The Prime Minister's Daughter

Chapter 8

I got in the car and slump in my seat making it very clear I was unhappy about this situation. 

"Cheer up Abbie, at least you don't have to walk to school" Jodie told me as I rolled my eyes. 

"Yeah if anyone should be upset about this situation it should be me! I got bumped down from front seat to the middle seat!" Charlotte exclaimed as Jodie and I chuckled. 

"See there's a smile!" Jodie said. 

...

"Abs I need you to be good today, ok? Please no more phone calls home. Your dad's under a lot of pressure at the moment and I just need you to lay low. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah. Bye" I replied as I got out of the car. Charlotte was getting out of the backseat to jump in the front. 

"Abbie please don't do anything stupid, I need my big sister to stay in Canberra."

"I promise you Char, see you this arvo?" She nodded in response. I walk into school and meet Harper and Tilly and we walk to period 1. Maths, again. I walk out of maths and I get a fantastic idea.

"Harper wanna ditch?"

"Guys no, you can't. Abbie you are on the edge of being sent to boarding school and Harper your mums would kill you if they knew." Tilly interrupted

"My mums are in Sweden at the moment and they'll never know." Harper replied

"I'm gonna fuck up some time and how will my dad even know about this one" I added 

"Wanna come Tilly"

"No chance in hell" and we all laughed. 

... 

Me and Harper packed up our stuff and made it out the school gate without anyone stopping to look twice at us. We headed back to Harper's since her parents were away and went to chill on her bed. She pulled out a vape and took a puff. 

"Want some? It's fairy floss flavoured." She asked. I knew I shouldn't, I knew it was a dumb idea and it was wrong but I was too curious. I needed to know what they taste like. 

"Sure" I said taking a puff. God it was nice. 

"Can I have one more?" I asked and Harper gave me another puff. 

"Shit Abbie"

"What is it?" She turned her phone around to show a picture of her mum Katrina. 

"What do I do?"

"Answer it" I replied "Pretend we're at lunch"

"Ok ok. Hi mum!" Harper said answering the phone. 

"Harper Gorry where the hell are you?" Her mum yelled into the phone. 

"I'm at school - it's lunchtime." 

"Don't bullshit me Harper, I got a call from your school saying you weren't there. So where are you Harper?"

"Chill it's not that big a deal, I'm just hanging out with my friend."

"Not a big deal? It most certainly is a big deal. Which friend are you even with?"

"Abbie" Harper mumbles putting the phone on speaker

"Hi Katrina, sorry this was my idea" I say

"I'm sure Harper came up with this plan all on her own Abbie. Harper Clara and I are getting on a plane now, we will see you soon" Katrina said hanging up the phone as Harper gulps. 

"Shit I'm so dead" Harper said

"Not as dead as me when my dad gets called."

Anthony's POV

I'm sorting through some papers in my office when I receive a call. 

"Hello Anthony Albanese"

"Hi Mr Albanese this is Blair calling from Canberra Girls Grammar, how are you today?"

"I'm well thank you Blair, how are you?"

"Well thanks sir, I'm calling in regards to your daughter Abigail in year 9."

"Oh gosh what has she done this time?"

"She was marked present in period 1 but has not been present in any of her classes since."

"Thank you for letting me know, I will deal with her"

"Thank you for your time sir"

"Thank you Blair" I said as I hung up the phone. Abbie knew the consequences of doing this and she didn't care. I knew it was time to give my little sister a call. 

"Ciao fratello" Carina answered

"Ciao sorella." I replied

"What's up with my big brother? He sounds worried."

"You know how it is, teenagers" I said. I knew she knew because she was a principal of an elite all girls private school in Sydney. 

"Tell me fratello carissimo."

"I wanted to run this by you before I confirm anything but Abbie has known this is coming for ages and has kept up her act. I am thinking of sending her to Boarding School, at your school."

"Boarding school? That's a little bit harsh don't you think? How about she comes to live with me. Give her a more stable environment, with rules and consequences. What do you think?"

"I wouldn't want to just dump my delinquent daughter on you Carina, she can be a handful." 

Carina knew what a handful her niece could be and the type of trouble she could get herself into - she had seen the papers but knew Abbie needed a stable environment. With her father travelling all the time and her mother living internationally Abbie is usually left to her own devices and we've all seen how that goes. 

"I would love to have Abbie stay with me."

"Thank you Carina, I love you"

"Love you too Anthony, I have a meeting to get to so I'll speak with you later"