Gone - Part One Read Online Free PDF

take a step back out of pure need. I can see the anger within the fine lines around his eyes. His entire face has shifted to a darker place. "Mr. Parker, please."
    "Please?" he hisses the word at me. "Please what, Lilly?"
    This is it. I have one chance to convince this man that I'm not a mole sent in by one of his competitors to undermine the integrity of his latest developments. "I've always admired you," I say the words even though they sound lame and contrived. "I've applied for the internship program for the past four years and I've written you many emails explaining how I think I can improve things within your organization."
    The twisted look of confusion on his face mirrors what I'm feeling inside. That sounded too pompous and expectant. I'm a young woman barely out of college who just told a man who has one of the most brilliant technical minds of my generation that I'm here to do him a favor. "I can verify all these random claims you're making."
    I nod briskly. "You should. I mean, yes, please do that."
    He leans back against his desk, crossing his legs at the ankles. "I will. In the meantime, why don't you explain one improvement that you'd make today?"
    He's pushed me into a corner. The smug expression on his face suggests that he thinks that I'll cave under the pressure of the question. I catch the movement of his brow as he cocks it up.
    "Well," he begins as he taps his expensive black shoe on the floor. "I'm waiting, Lilly."
    I cross my arms, push my shoulders back and try to contain a small smile. "The dating app you launched three months ago is a piece of shit. The framework is lacking, it has no fluidity at all and the fact that you're charging users for it is a crime."
     

Chapter 6
     
    "I talked to my father last night about the company that he used to work for," Roni says from the doorway of my bedroom. "It's not exactly what you're looking for, but he thinks he can get you in there doing some coding."
    It's a sweet gesture coming from her. Roni hasn't been that supportive of my choice in a career path mainly because she's never understood the appeal of it. She's studying to be a lawyer, a criminal defense attorney, to be exact. "Thanks for asking him about that," I offer even though the idea of moving my life to Alabama to work in a cubicle doing mindless coding forever is even less appealing than working at Star Bistro.
    "I'm sorry about what happened in New York, Lilly." She shuffles back and forth on her heels. "You can't blame him for throwing you out of his office after you dissed his work."
    Confiding in Roni had been an absolute must after I had taken the train back to Boston yesterday afternoon. When I'd shared my opinion on Corteck's dating app, Clive hadn't reacted in any readable way. He stared at me for what felt like ten minutes before he leaned down to retrieve my purse. As soon as I took it from his grasp he asked me to leave. I had because by that point I knew that it was over. Any hope I had of working alongside him and his team was crushed when I took that Polaroid picture and sent it to his brother. I don't know why I thought he'd ever take me seriously.
    "Are you working today?"
    I scrub my hand over my forehead before I answer. "I'm doing the late shift. I need to be there by two."
    "Do you want to go somewhere for lunch?" Her eyes don't meet mine. "It's my treat."
    This compassionate, caring side of my roommate is foreign to me. I already know that I'm not going to be able to handle it in large doses. I need to ease into the idea that she cares about me. "Maybe we can do it another day?" I ask with a small smile. "I'm going to organize some files on my computer."
    "Sure thing." I can hear the relief in her voice. Obviously this newfound concern of hers is taking its toll on her as well. "I'm going to run down to the market to get some fruit."
    I flip open the cover of my laptop and dive into the task of clearing away all the random projects I've started and never finished the past