Shawn Mendes- Imagination

Hope's POV

After the party ends at 1 am, Yalimar and I have a sleepover at Cellie's house as we always do after her parties. It's a good opportunity to get away from the White House, what with all the walking anxieties going up and down the house. It's not that I don't appreciate what the people in the House do for the country and for keeping us safe. It's that sometimes a different scenery once in a while could be healthy.

We were tired and exhausted from dancing and enjoying ourselves that we fell asleep quickly.

All except Cellie.

I swear that girl runs on energy. After about an hour of sleep she shakes us awake.

"I'm bored," She whines. Despite being annoyed, I can't help but enjoy myself when we start play fighting and bantering until 3 in the morning. Thanks to Cellie's parents ordering us to sleep so they can, I was able to rest again.

When I wake up to Cellie screaming in my ear, I recall that I had a dream.

This time it wasn't a nightmare. It was the guy from last night's party. Damien. The name ranged 'player,' but of course I was stereotyping. As I brush my teeth and make my way downstairs, I couldn't stop thinking about his eyes. Or that horrible smirk.

After breakfast, we plan what we're going to buy at the mall. Not that any of it matters because once you walk into it, a million different things catches your eyes. It was a thirsty minute drive but going in the morning is less busier, so we rush.

I'm finished before the others so I check online and sure enough, an article has already been posted about Yalimar and I at the party.  Hope Madison and Yalimar Reyes pranked yet again.

The article reads: Hope Madison and best friends Celestina Montgomery and Yalimar Reyes have made the rounds on the internet yet again. Celestina is widely known for the crazy pranks pulled at her infamous parties. Videos have surfaced in the past where a certain dress code is announced and others who aren't aware dresses in a complete different fashion, making them the laughingstock on the internet. For once, Celestina has gotten the details of her own party, leaving Hope and Yalimar and a few others, the victim of the memes going around on twitter. 

"I'm still wondering how you didn't get word on the dress code. Weird, isn't it?" Cellie taunts us after I show her the article.

"Lose the ego. Your luck doesn't run far," I promise her.

After finally getting ready, we climb into Cellie's car. I had on sunglasses and a cap, hoping that was enough to somewhat conceal the fact that I was the president's daughter. But one can only hope.

Damien's POV

Zach stares at me. "Bro, did you even hear a word I said?"

I blink, realizing that I wasn't paying attention to him.

"Huh?" I ask dumbfounded.

His confused expression replaces with surprise. He starts laughing. "Bro, you're fucking pussy-whipped! And I know damn well it ain't Jane."

I roll my eyes. "Mind your fucking business. I ain't whipped." But it makes him laugh even harder.

I scratch my head. For some reason, I can't get the image of the girl I met at the party out of my head. Something about her amused me. Maybe it's the way she pretended she wasn't interested in me or the fact that she didn't look bothered when she was stuffing her face. Either way, she kept drifting in my thoughts when I don't want her to.

I down the last of my now cold coffee and place it in the dishwasher.

"I gotta go meet Jane," I say over his teasing.

"I'd tag along but your tongue is gonna be down her throat the whole time so I'll pass."

"Good. Cuz no one fucking invited your ass," I retort.

"You're just mad cuz you're pussy-whipped," He sneers before heading out the door. I throw the couch pillow at him but it hits the closed door instead. I quickly get dressed and by the time I'm ready, Zach's car is out of the driveway. I get in mine and head to Jane's.

Jane somehow convinced me to pick her up to take her to the mall. And by convincing, she practically begged me and wouldn't leave my house until I agreed. I also knew if I refused, she'd stop coming over for weeks and finding someone else to come over seemed like drama. The girl's crazy and she would pull out my teeth if she catches me with another chick. And we're not even dating.

After walking a few steps into the mall, Jane's eyes practically glow from all the shit she can buy.

Oh hell no.

"I have an appointment. I'll pick you up after you're done." No way was getting in bed with her worth three hours of her dragging me around and asking "if it looks good." With a body like hers, she looks good in anything but that never stops her from being too picky over what she gets.

"Since when do you book doctor appointments?" She says in that headache-inducing high pitched voice she uses when she's annoyed.

"Since when do you care? I'll pick you up. Call me." I don't wait for her answer before I walk out of the door. I'm disappointed to feel the hot air after having three seconds of air conditioning. Still isn't worth three hours, though.

I was contemplating if I should call Zach and ask him to bring our friends to smoke somewhere when I see three girls walking towards my direction. I'm about to compliment on their looks when I freeze involuntarily.

I'm pretty sure one of the girls is the same damn girl I can't stop thinking about.

Her eyes are hidden behind glasses and paired with a cap but I can tell when her gaze falls on me.

I notice how awkward I must look and begin walking, pretending not to notice her. When she's about to pass me, I finally look at her.

"Have we met?" I ask her, crossing my fingers behind my back in hopes that Jane isn't watching.

She purses her lips in amusement. "Masquerade. Derek, is it?" She cocks her head at me. Considering that she just got a whole two sentences out, I decide Jane isn't watching and have found something to distract her from my obvious lie.

I give her a smirk. "Come on. You can do better than that," I say in my low voice that have girls quaking in their knees. I ignore her friends, who are practically gasping.

"I'm sorry. Destiny, is it?" She feigns confusion and I can't help but laugh at her weird joke. She reciprocates. "Damien." She smiles. There's a shyness to her, hesitation in her body movements and a softness in her voice. Her skin radiates intelligent beauty and I find myself intrigued by the second.

And then I realize how incredibly sexy she sounds saying my name. I decide I don't ever want to hear another girl but her say my name again.

I shrug without losing the smirk. "I'm hard to forget."

I duly note that her friends are nowhere in sight now. "Are you always this cocky?"

"Not necessarily." I don't elaborate. I would've said an inappropriate joke about cocks but she doesn't look like she'd be amused.

Her curly hair and shiny lips stirs something inside me. She was better looking than I thought. I suddenly feel the urge to kiss her.

Zach's comment about me being whipped suddenly appears in my head. I shift onto one leg, feeling like an idiot while the hottest chick on Earth is currently clawing her nails at every dress in the mall.

She turns, suddenly noticing her friends aren't anywhere in sight. "Have you seen my friends?" She turn toward the door and then behind her, staring off into the distance. When she doesn't seem to find what she's looking for she finally turns to me.

"It was nice meeting you." She tucks her hair behind her ear and looks at anything but me. So now all of a sudden she's nervous?

"Likewise," I say, unsure of what to do. I was used to confident girls asking me out and hinting at exactly what they needed, not a conversation that ended with "It was nice meeting you." Is she playing hard to get? Oddly enough, She doesn't seem too interested in me. She's looking at me as if I'm a potentially good book and she wanted to see if it's worth the read or not. I didn't know how I feel about that.

"Well, I have to go," She says, before walking towards the mall again. The fuck?

I turn and grab her arm. She was definitely playing hard to get.

Challenge accepted.

"Let me take you out on a date." I haven't been on a date since middle school. And that was on a dare. And yet the words slip out of my mouth without hesitation. What was I trying to prove here?

Judging from her expression, I've obviously caught her off guard and I catch the moment and add, "What do you like?"

She looks at my hand on her arm before settling her eyes on me. She slowly smiles. "Anything," She says. Realizing how it sounded, her eyes widen and she looks horrified. "I mean... I eat anything." She shakes her head vigorously. "I mean..." She shuts her eyes and finally sighs.  "Vinny Dell is fine. But it has to be at night."

I'm amazed that I can laugh without showing it. Her embarrassment is cute. I finally let go of her arm. "Give me your number." I bite my lip to keep me from laughing again.

Hope's POV     

I'm an idiot.

Yet somehow, he's still here and trying not to laugh at me. I don't know whether to call him out on it or be grateful that he's being polite.

I had planned to leave, knowing this wouldn't go anywhere. But the last thing I thought he'd do was ask me out. I've encountered flirty guys before and it never led anywhere. Maybe I'm just wired to be awkward and send them running away. Or, lately, I'm pretty sure my dad being the president puts men off.

I turn behind me once again to see Sean and Reynolds still staring at him. If looks could kill...

"How's your memory?" I ask him. I force myself to stop fidgeting with my hands. I can't let Sean see how nervous I really am or he'll wring Damien's neck and ask questions later.

A few people start to stare at me and I push my cap lower. So much for being inconspicuous.

"What?" His eyebrows furrow and he cocks his head, letting a strand of his hair fall in front of his eye.

"I'm asking how's your memory."

His green-flecked hazel eyes pour into mine. "Well I won't be forgetting you anytime soon, if that's what you're asking." His smile is more natural, less cocky.

I swallow, feeling a rush of heat crawling up my stomach. He's good. Too good. Alarm bells starts ringing in my head but for once, I choose to ignore it.

I raise my head in mock confidence. "Good. So you should have no problem in remembering my number, then? If you do, then you're maybe worth my while." If Sean or Reynolds detect that I'm handing him my number, that'd be even more reason for them to cause a scene.

"Challenge accepted." He smirks again. I tell him the digits and without losing the stupid smirk, he repeats it and I can't help but be impressed. "I didn't get your name?"

Is he serious? Does he not follow politics? Or, weird enough, is he pretending? Interesting...

"I might tell you someday," I tell him, mentally clapping myself in the back. Two can play... whatever game he's playing.

He laughs in surprise. "I'd like that."

"Is this how you pick up girls?" I ask him, trying to stall time before I had to go.

"Only you." He winks at me. I'm about to answer when he leans close to me, making my heart skip beats. "It was nice meeting you." He saunters off and I'm left there with my mouth gaping after him.

*****

A/N: Hope you enjoyed anyway (pun intended). Comment how you found this story. I'm curious.

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