The President's Daughter (Original) ✔️

17. Mr. President

Sia- Breathe Me

Hope's POV

Day 7.

It's been a week since my dad's been shot and it's been 6 days since I've started living at the hospital.

The White House has finally informed the world that their "former" President is still alive but in a coma. There has been mixed responses about it, a lot in support, but also some who's wishing him a quick death. I wonder what foreign leaders think of this mess and whether it'll affect my dad's presidency when he wakes up.

My mom is barely at the hospital, only showing up at odd hours of the night exhausted. Despite my father being on a hospital bed, she's managed to be strong for the family, assuring the world that their President is tough enough to survive this. She's been spending a lot more time at the bunker for who-knows-what, and have been attending meetings with the "president." I just can't accept the fact that Andrew Rodriguez is the president now. It isn't fair.

And it's been overwhelmingly lonely. I'm not allowed to go to school, to call anyone (My phone had been confiscated from my bag that I took to the beach), to open the windows nor even be near it in the first place, I can't even take the elevator down a floor. I must remain on the same floor, or I can be at the White House. I'm only allowed to see Yalimar and Cellie because they're pretty much family and no one can deny them. And even then, their phones get confiscated upon arrival. They've been pretty nervous about even stepping out ever since my mother assigned Secret Service to guard them. My mom argues that since they're widely known as my friends, it's likely for them to become targets as well. They've sent me silly cards my classmates and teachers had made and a personal card from Jaliyah, who's actually sweet when she needs to be.

But my usual companions are books. Books upon books. I must be annoying, requesting books at such a time like this. But it's my way of escaping this reality and relishing in someone else's misery and drama instead of focusing on mine. I can't even change the channel of the TV in fear that I might miss something on the news.

It's been hell holding my breath. I don't want to think about the fact that the doctors had told us he may never wake up. So I sit there and read aloud, hoping he can hear me. At least that way I don't feel as helpless and hopeless. Such irony, as that was the opposite intention for my name.

I'm reading the final ending of Harry Potter to my dad when a knock sounds behind the door.

"Come in."

"Here's your lunch, ma'am," A secret agent informs me as he hands me a paper bag. My only source of food is when the White House cook prepares it (under the scrutiny of Secret Service, of course) or if secret agents arrive at a restaurant beforehand and watch them until they're done preparing. Especially at a time like this, they want to make sure no one is still targeting my family.

"Just Hope," I say for the umpteempth time even though I know he won't budge. "Thanks."

He quietly closes the door behind him. I dig in the bag to find a milkshake, burgers, and fries. It has been my normal food since being at the hospital.

I take a sip of the milkshake and freeze. It's the same exact taste from Terrain Tops. I look at the burger and realize the wrapper has the Terrain Tops logo on it. A pang hits my chest and my eyes start to burn. Thinking about him is hard enough. Plus the fact that Reynolds had gone to his home and he flat out refused to see me hurts more than I could possibly imagine.

But I know I deserve to wallow in this pain. I lied to him the entire relationship, what else did I expect?

I glance up at the TV screen and see a picture of Andrew Rodriguez. I grab the remote and turn on the volume.