Forever His Princess

-forty three-

3RD PERSON POV

The class was silent for a while whilst one of the student read out the Shakespeare text. "I have a brother she used to teach too." Ava whispered to Ryan. "Her teaching your sibling and then having to teach you is like a crime in her book. She acts like you've committed treason and she'll treat you as such. I don't know what wrong with her."

"Maybe my brother and sister just didn't behave in her class and thinks I'll do the same."

"My brother was the golden boy and she still treats me like rubbish."

"What's wrong with her, I don't get-"

"Mr White!"

"Yes, Miss?" Ryan said back timidly and the whole class turned back to face him.

"I see you enjoy speaking so much. Why don't you stand up and read the rest of the page."

"Miss, I can't-"

"Stand up, Mr White." Ryan picked up the book and felt his hands start to shake as he looked down at the page.

"Je n'arrive pas à y croire. (I can't believe this.)" He mumbled to himself as he stood to his feet.

"Oh how I have not missed that. Your siblings used to do the exact same thing. Mr White, may I remind you that you are in an English speaking country, in an English classroom, the expectation is that you speak English and English alone. Understood?"

"Yes, Miss."

"Good, now, go on, read." A large lump formed in his throat and he swallowed thickly, desperately trying to clear it.

"Miss-"

"I will not ask you again, Mr White." I took a deep breath in and took a final attempt to steady his shaky hands as he began to read.

"And let the a- angel... whom... thou still hast... served. Tell thee: Mac- Macduff was from his mother's... womb. Un- untimely ripped-"

"Good Lord. Who on earth taught you how to read, child? Do I have to send you to primary school to start over because I'm convinced you are at the same reading level as six year olds."

Ryan felt his heart sink to his stomach and tears stack at his eyelids as the class laughed at him. Reading and writing had never come easy to him, the words always seemed to move around the page and it was frustrating. But it had never bothered him as much as it did in that moment.

He looked down at the floor, avoiding the gaze of everyone in the room. "Where were you at school before here?" Mrs Knox asked.

"I was at a private school and then I was homeschooled for a while."

"Who was your homeschool teacher?"

"My mum." Ryan said, which seemed to make everyone laugh, confusing him massively.

"I'll need to have a word with her. Tell her to come in and see me by the end of the week." She turned away to sit down but paused when Ryan spoke.

"I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"She's not really around."

"Right, then call in your father."

"He's not around either, Miss." Mrs Knox walked up to Ryan, standing face to face with him.

"I hope you're not lying to me to get out of this, boy. Who is raising you?"

"I'm living with my sister and-"