Chapter 13
I smile sadly at the little girl in my arms, hugging a ratty teddy bear. Behind me is a box full of brand new toys, slowly I reach behind me and grab a plump new teddy bear. I hold it behind my back as I whisper to the girl, "I have something for you. But you have to promise me you'll take care of him because he means a lot to me." She looks up at me with sad eyes and my heart breaks. She nods and I pull the bear from behind my back, handing it to her. Her eyes light up and she drops her ratty bear, squeezing the new one tight to her. "Thank you!" She leaned forward and hugged me. I hold back tears as she runs back towards her ill mother.
Three days ago was the day I came up with my plan, but honestly, this is getting to me. The kids I have seen all break my heart and make me realize just how lucky I am. Yesterday Harry and I arrived in Africa and today we are in a small village that is badly infected with Aids dieases.
"How are you holding up, Sofie?" Harry came up to me looking concerned. I turn around to him and wipe the tears from my eyes. He gives a small smile and pulls me into a hug. "Its hard, isnt it?" He whispered. I nod into his chest as I try to stop my tears from coming.
"I dont know how you do it so calmly. It just so sad to see this. It makes me rethink a lot about how I live, like I dont deserve all the riches when they have nothing." I tell Harry, pulling away from him. He puts a hand on my cheek and wipes my tears away with his thumb.
He leans forward and gives me a small, soft kiss. "Are you sure you want to keep going? We can stop for the day. Were here until Tuesday. Thats four more days." I nod and he just laughs and shakes his head.
Harry goes back to speaking with the adults and I go back to the children. A group of little girls swarm around me and start talking so fast, I cant help but laugh. I sit down on a small blanket on the ground and play dolls with the little girls as the boys play with toy trucks we brought them. "Are you famous?" A little girl with no hair suddenly asked, tugging on my shirt sleeve. I laugh and hug her.
"No, I'm not sweetie. My boyfriend is." I tell her. She frowns and tugs at my shirt again.
"You should be. Your so nice and pretty. Why is your boyfriend famous?" She tells me. Tears threaten to leak out of my eyes again at the girls sinerity.
I lean down and whisper into her ear, "Personally I dont know. He's a bit of a weirdo in my opinion." The little girls around that over heard all started laughing and so did I. The little girl I was talking to smiled so big, spreading happiness throughout my heart.
For another hour or so I played with the kids and joked with them, making them laugh and smile. I gave them piggybacks and we played tag. But after awhile everyone got quiet and watched as the few reporters that were around ate their lunch. My heart starts breaking again as I realize they're hungry but dont say anything because they're not used to having food all of the time. I look around to see Harry watching me. I frown and tell the kids I'll be right back, getting up to talk to Harry.
"They're hungry." I tell him as I approach him and a group of other voluenters. They all look at me as if I'm speaking another language but Harry looks over at them, sympathetically.
Harry puts a hand on my arm. "We dont have food for them, besides what we gave their parents." He informs me, sadly. I glance at the people around me who are eating away at their delicous food while the children starve. I go over to where Harry and I left out lunch for the day and grab my bag of food.
"Where are you going?" Harry asked as I turned back to the kids.
I shrug and glance back at his stunned figure. "To feed the kids."
I stomp over to the depressing group of kids and tell them to all gather around in a circle on the blanket. I sit in the middle of the circle and pull out of foot long sub Harry and I were going to share and a bag of chips and a bottle of figi water. "Who wants some lunch?" I asked the kids, smiling at them all. They all start shouting a round of "ME!"'s as I pull apart the sandwhich in pieces to have enough for everyone. "Now we have to share, okay?" I tell them as I pass out a small amount of chips and water. I watch with a huge satisfying grin on my face as they eat the found as if their is no tomorrow.
Later that night Harry and I headed off to the huge tent the people had set up for us. I was told to pack light clothes because it was a little hot. A little is a huge understatement. I was sweating to death in a white thanktop and boy shorts and my hair in a ponytail.
"That was nice what you did earlyer, you know." Harry said as I snuggle up to him ontop of our sleeping bag. I look up at him and smile.
"I know. It just breaks my heart no one else wanted to feed them. But to also eat infront of them is just utterly heartbreaking and cruel." I said, thinking about all the stories the kids have told me about their lives and what they hope to accomplish in the future. It hurts knowing a lot of them wont accomplish their dreams.
Harry sighs and kisses the top of my head. "I warned you about it before we came. It's very hard the first few times. It gets easier." He tells me. I shake my head. There is just no way seeing all of these kids suffer gets easier.
***
The next morning we are woken up at seven am by the kids shouting for me to come out and play. I laugh as they giggle and shake the tent. I can hear the buzz of reporters going crazy saying Harry and I are going to be mad. Harry just yawns and tells me to go play with them. I pull on a pair of tan cargo shorts then fix my hair then put on deoderant and sprits on perfume before heading out of the tent to go with the kids. As soon as I step out of the text, I am bombarded by a group of reporters.
"Sofie, are you here by force of the royal family? Is this only for good press?" Somone shoves a mic into my face. I glance at them annoyed, even though I did come here for good press, but on the journey it has become so much more than that.
I stop and take the mic from whoever shoved it into my face. "The royal family did not force me here and this is not for good press. I came here because I felt it was the right thing to do and I am thankful I did come here. It has made me rethink the way I live and feel about things. What is important in this world is that kids around the globe are starving. People here watched as the kids were starving for lunch, and they ate their food infront of them! How can someone be so heartless? I mean no disrespect, but I just dont understand how someone can do such a thing." I rant. I give the mic back and go over to play with the kids, just like I intended to do in the first place.
"Miss Sofie, can we play airplane?" A small toddler asked me, latching onto my leg.
I smile and bend down to pick him up. "Airplane? My gosh! I would love to play airplane with you!" I lift him up by his belly and start zooming him around and making airplane noises as we go. He laughs and laughs. When we finally stop a few other kids come running and begging for me to play airplane with them as well. After about six kids, Harry comes out of the tent with a breakfast bar and water for me. I eat my breakfast and drink some of my water before going back to the kids. I think this is why I felt this plan would be so good for me. It's really a lesson on life for me. To show me how lucky I am to have what I have. In Britian and America.
***
The rest of the three days Harry and I were in Africa, I stuck with being with the kids. I fell in love with them and I semi-regret that because I cried my eyes out when I had to leave them. What hurt the most though, was that the kids cried when I left too. I hugged them as they hugged me and cried. I held it together until I broaded the plane with Harry. Once I got into my seat next to him, I completely lost it. We've been home for not even three hours and Harry's brother told us that their is a family gathering that Harry has to attend and to bring a date, which will obviously be me.
"Harry, who all attends family gatherings?" I asked, catiously.
He looks up at me from the closet floor, where he is searching for a specific pair of shoes. "My grandparents, parents, brother and kate, uncles and aunts and cousins. People like that."
"So... about twenty people?" I asked, nervously.
Harry laughs and stands up holding a pair of shiny black shoes. "More like fifty." My eyes about bug out of my head and I gulp. FIFTY ROYALS? I think I might die. I go into my closet as Harry comes out and search through my dresses. I pick out a black, quarter sleeve cocktail dress with black heels. I put it on then go find Harry.
"Do I look okay?" I asked, coming up behind him tying his shoes. He looks up and scans my body, lustfully. I roll my eyes. "Pervert." I mumble under my breath.
"Okay doesnt do you justice. And I heard that." He said as I walked into the bathroom to do my hair and make up. After curling my hair into loose curls down my back, I put on a small amount of makeup. I dont want to over do it, but I still want to look good for the Royals. When I come out of the bathroom, Harry is standing in the mirror straightening his tie. I take the moment to look over him. He has on a white button up shirt, blue tie, tan jacket over it with tan pants. My god he looks amazing.
"You can close your mouth now, before you get drowl on the carpet." Harry said, making me blush with embarassment. After we both recheck our appearences, turn out the lights in my apartment and grab the keys and I put together my clutch, we head outside to Harry's car. He holds my hand as he drives us to the Buckingham Palace, I can feel my hand getting sweaty in his from nervousness.
I lay my head back against the seat and close my eyes as I hum along to the radio. "Harry, what if they dont like me?" I asked.
Harry squeezes my hand. "They'll love you, Sofie. Just like I do. Trust me. To be honest, I think this gathering was called in hopes of meeting you." My eyes snap open and stare at Harry in shock.
"To meet me?" I asked, stunned. He nods and smiles at me before turning back to the road. Well, that just added to the pressure of a family gathering with the Royals! I really hope one day, Harry will get to meet my family like I am meeting his. And hopefully, they will like him and he likes them. Jason and Harry got along fine, better than fine actually. Jason said he was sad to go because he liked hanging out with Harry and Will while Kate and I went shopping. My brother left the day before Harry and I went to Africa. I cried when he left, as predicted.
"What are you thinking about so hard?" Harry asked, pulling me from my thoughts.
I sigh as he rubs the top of my hand with his thumb. "Just hoping that one day you will meet my family." I say, as we pull into Buckingham Palace.
Harry chuckles and I turn to glare at him but he only smiles at me as he parks the car for guards to open our doors and park the car. Harry turns in his seat to face me. "I think that one day has come." He said. Then added, "Turn around."
Slowly, I turn in my seat just as he had said to do and gasp.
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Sorry there isnt a lot of Harry, but I felt you needed to see what was going on inside of Sofie's mind aside from Harry. But I promise for lots of Harry in the next chapter!
Votes & comments, please? :]
xxoo.<3