The Stars in Her Eyes

Madame President

Author's P.O.V.

She stared at the dusty, red book in her hands. The book has always seemed to go on and on about things they could and could not do. It seemed unreasonable to have so many rules for just one city out of billions that possibly existed around the globe. She had heard of other cities and the centuries before their time, but they never taught the kids everything about those cities or those times. They always taught them about war, the presidents, and what they had to know. They had to know to respect their government, to respect their presidents, and to respect the armed soldiers that patrolled the city during the day and night. She opened the book, feeling her father looking at her from across the huge library.
"Clementine, are you reading The Rule Book?" He asked, his voice deep and honeyed.
"Yes." She forced a smile, making it seem as though she loved her city. "The Rules say to read the book once a week, so I'm just doing it now!" He gave her a proud look and returned his gaze back to his work as he still sat at his oak desk.
"Ah, I'm sure Madame President will be happy to hear that." He stated as he typed something onto his holographic computer. "She hopes you become the next president when she decides to retire, you know." Clem snapped her head up and look at him, her eyes widening.
"Really?!" She asked, her voice filled with disbelief. "That can't be true... You must be joking." He let out a deep chuckle as he stopped typing. He tapped his wrist, making a hologram of Madame President appear. 
"Let me hit play on the video and I'll show you the proof." He remarked, tapping play as she continued to stare in disbelief.

"Madame President, how lovely to see you again!" Her father's voice filled the library, seeming to bounce off the walls and hit Clementine directly as she sat there, stunned. "How are the children?" She gave him a smile as she finished typing something on her holographic computer.
"Charles and Victoria are doing quite well." She replied, her voice soft but genuine. "They both got  promoted, I'm extremely proud of them." Clementine watched the screen, seeing her father smile and congratulate The President on having such intelligent and hardworking children. 
"Ah, my Clementine got promoted the other day! She's going to be the best doctor there is one day, I can sense it!" He beamed, his holographic self smiling as though he were about to cry from how proud he was. "I'm so proud of her... Martha is as well."
"I'm proud of her as well, but I do hope she'll give up being a doctor, one day." Clementine silently gasped, her ears not wanting to believe in what she had just heard. Was she that bad at being a doctor? "She would be an amazing president, even better than my Victoria." Her eyes felt like they were going to pop out of her skull if she continue to stare at the screen.

Her father turned off the hologram, obviously not wanting her to hear the rest of their confidential conversation.
"See? She adores you and thinks you could go on to do amazing things!" Her father exclaimed, giving her his signature smile. She smiled back, realizing that visiting him was a huge mistake. Right now, she could be in her cozy and nicely decorated apartment that she shared with Victoria and their corgi. She could be cuddling with Victoria while watching a movie on their TV, but here she was spending time with the man that always seemed to be busy.
"Father, you know I love being a doctor." He frowned, his eyes filled with the disappointment she was all too familiar with seeing when she was still in school. "And you know, I was never very good at politics when I was in secondary school." He let out a sigh before looking up at her.
"I know." He spoke, disappointment consuming his face. "Your mother and I were always gifted with politics, but the one child we have, ironically, isn't gifted in it. Our child is gifted in the medical category, of course." She sat there in the plush, red chair not knowing how to reply. Minutes passed by and still not a word had been uttered.
"I think I'll be going. Victoria's probably waiting for me." She interjected as she grabbed her black cardigan and put it over her light blue dress shirt. She quickly cuffed the sleeve before saying a soft bye and heading out the doors and down the long hallway that eventually lead to the front door.

She twisted the doorknob tightly, letting her anger out onto the inanimate object before she left the apartment complex. She didn't want the press thinking there was something newsworthy about her suddenly.
"So you were going to leave without saying hello to me?" A voice asked from behind her. "I'm your mother and the Vice President, so I think I should get some respect." Clem softly sighed and turned around to see her mother standing in the kitchen, still looking the same as she had the last time she saw her. Dark brown hair up in a tight bun, pearl earrings decorating her slim facial features, a black, skintight dress clinging to her body, and heels that always matched her outfit.
"Hello, Mother." Clementine honeyed her voice as she spoke, desperately just wanting to leave. "I thought you were busy, so I didn't want to bother you." Her mother gave her a grin as she walked towards her, her heels clicking against the tilted-floor.
"I'm never too busy to see my Clem!" She beamed, using that voice she usually used at the workplace. The voice that made her seem like an angel that could do no wrong; a voice that made her seem perfect. Clementine had always wondered if what her mother's real voice sounded like. Was it monotone? Was it soft? She knew she might never know the answer, but that didn't make her any less curious. Her parents hide behind masks as does everyone in Aelston, it's what they all do best.