The Secret Princess (One Direction Fanfic)

Chapter 29: "Your new bodyguard."

Chapter 29: "Your new bodyguard."
 
SOPHIE'S POV:
 
That sleep was probably the best sleep I have ever had. The bed felt like a cloud and I was just floating along with it. Except, the wonderful dream ended when I opened my eyes. Where am I? I sat up to see a massive spacious room around me. The walls were a pale cream colour and everything was just so clean and perfect. So perfect that it almost bugged me. A large golden chandelier was hanging from the ceiling, and opposite the king size bed I was in, there was a dressing table, three brown detailed tallboys and a long mirror across the wall. To my right were two glass slide doors covered by creamy-brown curtains, which I assumed led out to a balcony. To my left was the white entrance door. Why did this place seem unrecognisable?
 
Oh, that's right! I went to bed last night when it was pitch black. I sat up slowly and noticed that there were some luggage bags right in front of the door - obviously mine. I suddenly felt the impact of jet lag and wanted to go right back to sleep, but I had to stay awake. My eyes started to close on me and the bed just seemed so good right now. But no. Forcing myself up and out of bed, I pushed the white, thick, silk sheets off my legs and placed my feet onto the soft warm carpet. Making my way over to the largest bag, I noticed a little white piece of paper stuck to it. I lifted it off and read what was on it:
 
'Once you're up and ready, exit the room, walk until you see an opening on your right and walk down there. Keep going, and at the second left exit, take that, and you're in the dining room for breakfast!
 
Hope you had a wonderful sleep,
Your mother xx'
 
That seemed simple enough. I pushed the bag so that it was on the floor, and began unzipping it. Once it opened up, I took a good look at what I had packed. There were plenty of jumpers, trackies, leggings. I decided to take my leggings off, slide some tracksuit pants on and keep my jumper on. The temperature wasn't cold inside, but it wasn't hot either. Just cool enough to wear what I was. I peeled off the elastic band that was around my wrist and tied my hair up into a high pony tail - I just wanted everything out of my face.
 
Picking up the note again, I decided to start making my way toward the kitchen. I stepped out into the hall and softly closed the door behind me. Okay, so first left. Following the instructions, I made it to the dining room very soon. Again, it was a large spacious room with apricot walls, making it warm and inviting. The long glass table stretched length ways and could probably seat twenty people. Paintings and decorations were all over the walls. I stood in the middle of the room, just looking around. I started to feel incredibly underdressed - since I was was wearing a jumper, track suit pants and bare footed - but I guess they'll understand.
 
"Oh my." I heard a strong feminine British accent say from behind me, followed by a crashing of what sounded like metal. I quickly snapped around and saw a woman dressed in a maid's uniform scurrying the cutlery tray and glasses of the ground. Her curly blonde hair, nearly completely overshadowed with greys, was tied up into a loose bun with a tiny black hat with white frills around it.
 
"Let me help!" I offered and dashed to get the things off the ground.
 
"No, no. It's my job, I've got it." She insisted. I nodded and stepped back, watching her place every silver object onto the tray, making a clacking noise. Once everything was back onto the tray, she gathered everything and stood up. I smiled politely as I watched her scanning me uncomfortably. Oh, my clothes. She kept a firm sight on my pale blue jumper which read 'Bondi 1987'. Of course I wasn't alive back then, but it was just apart of the design. Then an eyebrow was raised when she saw my feet and unpainted toes. "Who are you?" She asked - not rudely, but she knitted her eyebrows together.
 
"Um," I hesitated, gathering my thoughts, "I'm Sophie." I answered her. Her eyes widened and lips parted.
 
"Oh, Sophie! I thought you looked familiar! You've grown up." A pleased smile spread across her face. She tried to hold the tray with one hand while reaching the other out to shake mine. I shook her hand quickly so that she could continue holding the tray with two hands. She stumbled with them but quickly repositioned them on the inside of her arm. "Don't take this the wrong way, but what are you wearing?"
 
I feel so awful that I couldn't recognise this lady. I scrunched my eyebrows inwards and glanced down. Of course I knew what clothes I was wearing, but I wanted to double check. Slowly looking back up, I nodded. "Guess they're not royal material, huh?"
 
"I'll fetch you breakfast, and then we'll get this," she ran her index finger in the air, pointing to my outfit, "sorted out." She smiled. This? This would be a perfectly fine outfit in Australia and I was comfortable, so I wasn't exactly keen on getting it 'sorted out'.
 
 
*****
 
 
Soon after the maid, Rose, had left, the rest of my family entered the room. Again, I got shocked looks from my parents, but I didn't care. I guess it wasn't the long nightie, silk gown that my mother was wearing, or the long, cotton pyjama buttoned up shirt and pants my father was, but I wasn't trying to impress anyone. We were all eating breakfast together - waffles on my plate - when my mother stood up.
 
"Sophie, since you're going to be roaming the busy streets of England, we've gotten you a surprise." A smile, a very fake smile I might add, slapped on her face. I lifted my head no raised my eyebrows to signal that I was listening, since I had some waffle in my mouth. She rushed out of the room without any further words. Where is she going? I felt my eyebrows scrunch inwards as I sat down, strumming my fingers on the table.
 
I started to hear footsteps become closer and closer - not just one pair of footsteps, but two. Soon, the owners of those feet were standing right in front of me. One pair belonged to my mother, obviously from her perfectly pedicured toes, and the other pair was covered in black, thick lace up boots. My eyes travelled from the bottom of this mystery person all the way to the top. I nearly ran out of the room when I saw this guys face, talk about intimidating. He was almost an exact resemblance of Rick, but I knew this guy wasn't bad. Question was, who is he and why is he here?
 
"By the look on your face, I can tell you have no idea who he is," my mother smiled. I relaxed my face to get rid of the tension, "Well. This is Tony, and he is going to be your bodyguard for your time in England!"
 
I froze... Bodyguard?
 
How do I respond to this? Appreciative, decline the offer? I didn't want another bodyguard. If they were going to do this, they should've brought Niall over. He was perfectly good at what he did. He jumped in front of a crazed psycho for me. He was fine.
 
I looked over at Louis, who was sitting to my left. He looked at me with an understanding. It was an expression to say, 'I know this is hard for you.' But I wish that instead of looking at me like that, he'd just say it. I wanted someone to tell the world that they understood me for once. My brother was the only human being in this room who actually knew a thing or two about me.
 
"Why didn't you bring Niall?" I blurted out. I didn't even realise that the words had come out of my mouth until my mothers lips parted slightly.
 
"Because we didn't believe he was doing a very good job back there in Australia." My mother tried reasoning.
 
"He saved my life!" I argued.
 
"Well it's not like we can bring him here," my father spoke up, I glanced over to him as he was sitting opposite me, just in front of where my mother was standing with Tony.
 
"Why not?" I questioned him. It wasn't that hard just to call Niall over here. They're worth billions of dollars, it's not a hard task.
 
"He doesn't work for us anymore." He said so easily. Too easily. Like this shouldn't have some soft of effect on me. I grew up with this kid for seven years and all I get it a simple, 'he doesn't work for us anymore.' Lucky me. Did this mean that they fired him? How could they fire him?! They knew how much he meant to me, they knew that he was my best friend. They had no right to do this to him, or our friendship.
 
"You fired him?" I cried.
 
"Not fired," my mother said, "we just let him go. We didn't need him anymore."
 
I had heard enough of this. Niall was the only person who knew me like his own self. He was the only person that I'd want to have beside me, through thick and thin. And for me to only realise this now, being stuck here for the next month, I felt so stupid. He was right. They didn't deserve a second chance. They could've tried this a long time ago, and they only do it when they hear something's happened to me. Pathetic.
 
"Is that true?" My mother asked me. She stood there, dumbfounded, eyes wide, lips parted. What's true? I glanced over at Louis who's jaw had dropped so much, it could've probably hit the ground. Why were they looking at me like that? I hadn't said anything to them that could've been false. What's going on?
 
"Is what true?" I asked, focusing on my mother.
 
"Everything you just said. How we're 'pathetic' and how Niall was right. D-do you really feel that way?" She asked, hurt clearly written across her face. Oh no. Everything I had just thought, I said aloud. Well, it is the truth. Even if the truth hurts, they're gonna have to deal with it some day.
 
"You don't understand, do you?" I asked with a bit of attitude.
 
"Understand what, young lady?" My father's eyes darted on mine.
 
"How you hurt me all these years." I glanced over at Louis, "How you hurt us. Winning our love and trust back isn't going to be this easy. You can't just take us back and expect things to be normal. Being a parent is about love and sacrifice - some things you two clearly know nothing about."
 
I wasn't in the mood to stay in this room. Wait, scratch that. I wasn't in the mood to still be standing in this house. I didn't care if I looked homeless or if I had just climbed out of a junkyard, I was leaving this place here and now. I pushed back in my chair, hearing the screech it made against the floor, and stormed past everyone without another word. I was aiming on finding an exit some way or another.
 
Footsteps were starting to become closer behind me. I didn't want to talk to any of them right now, so if they tried, they weren't going to succeed. I began to walk aimlessly through all the halls and rooms of the Buckingham palace, trying to find the back door I had come entered through the first time I came here. The owner of the footsteps that were behind me, never seemed to say a word though. What the hell were they doing?
 
I glanced back and saw Tony standing behind me, keeping a close eye. His face was completely impassive and cautious. I huffed and decided to turn back around and find another way out of here. Then I saw it, that glorious door. I wasn't very conscious about what I was wearing, because I don't know anyone from England. I pushed it open and felt the cool air hit me suddenly. It wasn't as cold as last night, but I could just bear it.
 
The sky was white and overcast, not a hint of blue. I made my way past the fountains and grass until I reached the back gate. The man who was there last night, recognised me and probably knew Tony too. He opened it for us as I walked through and kept walking until I found myself in front of the BuckinghamPalace and onto a pathway. There were definitely some people standing by and watching, but they didn't notice me come around.
 
I glanced back, Tony was still there. I hated being watched like this. At least with Niall he didn't make it obvious that he was there to protect me. He wasn't my shadow. Tony doesn't look like such a bad guy, but I don't want him behind me or blocking my chance of freedom. I needed to find a way to get rid of him.
 
"Is there a bathroom around here?" I turned around to face him, a pleading look upon my face.
 
"Why didn't you just use the one inside the house?" He questioned me.
 
"Oh. Whoops." I faked a clumsy, clueless expression. "Are there any restaurants or cafés around here?"
 
"Yeah," he sighed, "I'll show you." He began to walk forward, making sure I was beside him the whole time. Tony didn't seem very interested in being my bodyguard or even communicating with me. He was just as boring and dull as... as me right now. I was the emotionless one.
 
I wasn't being myself in England. My mood had completely flip sided from bubbly and easy going, to antisocial and boring. I was only myself when I'm with Niall. He's the one that brings out the best of me. And I'm afraid to admit that the best part of me was with him in Australia at the moment. I was treating everyone like rubbish. My parents were actually trying and I shot them down before I could even finish my breakfast. I couldn't be around them while I treated them this way and still acted like a child. It wasn't good for me, Louis or our family's relationship.
 
But that didn't change the fact that I still wanted to have some time to myself for the moment. So before I knew it, I was in front of a café and Tony was beside me. "Thanks." I said softly and cracked a small smile. I walked straight inside and saw the toilet door sign. Perfect. I pushed the girls door open and noticed there was already a woman in there. She was reapplying her lipgloss and almost jumped when the door closed behind me. She politely smiled, finished up and walked out.
 
I glanced around to find an escape. The bathroom was only very small, fitting two cubicles opposite one sink with a mirror in front. The walls were a modern dark brown and there was one light bright enough to fill the whole room. I spotted the small window right next to the sink on the wall. It was pretty small, but definitely able to fit a teenage girl through it. Glancing behind me, I saw that no one was going inside. Hesitantly, I lifted my right foot onto the sink and pushed my body weight up and so that no feet were on the ground. I reached my hands so that they were on the windowsill and I pried it open.
 
This was going to be a challenge.
 
I leaned my weight onto the window and pushed up and off the sink. Bending my body and keeping my head down, I slid my right foot so that it went outside the window. Now one half of my body was inside the bathroom and the other half was outside. I glanced below me outside and saw the top lid of a dumpster. Lord give me strength. I wriggled my left leg up beside me and jumped, letting my feet land on top of the bin. Luckily it was close.
 
Freedom. Freedom. Freedom.
 
Just a few minutes, maybe half an hour - enough time to myself. I walked around to the front of the café and back onto a pathway. A little look to the left let me see that Tony was still waiting just inside. So I'll go right! I began walking to my right and spent as much free time roaming the streets of England alone. And it felt good.

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A/N: Hey everyone! Just thought I’d point out, IT’S MY BIRTHDAY IN 3 DAYS! 21st November omgg! (Also the same date Up All Night was released ;) )

 So last chapter @FionaSiona figured out that Sophie’s mood had suddenly become a tad depressing and I made that more obvious in this chapter! Sorry these chapters in England haven’t been as hyped up as I made them! But I promise you from now on it gets better!

Considering that I’ve been getting, like, no votes, I take that some of you aren’t exactly taking a liking to this story as you used to! But it’s nearly over, so yeaahh.. Anyways, dedicated this chapter to all of you, my wonderful readers and fans! PS. Please fan me, I’m so close to 300! Woo! :)

I won't say how many votes til next chapter since I barely reach it anymore, but pleaasee vote! :)

Thanks guys xox