A Presidential case of Overshadowing

Author’s note: Hey guys! Just a quick note - I know that technically you can’t run for president unless you are 35 or older, but I’m going to ignore that fact just for this story and the purpose of showcasing a certain character’s overachieving tendencies. And yes, I did name the main character Max after Max Mayfield from Stranger things… holding out hope for her btw. Alright on with the story! Enjoy!

:) :) :)

“C’mon Nalia! Hurry up, we're gonna miss it!” I screeched over my shoulder. “I’m coming! I'm coming! I’m- oof!” Nalia stumbled backwards as an older kid ran right into her. “NALIA!” I shrieked, my chubby hands flying up to my face. “Whoops, sorry shortie” the kid mumbled, taking a step back and regaining his balance. “DON’T YOU TOUCH HER!” I shoved in front of him, still panting from my run all the way across the lawn. He glanced at me, obviously confused as to why he was getting yelled at by a 6 year old . He looked to Nalia on the ground, then up to me, standing in what I was sure was a threatening pose and staring him down like he had stolen my last gummy worm. After a minute, he seemingly decided that we weren't worth the trouble and started to leave. “Ohhhkay then... I guess... watch it next time kid?” he said, running off. Hmph! I stomped my foot. What a rude person. Suddenly remembering that my best friend in the whole wide world was still on the ground, probably now getting grass stains on her favorite pair of skirt-shorts, I immediately sprung into action “Nalia! Nalia, are you ok?!” I kneeled down, helping her up as best I could, but eventually I gave up and sat down next to her; I guess my legs were still too tired after all that running. “Yeah, fine I guess…” I could see tears of shock welling in her eyes as she tried to blink them away. “Hey no no no” I shook my head violently in her general direction “Not today. Today is the best day ever, remember? No crying on the Fourth of July, nuh uh I won’t allow it” I huffed, wiping her tears away with the hem of my stripy dress. “Haha, thanks” she sniffled, half laughing “Your welcome” I said, smiling back. Suddenly, I snapped to attention as the sound of a loud BOOM echoed in the sky above us. I gasped, grabbing my friend’s hand. “They’re starting! The fireworks are starting!” We both clambered up from the ground and ran over to the crowd that was beginning to gather in our yard. We weaved through the throng of aunts, uncles, family friends and cousins until we eventually found my parents. “Mom! Dad!” I exclaimed, throwing myself into their arms as if I hadn't seen them in years, when in reality it had only been about twenty minutes. “Mommy! Mommy! Guess what! A big kid pushed Nalia over and I scared him off! I saved her!” I grinned excitedly, the new gap from my missing tooth showing. “That’s my feisty girl!” My dad exclaimed, throwing me up in the air and twirling me around. “Dad! Dad!” I shrieked with laughter as he spun me faster and faster, the world around me turning to a brightly colored blur. "Honey" I heard my mom laugh. “Ok, ok” he said, smiling as he set me down next to my mom. “Max?” “Yes mom?” I grinned up at her, bubbling with innocence and energy as a young child should. “Listen, I think it’s very nice what you did for Nalia” “Thanks mom!” I hugged her leg, turning towards where Nalia and her dads were standing. “Now can I go play with-” “Yes but,” my mom cut me off, taking my arm and pulling me closer to her. “Just promise me one thing. Promise me that you’ll always take care of her; That you’ll always take care of each other and help and look out for each other.” Her face looked more serious than I had ever seen it, her features early stern in the light of the fireworks. “Yes mom… Were best friends and we always will be! Now can I go-” “Yes, you can go” she smiled. And as I stood by my best friend with my arm around her shoulder and hers around mine, I couldn't have been happier. I didn’t understand what my mom was trying to tell me, but I knew at that moment that we would always be friends. After all, what could possibly happen that could change that? 

13 years later…

“I know right? I couldn't have been more wrong but what about it? I don't care anymore! Why should I? I mean-” my phone buzzed, the vibration awakening me from my deep and restful sleep… on my lit paper? “Ugh, not again” I pressed myself up off the table, one of the sheets of paper sticking to my drool stained cheek. I picked up my phone and pressed the pause button on my tablet. Andrea’s dramatic revelation would have to wait for now. I glanced at the caller ID and clicked answer. “Hey girl, this lit paper is really killing me right now. What about you? Professor Evanscal is seriously insane” I sighed, peeling the paper off my cheek and scowling at it. “Okokok enough about that, like yes I completely agree with you he’s chronically insane assigning us a 12 page paper during finals week I mean come on like- oh… my god ARE YOU KIDDING ME I-” I could hear a reporter in the background, she must have been watching the news or something “Woah woah woah Kim slow down” I sat up in my bed “What’s happening? Is everything ok? Is your mom-” “Yeah yeah yeah she’s fine she’s getting better actually but- Max have you heard… it’s all over the news…” She paused, listening to the newscaster on the TV “KIMMM come on seriously stop stalling I need to know! You’re making me nervous!” “Okok fine I'm sorry but, remember your old friend Nalia from… wherever you knew her from?” “Yes…” “And how she was always everything that you wanted to be?” “Yeah…” I was getting more suspicious of this by the minute... “And how even though your parents loved you they expected way too much from you and made you feel bad about yourself but her dads didn't have to worry about that because she was always exceeding in every way and-” “OK girl i get it I’m not perfect, but what’s your point?” I seriously doubted that she called me in such a panic just to elaborate on all my previous failures when I had a lit paper to write “Yeahhh, uh… she’s running for president.”

Suddenly the world fell around me and all I could hear was Kim’s words echoing over and over again in my head. President… Everything you wanted to be… Exceeding in every way… Expected way too much… President… President… PRESIDENT

“Hey! You ok?” I blinked, and the voices were gone; but that wouldn't change the fact that this was really happening. “Yeah I- sorry I was just- What!?” I exclaimed, confused “I know right? Like where did that come from?” “Oh actually I do know that…”

Back when we were kids, we had always loved being the leaders. At literally everything… even being line leader. Eventually we had both decided after some long and winding conversation that we should be the presidents. We had always gone back and forth about who would actually get to be the president, but we had loved each other way too much as kids to steal that from one another. So, of course, when our first student council elections came up at the time when we were in 5th grade, we were both going for president. Somehow it never occurred to us that only one of us would win, but when the time came, Nalia one. Oh course she did. She was the best student out of all of us, the most hardworking, the nicest, and even the most popular. I have no idea how she did it. She managed to be everything, all the time, and somehow even be the best at whatever she did along the way. I loved her, yes, and I supported her every step of the way, but I could never help but feel… overshadowed. Seriously, whenever people see me in school they address me as ‘Nalia’s friend’. I'm tired of it. And yes, I had my triumphs too, I mean, I've been on the honor roll every year since middle school and I’ve done hours of community service work and manual labor... but somehow it still doesn't feel like enough. I will never be as good as her.

“Wow Max… that’s… a lot.” I jumped at Kim's voice in my ear; I had forgotten I was even still talking to her “Oh! Yeah… well I mean my parents always said that I made everything more dramatic so,” I laughed, and then proceeded to sniffle. I was crying too? Wow, I guess I really did pour my heart out. “Well, I guess I better call her and congratulate her…” “Oh yeah get to it. Yaknow Max? You’re always so smart” I laughed, wiping my tears away with the sleeve of my Harvard sweater. “Yeah ok. Thanks for listening to all my emotional spewing Kim, seriously, I owe you one” “K how about coffee tomorrow morning before class?” “Sounds good” “Great! I’ll text you” “Ok love you girl” “Bye!” “Bye”.

I dropped the phone on my bed. I was tired of people-ing, but I really didn’t want to write my paper. I guess that just left one more call for me to make… 

Buzzzz. Buzzzz. Buzzz- “Hello? Nalia?”