Across the Pond (Prince Harry #2)

Chapter Fifty

"So you're going to be back in Crownhart, and you're happy for this?" Harry asked. "I thought you wanted to be with freshmen."

"It was decided that I would make freshmen cry if I had them," Meredith responded. "I would like to think that I would toughen them up."

"What about the other dorm? The one that's five blocks down? Why not there?"

"The bosses decided it would be cheaper to keep me here, at Crownhart. They did put all that work into my room with the new lights. Oh, they also put in new lights behind the front desk for my migraines." She was super excited about that. Because of the new lights, she might not feel physically ill as much. "But they're switching other things up. We won't know room assignments until later, but an RA is getting first floor to themselves."

"Why?"

"Cost," Meredith put simply, "and because there are less residents."

"Do you want that?"

"Well, I'm a control freak, so I wouldn't mind having a floor to myself. My co is nice and lets me do what I want, but I don't want to ask anymore."

Harry watched his girlfriend with a smirk. "Are you sure you want a floor all to yourself when you have residents acting this way?"

"They're all not terrible, just some, yet all have to be punished like a class of children." She rolled her eyes. "Again last night, they stole my Resident Assistant sign from my door. I don't even have a sign; they're just ripping the tape off. Fucking residents," Meredith muttered and leaned back in her seat.

"Please don't fuck the residents," Harry grinned, trying to add some light to the situation.

"Well, isn't that not royal-like?"

"What?"

"Swearing. I thought you guys were supposed to be above that, no mistakes."

"We all make mistakes."

"Why is that?" Meredith smiled.

Harry knew what she wanted. "Because we're all human," he muttered.

"Louder."

"I'm human," Harry stated clearly. "It doesn't help when I have to give a speech in front of everyone. I fear I'll make a mistake."

"People get nervous while making speeches. It's normal."

"They'll judge me."

"Sweetie, they've been judging you since you were born." Meredith shrugged. "And, its only a speech. You make a bunch of them. No one will tell them apart."

"It's one of Wills' charities."

"So?"

"It isn't people that are easy going, to say the least. These are big donors. They want the best."

"It's a good thing you're the best."

Harry sighed.

"Look at me, Harry," Meredith ordered. "You're not the spare. You're Harry, and you're great, friendly, kind, amazing, sweet and perfect. You'll do fine. You've been doing this your whole life. It's just another speech, and you'll do great. If you mess up, who cares? Rich people are human too."

"Are they?"

"Do you have two hearts?"

"No."

"Do you only talk in riddles?"

"No."

"Does your closet lead to Narnia?"

"No."

"Do you bleed gold?"

"No."

"Then all of us are humans," Meredith concluded. "Where's William going, anyway?"

"Boys' weekend with some of his mates."

"Kate isn't going?"

"No. That's why it's a boys' weekend."

"So, she's staying home and taking care of the kids herself?"

"She'll have nannies to help." Harry regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth. Judging by Meredith's face, this was going to be an uphill battle. "Sometimes people just need to get away, you know."

"As a commoner, no, I don't know," Meredith responded bitterly. Harry was stung by the words. "He has a wife and two children. You just don't get away from them. It's your life." This was what she didn't get about Harry's life, when people could just leave whatever they were doing to jet off to somewhere else. If the monarchy was trying to be normalized with the saying we're just like everybody else, they were wrong.

Harry watched his girlfriend as she fumed. He kept his mouth shut.

"You think this is acceptable behavior?" she asked. "It's called running away."

"Mere, I swear I wouldn't do anything like this. Our family would be the most important thing."

"You don't think you'll need to just get away?"

He knew he had dug himself a hole, and there weren't many ways to get out. Harry swallowed his pride. "He'll be back in a few days. He'll take over that charity again. I won't have to do any more of those speeches, unless he's gone again." Harry was a bit bitter about it too, but in many ways, it was just the way it was. It didn't mean Harry was going to go it, but this was how things were.

"Is he dying?"

"No."

"Then that charity is all his." Meredith's voice made it sound final. Still fuming on the inside, Meredith tried to focus on other things. There were things she couldn't change, and perhaps it was acceptable in their relationship. Meredith's relationship with Harry was different, and it would be treated as such. "Harry, what makes you nervous about this speech? Is it the speaking in front of people or the correct words or--"

Harry had stilled and stared toward the door. Listening, Meredith stopped. Only a low hum of a human voice came over the phone. He watched the person carefully, only nodding once to show understanding, and then Harry looked back to his girlfriend. "Mere, I'll call you back later." Harry's voice sounded formal, like he had no connection to her, and he ended the FaceTime before Meredith could say anything else.

This certainly wasn't about cleaning up Meredith's image, not when it was so unexpected. Someone came into his flat at Kensington Palace, told him something, and Harry had to go. He didn't just hang up like that. He didn't just leave like that.

Meredith sat back on her desk chair, glancing outside. Homework waited for her, but she couldn't find the fucks to give about it. Turning on the TV, breaking news flashed on. A terrorist attack was happening in London, and she knew where Harry had gone. He was taken somewhere else, put in protection. That didn't make Meredith feel any better; Harry was still there. She still worried, but then Meredith was worried about everyone in London. It was hard to look away.

London was a safe, wonderful, beautiful, culturally rich place. It held many places to go, many people to meet and many things to do. London was never ending. London was always welcoming. It was the place to be, the place to go, and the place to come again. London was more than just lights and tall buildings; it was history, the present and the future.

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To London, one of the greatest cities in the world, my heart goes out to you and its people.