Page 61 of My Secret Snowflake
“I’m impressed,” I say.
“He really wants to give a better report card to his mom for Christmas,” Sebastian says. “We went over math problems today. He has a test on Friday.”
I text Faith about Sebastian’s idea.
Faith:Yes! Can we meet after school tomorrow and get decorations?
Me:How about we meet at Banter & Books? We can do some math tutoring first.
Faith:Really?
Faith: Way to be a killjoy.
Faith:Jamal says he is studying with Sebastian, so maybe we do need to step it up.
Sebastian asks Maddie what she does. I watch them chatting.
Today was crazy.
No Raphael.
Huge promotion.
I’m the Deputy CISO of Dream. It’s a dream come true, but it doesn’t feel like one. What happened to Raphael? And Kevin’s behavior was disturbing. It wasn’t a positive start.
Tomorrow, I need to get into the office early and do more investigating. As part of our security protocol, our files are backed up to another facility in case of a ransomware attack, and I checked—they still have Raphael’s files. I’ll look through those tomorrow.
The next house is covered in American flags and has a huge Statue of Liberty. Speakers blare Alicia’s Key’s “New York” anthem, but as that song finishes, Patrick’s New York song comes on.
I wince. This song is inescapable, a constant reminder that I blinded myself to Patrick’s faults and thought he really loved me.
Maddie’s arm suddenly slips through mine, and she pulls me along.
“C’mon, I hear the next block also has good decorations,” she says. Maybe I don’t have to worry that she’s falling for her rock star neighbor.
MaddieandIexitthe subway together at Grand Street. The wind whips my hair in my face. It’s so cold it’s taking my breath away. The temperature has definitely dropped since we first entered the subway. We walk past the shuttered stores; signs in Chinese adorn the storefronts.
“What’s going on with Sebastian?” Maddie asks.
“He wants to stay single,” I say.
“He’s not acting like he wants to stay single,” she says.
“He came out to Dyker Heights because he also thinks Raphael’s termination is suspicious—especially because Kevin said Raphael did something unauthorized, though Kevin can’t—or won’t—prove it.”
“Kevin said that?” Maddie asks.
“That’s what Sebastian said,” I say.
Maddie shudders. “That Kevin is such a snake. Making false insinuations without any facts. Maybe you should get out of there. I don’t trust him. Especially how you described the way he used his body to try to intimidate you.”
“But I’m Deputy CISO,” I say.
“You should use that title to look for a job with a better boss. Especially now that Raphael is gone,” Maddie says.
“It’s not like Deputy CISO jobs are out there for the picking,” I say wryly. “And it’s not like I even have time. I’m already trying to investigate this hack in my free time because company time is consumed with the migration.”
“I wish I could help,” Maddie says.
