Diary of a Reluctant Ruler

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You can’t believe how many times I must have looked at James that evening. Olly actually asked if something was wrong with me. I didn’t have much of an appetite for shepherd’s pie. After dinner, James winked at me…

Oh my giddy aunt, he winked at me!!! *swoon*

Oh my giddy aunt, you’re an idiot.

…and disappeared off to his room. Olly followed me up to my room, and I told her what was going on.

“What do you think?” I asked, trying not to look too much in pain at my bad fashion sense.

“Hun, you’re overdressing. Here,” she threw me a pair of jeans and a plain white T-shirt, “Have fun!”

“Aren’t you coming?”

“No,” She stated, smiling at me, “Get home by 12.”

“Yes Mum,” I laughed, as Olly left. I pulled on the jeans and T, looked at myself in the mirror. It’ll do. I put a jacket and scarf to one side, and lay down on the bed to wait.

“Knock knock,” came James’ voice from behind the door. I leapt up, then was suddenly dizzy, and fell backwards.

“Ow,” I said, then went over and pulled open the door.

“You ok?”

“Never better,” I said, shaking my head to get rid of the dizziness.

“Here,” James said, grinning.

“A wig! Oh my giddy aunt, you don’t actually want me to wear this do you?!”

“Yes,” he sat down on the bed, “come on then.”

“Yes boss,” I grabbed a hair band from my bedside table, and tied up my actual hair. I tried on the wig. It looked weird! I did a twirl for James and it flew off, James caught it, and our hands touched as he passed it back. I smiled, and adjusted my hair.

“Have you got a hat? It might hold it in place.”

“Sure, um...” I opened the door to my closet.

Yes, it’s walk-in!

Oh my gosh, it’s so cool!

Eh?

*rolls eyes*

James followed me in, and I pushed aside the sliding door to the hat shelf.

“Wow.” He said, as a rainbow row of hats was revealed, “Very inconspicuous.”

I took a beanie hat from a pile in the corner, and pulled it on over the wig. It looked a lot better, and felt more secure. I did another pirouette for James, and he smiled.

“Much better. You look good brunette, makes you look smarter.”

I stood back, pretending to be offended. James snorted at me, turned me round and pushed me out of the wardrobe. I grabbed my coat and scarf, then grabbed a yellow cardigan as well.

Gee, sounds like I’m a 80-yr-old, wearing a yellow cardie.

Yellow suits me.

That’s what you think sweet-cheeks.

“How are we getting to wherever we’re going?” I asked, as we walked down the corridor.

“Through the main gates, duh,” James said, rattling car keys in my face.

“You can drive?” I asked incredulously, “I am soooo jealous.”

“Well, I am 19. Just wait till you see my car.”

James’ car was the most gorgeous Mercedes imaginable. It was of course silver, with a black soft-top roof, and lush suede and leather seats.

“Very inconspicuous,” I laughed, as I saw it.

James smiled, opened the door for me, and I hopped in. It took us 10 minutes to get into Rous, and we parked close to the centre. The weather was lovely, and the sun was still up.

“So where are we going?” I asked, surprised that no one had recognised me.

“I thought you might like to decide.” James said, locking the car and coming to stand next to me.

“A supermarket,” I said impulsively.

“A supermarket?” James repeated, “Now, I thought you were a bit mental but-”

“No, I mean it. I’ve never been to a supermarket in my life.”

“Really?”

“Really. I want to go and walk around for a bit, buy something unhealthy and then go eat it in a park.”

“Ok,” James shrugged, “Supermarket it is.”

And with that we set off. I loved the fact that I could walk down the street with people walking past me. Nobody recognised me, nobody backed out of the way... Hell, a person even bumped into me without saying sorry! It was great. The supermarket was exactly as I’d seen them in movies, with long aisles stuffed with toilet roll, bread, toothpaste. It was odd to see things in such bulk. I’d never seen a hundred packets of pasta stacked next to each other before. It looked... Unreal. James laughed at my disbelieving face.

“So what do you want to get?” He asked, walking backwards ahead of me in the aisle.

“Ice-cream,” I said, nodding my head, “Vanilla ice-cream.”

“This way then,” James said, pointing, and in a sudden rush of excitement I grabbed his hand and dragged him along behind me, “Ok, calm down!”

I spotted the ice cream, and skidded to a halt next to it.

“How do I get in?”

I tapped the plastic top over the freezer, puzzled.

“You have some issues,” James said, pushing it to one side. He grabbed a pot of vanilla.

“Nuh-uh. Way too small,” I said, putting it back and reaching for a bigger tub.

“Ok. Just as long as you don’t blame me when you get fat,” He shrugged. I glared at him.

“I am not going to get fat from 1 tub of ice-cream.”

“You say that, but next thing you know and...”

“Uh!” I marched to the door.

“Hey!” A woman in a blue polo shirt rushed over to me, “You weren't going to leave without paying for that were you?”

“Oh! Oh, I’m so sorry, I forgot. Hang on...” I didn’t have any money...

Aaaah!!!

“Need something?” James whispered in my ear, making me jump. I smiled in gratitude as he dealt with the check-out woman, buying two plastic spoons in the process, making her laugh to cover up my huge mistake. He laughed when he saw me standing where he’d left me, biting my lip. He grabbed my hand and pulled me off towards the park.

“James, you are my saviour, thank you.”

We were sitting on the swings in a deserted park, dusk just falling. James winked at me, and took another spoonful of ice-cream.

“You know, this has to be the best ice-cream I’ve ever tasted,” I moaned, passing him the tub.

“Really? ‘Cause I thought it was pretty horrible.”

“Well don’t eat it then!” I tried to grab his spoon, but he was too fast. I sighed, and went back to swinging, “Actually, I think if I eat anymore I’ll be sick.”

“All the more for me.”

I laughed, then gave James my spoon. He put the ice-cream to one side.

“Bet I can swing higher than you,” I challenged.

“Is that a challenge?”

“No, actually you have longer legs.”

“Well I bet you wouldn’t dare jump off the swing,” he challenged back.

“Oh, is that so. I’ll have you know, that there’s a swing in the palace gardens,” I smirked, then started swinging higher.

“Ooo... All talk, and no action.”

“Just getting into my stride.”

I swung a little harder, judged the peak, twisted my hands away from the chains... And I was flying! My feet touched the ground all too soon, landing with as much grace as I could muster. I turned and bowed, waving my hand elaborately. I thanked the sky my ankle was fully healed.

“Come on then Mister. Let’s see you do it.”

“Fine,” James swung a little higher then jumped. He landed next to me, bowing even more elaborately than I had, “Shall we?”

“We shall,” I laughed, noting his repetition of one of my favourite sayings.

I took his offered arm and we walked back through the park. The occasional lamp post highlighted the frost already sparkling on the pavements, and the night was getting colder. The sun had set, and it must have been at least 10 o’clock.

We got home at 11, trying to make as little noise as possible. James escorted me up to my room, saying that way, if I got caught, he could make an excuse. I wasn’t too sure about the excuse, but I liked the thought. James hesitated as we came to my door. Uh-oh, I thought, doorstop syndrome here we come. The awkwardness of how to end the evening...

“Goodnight,” I said, my heart beating treble its normal rate.

“Yeah, goodnight,” James said.

He looked like he was going to say something else, but then he just smiled awkwardly and began to walk away. My heart dropped, and I turned to go.

“Wait, Phil!”

“Yeah?” My heartbeat ricocheted as he came back.

“Um... See you tomorrow?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I said, my heart falling again.