The early spring sun is shining brightly today. Not a cloud in the sky and only a slight breeze, the weather signals the calm transition from cold to warm; the perfect day for a picnic. So, Henry and Alex seize this opportunity to feast on fruit and turkey sandwiches in the park, just the two of them. Just the two of them, the Secret Service, and the paparazzi, and their adorable fans, of course. A nice, calm, private picnic for two (hundred) people.
"How could we forget we were famous?" Henry says through a forced smile and gritted teeth for the cameras under the shade of the trees in the park.
"That's funny, because I completely forgot that the White House, where I happen to live, has a private garden away from the cameras that we could make out in." Alex responds.
"Well, we could make out here just the same, it'd just get a lot more attention than if we were snogging in your garden." Henry snipes back.
"Don't tempt me." Alex responds.
Alex and Henry sit through an obligatory hour of fake foreign policy conversation in front of the cameras and public, dropping subtle, unnoticeable-to-the-press hints for Henry to cut the picnic short for their boredom's sake.
"Alright everyone, I'm sorry to say that we have to get going now, but it was great to get out and see you all today!" Henry shouts, as Alex hurriedly packs everything into the basket and hurtles into the car.
"Love you all so much!" Henry hollers out the window.
In the car, Henry and Alex are both seated in the back row, and Alex signals to the driver to roll down the barrier between the front and back seats. Alex turns his body in his seat to face Henry, and Henry does the same to Alex. Their eyes meet instantly and lock for a silent and intense minute before Alex breaks it.
"What Star Wars movie are we watching when we get home?"
"That's why we just ditched a perfectly good photo op?" Henry jokes. Alex keeps his eyes locked in the same place even as Henry glances away out the window. Henry looks out the window for a minute before tracing his eyes back to Alex.
"What, you're serious right now?"
"Henry, babe, we're talking about Star Wars. When we're talking about Star Wars, assume it's serious." Alex responds like a teacher to a student.
Five minutes later, they're back at the White House.
"Hey, I have to pee, I'll meet you upstairs in five." Henry says to Alex as he jogs up the stairs to the second floor bathroom.
"Okay!"
As Alex makes popcorn in the kitchen, Henry jiggles the bathroom door handle, but finds it's locked.
"Just a second, I'm washing my hands!" comes an unmistakably familiar voice, one Henry happens to despise. It's the voice of United States Secretary of Education Karla Ringer. Before Henry has even a chance to react, he's practically thrown off his feet.
BOOM!
He wasn't forced there by a bomb, but he forced himself there at the sound of a bomb. Seconds later, Secret Service agents flood the hallway, kick in the door of the bathroom, shove Henry in, and lock the door. All alone, with Secretary Ringer.
YOU ARE READING
Red, White, And Royal TWO
General FictionThis sequel starts the morning after the election, where Alex and Henry wake up in Texas. There's a lot of change happening around Alex, with his mom starting her second term, June getting serious about writing, Nora starting her new job with FiveTh...
