The President's Daughter

Chapter Forty-Nine: Forgive but Not Forget

Chapter Forty-Nine: Forgive but Not Forget

“Don’t people ever get tired of the same colors of froot loops?” I mumbled, to myself. Swirling around the four remaining froot loops in my bowl. “Honestly, change it up a bit.” I sighed, finishing up my last few bites and drinking the remaining milk left in my bowl.  

“Hey Alice,” I looked up from my bowl to see Thomas stroll into the breakfast room. “How you feeling?”

I shrugged, lately Thomas has been really concerned with my feelings. It has been three weeks since I left the house and every single day he would ask me how I was doing. He was also being strangely nice to me, like I was a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

“You know you don’t have to ask me every single day how I am doing.” I said, to him. “I am feeling a lot better now. Honest, to God.” I said, raising up my right hand and placing it over my heart.

“Alright, whatever you say sis.” He muttered, not believing me.

I shook my head, “No. I am serious, I am even thinking of going back to school and getting some knowledge implanted in this brain of mine.”

“You’re actually going to go back? That’s great!” He said, looking genuinely happy for me.

“Yeah. But, not the school you are thinking of. I am coming back to homeschooling.”

“What? Why wouldn’t you just go back to school? Real school, the place where you can socialize with other human beings.” Thomas said, not looking very happy with my decision now.

“Thomas,” I began. “I socialize enough here, why would I want to go and socialize out there? In the real world?”

My brother just slapped his hand on his forehead in return. “Something is really wrong with this generation.” He muttered, to himself.

“Look Thomas, if you think that I am actually going back to where Ben, Holly and Gavin are. Than for a smart kid you are pretty stupid because there is no way in hell that I am stepping foot in that school ever again.”

Marco came into the breakfast room, placing Thomas’ orange juice and eggs in front of him. Not saying a word as he left the room with his head down.

Thomas turned back to look at me, “Did you know that statistics show that around 72 million kids are not in school?”

“Okay?” I responded, not knowing where he was going with this.

“Don’t you realize that some children dream of going to school? They would kill to be in your position and have the opportunity that you have.” Thomas continued on. “Don’t you ever stop and realize that I am one of those children too?”

My eyes widened, slightly. “Thomas,” I called out to him, as he just got up from his chair taking his breakfast with him and walking out of the room without a backwards glance.

I just stared at the spot my brother once sat, looking at it for a couple of minutes. I think I knew what I had to do.

*

“Dad?” I asked, knocking on the door to the oval office.

The situation felt all too familiar.

“Yeah, that is fine. No, no. you just do your job and I will do mine and I will get it sorted it as soon as possible.” My dad looked, at me as he continued to speak on the phone. “Yes, I will be meeting with him in the next few days so don’t worry about it.” He nodded his head, “Alright thank you. Alright, goodbye now.” My father said, hanging up the phone.