To Be Ugly (Completed - 2013)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9|The Christmas Ball

Picture by the side is not Isla but its her gown.

Isla's p.o.v.

A knock was what woke me up the next morning and I woke up very disoriented but I managed to ask Katherine to come in when I heard her call for me outside my door.

"Good morning sweetheart...how are you?" Katherine said as she strode into my room and pulled the curtains aside to allow unfiltered dawn light into the room.

"I'm fine...I just have a little headache..." I replied.

"Well then you don't have to go to school today because I'm sure you're so tired. You can get some sleep before its time for your grandmother's final burial. You should really take it easy, you know." Katherine advised as she sat on my bed and stroked my hair just the way I imagine a mother would stroke her daughter's hair.

"No I'm okay...I just want to go to school and be busy so I won't be able to think. Besides, final exams are so close and I can't afford to miss school." I said.

Just then Strange came out of my bathroom and clambered unto my bed and into my arms. I hugged him to myself and my arms must have been really tight around him because he hissed and pushed out of my arms. "Hey small guy where have you been?"

"How do you communicate with him?" Katherine queried curiously pointing at Strange as she watched him curl unto the other end of my new queen size bed.

"I read his mind and we communicate like that." I replied.

"But...Can you read my mind?" She asked.

"Yes but thats an invasion of privacy so I've never read your mind...besides you have a very strong will and that kind of creates a block in your mind." I stated blandly.

"I never thought of it like that. Anyway I have to go downstairs while you're in the shower but I want you to know that if you want anything I'm here for you so don't hesitate to ask, Okay?" Katherine said.

"Yes and I want to thank you for everything you've done for me...for allowing Strange to live with me in the palace, for buying all those clothes..." Isla said.

Katherine gave me a warm smile and a small hug. "Nonsense Isla...you're like my daughter now. Anyway its already 7am and I don't think you want to be late to school do you? I'll bring out your uniform for you."

I stood up and walked to the bathroom. "I wonder what I'll use to distract myself when its two weeks time and we're on our school christmas break."

"If its distraction you want honey, Don't worry you'll find plenty while helping me prepare for the christmas ball we throw at the palace every christmas evening." Katherine noted absently as she laid out my uniform on my bed.

I brushed my teeth as I thought of the ball which Logan had already asked me to accompany him to. After a very short bath, I wore my uniform and the new pair of shoes Katherine had bought for me and went downstairs to the dining room. Everyone was seated there so I meekly joined them. Everyone means Logan, Derek, Katherine and Logan's father the king in case you don't know.

"Good morning." I muttered softly.

"Good morning Isla." Everyone said except Katherine who winked at me and Derek who just stared at me before dropping his eyes to the cereal in his bowl. I sat there watching them eat and blinked when Katherine asked if I wasn't going to eat.

"No...I'm not used to eating in the morning." I said.

Logan smiled at me then and urged me to eat a cookie. His smile was so nice, warm and encouraging that I managed to stomach three cookies.