Ah! But what First Son am I referring to! That is the question!

***********************************

The moment Sophia stepped into the kitchen she understood that her morning would not follow a typical routine. She knew because her father stood waiting for her. He stood in a manner that wouldn't have betrayed the fact that he waited for her but Sophia knew he was. He leaned against the kitchen counter with his mug off coffee but no phone. He was waiting.

"If you plan to convey bad news I would prefer it if you waited until I'm done with my breakfast," she said.

Intaking bad news on an empty stomach killed all desire to eat.

"It's not bad news," Mason said. "I would call it neutral news."

"I highly doubt that. Neutral news could be told through text. You are waiting in person to tell me. I ask that you please wait."

Her father accepted that request and Sophia leisurely ate her bowl of cereal. Part of it was to give herself time to speculate what the news could pertain to. Part of it was to see how long her father would remain silent. It gratified her that he held out until she dropped her spoon into the empty bowl.

"Zander Rutherford will be attending Hamilton Prep starting today," Mason said.

Sophia slipped off her barstool and walked to the dishwasher. "Okay but I don't see how the First Son attending my school will effect me."

"I know you aren't aware of this but the previous time we had dinner with the Rutherfords people made speculations. It was thought interesting that a former First Son's daughter and the current First Son could be connected in some way."

Sophia regarded her father. "I was thirteen at the time. What type of active love life did people imagine I was having?"

"I won't begin to try and understand the workings of reporters and what they believe are topics of discussion. I'm telling you this because eyes will be on you and Zander."

"Okay but I do not believe they will find anything of interest. The only commonality I can find between myself and  Alexander Rutherford is the fact that we are both bi-racial. And that is a very vague commonality. I predict we won't have many interactions."

"I see one more. You have fathers that are people of importance."

"You were someone of importance. His father is someone of importance."

Mason smiled. "I feel like I have fallen off the pedestal in your mind."

"You haven't. I think your work now is more important than once having held a title."

On the counter, Sophia's phone buzzed and she didn't have to look at it to know it was Harrison alerting her to the fact that he was waiting for her outside.

"Be nice to Zander," Mason said. "But not too nice, you don't want to cause rumors."

"I am still working on how to not insult people without intending to. I feel like the fine line between nice and not too nice won't be easy to walk."

"I think you can do it."

Sophia nodded. "Okay. But either way this morning I have third-level French, I don't imagine I'll have to deal with the dilemma until later."

As Sophia gathered up her backpack, her father wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her head. She leaned into her embrace, the display of affection a rarity to both of them. Sophia's mother normally took on the role of overly affectionate parent. Though Sophia never shied away from it, when it wasn't constantly given she didn't feel unloved. Affection came in many forms.

"Don't use the Sicilian Defence today," Sophia said.

"As long as you steer clear of 'antithesis'."

"Deal."

At the curb outside the house, Harrison's car idled. Sophia climbed into the backseat, quickly getting bombarded with Kennedy's passionate speech.

"I'm simply saying we should know the emergency measures," she said. "Imagine if something happened to the Secret Service agents, we could jump in as backup."

"You understand we go to the most secure school in the country, right? I mean besides the boarding school Zander is transferring from."

"Security can be breached. Something already proven by the situation that happened with my parents their senior year. I'm thinking we could be a second line of defense."

"What occurrence do you think would happen," Sophia said. "That would neutralize the Secret Service agents but not you?"

"A lot of things. They are seen as a level of protection, they would be targeted. Harrison and I are unknowns. No one would expect us to attack." She smacked Harrison's arm. "That's why we should be given the information for the underground tunnels and passcodes."

Sophia retreated from the conversation and peered out the window. Kennedy had been searching for excuses to explore the tunnels beneath the school since she'd heard the story of her parents protecting her uncle Link.

Sophia agreed with keeping the information from Kennedy. Too many times she acted recklessly, wanting to prove something. Sophia never quite understood what but knowing who her parents were maybe it was as simple as wanting to prove she could be like them.

As they approached the school, the car slowed. Sophia tilted, trying to see what caused the traffic up ahead. Instantly, she understood. News vans lined the sidewalks leading to the school and reporters stood by the street, cameras at hand.

"This is insane," Harrison muttered.

As the car neared the gates, reporters glanced into the car's interior. With no blacked out windows, Sophia saw the second they saw her and recognized her. Whether she believed her father's importance in the world to have diminished didn't change the viewpoint of everyone else.

Reporters shouted and mobbed the car making Harrison swear in surprise and Kennedy to yell at the reporters through the window. Faces and cameras pressed in on both sides. Sophia didn't react. She looked back at the lens with indifference and an intensity in her gaze she hoped displayed her displeasure in the reporters choice in careers.

Harrison managed to edge the car into the gates and the safety of the school grounds.

"Are you okay?" Harrison asked, glancing at Sophia in the rearview mirror.

"I don't see why I wouldn't be. They are only cameras."

Kennedy laughed and shook her head. "Your calm is shocking at times."

Sophia saw no reason to be worked up over something she'd experienced before. Once was enough for her to absorb the terrifying chaos and figure out how to handle it next time. Reporters were insects, irritating in large doses but not worth losing one's control over.

As the trio entered the school, Sophia felt the shift away from the normal buzz of school. Voices talked in higher registers and gestures seemed to be bigger. Overall the mood of the students felt almost on the same level as the reporters. The only thing Sophia cared about was that this new excited energy wasn't forced on her. She managed to arrive at her first period untroubled.

Following routine, she noticed the homework given and set about doing it. Only when an unnatural hush took over the classroom, did Sophia take herself out of her task.

Shadowed by a large man in a black suit and standing in the door was Zander Rutherford.

At fifteen, he was tall with a slim frame, heightened by his tailored uniform. The navy blazer mixed well with his dark complexion and his black curls were cut short and styled. With a pair of glasses he gave off an air of approachability. Altogether he presented a pleasing appearance that fit with his role as First Son.

Looking at him, Sophia realized that personalties could be hidden under a curated image.

Zander walked up to Sophia's table and smiled at Harrison.

"Hi," he said. "I'm Zander."

Harrison nearly choked on his laughter. "Yeah, man I know you who are."

"Oh, cool. Would you mind if I took your seat? Soph is one of the few people I know here."

Sophia thought his use of 'know' was being used very generously here since she'd attended only two dinners with the Rutherford family and their interactions had been the basics of what their parents expected of them.

"Go ahead," Harrison said, collecting his notebooks and leaving.

Zander beamed at Harrison and plopped down into his vacated seat. The brief exchange had been enough time for Sophia to return to her homework. Despite what Zander thought of their connection, she felt no need to further it.

"Hey, Soph," Zander said.

"My name is Sophia. Not Soph."

"I know but Soph is my nickname for you."

"Nicknames are given to people who you're friends with."

"They can also be given to people you are comfortable with. I'm comfortable with you."

"I would prefer it if you weren't."

"It's a little too late for that."

"Mr. Rutherford and Ms. Douglas," Ms. Henderson said. "I would appreciate it if you focused on the lesson instead of having side conversations."

"If we had our conversation in French would that work?" Zander asked.

Ms. Henderson let out a small breath and Sophia wondered if she wished for the the days when Sophia was her only inconvenience.

"I ask that you don't have any side conversations as they distract the other students."

"Okay then," Zander said, bobbing his head. As Ms. Henderson returned to the lesson Sophia had been ignoring, Zander flattened himself on the table and leaned towards Sophia. "We will resume our conversation," he said in French. "Once it is safe for us to talk without getting in trouble."

"I do not see the reason as to why we should," Sophia whispered likewise in French.

"Because I have too much hope for my experience at this school to let it end here."

Sophia stared at him for a long moment. When grinned at her, she merely looked away.

*******

Sophia entered the word 'simpleton' into her phone and smiled as she received twenty points. Before she could flip to the chess match, Zander dropped into the seat beside her.

"What a day," he said. "And it's not even over."

Sophia didn't even have time to form a response before the rest of the table was invaded with more people. All of them looked older than her but since she was only fourteen that wasn't saying much.

"Hey, Zander," a good looking senior said, claiming the spot beside him. "Aaron Johnson. My mom is a White House reporter."

"Okay," Zander said. "I don't think I know her."

Aaron and the rest of the invaders of the Sophia's table laughed like Zander made a great joke. This told Sophia all she needed to know. These were not people but leeches and she had no desire to know more about them then she already did.

She stood and abandoned her food knowing the librarian didn't approve of it. Skipping a meal felt more manageable than bearing through a lunch hour of inane chatter. She made it past the cafeteria doors before she was stopped.

"Don't leave," Zander said. "You can't leave me alone with those people."

"I don't see why my presence would make a difference," Sophia said. "I neither know them or like them."

"But I know you and that's what I need."

"I can see an easy solution, you said I was one of the few people you knew at this school. Go find one of them to sit with you."

"I lied," Zander said. "I didn't want to sound pathetic saying you were the only person I know here."

"There are others. You're the First Son."

Zander held up his hands. "Fine. I might vaguely know other students here but not personally. My father only got elected last spring and I spent the last school year at boarding school. You are the only person I feel comfortable with." He opened his blazer revealing his shirt and the spot of sweat underneath his armpit. "I've already sweated through one shirt today. Talking to new people is terrifying."

"I find that confusing when it should be a common occurrence for you because of your father."

Zander frantically waved his arms. "Like I asked him to become President, or senator, or anyone involving me meeting people!"

Sophia felt like it was deceptive for Zander to appear put together while having the personality of a frantic boy.

With beseeching eyes, Zander took Sophia's hand and clasped it in both of his.

"Don't leave me alone with these people," he said. "Please."

"I don't plan on talking to them."

"That's fine, you can talk to me and insult them in French."

Sophia pulled her hand out of his hold. She didn't understand why she felt the need to help him when she didn't know him. But something about his feeling of being uncomfortable with people he didn't know felt familiar to her.

"All right," Sophia said.

"Oh thank goodness." He hugged her enthusiastically and she wiggled out of his grasp. "Sorry. Okay, let's go back."

When they entered the cafeteria, Sophia wished she'd refused him as silence fell in a ripple.

"Oh they're staring," Zander said in French.

"I really don't understand how you aren't more accustom to this," Sophia said, heading back to her table.

"You have hundred of eyes follow you around and try to find it normal," Zander said.

Sophia didn't find it normal, she merely didn't find it worth making an issue to think about. What people thought about her didn't matter to her. She had no control over it and therefore felt it merited no attention.

Though seeing how a few phones were pointed in their direction Sophia knew there would be no escaping the rumors that would be created. Weren't there more interesting things to occupy people's lives? Was the speculation over whether Zander and her were linked at all worthwhile? She didn't see how it could be.

"Zander," Aaron said as the pair sat back down. "Look, I'm throwing a party this weekend. You'll be able to come, won't you?" He winked at Sophia. "You too."

"Please never wink at me again, leech," Sophia said in French.

Zander coughed on his food, reached for a napkin, knocked over his open water bottle and sent the whole table scattering to avoid the splash. Sophia calmly stood the water bottle back up, threw napkins down on the spill, hit Zander on the back to get his chest clear, and went back to her phone.

"See," Zander wheezed out in French. "This is why I need you here."

"No, this is why you parents should have kept you hidden away in boarding school."

**********

Father:"Tell Harrison you have a ride home. I'm outside."

Sophia: "The backlash already occurring?"

Her father sent a link and Sophia opened it, finding a photo of Zander and her returning the cafeteria together. Though the photo was innocent the next ones showed Zander clasping her hand and the next showed them hugging.

Correction, Zander hugging her since she didn't return the hug and looked completely rigid. Sophia still didn't see how the evidence could be misconstrued since her expression in all of them was one of barely veiled tolerance.

But clearly the world was not seeking truth in this situation. She sent a text off to Harrison and flowed the stream of students towards the school exit. More than before a path opened up for her, only this time as she strode past her peers their whispers and gazes trailed her. As with the cameras in her face, Sophia didn't react.

When she exited the school, she spotted her father at the curb, resting against the side of his Bentley. Beyond the school gates, Sophia saw the storm that awaited their departure. She reached him and they stood silently looking at each other.

"Do you want to blame me for your day?" he asked.

"I would if the blame wasn't so blatantly attached to the exploiters at this school."

"Mr. Douglas!"

Sophia rolled her eyes as she saw Zander bounding down the stairs, his backpack banging against his back and his arms flapping at his sides. This boy should come with a warning hanging around his neck titled: looks can be deceiving.

"Hello, Zander," Mason said, shaking the boy's hand. "How was your first day?"

"I sweated through two shirts. Teenagers are terrifying when they believe you're someone cool and not-"

"A blundering idiot that shouldn't be let out into society?" Sophia asked.

"Yeah, that," Zander said, pointing to her.

"I see you decided to avoid the line we talked about this morning," Mason said to her.

"I told you the line wasn't easy to walk."

"I'm guessing this is a conversation that you had and shouldn't make sense to me," Zander said.

"Very astute," Sophia said.

"Thanks. I'm proud of this moment as well. It was nice to see you, Mr. Douglas. I'll see you tomorrow, Soph."

"It's Sophia," Sophia called after him.

He gave her a thumbs up and headed off with his Secret Service agent.

"Do you plan to handle the press?" Sophia asked her father.

"Yes. We're going to get ice cream."

Sophia didn't see the logic of this statement but trusted that her father did, and so she got into the car. The second they passed through the school gates, reporters flanked their car, cameras capturing their images a hundred times over.

"Sophia it's best not to antagonize the reporters," Mason said.

"How am I antagonizing them? I'm merely doing what they are and looking at them."

"Yes, but sometimes your stare is on par with a murderous gaze."

"Oh. I wasn't aware."

Her father smiled at her and she worked to relax her face, something she wasn't accustomed to attempting. Her face looked how it looked, she didn't usually try to control it.

When they broke from the horde of reporters, Sophia studied the side mirror and noticed as tv vans pulled away from the curb to tail them. She glanced at her father, understanding. But she said nothing.

At the ice cream shop, her father slipped into an open spot at the curb. Sophia climbed out and marked the presence of the three tv vans that had been following them for the past fifteen minutes.

She didn't understand their persistence in following them. What was to be gained? Her father used to be someone of importance. He wasn't anymore. As for herself, she knew herself to be no one of consequence. She was a fourteen-year-old high schooler, nothing more.

By the time they had bought their ice cream and returned to the sidewalk, a crowd of reporters had formed up by her father's car.

"Mason, what do you have to say on President Rutherford's latest policy?"

"Mason, have you seen the photos of your daughter and Zander?"

"Mason, what is the relationship between your daughter and the First Son?"

Sophia didn't understand why they would ask her father that question, it was her life they were questioning, not his. As Sophia ate her ice cream, she locked eyes with each reporter, trying to make sense of their actions but couldn't. Questions about her life. Was this truly how they spent their journalism degree? It seemed a waste to Sophia.

"I'm going to make one statement," Mason said calmly.

The reporters quieted and Sophia respected her father for his control.

"Finch Rutherford and I have been friends since high school. I know him to be level-headed and watched him become a strong leader. The choices he makes with policies I approve of. As for the relationship between my daughter and Zander, there is none. She's fourteen and just started high school. That is all she is focusing on."

"But the photos!" one reporter said.

"The photos are of an excited boy seeing his friend and nothing more."

Mason put his hand on Sophia's back and she felt the pressure of his guidance towards the car.

"Sophia, what do you think of Zander?"

Many opinions came to Sophia's mind and she turned towards the reporter.

"Careful with your words," Mason whispered in French.

From the long list of opinions, Sophia found she couldn't find one that fell into the request of her father.

"I find him pleasant," she said.

The reporters surged forward with more questions but Sophia couldn't decipher them as they all bombarded her ears. Mason helped Sophia to the car but as she tried to get in, a reporter knocked into her and her ice cream fell to the sidewalk. Her father quickly nudged her inside and closed the door. When he took the driver's seat, she stared at him.

"I wasn't finished with my ice cream," she said. "Can I give them my murderous gaze now?"

Her father laughed. "You have my full permission."

**********************************************************************

Heyo Tomato! Or is it ToMAto?
(I guess it's up to you since in this instance you're my tomato! 🍅)

Question for you: do you have thoughts? Be these thoughts about the chapter? And shall you share them thoughts with me? 🗯💭💬🤓

'Give Sophia a friend'

This is a comment I saw a lot on her chapters and I loved that you loved her so much that you wanted her to have a friend. I fully approve!

Figuring out who her friend would be was interesting because it had to be a boy. Here's why!

At her young age she'd want someone her age. But with her resting murderous face and blunt nature most girls would be either insulted or so intimidated they wouldn't hang out for long. Since our baby Sophia is still learning to deal with normal people.

For that reason I knew it had to be a boy because he could be a little attracted to her that he didn't mind her blunt personality.

I didn't plan for Zander to be the way he is. I honestly thought she'd find a guy who was smart, stoic, and amusing. Even a little aloof like her.

But nope! 😂 Zander appeared as a carefree, lovable, and dorky friend for Sophia. And I don't mind. He's odd but so is she in a different way and somehow that works!

I hope you like him!

Vote, comment, follow because we support Sophia finding friendship!

These delightful comments are from First Date!

😂 You? An old man? Not yet at least

That's wise, breathing is always important!

Well he's a thief that way. He stole mine a long long time ago. I just learned from him!

I had to, I had to make Sophia and Zander bunnies because they are just that adorable!