Second Thoughts Read Online Free Page A

because it was casual didn’t mean it wasn’t important. After we’d settled into chairs in her office, she said, “I’ve reviewed your schedule, of course. It’s appropriately rigorous, as I expected. How are you feeling about this year?” She watched me over the rim of her china cup.
    Never lie to Headmaster Stewart is the first thing new students learn at Northbrook. If they’re Sententia, they know it’s because you, literally,
can’t.
Her gift tells her whether she’s hearing the truth, so I considered my answer carefully. “Excited, but nervous,” I finally said.
    She nodded. “That’s understandable. Most seniors feel the same way, you know.”
    I did, but, “I’m not sure they’re nervous about the same things. Or all the same things.”
    â€œElaborate.”
    I took a bite of the famed croissants, swallowed. “Well, Jill, for one.”
    Dr. Stewart lowered her tea and looked at me. “Surely you know Jillian won’t be returning to Northbrook.”
    â€œOh.” I didn’t know. Maybe I should have suspected, or Carter should have told me, if he even knew. None of us liked to talk about the
Jillian Incident,
least of all him. I wasn’t sure if it made me feel better or worse that she wouldn’t return, but at least I wouldn’t have to see her on campus. Now I had a feeling I’d never see her again. “But her Legacy?”
    â€œElaine,” she said. Just the way she pronounced my name reminded me of her authority and my inexperience. Even though we got along, I was still a student, sometimes a foolish one. “Jillian is…not well. Regardless, she couldn’t return to this school, where she attacked a student—
-you.
No matter how few people know or who her father is.”
    I swallowed again. “Does Senator…is Senator Astor okay with that?”
    â€œIt was never a question.”
    I wouldn’t have long to wait before I was finally introduced to Senator Daniel Astor in person, since, besides my aunt, he’d be the guest of honor in a few weeks at the debut of her sculpture installation. He’d been very understanding after what had happened between his daughter and me, but I still couldn’t shake my dread over meeting him. If I couldn’t forgive myself, how possibly could he?
    And then a small voice inside me, one I tried to ignore but couldn’t, kept telling me I couldn’t trust him. I hated that voice, but it wouldn’t go away. Sometimes when I heard it, it sounded like Jill andher crazy ramblings while she strangled me. Other times it sounded like me, asking why had everyone believed Jill and her father had no contact with each other when it wasn’t true? I knew I’d caught him in a lie. I wondered if Dr. Stewart ever had.
    I set down my breakfast plate, no longer hungry, and shifted in my chair. Outside, the rising sun played peek-a-boo through the trees, throwing patterns of shadow on the floor below the windows. “What’s he like?” I asked.
    Dr. Stewart thought for a few seconds. “He’s our leader.”
    â€œI know, but—” A slight narrowing of her eyes told me she hadn’t been finished. I shut up and listened.
    â€œHe’s patient. A fine virtue,” she reminded me with another pointed look. The headmaster tapped one finger lightly on her teacup while she chose her words, and I could see a worn spot in the glaze that told me she did it often. “I think you’ll find the senator much like his nephew, minus the impetuousness that makes Cartwright so difficult sometimes.”
    I smiled into my own cup, swirling the remains of my coffee. She knew Carter well. Without taking too much time to think about what I was going to say, I blurted out, “Does Senator—do the two of you still talk about me?”
    â€œOf course. You know how important you are. For a number of