Across the Pond (Prince Harry #2)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

The coldness had set back in to Superior, and the paparazzi hadn't returned. Either it was because of the gunshots the day previous or the coldness had finally pushed them away. Meredith was forced to put back on her large green coat. Since it turned so cold, snow wouldn't even fall. It was just heavy winds from Lake Superior that threatened to push everyone over.

Returning to her dorm room, Meredith opened up her shades for the first time in a long time. No one thought about trying to look into her room. Turning her attention to her homework, Meredith focused on it. It all seemed like too much, but she just needed to power through it, even if she collapsed over and started to weep on the floor.

It wasn't until ten minutes later when Harry called Meredith. Disheveled and just gotten back from some event, he pulled at his tie, loosening it. Pulling off his jacket, he sat across from her in his bedroom at Kensington Palace.

"Long day?" she asked.

"It wasn't, perhaps, the most... I didn't enjoy it," he admitted. "It just wasn't something I'm interested in. It was a lot of adults, acting as if they're perfect and they know everything."

"Adults are the worst." Meredith rolled her eyes. "Will you have to work with them often?"

"No, thankfully. Wills usually deals with this bunch. He's so much better at it than me."

"Hmm...." Meredith nodded and looked down at her homework. A frown formed on her lips. Harry sighed. "So, how was your weekend?"

"Hmm?" He swallowed.

Meredith pulled something up on her computer. "I follow certain people on Tumblr so that I can watch what people think of me and what's going with the paparazzi. Mostly it is people on Tumblr that like the monarchy and have some things to say about you. But, really, I guess, I end up seeing stuff about you, sometimes."

"You were checking up on me?" It was slightly accusing, but mostly, he was interested. This was out of Meredith's norm, and how did it up start up?

"No. You just popped up." Meredith held her computer. "You went partying this weekend, and you smoked when you said that you quit."

Harry's eyes popped out in disbelief. How the hell did she--? Of course, it was paparazzi taking pictures, but he knew Meredith. He just had to go with it. Harry said, "It my friend's stag party."

"Rumor has it, he doesn't like me."

"Mere, don't read those things on the internet. It's all lies."

"Well, I mean, he doesn't really like me. None of your friends overly enjoy me because I don't fit into their social class."

"Mere, what's going on?"

She sighed. "No, it's fine. Everything's fine, Harry. If he doesn't like me or you friends don't like me, I try not to give any shits. They're just, you know, higher class people, with sipping on some champagne that costs more than all my pairs of shoes, only for them not to finish the bottle. You know, money-- all the money that you guys have."

"Mere," Harry whined, "what's going on?"

"How much money did you spend this weekend?"

"Really?"

"Dude, you went crazy this weekend, and I only saw some of the pictures. Thankfully, it took them a few days to get out."

"Meredith--"

"Don't speak to me like I'm a child, Harry." She hated that tone of voice.

"Meredith, what's going on? Why now? What's up? Are you angry at me? What did I do something wrong?" he asked. "Or is something else going on? What happened? Are your residents being stupid? Are your classes okay? You seem stressed."