Her Royal Highness

XXXI

The weeks that followed my initial steps towards higher education felt endless. Absolutely, positively endless. I had to wonder how 'normal' people in my position handled this anxiety, from applications, to grade reviews, to waiting months and months for that little letter to appear in their mail slot.

In my case, I knew that wasn't the exact procedure. After preparing everything I would need along side Eden, I sat down and made the dreaded phone calls. I started, of course, with the registrars office. Outlining my issue, my late decision to attend, and my goals, they listening with keen interest, only to tell me that as the deadline for applications had passed, there was nothing they could do. I hung up the phone feeling dejected and angry, tossing it to the couch with a bounce.

Eden, however, was as always the calmer of the two of us. Reminding me that they had very little control in situations like this, that this was the response she expected. As much as she had prepared me for it, it still upset me. After a few moments of sullen reflection, she handed me back my phone, along with the contact information for the dead of the philosophy faculty.

This call was short, as I was met with his assistant, immediately rebuffed. She told me, in a rather nasal and unpleasant voice, that he was in meetings all day. I felt my annoyance raise, my feeling of rejection and failure creeping up. Glancing to Eden, who was listening intently as close to my ear as she could sit, she motion with her finger in a circular motion for me to drop my name. Subtle, but just enough of a nudge to let the woman on the other end know exactly who she was speaking to.

Although the woman did not sound impressed or in any way changed when I told her who I was, and in turn who my family was, she did agree to leave the dean a message that I had called. I felt as though I had made no real headway, but Eden seemed encouraged. She told me to hold off on contacting the next step up in the chain, until I had exhausted this effort. I sat in the library with her, the two of us now turning our attention from higher learning to funny animal videos on Youtube.

Not quite an hour in to our little binge fest, my phone rang gently beside me. Looking at the number, it was not one I recognized.

"Hello?"

"Hello, is this Charlotte?" a deep, authoritative voice sounded.

"It is,"

"Charlotte, this is Dean Malcolm from the philosophy faculty at University of Birmingham"

I was so shocked I jumped up, the laptop falling on to Eden, my phone almost slipping from my grasp. She opened her mouth to respond, probably not something pleasant that I would want this man to hear, so quickly I reached over and clamped my hand over her mouth.

"Yes!" I said, with much too much enthusiasm. "Thank you for returning my call,"

Giving Eden a telling look, I removed my hand from her as she seemed to realize who the caller was. Her eyes widened as she sat up, immediately pressing her ear to the other side of my phone to listen in.

We were so mature.

"Well, I can assure you it isn't every day a member of the Royal family calls my office," he laughed lightly.

I felt a tension in my stomach, and pushed it down quickly.

"My assistant informed me of your desire to attend the university, and that you wish to study under my faculty."

"I do," I nodded as if he could see me. "Very much."

"Well, as I am sure you know, the deadline for applications has passed quite some time ago," I felt my stomach drop, the feeling of loss coming over my quickly as he continued. "But, as I understand your situation is rather unique, I will consider your application."