The President's Daughter (Original) ✔️

7. Out-Numbered, Out-Planned

Hamilton the Musical Soundtrack- Right Hand Man

Ariana Grande ft. Mac Miller- The Way

Hope's POV

I wake up from a dreamless sleep to see a three-worded text from my father.

Your school called.

I start to feel nervous as I contemplate what on Earth the school could be complaining about.

I send a good morning text to Damien, brush my teeth and shower before making my way down for coffee and toast. Today, I am alone since my mother is preparing for a meeting with Sahle-Work Zewde, the president of Ethiopia, in the Yellow Oval Room.

The food is ready for me at the table. I sulk while sipping my coffee in a too quiet and too large room, the feeling of loneliness pressing down on me.

I used to be an introvert and preferred being alone and reading a book rather than hanging out with friends. But ever since 8 months ago when I moved into this huge house and everyone is too busy to pay attention to say something more than a good morning, I started to feel unimportant and little. When the only heart beating and the only breath taken in the room is myself, it gets lonely very quickly. Even though I was always alone before, I never really felt like this before. Perhaps because I had a choice. I even relish the rides spent with Secret Service because it means someone to talk to.

By the time I'm done with breakfast, Damien finally texts back.

Sorry about the texts haha

are you always like that when you're high?

no this one was different. how'd you know i was high?

you called me

really? what did i say?

oh a lot of things...

oh no. tell me

I choose not to reply. Instead, I pick up Leaving Time and head over to the Solarium- basically the private living room- and read while I wait for 7:30 to arrive so that I can be driven to Grover University.

My phone rings constantly but I choose to ignore it. Mellie, the cleaner, gives me a side look as I laugh every time the ringing starts again.

It isn't until 7 that I remember the text my dad had sent. My dad's schedule typically begins at 7 after a workout and shower, so I figure he would be in his office about now. I head over to the West Wing and am greeted by Pristin Langford, my dad's assistant. Sure enough, she informs me that he's in the Oval Office and so I knock before entering.

"Morning, Dad." He looks up from a thick black booklet that reads Presidential Daily Brief, and under it reads his name, President Madison. It's highly classified documents about national security and intelligence given to the President and very other few officials every morning. I once tried to take a peek at it while my dad was on a call, and got grounded for a month. It was a perfect way to start my first week in the White House.

He places his reading glasses on the table, which he claims he only needed since "the words on these documents are too damn small." That information, however, stays in the House because apparently it makes him look weak to foreign countries. "Hey, gumdrop."

I choose to ignore the cringey nickname he gave me just to drive me insane. He's been calling me that ever since I was 6 and I was making fun of the nickname that I heard on TV. The joke stopped being funny when he was still calling me that well into my teenage years. But since he's saying it, then he's most likely not angry about this call.