Across the Pond (Prince Harry #2)

Chapter Seven

Whenever Meredith stepped outside, she tried to keep her mouth shut. She tried to keep her head up, never look away, and she smiled when possible. However, the paparazzi didn't hold off for long. They pounced on her, half scaring her, but she didn't let it show. The flashes of light illuminated the grayness around her. Rain poured all day. At least, it gave Meredith a good reason to pull up her hood and ignore the paparazzi.

The paparazzi didn't make it easy for Meredith to do this as they shoved their cameras in her face. Meredith knew this was only day three of, perhaps, the rest of her life.

Coming back from dinner, the paparazzi got rowdy. Without any word from Meredith today, the paparazzi were antsy, willing to do anything to get on Meredith's last nerve. Usually she had some remark, but today, Meredith tried to keep her mouth shut. Perhaps it was high time to take Harry's advice, he cared obviously and knew what he was doing. It was so difficult, but Meredith kept her mouth shut.

"Meredith, how do you feel about Prince Harry cheating on you?"

"Meredith, is it true? Are you expecting his child?"

"When are you two getting married?"

"Why did he chose you?"

"Is this a forced marriage?"

"Are you doing this for the money?"

"Meredith, are you pregnant?"

"You're ugly and fat, so why did he choose you?"

"Can we expect a engagement ring anytime soon?"

Meredith knew she couldn't blame all the paparazzi for some of the actions, but she was finding it increasingly easier. She thought of it as an elementary school punishment: if they all do something bad, they all get punished. She wasn't sure how to go about it, but it definitely needed to happen.

When a camera came flashing in her face, there was another camera to hit her in the back of the head. Meredith spun around, anger boiling, ready to snap. She knew that was what they wanted, but she wasn't sure if she could stop herself.

"Oi!" yelled a male voice. "You can't do that!"

Meredith was never so thankful to see Daniel walking to work three minutes late. With the stun from the paparazzi, Meredith escaped from the circle and walked across the street.

"If anyone's going to make fun of her, it's the Scottish," Daniel continued in his Glaswegian accent. "Do you have better things to be doing that stalking her? Isn't there real news in the world? Not just whatever fucking blonde is fucking Prince Harry?"

Meredith wished he would stop now. "Daniel, thanks, but no."

Daniel looked over to her. "I ain't done yet." He turned back to the paparazzi. "Oh look it's the English!" Some paparazzi were, in fact, English. "You guys support the crown. However, we Scotsmen know the fucking difference. Only we can make fun of her if she's part of the royal family. It's our right."

Meredith looked at him. "No, it's not. It's rude."

He hushed her. "It's the Scottish way."

"Up there next to drinking?" she whispered. It was Halloween weekend, and Daniel had apparently started.

"Yes." Daniel turned back to the paparazzi. "Now if you excuse me, I gotta get the princess inside." He grabbed her and pulled open the door. It beeped as they were let in.

Once inside, Meredith escaped his grasp and stood away from him. "Thank you for doing that, Daniel, and because of that, I won't call Campus Safety and tell you smell like whiskey."

"It's Scotch," he corrected, letting himself behind the desk.

Meredith smiled tight-lipped. "So does the weather outside remind you of your home?"

"Joke's on you, Princess, all of the United Kingdom is this wet. Don't want to get your tiara dirty."

"If I marry Prince Harry, I would be a duchess, not a princess. Learn your own damn government." Meredith rolled her eyes and walked away. However, she knew Daniel flipped her off as she left. However, she stopped and went back to him. "Daniel, what does Scotland think about me?"

He laughed. "The world doesn't revolve around you, lassie."

"So you haven't talked about me... to your parents or something?"

"I'm not hatched." Daniel sat back in the chair at the front desk. "And my mum did ring me, saying paparazzi were all over university, something Prince Harry's new girlfriend. Imagine my surprise when it's you."

"What did you say?"

"I swore, of course. I know you, and I didn't think you would go for shite like that."

Meredith pursed her lips, keeping it shut.

"Tell me," he said, "do you refer to him as His Royal Highness Prince Harry?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"That's why I'm asking."

"What does Scotland think about me?" she asked. "What does your mum think?"

"Both parents like you, but the English poshies don't, if you're caring. But for we low class people, we find you amusing."

"I'm amusing?"

"Yes. You look weird."

Meredith arched an eyebrow. "Compared to what? The rest of your countrymen?"

"I've been told I'm very attractive," Daniel stated.

"Yes, compared to your countrymen." Meredith leaned against the desk. "So the English poshies don't like me?"

"Exactly. So the people who support the British monarchy don't like you, but don't worry, everyone else does." Daniel kept a careful eye on. "It's probably for the best, though."

"What is?"

"If you marry the ginger," Daniel stated, "we need a person we like. Not the prudes." Meredith leaned over and whipped him across the head. Daniel chuckled. "Abuse!"

Meredith shot him a look.

"It was a compliment."

"I'm sure." Meredith stood up and cleaned off her pants. "Have a good night, Daniel," she said, walking away.

"Hey, Meredith."

Meredith took five steps back and poked her head through the window. "Yes?"

"Don't let them change you," Daniel said. "The monarchy is really good at taking, and they like to fit people into boxes. And then people don't like them because we can't connect them. It's just another factory made human. But, when they show some personality, how they're not all perfecty-perfect, we tend to care about them."

"Do you now?"

"Yes. They bring in a lot money through tourism. We use them well in Scotland."

Meredith rolled her eyes. "Good night, Daniel."

"Good night, Princess."

"Duchess!"

"Duchess, Princess, Queen, all the same thing. None of you work!"