Chapter Text
The fall of Alex’s junior year brings new stressors. She is knee-deep in papers and projects, trying her hardest to stay afloat with a high grade point average, and staying involved in as much as she can.
Alex is trying, hard as she might, to hear the words summa cum laude when she walks across the stage next year.
She and June also finished planning and hosting a fundraiser to donate to The Trevor Project. They did it all on their own, and it was both exhausting and exhilarating.
The event went off without a hitch, and everyone in attendance was impressed with their organization and how smoothly the night went.
Alex felt high off of it. She loved being able to pull off the impossible, to impress everyone. The feedback and comments she got after made her feel as if she was doing the right thing, that she was moving in the right direction.
Damn, she was tired though.
Two days after June comes into Alex’s room with a paper containing an article written about their event.
Alex, too wired after their event, hadn’t gotten any sleep. She instead stayed up to continue her work on a few different papers. It’s been a couple of days of staying up late, drinking coffee, and pushing herself past her breaking point.
Her papers weren’t due for a couple more weeks, but it didn’t hurt to work on them early. It meant she could reread and revise them with plenty of time before turning them in. The earlier she turns them in, the higher opinion her teachers would have of her.
That’s what Alex told herself, at least.
“Okay, are you ready to hear what the news has to say about us?” June asks, handing Alex a cup of coffee.
Alex grabs it with slightly shaky hands, trying not to let June see how tired she is.
“Hit me with it,” she responds, taking a sip of the coffee. It feels warm on her throat and eases the ache in her head.
Their event wasn’t headline-making, but Alex didn’t expect it would be. There are other huge things going on in the world, but hopefully what they did helped raise awareness, and also showed the solidarity of the White House with the LGBT community.
“They have only positive things to say,” June says, looking up at Alex and smiling. “Apparently people felt the night went well and were impressed with the amount of money we raised.”
Alex smiles and continues drinking her coffee, grabbing the paper, and reading the article for herself.
Then she sees a picture of Princess Henry on the front page.
“Are you serious?” She asks, snatching the front page from June’s grasp. “We manage to raise a shit ton of money for fucking charity and we still get beaten out by the royal family because of,” she pauses to skim the article quickly, “a polo match they attended? For real? Half this article is describing what she is wearing.”
Alex throws the paper down and falls to her back, holding her coffee on her stomach.
“I guess people will always be up the royal family’s ass,” June responds, grabbing the papers from where they lie near Alex.
Alex hears the sound of June flattening out papers as she stares at the ceiling. She feels her eyes water and tries her best to keep them contained. This isn’t something to get emotional about, it’s stupid.
For some reason, however, Alex takes it as a personal hit. It’s as if no matter what she does there will always be a reminder that she’ll never be better or good enough. She’s quite literally exhausted from working her ass off, trying to be a part of organizations, getting all of her assignments done to her standards, planning events with June, and fulfilling any and all first daughter duties.
“Alex?” June asks quietly. She grabs the cup from Alex’s hands and puts it on the table next to her bed.
Alex ignores her, trying to keep the emotions at bay. No one needs to know her struggle. Alex is supposed to be naturally good at things, not because she tries but because she excels at it all. She’s going to be a successful senator at a young age because she is good at what she does.
Alex feels the bed dip as June lies down next to her.
“Alex, are you okay?” June raises a hand and pushes some of Alex’s hair out of her face.
She could shower, but the dry shampoo sitting on her bathroom counter seems to be calling Alex’s name instead.
“Fine, June,” Alex mutters, putting an arm over her eyes. “Just tired, been a busy weekend.”
She hears June hum in acknowledgment.
“This has nothing to do with the fact you’re not sleeping, correct?”
Alex peeks an eye out from behind her hand.
“Yeah, I know about it, Alex.” June sighs. “You live across the hall from me, you weirdo. I’m going to notice when light is almost always on.”
“Maybe I’m just afraid of the dark.”
June lets out a dry laugh in response, shaking the bed. Alex can’t help but smile.
“I’m going to text Cash.”
“What is he supposed to do?” Alex asks, covering her eyes again. “Guard me from not sleeping?”
“He’s going to bring us food, and we are going to watch trashy T.V. and do nothing all day,” June replies, grabbing her phone and sending a text off.
“No, June, really I’m okay,” Alex pleads, sitting up and grabbing her coffee again. June snatches it out of her hand, almost spilling it on the blanket. “I’ve got so much work to do, I can’t just take the whole day off.”
“You can, and you will. I’m pulling the big sister card and am doing this for your own good.” June walks to the bathroom, and Alex can hear her pour the coffee down the drain.
She should have drunk more of it before June put all the pieces together.
June steps out of the room for a moment, and Alex grabs her phone, knowing June won’t be gone for long. When she gets an idea in her head she can be almost as stubborn as Alex.
Twitter is swimming with photos of the princess. She’s got her hair half pulled back, a white pair of Ray-Bans sitting on top as she bends to shake someone’s hand.
Alex sighs, scrolling further down the hashtag. There were none about her and June from last night, it’s like the world forgets they exist just because Henry walks out her door.
It’s only a reminder that no matter what, Alex is going to have to try twice as hard to get noticed.
June walks back into Alex’s room and she puts her phone down and away.
“Now, what stupid movie should we watch?” June asks, crawling into bed with Alex, getting under the blankets.