Just The Way I'm Not (Prince Harry Fanfiction)

Chapter Six

Because of the success of that night, Dad’s had volunteer’s queuing out the doors, much to my advantage. He seemed pretty cool about me asking if I could only work part time, he said yes almost immediately, even suggesting I only work three days. I jumped at the chance, which is why, two days after the event, still overwhelmed with tiredness; I have the option of sulking around the house in my pyjamas. After always working, I’m quite enjoying having nothing to do, watching TV and sleeping in has never seemed so beautiful. Of course, I’ve thought about my encounter with Harry a lot. A couple of times I’ve wondered if it actually happened or whether I dreamt it up. Other times I tell myself to get over it, I meet people all the time in the shop, I have conversations with them, I’m only getting obsessive over it because he was a Prince. But again, like I told myself on the beach, the Royal Family make appearances and go on outings all the time, they must have had conversations with thousands of strangers, I’m no different. Even so, I still seem to manage to replay the night in my head over and over again. It’s only when I venture outside that I realise; perhaps this encounter wasn’t just like all the others. It’s Wednesday afternoon and just a couple of days after the party. I reluctantly slip my wellies on over my jogging bottoms and throw a hoodie on. I must look awful, but to be honest, I don’t care. I’m just popping to the shop and it’s not like any handsome prince’s are going to appear... again. It’s only when I get to the newsagents I immediately know something’s wrong. I walk inside and get a horrible feeling everyone’s looking at me, the shop assistant is definitely staring at me, and I’m pretty sure he stopped his conversation with Niall when I walked in. Gingerly I get out “Hey Niall” I may as well be nice, even if the guy is a stalker. But today he seems weird, like he’s looking at me differently. He mumbles something about being busy and quickly shoots out the shop. Do I smell or something? I feel like I’m in one of those films where all the town’s people set out to kill a young innocent person. The person being me, obviously. But when I turn to the magazines I know it’s not that, it’s the last thing I ever imagined. On the front of several tabloid newspapers stand the headlines ‘HARRY’S NEW LOVE’, ‘THE PRINCE AND HER’, ‘DIRTY HARRY.’ It’s not the headline that scares me, it’s the picture. Every newspaper had the exact same photograph, Harry on a beach, looking into a girl’s eyes and brushing the hair off her face. The girl is me. I blush several different shades of purple and look horrified. What on earth is going on?! I’m not in love with Harry! We just talked for a while, it’s hardly marriage material. This is a total disaster, I hated being in newspapers at the best of times, but this was something else, this was sold all over the UK, oh god, this was also online. I panic; everyone’s going to be getting the wrong end of the stick. I may as well kiss the peaceful Uni life in Edinburgh goodbye. It takes a few minutes before I get a grip, concealing my emotions from the shop assistant, but I can tell it’s too late, he’s already registered my expression. “You can take one of those if you want” he smiles “You know, to read the article.” I nod and grab the one closest to me, running out the shop and home as quick as possible. Closing the door behind me, I sink down the wall and stare blanking at the newspaper. It was a typical tabloid article, jokey and unserious. Idiots I thought, because this is serious to me. Prince Harry found some fun out of a charity event yesterday when he met a local girl. The bad boy Prince was making a public appearance yesterday, at a charity named ‘Save the Sailors’ when he met Holly Longford, 18. The charity is situated in a small village named Craster, which is in Northumberland. A source informed us the pair were at each other’s side all day, flirting back and forth. Later that night it is reported they took a romantic walk on the beach before hooking up at Longford’s house. The pair were spotted walking into her house and not coming out until several hours later. It is heard Harry thinks there may be more than a one night stand in his relationship with Holly, an onlooker said they “Really hit it off, Holly was all over him.”It seems this commoner has infuriated the Winsor family, making them a ‘laughing stock.’ A source close to the family says “Harry is very keen on her and trying to win them round, he’s not going to give up without a fight.” Is there another Royal Wedding on the cards? Turn to page 4 for more. I feel like vomiting. Nothing in that article was true! The only thing that resembled the truth was that we walked on the beach. But this article has told the entire nation we had sex! This is not good, I feel so angry, all I did was talk to Harry and I didn’t even like him that much. It’s good he’s not here, because I feel like punching him. This whole situation is stupid and it’s all Prince Harry’s fault. I was living quite a peaceful life before he came along, now everything’s spiralling. This newspaper completely infuriates me. Well, never again. From now on I’ll keep my head down all summer, going to work and living the boring life. My life can finally begin when I go to University, but not a moment before that. No Prince, no paparazzi. This plan goes quite well throughout the day, I watch TV and keep myself to myself, and then when my parents get home, there’s a lot of explaining to do. But I make up some story about how I fell over and Harry was helping me up, I assure them I’ve never said more than two words to the man and the papers have no idea what they’re talking about. Mum and Dad seem to believe me and we soon move on with the conversation.

*

“Holly, will you get that?!” my mother calls up the stairs. I roll my eyes; I’m in no position to answer the phone right now. Staring out my window I can see reporters and photographers waiting outside my house. They all want to know my story and how I got involved with Harry. It’s so ridiculous, there’s nothing to tell. I sigh and draw my curtains, strolling across the room and picking my phone up. “Hello” I answer. I posh, deep, female voice comes down the other end “Hold for the Prince of Wales” she says before the line goes dead. Okay what? Harry’s calling me? What could we possibly have left to say to one another? “Hey HL” a casual Prince says down the phone, even though I can’t see him, I can tell he’s smiling.

“What?!” I snap back.

Harry’s voice comes out all smooth, like he’s sleepy or relaxed “Just a quick phone call to tell you to not worry about the press.”

Oh. I see what this is. “How can I not worry?!” I demand “They’re outside my fucking house!”

“Calm it” he says “It’s just the media. I’ve got into this type of shit a few times, it’ll die down in a few days.” It annoys me how this cannot bother him at all.

“Well you might be used to being in the public eye but I’m not. You caused me so much trouble.”

Harry snorts “Ahh but it was worth it HL”

“I’m not so sure about that” I spit back. Harry giggles and pauses for a moment, drawing breath. “Listen I got a lot of people breathing down my neck in London, it’s not exactly plain sailing here either.”

I seriously feel like laughing at him now. My voice becomes high pitched and sarcastic “Well poor old Harry.”

“Oi! I’m just trying to tell you I got into ten times more trouble then you did. And I’m sure when I get back to the army they’ll all take the piss of me there too.”

“Well good luck with that. Have a nice life posh boy” I go to put the receiver down but Harry jumps in. “Wait! Before you go, just remember that we’re sorting to media problem out here so you don’t need to worry. And if you ever need anything-”

“I won’t” I interrupt, why would I? He’s caused me enough trouble already.

“But if you do” Harry persists “Take this number down.” I decide I may as well grab a pen and note the number down, though I’m pretty sure I’ll throw it in the bin straight away.

“That’s my personal number” he explains “No secretaries or anything, just me. Only use it in emergencies though and... For god’s sake HL, make sure you don’t give it to anyone else.”

I roll my eyes “I’m not stupid.”

“I know” Harry says, his voice sounding strained. “Bye then, I’m genuinely sorry for the trouble. But I don’t regret it, it was nice meeting you.” I decide there’s not much I can say to that, though it’s sweet, I’m still annoyed at him. “Bye Princey” I say and I hang up.

So Prince Harry of Wales cares about me. Or so it seems. I’m really starting to warm to that man...