This is Me Trying - A Designated Survivor Continuation (2021)

Chapter 2 - Aaron

Aaron steps backs out into the crowd from backstage, where he was able to have a minute to breathe. Barely. His head was still spinning from the last hour. It had just hit him that he was about to become the Vice President. Not of his Student Government back in college, but of the freaking United States.

Backstage, Tom had just reassured him that everything was going to be okay, as overwhelming as everything seemed, but in his head, he knew there wasn't going to be a calm before the storm anytime soon for the next four years.

He was looking forward to going back to his place so he could process everything that had just happened. The election, Isabel, the work he was in the middle of doing as the current National Security Advisor, when Tom tapped his back, snapping him out of his mental list of to-do's,

"we're celebrating our win at the Residence right after this, pass an invite along to Emily and Seth if you see them. Congratulations, Mr. Vice President."

Aaron had extended his hand to shake the President's, "thank you, Mr. Presid—" and before he had the chance to finish his sentence, Tom was whisked away by a Senator.

Aaron stood on the floor of the venue, scanning the crowd, hoping to see a familiar face. He knew he would be bombarded with the press sooner or later, but only one name was on his mind.

Emily Rhodes.

She would've known how to calm him down, and she always knew the right thing to say. She'd even be willing to walk him through his breakup with Isabel, despite everything that's happened. Emily was just too nice, and somehow, he always found comfort confiding in her.

Shit, Isabel.

Where was she? Did she even come tonight? If she didn't, it wouldn't have been a surprise. He was used to her not coming to his big moments by now.

He knew they may work out, especially after what happened in Florida, when the alcohol and emotions took over. Aside from their different views of their Hispanic culture, he knew there was something deeper that had nagged the both of them under the surface. When Isabel said those words out loud, he realized he wasn't the only one who felt that way.

He wasn't going to give up without one last fight, but those last words she said to him echoed in the back of his mind.

"You never took me seriously."

"It's so clarifying that this man who hardly knows me recognized something in me that my live-in lover never saw."

It stung like hell, but he knew she was right.

It felt like a slap in the face when the words "it's over" came out of her mouth. He shakes his head, checks his phone, and for once, there were no new messages.

God damn, where were Emily and Seth?