The President's Daughter (Original) ✔️

24. Promise

Sia- Breathe Me

Astrid S- 2 AM

Damien's POV

I'm stuck in traffic and rain has begun to fall, but for the first time in my life, I don't care. It's the most fun I've ever had, period. I find myself laughing at odd moments as I maneuver through the sea of cars.

My phone rings and I check to see that it's Hope. I grin and pick up the call, her voice loud in the car's speakers.

"Damien."

"Hey, kid." I laugh at my own stupid joke. "What's up?"

There's silence and I check to make sure she didn't hang up.

"Hope?" I hear heaving and crying on the other end. I frown and park the car at the next turn. "What's wrong, baby?" Did she get in trouble? I wouldn't be surprised if the president is a strict dad.

"We need to break up."

My heart stops. "What? Why?"

"I'm sorry."

"Hope, talk to me. I thought we were good?"

"I... I can't do this. I thought I forgave you but I don't." She stutters. What the hell? I thought we had gone past that.

"Is it your dad?"

"No."

"Hope, I don't understand." I shut my eyes and grit my teeth. "You can't do this." She's full on crying now. Nothing is making sense. "What about our promise?"

"I'm not breaking our promise," She says. I frown. What does that even mean?

"Hope-" The line cuts off suddenly, but when I call back, it goes straight to voicemail. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" I hit the steering wheel repeatedly. Where did it go wrong? None of this is making sense. I should've told her I love her long ago. I should've told her I love her more than I did today. I think back to every exchange we had today.

Where the hell did I go wrong?

Hope's POV

I couldn't sleep. At all. I was too anxious, too depressed to even close my eyes. My body is numb, my eyes dry from shedding tears for hours. Even though I refused to show up for dinner, I can't even feel the hunger.

I purposely didn't set my alarm. But it didn't matter anyway. Half an hour after 7, my mom knocks on my door. When I don't answer, she peeks her head in. "Hope you were supposed to wake up at 7. Hope." She repeats when I continue to stare at the ceiling, what I've been doing since last night.

I feel the bed shift under her weight. "Hope." Her voice softens. "I'm sorry. Talk to me."

I turn my head to look at her. "Where were you last night? He made me break up with him and you didn't even say a word."

"I agree with everything he said. I wasn't going to defend you. A parent's job is to worry about the safety of their child every time they step out of the house. Imagine what I was feeling after you was shot. You almost died, Hope. Do you not get it? You have secret agents to protect you and what you did was very irresponsible."

"So would you rather I be miserable my entire life, mom? Did it mean I had to break up with him? Ground me, fine. But what dad made me... what you both made me do was out of line."

"Nothing is out of line if it means keeping you safe."

"You know he isn't dangerous." I sit up so I'm facing her directly. "And you know the truth? If anyone's the bad influence, it's the Bush twins. They're the one that manages to escape secret agents whenever they can. Why don't you lecture them?" My voice is shrill and I sound childish but I don't care.