Stolen Secrets

Stolen Secrets- Chapter 5

~Jeff~

“Are you free after school?” Natalie asked me. Her voice was timid and hesitant like she wasn’t sure how to ask.

I was just amazed that she was talking to me. Normally to get her to talk to me I would have to talk to her first and then hope she responded. I’m pretty sure this is the first time she has started the conversation. Sometimes it felt like it was just me keeping our friendship running.

I don’t mind being ignored but I hate it when peoples are fakes. Like pretending to be your friend but they aren’t really. I can't stand that. I don’t know what I would have done if Natalie turned out to be a fake. She seemed too pure and innocent to be.

“Uh yeah I am,” I said when I got over my surprise enough to talk.

Natalie smiled slightly. “Do you want to come over then? I want to finish up to project,” she explained. Oh. So she was only inviting me over for the project. That was kinda depressing, but I guess it was also good. At least she was asking me instead of the other way around

“Cool. I want to get the project finished.” Wow it was normally me saying that.

“It’s not due until Tuesday, we still have a couple days, it’s only Thursday,” I said. It’s not that I didn’t want her spending time with me, but I wanted to make sure it was what she wanted to do.

“Yeah but I have a feeling I won't be able to this weekend,” she continued.

“Oh okay. I’ll see you at lunch today,” I said. If I spent much more time talking to her I would be late for my next class.

“Actually, I’m meeting my dad for lunch, but I’ll see you after school,” Natalie assured me. I nodded and watched as the swarm of people quickly engulfed her.

I thought it was strange that Senator Taress was meeting his daughter for lunch. Wasn’t he still trying to pass those new taxes and trafficking rules?

But what do I know? Nothing when it comes to politics.

~Natalie~

I almost didn’t get in when Dad pulled up. Not because I didn’t want to, but I still wasn’t used to seeing the dark blue car he had here. I was used to the silver one we had had back in Vancouver.

“Hi Dad,” I said finally slipping into the car.

“Hello,” he responded solemnly. I guess it was hard for him seeing me at school here in Ottawa. When we were at the apartment he could at least try to convince himself that I was just visiting and that everything was fine. But seeing me at school proved that all wrong.

We didn’t say anything on the way to the restaurant. I knew Dad had a reason for taking me to lunch, but I didn’t want to push him into telling me.

Dad didn’t say anything until we were sitting in the booth at the restaurant that he had called ahead to reserve for us so I would be back at school on time, and Dad wouldn’t be away from work for long.

“I have some things I want to tell you, before you hear them from someone else,” Dad started laying down his menu. We had come to this same restaurant enough in Vancouver to know exactly what we wanted already.

“Okay,” I said.

“And I won't be home for dinner tonight. I’ll be home around nine or ten, I have a meeting. That’s why I am telling you now.” I nodded again. Dad obviously thought I wouldn’t like what he was going to say, which was why he was dancing around the subject.

“Joseph is stepping down next month. He says he is too old to deal with everyone’s problems,” Dad said. I had met a lot of the other senators, so I was also first name basis with them. “They’ve chosen me to take his position,” Dad paused to check if I was listening, “Do you know what that means Natalie?”