My Beautiful King

Chapter Thirty

Many weeks passed by as my bruises healed. February entered slowly, accompanied with a derelict and somewhat depressing Valentine's day. It was strange; I had lived through a prior fourteen sickly-sweet, love-orientated holidays as a 'single pringle', but not one affected me as greatly as this one had.

I found myself pacing the hallways of my house with no more purpose than an abandoned ghost. It was probably because inside the caverns of my mind I was spending the day with a certain olive-skinned, hazel-green eyed boy. We could've lounged on sofas together; feeding each other chocolate, watching a chick flick... Maybe he would have even sung me a ballad towards the end of the evening.

A girl could dream forbidden dreams.

I didn't even have much time to wrongly fantasise over Zayn anymore. After multiple phone calls to schools, estate agents and workplaces, it had become official: we were moving to London. And I was to receive at least seven different tutors from the moment I set foot on the city's streets.

London located Datcers High School was more than happy to accept me; probably because I was only staying for an astonishing total of roughly five months and then leaving for college. It wasn't a common situation to happen within schools, so I wouldn't be surprised if considerable sums of money had changed hands between my dad and the headteacher of Datcers High.

I hadn't had much of a farewell meeting from William Morrison, since my request for 'my absence to be kept on the down low' was graciously granted. The only people who knew of my departure from William Morrison were my parents, Ms Steel, all my subject teachers, Marcus and me.

And when my departure day eventually rolled up, Marcus was no keener on letting me disappear.

"I can't believe you're leaving," Marcus huffed as he stole a chip from my untouched lunch. "I go through all the trouble of hanging out with you and then you ditch me! You're such a bitch, Ashley."

I smiled and continued to absently spike my plastic fork into my battered fish. "Since when did I downgrade from being a 'super bitch' to just a plain old 'bitch'?"

"Since you decided to ditch me and move to London." Marcus replied smartly. "London. The fashion capital. My current dislike for you right now is unreal."

I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly and raked ketchup over my lukewarm food. "You do realise that I'm moving because I'm being violently bullied at this school, not because I want to visit the biggest shopping centre in Europe?"

"Pshhhh," Marcus flicked his hair out of his eyes and slapped my arm. "Same difference!"

I couldn't help but laugh at his completely insensitive joke. Contrary to his words, Marcus had been nothing but comforting towards me since the alleyway-incident, although he did laugh at the fact that I got assaulted with my Harry Potter book ("If only you'd still been reading the first one; it would have hurt less!"). I hated that I had to leave him, but there was no way I could possibly stay at William Morrison.

"Oh yeah, I got you a present!" Marcus remembered suddenly as he dug into his aztec print rucksack. "It's not wrapped by the way; don't judge me! I didn't have any wrapping paper and I just really couldn't be bothered to go up the road and buy some."

"Thanks."

Marcus dismissed my sarcastic gratitude and shoved a large blue plastic bag covered lump towards me. I rustled the wrapping paper alternative and revealed a twelve inch long plush snake with rainbow stripes running around its body. My eyes prickled with tears.

"It's a rainbow snake!" Marcus grinned cheesily. "You better love it, bitch, because strangely enough it wasn't easy to find one of these."

I nodded my head laughing. "I do love it. Ah fuck, I'm crying again..."