Chapter Two
Candice
I was used to being noticed. Not because of who I was, but because of my parents. Although, some people told me it was also because of my looks but I battled to believe this. Nevertheless, as I walked across the quad at college, I saw heads turning my way.
“You’re a pretty girl; why do you think they look at you?” Angie had told me once when I’d complained about it. Angie was an old friend of my family. The two of us had always gotten along but we’d lost touch over the last year when she found a boyfriend and moved to another city. It was a pity, because I didn’t have many friends to begin with.
I had laughed. “Angie, it has nothing to do with my looks. It’s only because I was in the newspaper and magazines. And don’t tell me you didn’t see it. They ran like three pages about my family in that one. Why they insisted on putting me in it, I will never know.”
Angie had nodded, but I could see that she didn’t understand. I knew that she was just thinking I should be grateful for my lot in life. And I was, for the most part.
I loved my parents, but coming from such a high profiled political family had its downfalls. And it wasn’t just about everyone looking at me, but also about the pressure I felt because of it. I had never wanted to go to this school. I knew how it looked. I knew that they all thought I didn’t belong. But I’d long ago learned how to tune out the stares and the whispers. It could be worse, I always told myself; I could be the child of a famous actor and actress. Although, my father was so outspoken that it sometimes felt like living with a celebrity. I often found myself hanging with the people at school that had no interest in politics, just so that I didn’t feel like they were constantly watching me. If my father did anything, it always made me feel like I was the one that had done it.
I made my way across the field and spotted Derek in the distance. It bothered me that my heart didn’t skip a beat when I saw him the way I knew it should. I kept telling myself that it was because I didn’t believe in love, and that lust only lingered in the beginning. But I wasn’t sure anymore. I’d seen far too many people in love for me to truly turn my head from it. I wasn’t even sure why I felt this way. He was a nice guy. He was certainly very good looking. A tall, athletic baseball player. Who wouldn’t want a boyfriend like him? I knew that some of the girls were jealous of me because of it, and I knew I should be more grateful for what I had. Maybe it had nothing to do with poor Derek at all. Maybe it had everything to do with me. Maybe I just wasn’t ready for a serious relationship.
Derek was exactly where he said he was going to be. He had promised to wait for me by the big oak tree in front of the school grounds so that I didn’t have to go in alone. The first day of anything was never a good feeling, and at least I had him by my side. I’d been to the school before, to see him, but it was different coming here as a student myself. I felt so much more exposed. So much more vulnerable.
He smiled when he saw me, picked me up, and swung me around. A girl walked by and giggled, while another looked on in jealousy. I smiled back, pretending to like the affection. But I couldn’t help but feel embarrassed. The last thing I wanted to do on my first day at the school was to stick out like a sore thumb. I wanted to hide in the shadows and figure out where my place was. It was already harder for me knowing that people knew who I was. Now I was the girl with the famous father who was showing off with her handsome boyfriend on her first day of school.
“First day. Welcome to the most amazing college in town,” he said. “How are you feeling?” he asked.
I smiled. Nodded. “Good. I’m fine.” Fake smile. Fake words. I didn’t want him to know how worried I really was. I didn’t like people knowing my fears. Not even my boyfriend. I knew that I walked around with a wall around me, but I couldn’t help myself. It was just who I was. I had always been very wary of the people around me. The political world had shown me that you couldn’t trust everyone around you, even those that you call your friends. My parents had been hurt by people close to them, and I had always promised myself that I would never let that happen to me. I would always be one step ahead of everyone.
“Good, you’ll do great. I’ll take you to the dean first, and from there you can go to your classes. If you want, I can skip my first class to show you around. I really don’t mind at all. Nothing like skipping class just so that I can show off my pretty girlfriend to people.”
I shook my head in horror. “No!” I said a little too loudly. He looked at me strangely. “No,” I said again. My voice had softened. “I’m fine. Thanks, Derek. That’s sweet of you. But I’ll be fine.”
“I’ve told so many people about you coming here,” he said.
I groaned. “Oh no. Why? I told you that I wanted to stay low on the radar for a while until I get used to the place.”
He laughed. “Oh, come on, how can you blame me? My hot girlfriend is going to be at school with me? I had to tell someone. And not just any girl. The famous daughter.”
I smiled. “I’m not famous. My dad isn’t even famous.”
“He is to some people. He is to me. People should pay more attention to politics. This stuff is important. Anyway, I’m just giving you a compliment.”
“I know. Thank you. But you shouldn’t have.”
“And now you can come and watch me play baseball.”
“I’ve come to watch you before,” I said.
“I know. But it’s different now. You’re a part of the school. You can watch all my games. Even my training. There is a specific spot in the stands where you will get the best view of the field. I’ll show it to you the next time that we’re out there. You won’t regret it.”
I had no idea why he thought that would be a good idea. I didn’t even really like baseball, although I didn’t tell him that. Also, he wasn’t even that good at it. He was okay, but he wasn’t the star or anything. I don’t think he realized it, though. I had a feeling he thought the team would fall apart without him. There was something sweet and annoying about his confidence. I couldn’t decide which I thought it was. He talked all the way until we got to the office, talking about why he thought it was a good thing that I was at the school. Everything he said was basically an echo of what I had heard from my own father. Sometimes I wondered if he even had a thought of his own. Everything he said matched my father’s words.
“Okay,” he said, looking down at me. “This is it, then. Good luck on your first day. I’ll see you soon. You’ll be fine. I love you.”
I smiled up at him. He was being so nice to me, so why then was I so annoyed with him? Why did I wish that he wasn’t there? I knew why. I wasn’t in love with him. I knew it the moment I heard him tell me that he loved me. This time I didn’t say it back. I hoped he thought it was just because I was too nervous. I waved at him and walked into the office.
I spent the next half an hour with the dean as he ran through my schedule and gushed about how happy he was to have me in the college. I felt annoyed again, and once again I forced myself to smile. I knew that not everyone got a meeting with the dean and I didn’t know why I had to be so different. I hated it when people treated my family like they were royalty. There was nothing special about us. My father would be upset if he knew that I was having these thoughts. We’d already had the discussion before.
“So what? Just because other people are trying to get in, doesn’t mean you can’t. Also, I worked hard to get to where I am. I’m not well known for no reason, Candice. I’m well known because of what I do and what I have done to get to where I am. If I can get my daughter into the finest college in the country, then there is nothing wrong with that. Why shouldn’t I be allowed to do that? Aren’t you happy that you are going there?”
I wasn’t, not really. But I didn’t want to fight anymore. So I told him that I was just being difficult and that I really was grateful for everything. Thankfully, he didn’t seem to notice that I didn’t really mean it.
I thanked the dean and made my way to my first class. He had given me a small map explaining to me where I had to go. I found it easily and quickly made my way to the back of the class before it filled up. I didn’t want anyone to notice me.
A petite girl with long dark hair sat next to me. She smiled at me but didn’t seem to recognize me, and I immediately felt hope wash over me. On the other side of me was a good-looking guy who looked like he spent more time on his hair than anything else. Even while the teacher spoke, I noticed his hands kept moving towards his head, making sure that his hair was still in position. The class was good, and the lesson was interesting. More interesting than I thought it was going to be. Mostly, nobody seemed to notice me. Afterwards, I made my way to my second class, and then to my third. In my third class, the teacher spotted me and decided to make me stand up in front of everyone while he introduced me. My cheeks had burned, and I had looked towards my feet to avoid all the eyes that had glared my way. I heard them whispering as I made my way back to my table. Why couldn’t my father just be like everyone else’s? He was a hardworking man with an impressive career, but sometimes I just wished he was a plumber or an accountant. Someone just as important but in a completely different way.
The classes had gone well, for the most part, but as I made my way back to my dorm, I realized that not one person had come up to talk to me. I had never been good at making friends before, but I figured that someone would at least come and welcome to the school. They must’ve known that I would’ve been nervous. I felt annoyed at that. But, as with everything in my life, I didn’t need anyone but myself. I would prove to them that I was worthy of being in the school. If there was one thing, I had learned from my father it was that hard work got you places, and I was more than prepared to put that hard work in. I would just have to ignore the looks that came my way. I was used to them. Soon, people would get used to me.
My phone beeped, and I saw that I had a message from Derek. He had been called into an emergency meeting with the coach. Some pep talk that was compulsory, and he couldn’t meet up with me like he wanted to. I replied back and told him that it was fine. I said I was tired anyway and that I had a lot of work to get through. I have to catch up with everyone, so busy, and so tired. Don’t worry, I’ll see you tomorrow, I typed back. I felt guilty the moment I sent the message. I wasn’t tired at all. I just felt like being alone.
I looked in the little mirror and sighed. I didn’t even look much like my photo from the magazine anymore. But a haircut could only change a person so much. I was my father’s daughter, but I was also my own person. I felt more determined than ever to make something of myself.