My Beautiful King

Chapter One

The school was buzzing with the latest beginning-of-year gossip. A new boy was to enter our year group (his name was still unknown), and he was predicted to "plague the school with his mischief". He'd been kicked out of his last two schools in Bradford apparently, and his parents were fed up of his lack of good behaviour skills and decorum.

I don't know why his parents didn't just send their problem child to our school in the first place. William Morrison High School was the best school for miles around; attractive building, great facilities and teachers as well as amazing test results every year. I won't hesitate to admit that I paid a great contribution to the school's academic success.

My name is Ashley Jones. I'm 5"2, with green eyes and wavy waist length golden-blonde hair. I'm an infallible straight A student and I have been ever since the first time I took a test. I live in a quiet area with my wonderful parents, my uniform is immaculate and I'm an inspiration to most students in the school, both younger and older. Good popularity is something that I've been dealing with forever. But even so, no matter how much praise and awards I receive, I always remember to keep level headed. There's not a single person in this school that doesn't deserve to have me as a friend.

"Ashley!" a voice called. It was Bridget, my best friend. "How were your summer holidays?"

"Oh, it was really good! Venice was amazing; there was so much to see. How were your holidays?"

"Oh, they were fine... not as good as yours I imagine! Did you hear about the new boy?"

Once again, someone was mentioning that damn new boy. Admittedly, at first I

was excited to have an addition to our institution but now... now it was starting to get tiresome. Especially as I knew exactly what Bridget was planning on asking me next.

Do you think you'll be asked to keep an eye on him?

"Yes Bridget," I replied. "I have heard about him."

"Ooh," she said. "Do you think you'll be asked to keep an eye on him?"

Sigh.

"Honestly Bridget I don't know! No one has told me any details of- Oof!" I exclaimed as someone crashed straight into me.

"Whoops!" Becca Thomas said her voice laced with contempt. "Didn't see ya there, Miss Boffin." Becca and her friends all began to laugh like the slutty little witches they were, with their faces caked in a foundation two shades darker than their actual skin tone and their skirts crawling up their bums.

Maybe I forgot to mention that my idea of popularity was different to what most people in my year considered popular. I also may have neglected to mention that there were certain people in the school I would never want to be friends with due to their incredibly immature behaviour.

"Pay NO attention to her," Bridget whispered as we sat down in our places in tutor. I sat in the third row, third from the left while Bridget was in fourth row, two spaces to the left of me. We always sat in the same seats every lesson. "She's a right little tart, she is."

But that was easy for Bridget to say. She was quiet and sedate, no one really ever had a problem with her; she was accepted. Popularity wasn't even something she cared about. But I was a different story. The in-crowd refused to accept me, I was too smart, too outspoken with my opinions; I was shunned. The in-crowd was all I ever really wanted, even if I didn't respect what they stood for. I had this dream that I could get into their group and change their ways of dealing in underage activities and make them amazing... like me. Still, no one ever started a fight with me. I just received the occasional shove and a one word insult thrown my way.

"Okay class," Miss Allen, my tutor commenced. "As we're all here now, we can begin tutor! Now you all may have heard we have a new boy entering our class today-" the room began to break out into excited whispers "Quiet! So I would like you all to give a warm welcome to our tutor's latest addition Zayn Malik!"