Bodyguard Has My Heart

Roommate

Chapter 4:

For the past week, time seemed to have stood still. Like if everything was in slow motion.

Three days after the talk with my father, we came back to our home in New York City. My father made public announcements about the incident and on how I've been recovering. (I never knew almost dying can be pretty amazing. Every politician my father has made contact with has sent me tons of get well gifts like chocolates from ICELAND.)

And of course my fathers campaign team suggested I make a few public outings to gain the sympathy of voters and with that increase my fathers popularity approval. My father handled all the talking while I just stood to the side my arm in a sling.

Now another three days later and I've just arrived in Southern California. I'm in a black limo headed to Stanford University. I look out the window and break out in a huge grin. I'm finally free! Well not considering all the secret service agents following me in many black SUV's but a girl can dream, right? I can't help but think that things are gonna change for the better starting today.

We arrive, and as soon as I step out of the van I'm blinded by all the flashing cameras. There's news reporters all around me asking about how my incident's gonna affect my college experience and if I have anyone special in my life. I worry enough about boys that I really don't need the nation putting more pressure on me.

Six secret service agents form a protective bubble around me guiding me to my dorm building where they stop the reporters from following me inside.

They take me to my dorm room which is all the way at the end of the hall.

I open my door and I see my roommate is already there. She looks up from the luggage she's emptying and eyes me up and down. I try to read her face but it's completely expressionless. I can't help but think that she'd make an excellent politician.

Once she's done assessing me she looks me in the eyes and breaks out in a huge smile. She rushes towards me and throws her arms around my neck and gives me a bone crushing hug. I wince from where she bumped into my bandaged arm. Where are my bodyguards when I need them?

"Hi! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I-I didn't mean to hurt you. I just... I can't believe it's actually you! You're 'The Sophia Rios'! Wow, you're so much prettier in person." She says in a very chipper voice.

"Umm, thanks?" I never actually know what to say whenever someone says something like that to me. All I hear is,"Wow! You look uglier on t.v." Or, "You look less fat in person."

"Oh. I'm so sorry. Where's my manners? My name is Claire Smith." I don't think anyone has ever been this happy at meeting me. She sticks her hand out at me and I shake it.

"I'm your roommate! This semesters gonna be so awesome." She walks away to go back to unpacking her one of many luggages she has with her. Where as I only brought two. Trust me, when all you want to do is leave as soon as possible, you just grab the things that are really important. So for me it was all of my books.

"Hi. Um, It's nice to meet you Claire." I say as I take her in. She has long blonde curly hair and she's like a foot shorter then me. She wears glasses but I can still see her bright blue eyes.

"I'm sure you have more questions for me then I have for you. I mean you and your parents are always all over the news and magazines so I know a few things about you. I guess that's just one of the few things that comes with being the potential next first daughter, huh?"

"What? Being on the news and magazines?"

"No. People thinking they know you." She turns and looks at me. She gives me a look not of pity like many people usually do, but of complete understanding.

I like her already.

"It must be really hard. Having your entire life being broadcasted for the entire world to see. Never having any privacy or any sense of normalcy."

I offer a small sad smile and say, "Yeah. It really is."

"I'm gonna vote for your father by the way. He's hot." She says with a wink.

We spent almost two hours just talking and asking each other questions about our lives. I ask her about how it is to grow up in sunny California. And how it's like being the only girl of 6 brothers (shudder). She would tell me stories about how one of her brothers once threw an actual toaster at her after she ate his sandwich. And then she told me a story of when she was in the fourth grade and a boy had pushed her to the ground, and her brothers jumped him cause they said they were the only ones allowed to bully her. Siblings are weird.

And she would ask me about what it's like growing up with a father in politics. Always being in the spotlight. And being an only child. I used to hate being the only child but after hearing her stories I am extremely grateful.

We're laying on the floor, because our beds are full of clothes that we were supposed to be putting away. When Claire suddenly jolts up. "Shoot!" She starts putting on her shoes. "What time is it?"

"It's almost 8 o'clock. Why?"

"Are you hungry? A few friends and I made plans to go eat at Joyce's at 8. Wanna come?"

"No, I'm good. I think I'll just stay here and start unpacking. Try to make it feel a bit like home."

"Are you sure? There's gonna be hot college guys." She wiggles her eyebrows and I laugh but shake my head. "Your loss." She shrugs and waves goodbye.

I look at the closed door, where she just exited and I start to regret saying no. Not just from missing out on the hot guys, but wasn't the whole reason on moving across the country was to finally feel a little normal? To experience the college life like going out to eat with friends instead of locking myself in my room all day?

I grab a jacket and start running down the hall to catch up to her. But as soon as I turn the corner I bump into someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't see you." I say as I look up and see a familiar set of gray eyes and a heart stopping smile.

Memories from the incident just a week ago comes rushing back. Meeting a guy with the exact same eyes. Exact same smug smile. His sarcastic replies. Him tackling me to the ground, saving my life. And blood. Blood everywhere.

But that was in a different place and different time. This is now. He's here in California. In my dorm hall. Dressed in a casual blue T-shirt and dark jeans, yet he looks just as handsome as the first time I meet him on the sidewalk just before I was shot.

"Nice to see you again, Bigfoot. Good to see your wearing your shoes this time and not throwing them. Yet I see you still haven't learned how to control your drooling." I instinctively reach up to my mouth, yet I realize too late he was lying. And once again the spell his eyes had on me a second ago, is completely gone as soon as he opens his mouth.

Glaring I ask, "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be rescuing cats from trees or something." This is the last place I would
expect to see him. I remembered my conversation with dad. He said he works for homeland security. So why is he at my university.

He smirks and gives me a look that says, I know something you don't. And I hate it.

"Those are firefighters, genius. And besides, I'm exactly where I'm meant to be." He crosses his arms and leans forward.

I can feel his breath on my face as he says, "I'm your RA."

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