Page 7 of Powerless

This is fucked. Neither Jennifer nor I want this. But for now, we just have to play our parts until we can figure out a way to end this craziness.

3

BENNETT

“Jennifer Marshall, huh?” Liam picks his burger up and bites into it. “What about Kathryn?”

“We’re not going to go through with it,” I say as I pick up a fry, stare at it for a moment, then toss it aside. “Jen’s a nice girl.”

“Well, who knows? Maybe she’ll turn out to be the love of your life. Besides, I know how hardcore your parents are. There’s no way they haven’t already mapped out your future. And I’ll bet you anything, Jennifer Marshall’s parents have done the same thing. Wouldn’t it be better to end up with someone like her than anyone else? At least she’s easy on the eyes.”

“No,” I protest. “It’s not better. Jen is really nice, but there’s no attraction there, Liam. Can you imagine if I become president, and I have to live four years under that extreme pressure only to return to the residence to someone I don’t love? And let’s not forget, she’s not interested in me either.”

“Speaking of president, I think I should be your chief of staff if you get there.”

The conversation about Jen has easily evolved into a completely different topic. “Pffft,” I scoff. “You want chief of staff?” Liam nods. “Then you better work at putting me in the White House. I’m not handing it to you.”

Liam puffs out his chest and arrogantly lifts his chin. “Maybe you’ll be my chief of staff.”

I pick up a fry and throw it at him. “You should start calling me Mr. President. Just so you’re used to it by the time I get there.”

“I’ll call you something, but it won’t be that.” I look to Liam who appears quite pleased with himself. “Like jerk, or maybe dick, or even maybe chief of staff.”

I shake my head and click my tongue to the roof of my mouth. “I see the role of media monitor in your future.” Liam’s mouth contorts as the corner of his lips tug up into a playful sneer.

“Media monitor?” he says as he lifts his brows. “You can go fuck yourself.” He picks up the fry I threw at him and launches it at my head. A laugh ripples through me as I dodge the wayward fry.

All the air leaves my lungs when I catch sight of Kathryn walking across the cafeteria with Justine. My entire body straightens and my eyes are glued to her as she brushes her long, dark hair over her shoulder. Kathryn takes my breath away. She’s so classically perfect. “I have no words,” I murmur.

“Seriously, man, you need to stick your tongue in your mouth before you trip over it.”

I snap my gaze to Liam. “What?”

“You’re drooling and you’re being a bit pathetic.”

“She’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen,” I honestly admit.

“Oh my God. You sound like someone’s cast a love spell on you. I’m going to have to punch you to snap you out of it.”

I narrow my eyes at Liam. “I’d like to see you try.”

“Ask her out.”

I rub at the tension between my brows. “You know I can’t. Besides, she made it clear she doesn’t want to date.”

“Maybe you’ll be lucky and she’ll turn up to prom without a date.”

My stomach churns as the hair on the back of my neck prickles. The thought of Kathryn being with someone else is stirring an unfamiliar emotion deep within my chest. I’ll fucking kill anyone who puts their hands on her. “You have to do something for me,” I say to Liam.

Liam shakes his head and wags his finger at me. “I can tell by the look on your face that I’m not going to like this favor you’re going to ask.”

I glance toward Kathryn standing in the cafeteria line, then back to Liam. “Being my chief of staff means you have to do everything in your power for your president.”

“You’re not president yet, so you can calm down with this shit.” He gestures with a circular movement toward me. “But now I’m curious and want to know what this favor is.”

“You have to ask Kathryn to the prom.”

“Why?”

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