
“What?” he asks, tilting his head.
“Was I speaking Korean again?” I ask.
Winston nods.
“ Joesonghabnida ,” I say, bowing slightly.
“She said sorry,” Winston says, translating for me.
“Why aren’t you speaking English?” Senator Graham asks me.
“She speaks Korean when she’s mad or nervous,” Winston asks for me.
I nod, agreeing with him.
Though, I really didn’t want to admit that I’m nervous to Winston’s dad.
“So, you’re Korean?” the senator asks me.
“ Ne ,” I answer. “I mean, yes.”
“She’s American,” Dad clarifies. “I’m her father. Her mother was from Korea. She’s spent the last twelve years in South Korea. She was in hiding there. The group of terrorist found her, so we brought her back to America. We thought she’d be safe. I don’t understand how they found her.”
“Right. And what about Winston? New Haven Academy is the best school in Massachusetts. What am I supposed to do now?” Senator Graham asks.
“Actually, we think it’s best if we hide Winston,” Damien says.
“No. Absolutely not,” Senator Graham says. “My boy is in his junior year of high school. Right now, his education is most important, especially if he is going to get into Harvard. I’m not going to let him throw that away. Especially not for some Asian girl.”
“Quite frankly, sir, you don’t
Thankfully, he doesn’t comment.
“Come on,” he says. “Let’s get this over with.”
My thoughts exactly.
7 a.m.
Torture training.
As soon as we walk up the stairs, leading to the main level of the CIA headquarters, I spot a man with dark brown hair standing there, surrounded by a lot of people in suits. I’m guessing secret service.
Winston lets go of my hand, and immediately I know this guy is his dad.
Winston looks just like his dad, aside from his blond hair. The guy is tall, like Winston, and he has the same whiskey colored eyes. But it’s more than just his looks. It’s his facial expressions, and the way he stands. He oozes confidence, much like Winston. Except right now, Winston doesn’t look too confident. In fact, he looks afraid. Of course, I’d probably be afraid, too, if this man was my dad. Just looking at this guy makes me nervous.
“Senator Graham,” Dad says, nodding at him.
“What is going on?” the senator asks. “Why is my son at CIA headquarters instead of at school?”
Another guy walks up beside us. I don’t recognize him, but he’s tall. Like, really tall. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s about 195 cm. He’s got dark hair and blue eyes. He’s hot, and looks way too young to be in the CIA. He only looks about eighteen or nineteen.
“Winston is here because he is safe here,” the boy says.
“Who are you?” the senator asks.
“Damien Olsen,” he answers.
“You don’t look old enough to be out of high school,” the senator says, then looks at me. “Who are you?”
“Layla Scott,” I answer.
“And you’re the reason my boy is in this situation?” he asks, not taking his eyes off me.
I swallow hard.
How can Winston stand to have this guy as a dad? He’s scary.
“It’s not her fault,” Winston says, defending me.
“It’s a little bit my fault,” I say, owning up to my mistake. “The CIA told me I would be safe here, and I believed them. Winston was with me when the terrorist group showed up at the school. I panicked. I know I should’ve left Winston at the school. He would’ve been safe there.”
“Actually, we’re not so sure about that,” Damien says. “We assume that more will be coming to New Haven Academy to find your whereabouts.”
“They will,” Dad confirms. “And from what Layla told me, Winston and she were close. It wouldn’t be hard for them to figure that out. Winston absolutely would not have been safe there.”
“You are... close?” Senator Graham asks, looking between Winston and me.
“ Ne, sseom lada ,” I say, trying not to let him see my fear.
“What?” he asks, tilting his head.
“Was I speaking Korean again?” I ask.
Winston nods.
“ Joesonghabnida ,” I say, bowing slightly.
“She said sorry,” Winston says, translating for me.
“Why aren’t you speaking English?” Senator Graham asks me.
“She speaks Korean when she’s mad or nervous,” Winston asks for me.
I nod, agreeing with him.
Though, I really didn’t want to admit that I’m nervous to Winston’s dad.
“So, you’re Korean?” the senator asks me.
“ Ne ,” I answer. “I mean, yes.”
“She’s American,” Dad clarifies. “I’m her father. Her mother was from Korea. She’s spent the last twelve years in South Korea. She was in hiding there. The group of terrorist found her, so we brought her back to America. We thought she’d be safe. I don’t understand how they found her.”
“Right. And what about Winston? New Haven Academy is the best school in Massachusetts. What am I supposed to do now?” Senator Graham asks.
“Actually, we think it’s best if we hide Winston,” Damien says.
“No. Absolutely not,” Senator Graham says. “My boy is in his junior year of high school. Right now, his education is most important, especially if he is going to get into Harvard. I’m not going to let him throw that away. Especially not for some Asian girl.”
“Quite frankly, sir, you don’t
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