Chapter 2 Dreams

• ~ Zoie’s POV ~
• Zoie ran down the stairs and her fingers were busily combing her hair. Her mom and dad were having breakfast out in the garden and it was a lovely summer’s morning. This would be the perfect time to ask the question, she figured. And doing it with her mom around would be a plus.
• For Zoie, Stanford meant more than just a college. It symbolized her chance for freedom. A new place. A new start. In California, no one needs to know that she’s the governor’s daughter. She could be whoever she wants to be.
• And be with whoever she wants to be with.
• That was another thing that she had to deal with growing up. There were absolutely no boys allowed. None. Her love life was drier than the Sahara Desert in August.
• It was hard enough as a teenage girl to communicate with boys in high school, imagine having two bodyguards follow you around everywhere? Obviously, you’re not gonna get invited to parties anymore. Don’t get her wrong. Zoie loves her family to death, but her dad’s zero social life policy was totally killing her vibe.
• And so, California was the only answer.
• “You’re not going to Stanford!”
• Damon said firmly as soon as Zoie mentioned the fact that she got into Stanford. Zoie was standing in front of the round table where her mom and dad were having breakfast. Damon didn’t even lift his eyes off the newspaper in his hand.
• “Dad! You’re being unreasonable!” Zoie exclaimed, crossing her arm in protest. She came over and was pleading softly to her dad, but being gentle seemed to not be working.
• “We’ve talked about this. My answer is no and that’s final!” Damon said sternly. “California’s too far away!”
• “It’s only a 6-hour plane ride away!” Zoie argued, moving across the table, passing her mom who just sat there in silence. “Everyone is going away for college. That’s nothing crazy! Why can’t I be like everyone else?”
• “Because you’re not just anyone. You’re my daughter,” Damon said as he sat back in his seat.
• He put the newspaper down and on the front page, there was a photo of him and Violet at last night’s charity gala. The headline read: Governor Attends the Ball with His Wife. Below the headline, it said: The event raised over $3 million for charity, all aided by the Governor’s closest friends. Just who are these people?
• “Dad!” Zoie pleaded as she stood in front of him. “Stanford is my dream school!”
• “But I’m paying for it and I say no!”
• “Okay, you two stop it!” Violet spoke up finally, yelling over her husband and daughter.
• Violet was in a tough position. On one hand, she understood where Damon was coming from. Zoie had lived a sheltered life all these years. They never left New Jersey and she always had her three older brothers to protect her. The plan after she graduated high school was to go to Princeton, a university just forty miles away from home.
• But knowing Zoie, she never wanted to follow her parents’ plan. Behind her parents’ back, she applied to Stanford and got in.
• Violet worried that Zoie wouldn’t know how to handle herself out there. The world can be a big and scary place, Violet knew full well of that. And even though Damon’s dark days were behind him, there was always a possibility that his enemies were still out there, waiting for an opportunity to strike. Especially now that he was in such a high position.
• But on the other hand… Violet also knew how hard Zoie had been working to get to her dream school. For the last four years, she dedicated her life to it. She got straight As in all her classes, ran for class president, did a lot of volunteer work, and even joined a team sport. All for this moment right here.
• “Mom…” Zoie pleaded, turning her puppy-dog eyes at her mom. “You know how much I wanna go to California… You know how hard I’ve been working to get there… It’s Stanford or nothing…”
• Violet couldn’t handle looking at Zoie like that. Zoie’s eyes were turning glassy like she was about to cry.
• “Damon…” Violet said, turning to her husband.
• “it’s not safe for her to be out there on her own,” he said sternly.
• “Maybe we can send someone with her?” Violet suggested.
• “I’m not going to college with a bodyguard! I’ll stick out like a sore thumb!” Zoie interjected.
• “I’ll think about it,” Damon replied, keeping his eyes on Violet and not at Zoie.
• “Are you serious? You’re gonna send a babysitter with me to college?!” Zoie waved her hand dramatically in front of her daddy’s face.
• “Zoie, if you want us to let you go to Stanford, you’ll have to cooperate with us,” her mother interjected this time. Meanwhile, Damon just kept a straight face.
• Zoie crossed her arms again and scoffed.
• “Ugh! This is so dumb!”
• “Zoie,” Violet scolded.
• Zoie rolled her eyes and uncrossed her arms dramatically.
• “Fine!” she sighed. “Anything as long as I can go to Stanford,”
• Zoie stretched out her hand and her mother shook it gladly.
• “Deal,” Violet said.
• Zoie kept her hand extended and waited for her dad to join in. Damon looked at her for a moment before rolling his eyes and shaking her hand too.
• Yes! Zoie exclaimed to herself, but she kept her cool on the outside.
• “So, who are you gonna send with me anyway?” Zoie asked as she looked around the guards guarding their home. Everyone was dressed in black suits, black shirts, and black sunglasses.
• Damon paused for a moment to think. Violet also turned to him, waiting for an answer.
• “I have someone in mind,” he said finally, sounding very secretive. “You’ll see,”
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• - - - - - To be continued - - - - -