The Candidate ✓ (Book Two)

Chapter Six

  "Marisol?"

  "I have nothing to say to you." She replies.

  "Fine- the just.. listen. You saw that David's other picks for Vice President were men, I just wanted to make this a historic election and... if he and I do win, help fix the problems this world still has. That's it. Me running has nothing to do with you." I continue.

  "Christ Lauren- whether you realize it or not, it does. I mean- a former First Lady running on the opposing ticket from the fucking Vice President under her spouses administration? That's some bullshit and you know it. It's the only reason you called me in the first place, right?"

  "Marisol-"

  "And while we're at it, every fucking election doesn't have to be historic!"

  "An election pool like this might've never came again!" I yell. "Shit- a former Vice President/ President  and the last remaining blood descendant of Abraham Lincoln on the same ticket? A former senate majority leader and First Lady on the other? In case you haven't realized, that's a big fucking deal!"

  "No shit- but if you hadn't decided to run my win would've been almost guaranteed! There could have been an elected female president in 2032 and that's historic enough! Did you think about that?"

  "Marisol-" she hangs up on me.

  She's right and wrong at the same time. Welp- there goes that friendship. Oops. We're supposed to meet Joseph at the airport in an hour, so I give up on trying to stay friends with my political opponent- at least for now.

  I slip the same flats on I've worn almost every day for a year and go downstairs to Kyle and Mina. We wait on the motorcade to be prepared for a few minutes before we're allowed to get in- and on the way there, Mina can't stay still. She's like this when she's excited, nervous, or both.

  He might as well be her only living blood relative, after all. Her fathers execution date is set for later this year- thought right now, it's looking like it's going to be delayed for another year while his lawyer tries to argue that the death penalty is unconstitutional. Spoiler alert- it's not, but the courts still have to entertain his arguments.

We're at the airport in ten minutes- way too early, so I decide to- despite the secret service's protests, walk to the public terminals and talk to people while Kyle and Mina wait in the VIP lounge. It was built after Williams's administration, and is only open to former presidents and their families, retired high ranking government officials, and current government officials from other countries. Every now and then, senators and representatives are given the clearance to be in there- currently though, the only one whose high profile enough is Ally. Sometimes I swear she's on drugs, because she's always happy, and her skin is always perfect- even after the house has pulled all nighters.

Today though- it'll just be us in there, with the exception of secret service and airport security. I don't know what I was expecting when I walked out into the general area of the airport, but everybody stops to look at me and some whisper to those with headphones in to look up.

"Lauren Wells?" One says. "What are you doing out here?"

I smile. "Well I had a little bit of free time- figured I'd use it to talk to voters. Tell me- who do you plan on voting for?"

"I like... all four of you." The woman replies. "And it's early so... I'm undecided." A few seem to nod their heads in agreement.

"So what... particular issues do you agree and not agree with the two parties on?" I ask.