The sun shone through the clouds, illuminating the droplets of rain from that morning's downpour that rested on the windowpane. Bobbie watched as the water rushed downwards.
The teacher's voice droned in the background like white noise. "When Jack Clark and the first invisibles founded the Hidden City, it was but a small settlement after the apocalypse. It was there that he met Marrie Smith. She felt sorry for the dying group, and to give them an edge against the zombies, she made a way to turn Jack's party invisible…"
Bobbie's head bobbed up and down; her eyelids fluttering between waking and sleep.
"Roberta!"
The girl snapped up, glaring at the teacher. She stood to her feet, slamming her hands on her desk. "I told you not to call me that."
Flinging her backpack over her shoulder, she stormed out of the room.
"Roberta Clark! You get back here this instant." The teacher yelled from across the hall, but Bobbie was already pushing open the double doors to freedom. She inhaled deeply, and the damp air coated her lungs.
Flinging her backpack over the fencing around the school, she held tight to the flimsy metal and pulled herself up. Her breathing was heavy, and the weight of her body threatened to pull her back to earth, but she persisted. On the other side of the fence was the restricted forest. A place where only those who can turn invisible could safely traverse. It was the only place where zombies still resided within the city limits.
Cutting through the infested forest was the quickest way to her favorite park. Once past the tree line, a grand wall surrounded by the dead came into sight. Bobbie plugged her nose and slowly walked the length of the wall until she came to a shabbily patched hole. She dug a little around it until there was just enough room to squeeze herself through it.
"It gets harder and harder to get through there every day," Bobbie said to herself.
The park was pretty lively with food vendors lining the streets. The smells of cooking meats and sweet treats filled her nostrils, blocking the scent of the dead just on the other side of the wall. Her stomach grumbled, and she swallowed as she looked at what foods the park had to offer, but only one vendor could lighten her mood at the moment.
She approached a dark skin, middle-aged man with a mustache and goatee. Sweat dripped from his brow as he managed his grill with an intensity she never quite understood. The man looked up at her and smiled, "Skipping school again?"
Bobbie slammed a twenty-dollar bill down. "The usual, please."
The man got busy making a mouthwatering tray of nachos, and Bobbie pursed her lips as she watched him put extra jalapenos on top.
"Is that teacher of yours giving you trouble again?" The vendor handed over the tray of nachos.
"I hate my name, and she knows it. And it got worse after my father spoke with her. It's bad enough that people mistake me for a boy, and having a boyish name doesn't help one bit."
"Bobbie isn't much better, though."
"My mom came up with it… So it's not easy to stop using it."
"I see…"
"Hey man," a stranger approached. "One tray with all the fixings."
Bobbie inched away, not wanting to stop her conversation, but at the same time, the nachos called out to her. She shoved a giant chip into her mouth, and the warm cheese enveloped her tongue. Drool dripped down her shin.
"Some people don't understand that everyone has different preferences." The vendor sat beside Bobbie with a napkin in hand.
"Thank you."
"How are those extra jalapenos treating you?"
"There's nothing like comfort food to help turn a bad day around."
"You know, Bobbie. You shouldn't eat your feelings. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate your business, but girls should worry more about their figure."
"I know, I just can't stop myself. It's not like I'm pretty anyway, so I may as well enjoy the good things in life." Bobbie shoved another chip in her mouth. "Plus, it's not like keeping a good figure will change much. People are shallow. Always have been and always will be. I'm sure even if I were skinny, I still wouldn't be loved."
"There will be someone who will love you one day. You're a great person, and someone will see that."
Another person approached the vendor, and Bobbie scarfed down her nachos while feeling a sting in her eyes, holding back tears. Missing the warmth of the vendor, she looked up at her father's building across the street and wondered why she ever wanted to follow in his footsteps to become president. Isn't it better to have time for your family, rather than working all day? Why did he decide to become the President?
"Sir, should we detain him?"
Bobbie jolted from her seat and darted behind a trash can as she heard the familiar voice of her family's security guard. Peeking around her hiding place, she spotted her father being followed by his usual entourage, plus one person she didn't recognize. Her father looked frustrated as a man followed them closely.
The man turned, and his piercing blue eyes met with Bobbie's, and she could feel her heart leap from her chest. His strong jawline and soft, wispy hair captured all her attention. Her legs went numb as he smiled charmingly at her.
In a blind panic, Bobbie scrambled to her feet and ran off. Her face felt hot as she took the long way back to school.
She got a scolding from the principal and headed to her classroom. Staring out the window, she remembered those brilliant blue eyes and that perfect smile. Bobbie could feel her heart racing as each second went by. Father must know that man. Maybe if I ask, he'll tell me.
The ticking clock seemed to move extra slowly that day. It felt excruciating to wait, but when the last bell rang… Any second now. Finally, the bell rang and Bobbie bolted from her seat and out the entrance. By the time she arrived at her father's office, she was a wheezing, sweaty mess.
Janice, the President's secretary, looked up and sighed as she noticed Bobbie approach the desk.
"Sweetheart, if this is about your medications, your father is still working on finding a pharmacist. With all the zombies roaming around, finding one has been difficult."
"That's not it. Is Father in his office?" Peeking around Janice's desk through the frosted glass, she could see shapes moving around on the other side.
"The President is in a meeting." Janice peeked at her phone, then said, "How about you wait for him? He shouldn't be long, and in the meantime, I'll get you some water."
"I appreciate that."
The secretary motioned for Bobbie to sit on the couch. Seconds after she left the room, the man with piercing blue eyes entered. He flashed a gleaming smile in Bobbie's direction.
Her cheeks burned as he greeted her in his sultry voice. "Hello, young lady. You must be the President's daughter. I've heard so much about you."
Bobbie tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and she suddenly felt self-conscious of her double chin and the stubble that grew in patches around her face."
"H-he-hello," the word fumbled out of her mouth as her tongue casually betrayed her. "What kind of biz-ouch!"
The man chuckled. "Are you okay?"
"Aye bit mah tongue."
"It happens to the best of us." He smiled warmly and glanced in the direction of her father's office. "Is he busy right now?"
"Yesh," Bobbie cursed her clumsiness. "Yes, he's in a meeting right now."
"That's too bad." He fished for something in his pocket and held it out to her. "Can you give this to him for me? I would really like to speak with him."
"Taking the business card from the man's hands, she asked, "There are phones outside the Hidden City?"
"How did you know? Um… That I'm not from here?" He asked in shock.
"Sorry, it's just that I noticed your gun. Most people in the Hidden City don't need weapons, so guns are rare. I kinda just assumed, was I wrong?"
"No, you assumed correctly. I am not from here, so I must speak with your father as soon as possible."
"I can give it to him," Bobbie glanced at the card. "Mr. Charles."
"Please, call me Anthony. I don't think I'm old enough to be called Mr. Charles. Especially not by a pretty girl like you."
"Hardly!" Bobbie scoffed, "I wouldn't call myself pretty."
"I disagree," Anthony said. He held Bobbie's hand in his, gently raising it to his lips and kissing it softly.
Her heart pounded against her temples as she watched the gorgeous man walk out of the office. Her cheeks flushed, and her stomach fluttered with a swarm of butterflies.
"Sorry that took so long," Janice said, entering the office. "There was a crazy number of people in the breakroom for some reason."
Janice walked past the dazed girl, who just stared at the doorway.
"Are you okay, sweety?" The woman placed her hand on Bobbie's forehead. "Drink some water, you look like you're about to overheat. Just look at how red you are."
Taking the bottle from her father's secretary, she chugged it down. "Ms. Lewis, can you call for a car to take me home? I think I will talk with Father when he gets back."
"Of course, dear. Let me call for one right now."
Upon arriving home, Bobbie paced in the entryway, waiting for her father. The time reached closer to midnight, and she found herself biting her nails nervously. Where is he?
Anthony's business card rubbed between her fingers as she watched the door for her father to return home. Tracing over Anthony Charles with her thumb, she felt her hands begin to grow clammy, and she set the card down. Wiping her hands on her shirt, she grimaced as her bulging stomach wobbled with each swipe.
The front door swung open, and Bobbie quickly moved her hands to her sides as she looked up at her father, who sighed. "Why are you still up? And what's this about you leaving in the middle of class this morning?" He held up a letter from the school. "You can't keep leaving every time someone says something you don't like."
"She started it…" The President raised an eyebrow, and Bobbie looked away. "Couldn't sleep. I wanted to ask you something… I met someone today. H-he said he knows you."
"So you had a burning question about this person that kept you up?" Her father smiled, patting her on the head. "Another crush? Who is this boy?"
"His name is… A-Anthony Charles."
The president froze before letting out a nervous chuckle. "Where did you hear that name? And who told you to prank me with it? Was it Janice? Or maybe Torrez?"
"No, I met him at your office today."
"You're not joking?" The man's face paled. "It's not possible, though. I was so careful."
"You need to stay away from him, Bobbie."
"Why? He seems nice enough, and he thinks I'm pretty."
"He said that to you?" The president bit his nail. "He's not serious, is he?"
"Why? You don't think a handsome guy could think that about me?"
"Don't twist my words, Bobbie. I've known Anthony for a long time, and he is not someone who would say something like that."
Bobbie bit her lip. "I know I'm not the prettiest girl out there, but why is it so impossible for you to believe that he might like me?"
"That's not what I'm saying." The president grabbed Bobbie's shoulders. "I'm saying not to trust him."
Bobbie could feel tears well in her eyes as she smacked her father's hands away. "You know you don't call me beautiful anymore? Not since I was thin. I know I look like this, but I still want to be loved, just like anyone else. Why can't you support that?"
"You're twisting my words, again."
"Really? Then tell me I'm beautiful! Tell me you love me."
"I do love you."
"But you don't think I'm pretty! Well, Anthony does." Bobbie snatched the business card up and stormed to her room.
The president rubbed his temples and sighed deeply. "He's dangerous."