If It Was Meant to Be

19

Barron (POV)
I wake up in the morning with an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. I am just tired of all this, all I want to do is go back to normal. Or at least my version of it. Leave the past in the past. Right where Paige Hyland belongs. I take a shower and go through my normal morning routine, with an exception today is the annual White House family portrait. Each president gets one per term. One by himself one with the First Lady and one with the whole family. Well the legitimate family that is. I go to my closet and see some have already picked out my outfit. Which is fine I don't really care. It is a classic black suit with an American flag pin. I walk out of the residency to the lobby before the Oval Office were I see Brooke pacing furiously. She was wearing a baby pink dress with a halter top and fit and flair siliot with her statement long black curly hair and silver bangles. Don't ask how I know this stuff I just spent a lot of time with my sister in meetings on her fashion line. You know, before all this.
"Hey." I say
"Good morning." She replies
"The family is eating breakfast upstairs. Want to come?"
"I don't think I'll be able to fit in this dress if I do." She sat
"Well I'd be happy to take it off for you." She looks at me like I'm crazy "Kidding" we both laugh
"Ok I guess some fruit wouldn't hurt but I swear if I even go near a croissant."
"You'll be fine, come on." We take the elevator upstairs at walk by the living room into the dinning room. I see my whole family at the table. I instinctually grab Brooke's and pull out a chair for the both of us. We are across Eric and Ivanka so this should be fun. Because they do have a history of feuding.
"So Barron's word on the street is that you got your first kiss. How cute." Ivanka said condescendingly.
"Please. My baby brother has probably gone a lot further than first base. Right baby bro." He says in his usual frat boy manner.
"Thousands of dollars of prep school and this is what we get." I whisper in Brookes ear as she elbows me in the side.
"Ah look how cute they are" Ivanka says
"Stop treating him like he's a little kid." Eric says
"Stop rushing him into stuff he's not ready for. I bet the boy hasn't even kissed her yet." Right then and there Brooke kissed me. Slowly it was sweet not to long I have to admit some part of me probably enjoyed it. But I knew it was all for show. A piece of tactical practical brilliance. We separate.
"My seventy five dollars." Eric says
"Your such a toddler " Ivanka mumbles as she pull out a stack of benjamins. After a few more minutes of chatting Tiffiny stands up. She's always been a drama queen so this should be fun.
"Family I just wanted to come here and tell you that I have not had ample time to get ready and therefore will not be in the family portrait." We all let out a small gasp but before we even have time to react Donald Trump.J speaks up.
"I also will not be joining. Because it seems I have scheduled a very important meeting at the same time. I apologize. I thought you deserved to hear this in person." And with that two very important family members leave hand in hand.
"Look I can't deal with this right now your father and I have some very important business to deal with downstairs" my moms say as her and my dad leave
"Yeah I have some work to finish up but I'll be here for the portrait, sorry baby bro." Hunter says
"And I have to look after the kids. I have to make sure they are ready for the nanny so that I can come." Ivanka adds. That leaves me and Brooke.
"Great just another thing to add to my to-do list." She says
"What are you talking about?" I say confused
"The press would have a field day if some of the members of the first family were missing"
"You say it as if it's not for good reason."
"Anything that comes out of this White House is not good."
"What should we do about it?"
"We are going to get them back."
"We only have an hour."
"That's plenty of time." We stand up and I just remember that Brooke is wearing a floor length gown. And probably heels underneath.
"Are you sure you want to wear those?" I say gesturing to her feet.
"Do you have size 8 white converse in the back of your closet?"
"No."
"Then I'll be fine."
"You know what. Excuse me." I say looking at a staff member "could you please get Brooke's what did you say 'size 8 white converse' from her house."
"Right way Mr Trump." She says scurrying of.
"That was unnecessary."
"That aside. Where do we start?"
"Well whenever my mom deals with a crisis at work she always tells her clients the 'golden rule' actually if I think about it the only rule."
"Which is?" At this point we are out of the dining room and walking downstairs into the hustle and bustle of Washington. Not gonna lie Brooke looks like she's in her element. She would make a good New Yorker.
"Do not lie."
"Easy enough."
"You'd be surprised" she says with a slight chuckle
"Who are we tracking down first?"
"Well I think our best course of action would have to be Tiffiney."
"Agreed."
"So who do you think would know where she gets her hair and nails done?" Brooke asks
"Most likely her secretary" I say
"Good idea which floor is she on."
"The fourth I believe." We walk to the for floor and see her office door. We open it to find a 22 year old at best manning the desk.
"Hello" I say she instantly stands up. Brooke walks in close behind me.
"Good morning Mr Trump" she nods her head towards me "Ms Ballard" she does the same to Brooke. I can tell Brooke wants to speak but I beatt her to the punch.
"Good morning I was just wondering if I could get Tiffany Trumps schedule."
"I wish I could but all schedules are confidential." The woman says
"I had I feeling you'd say that but come on... she's my sister and she isn't picking up her phone. So I just wanted to know she's ok. Maybe even see her for lunch?" She looks to be toying with the idea
"Ok but just this once. She will be at 'Tea Tree' café in about five minutes."
"Thank you" Brooke and I rush outside. To see a maid with Brooke's shoes. She hands them to her with a smile as Brooke takes of her heel and is now standing barefoot holding her sneakers.
"Are you sure you don't want to put those on now?"
"We don't have that kind of time." She says as we speed walk to the main entrance. She's right so against my better judgment I pick her up and made a mad dash for the door.
"We don't have time to wait for a car. And the café she was talking about is the one we went to yesterday. It's only a few minutes away from here." Brooke says as she holds onto my collar. "Also it would be a good idea to let me down before we walk inside." She finishes
"Are you embarrassed your boyfriend will see us." I say out of breath crossing the street right before the door. Brooke hopes off.
"Yes." Brooke says as she puts on her shoes and fluffs her hair and dress.
"You look fine." I say she gives me a knowing look and walks inside. I right away spot Tif and sit down at her table univitted.
"What are you doing here?" She whisper screams
"We have come to take you back for the portrait." Brooke says matching Tif's tone.
"I will not be immortalized looking like this." Tiffany says a bit louder. Just then a man walked in. I didn't pay much attention to him until he came to our table and kissed Tiffany square on the lips.

"Oh you in trouble now" I say as soon as the man who I learned name was Frederick went to the bathroom.
"If you want to continue breathing you won't tell. Every relationship I've ever had has been scrutinized by the press."
"And you think they wouldn't do it more if your not in the portrait" Brooke says
"It seems like a good idea at the time" she practically whispers.
"Come back with us. You can hang out with Frederick later." I say
" It's not that simple. We have very busy schedules. This is one of the only days we have together." Tiffany says.
"Tiffany we both know that we all have to make sacrifices and I'm really sorry this is yours." Brooke says
"I'll go to the portrait but I'm spending every minute before and after with Frederick."
"I can agree to those terms" I say as Brooke and I start to walk towards the door. Right before we make a clean getaway the waiter from yesterday comes up to us.
"Brooke I was hoping I would see you again." The waiter said
"Yeah I was gonna call you but I got sidetracked." She says
"Well I was wondering if I could talk to you in private?" The waiter asks
"Anything you can say to her you can say in front of me." I say but immediately regret because Brooke gives me the inevitable stink eye.
"I'm sorry are you to-" Brooke cuts of the waiter
"He has a girlfriend, her name is Paige Hyland."
"Oh. Ok... I was just gonna ask yesterday when we were talking... some people took pictures and they ended up all over the news. I'm not stupid I read a few of the articles and-"
"Please don't hate me. I thought you wouldn't like me if you knew what you were getting yourself into. And I totally get if you don't want to hang out anymore. I'll make sure to clear your record and you can go back to normal." Brooke says. It's weird hearing her talk like that. It's rare that she apologizes. She might actually like him and for some reason that makes me feel anything but happy.
"I don't think you get it. I still like you and the reason I wanted to talk to you was to ask if you wanted to go play mini golf." She stands there stunned. Before replying.
"Yes. Yes! I would love to. I'll see you at 6? I have to get a family portrait done. But then I'm free."
"Yeah that would be great. Now I know you got to go so I won't stop you." And with that we leave the café. We are walking outside when I decide to start talking.
"You seem happy." I say to Brooke as she uselessly fights a blush.
"Yeah. But enough about that. We need to find out what pictures he's talking about."
"We need to kill the stopped before it gets too big." I say
"But it isn't a little weird a little weird that we haven't seen these 'pictures' I mean all the news is talking about is us." Brooke says
"Do you think he's lying?" I say
"No I am just wondering what he saw that we missed." She says looking absolutely baffled.
"Ok well we have bigger problems to deal with than your boyfriend." I say
"Not my boyfriend. And your right. So Donald Trump Junior. What did he say he was doing again?"
"I think he said something about a meeting." I say
"Ok what is his job?" Brooke asked
"The thing is he doesn't have one. He basically mooches of our parents."
"Interesting... were to you suggest we look first"
"Sadly I think I know just the place."