My Beautiful King

Chapter Fifteen

I spent the last hours of Christmas Eve on the phone to Zayn. We'd talked till three in the morning, which was an early time to be getting off the phone for us.

"Going already?" He said. "It's only 3 o'clock."

"Yeah, I know, babe!" I sighed. "But its Christmas and I gotta wake up at like 10 tomorrow."

"You mean today..."

"Whatever!" I giggled. "I love you, Zaynster."

"I love you too, Ash. Don't worry about your mum, just remember... You've got me. Have a good Christmas, yeah?"

Yeah, sure.

It was set out to be the most awkward Christmas of my life. I could tell that things were going to be different from the moment that I opened my eyes in the morning. Usually, waking up on 25th December had a special feel to it; the air had a sort of warmness and sparkle amongst its folds. But this year, the air brushed cold against my skin.

I had never had to worry about waking up to open presents; most kids complained that their parents always awoke late, but everything in my house was prim and organised. My parents and I would always go to bed at the same time, as early as we could. We'd all end up being downstairs, huddling by the Christmas tree before 10 o'clock. In some cases, they'd be up before me, but only by half an hour maximum. But this day was different. I looked to the clock to see what time it was... 12 o'clock. Shit!

I leapt out of my bed, shoving my feet into my Hello Kitty themed slippers and hurtled down the stairs. I burst into the living room and found my parents sitting on the sofa together, sharing an affectionate moment. However, when they saw me my mother's face went sour and she pulled away from my father's hold.

"How come you didn't wake me up?" I asked my dad sheepishly. It seemed as if the tables had turned since my mother's announcement three days ago; my dad had decided to be more on my side. If I had to talk to either parent, I'd choose my father.

"You have your own clock in your own room." My mother butted in. "It's not our job to wake you up."

"Kelly-"

"No, Simon!" My mother looked to my father, expression cold.

"Its fine, Dad." I whispered, shaking my head. "I um, don't mind." I sat down in front of our scantily-decorated Christmas tree and began to open my three presents and card. Three presents was all I had. It seemed that the news of my new-found bad attitude had transpired fast amongst my family.

One card from Grandma and Granddad containing £30; a gift from Auntie Sue of a small silver charm bracelet; a gift from my cousin Ella of a pair of fluffy purple slipper socks; and a poorly wrapped present from my parents. The present from my parents was relatively large in size and soft in feel. It was probably clothes. There was a small name-tag in my mother's handwriting on the front of the wrapping paper that I read silently.

To Ash... From Kelly and Simon

I couldn't hold back the tears that began to douse my face. She'd call me Ash... I'd insisted that she'd call me Ash, but now that she had, I didn't like it. It didn't feel right. There was no love in her from, and she'd written their names as Kelly and Simon. She wasn't kidding when she said she had disowned me.

"Th-thanks... Kelly." I whispered my voice thick with sadness. "Thanks, S-Simon." I gripped the gift tightly and fled the room, speeding to my dormitory.

I closed the door softly and let the tears flow down my face freely. I didn't even bother to try choking back my sobs. Standing with my back leant against the door, I opened the present. It was a cardigan, a plain black cardigan, nothing special about it all. Fuck my family, they couldn't get shit right. The actual present didn't bother me so much though; I hadn't got them anything in the first place. Throwing the unwanted sweater to the floor, I crept over to my wardrobe and took out the two presents I had hidden in there; a present from all my friends and a present from Zayn. I settled myself cross-legged on the floor as I took a look at the parcels in my arms.

To Ash, Merry Christmas! From Hayley, Tyler and, Alex and Becca

I ripped the wrapping paper eagerly and found myself looking at a new vibrant pink Blackberry case and a £25 iTunes gift card. Sweet. But I had a strong feeling that the slut-face Becca didn't chip in to buy either gift.

It was time to display Zayn's present. I opened the present gingerly and revealed a much-needed new red checked scarf; a scarf in the same pattern of the dress I'd worn when Zayn and I first had sex. It was wrapped around a small butterscotch-fur teddy bear with the cutest button nose. Zayn had definitely won the Best Christmas Present Ever award.

I was about to throw his Santa Clause themed wrapping paper in the bin when I noticed something stuck to the back of it. It was a picture... A picture of Zayn and I at Kia's cousin Yasmin's party, when we first kissed during Spin the Bottle. I felt my heart swell up when I read the message he had scribbled on the back.

To the gorgeous Ash Jones, Hope your Christmas is as special as you. Love from Zayn x