The President's Daughter by David Dower (if you liked this book txt) 📕

“And thanks for the delicious cookies!” I said to Barbra.

“It was nice meeting you two, Alice.” Roy spoke for the first time in a long time, he was pretty occupied by his phone.

“Well, I hope to see you guys around!” I said turning around giving them a wave, and proceeding to walk out of the kitchen.

“Alice?” I heard Ben’s mom call after me, I turned around looking her dead in the eye. “Yes?”

“I know what is going on with you and Ben, he never told me personally. But by the way he talks about you, I could tell he really likes you.” She said smiling at me, “Just promise me one thing?”

I nodded my head, managing to give her a small smile. “Sure, what is it?”

“Please, just don’t go breaking his heart.”

I slowly nodded my head, “I promise.” I choked out, but the truth was I knew someone was going to end up heartbroken, Holly, Ben or me. I just didn’t know how I could prevent it… Chapter Twenty-Three: Coffee & Rainbows

“From the top you two,” Sarah instructed to Gavin and I.

I let out a sigh, walking over to where Gavin was standing. “Can we please take a break? My feet are killing me,” I said complaining.

“Not until you two, get this part down. What is so hard, that you can’t do a simple eight count?” Sarah questioned looking at me.

“If it so easy how come I have to do it?” I retorted crossing my arms over my chest and huffing.

I know I sounded like I was a whiny baby, and I probably am. But, we’ve been at the same part for the last half an hour and I was becoming restless.

“Do you want to sing?” Sarah asked interrupting me from my thoughts.

“No,” I grumbled crossing my arms over my chest.

Since we were a group of three, we decided to do something a little different and giving the whole dance assignment our own touch on it. Sarah suggested that since it was an odd number that we would have two of us dancing while the other one sang. I was against that whole idea, at first cause I knew I would end up dancing with the bad boy himself. However, I was outnumbered.

“Good. From the top, please.” She said pointing at Gavin to get up from his position and the floor.

I stood next to Gavin placing one hand on my waist and the other hand on top of my head, as the beat of Paramore’s Ain’t it Fun blasted through the speakers.

As the song progressed I continued to do the dance moves that Sarah and Gavin had choreographed together. I tried to take part in it, but apparently I can’t dance and my ideas are lame- words of Gavin. So they decided to leave me out of it. I was a bit pissed off at first then I realized it meant less work for me.

“Where you’re from,” The singer’s voice blasted from the speakers. “You might be the one who’s running things,” I did the routine as I was told running up to Gavin and pushing on his chest. As he backed away once, then grabbing my hand and spinning me around. “Well you can ring anybody’s bell to get what you want.” The next verse was sang, as I pulled away from Gavin trying to escape from his embrace.

The story of the dance was basically about a boy- AKA Gavin, who only thought about himself. He was self-centred, selfish and impatient. He then on meets this girl AKA me, who basically gives him a reality check soon enough, he falls for her and wants her but she is giving him a run for his money and giving him a tough time. When Sarah first pitched the story to us, we thought we would be playing different roles but when she told us what Gavin’s role was, in the dance. I made a joke how he didn’t have to play a role for this dance, in return he gave me the finger.

“So what are you going to do when nobody wants to fool with you?” The next verse of the song rang out from the speakers.

“Cut!” Sarah said over the music waving her right hand up, her eyes directed at her phone, she then went over to the speakers turning off the music.

“What now?” Gavin asked, breathlessly. “I think that was the best one so far, considering Miss Two Left Feet, here didn’t fall once.”

I directed a glare at Gavin, “The other two weren’t my fault.”

Gavin raised his eyebrows at me, “Really? So you just happened to step on me three times, fall on me twice, and hit me in the face about a gazillion times.”

I let out a snort, “You are overreacting.” I said waving my hands dismissingly.

“And you are an accident waiting to happen, oh wait it already has.” Gavin retorted smugly.

“I might be an accident, but at least I am not a mistake.” I said to him, smiling sweetly.

In return Gavin just narrowed his eyes at me, he opened up his mouth to speak but Sarah cut him off.

“Look, you two. I have to go and babysit my brothers so please work on the dance.” Sarah told us, as she grabbed her bag from the floor hoisting it up to her shoulders.

“Yeah, that’s not happening.” I stated.

“I, for once agree with this nerd, I can’t be seen with her. It will ruin my reputation.” Gavin whispered.

I rolled my eyes, “Reputation, my ass.” I muttered.

“Look, Gavin. I know you have gone out with Ali a couple of times. So please, just go and get some coffee or something.” Sarah said her eyes darting to the two of us.

“Why?” I said speaking up.

“Because you guys need to work on your chemistry together. You guys have it, but it’s buried underneath all that annoyance and hatred with each other.”

“I know we have chemistry,” Gavin said smirking a little. “We have it every day together second period with Mr. Kelly.”

Sarah just rolled her eyes at his lame joke, “Whatever. I will see you guys tomorrow.” She said waving at the two of us and heading out the door of the dance studio.

I sighed impatiently as I watched the door of the dance studio shut. I then looked at Gavin who was staring at me with a weird look on his face. However I ignored it, grabbing my bag from the corner of the room and proceeding to walk out. There was no way I was going to waste my Saturday having a coffee or doing anything that related Gavin and I alone. If I remember correctly the last time we went out somewhere together I was almost raped, and considering my dad made me take martial arts when I was younger it was quite embarrassing.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Gavin asked me.

“Home,” I stated. “Sarah is nuts if she thinks I am going to be hanging out with you willingly. The last two times we hung out I was forced. Not this time, buddy.” I said to Gavin who was watching me with amused eyes.

“It’s just coffee, what’s the harm?” Gavin questioned me grabbing his own bag and walking towards me.

“The harm? If I remember correctly but you were against hanging out with me two seconds ago. Remember apparently you have a reputation to keep.”

“I do,” Gavin said nodding his head. “I will just say that I am hanging out with you, cause of a project or something.”

I let out a sigh, “You’re ridiculous and rude.”

“I know I am. It’s all part of the charm,” Gavin said smirking at me giving me a quick wink. I let out a chuckle, rolling my eyes at the boy’s attempt to flirt. “So, Ali would you be a gem and do the pleasure of saying yes to agree to go on a coffee date with me?”

I raised my eyebrows at Gavin, “Sarah said all we have to do is get coffee she said nothing about us dating. Or even going for a coffee date. It is merely just two people getting some coffee and seeing if they have chemistry.”

Gavin’s face crunched up in confusion, “That’s a date…” He spoke slowly.

“No it’s not.” I stated.

“Yes it is.”

“No it’s not.”

“Yes it is.”

“Look I could stay here all day and argue with you, but I have to get home.” I spoke, opening the door of the dance studio and walking out leaving Gavin even more confused than he already was.

*

“So let me get this straight, Gavin asked you on a date and you rejected?” Holly asked confused.

I nodded my head slowly, my eyes focused on my phone. “Yup. Pretty much.”

“Why?” Holly asked, her tone of voice confused.

“What do you mean?” I said, my fingers tapping on my phone screen.

“Why didn’t you say yes?” She asked, as I felt her grab another piece of my hair.

I shrugged my shoulders, “God dammit.” I swore as the game ended with my bird dying. I swear the creators of flappy bird are stupid, they make the tunnels that the bird has to go through so small. No wonder I always end up dying.

“Well, if I was you I would call Gavin back up and agree to go out with him.”

“Why?” I said turning off my phone and giving up on the game, giving my full attention to Holly. “Weren’t you the one who told me to stay away from him? Why the sudden change?” I questioned, curiously.

“Well maybe Gavin is changing for the best…”

I let out a snort, “I doubt it. It’s so cliché why would a guy just change for a girl. It’s stupid and shallow.”

“Look if you don’t call him, I will. And I will tell him that you agreed to go on a date with him.” Holly said putting the curling wand down and grabbing her phone from her back pocket.

I rolled my eyes as I stared at Holly through the mirror. I watched as she scrolled through her phone, when she found what she was looking at her she gave me a quick wink before placing the phone to her ear.

I put the curling wand down as I turned the chair around to face Holly, she had a grin on her face. “Holly what are you doing?”

She shushed me as her brown eyes darted around the room, “Hello?” She said speaking to the phone, she waited for the response before she spoke up again. “It’s Holly,” She said. “Well the reason I was calling cause Ali, was too shy to call you, and wanted me to tell you that she would love to go out with you.” Holly said smirking at me.

I let out a bark of laughter as I stood up from the chair clapping, “Bravo, Holls. You really fooled me there, like I am honestly going to believe that is Gavin on the phone.” I said sarcastically walking over and grabbing the phone from her.

Holly’s eyebrows knitted in confusion as I took the phone away from her, “Ali what are you talking about that is Gavin…”

“Yeah, and I am Santa Claus.” I said sarcastically. “Hello?” I said into the phone.

“Isn’t Santa Claus supposed to be fat, have a white beard and smell like cookies? Cause I would have remembered if