Chapter 6
Chapter Six
ALEXANDER
Iwas a goner. Jeremy was right. I was hooked.
As much as I wanted to stay away from her, something was drawing me to her.
I just hoped she was joking about the police comment, I don’t think my parents would like the knowledge that their son had taken to slightly stalking as she said.
I preferred research. I needed to focus.
Whenever she was near my focus was on her, the way she moved, her body, she had a light about her.
I walked into the lecture and I saw Melinda and her friend sitting at one of the tables, I walked over to sit with them.
“Two visits in one day. Wow, I must be the luckiest person in the world,” Melinda said teasingly. “Do you not have anyone else to stalk?”
Stalking was such an ugly word. Although, the truth was even if it did blur the line there was nobody else I wanted to know more.
I sat down, raising an eyebrow. “It would be a little random if I was here in your lecture,” I said.
“And yet, here you are.”
“Girl, you realise he’s in this lecture right?” The friend asked, raising an eyebrow.
Melinda looked at her sheepishly. “Definitely.”
“Liar.”
Melinda put her hands up. “Alright, I didn’t know. I don’t pay attention. I’m just trying to get my degree and work, you don’t see me paying attention to everyone around me.”
I had to smile a little, I liked her mindset there, just focus on whatever she was doing and don’t bother about anybody else. I needed to take her advice.
My eyes didn’t leave her. The way her shoulder had peeked out from her top.
I bit my lip. I craved to leave a mark on her.
She turned to her friend, and I took in every inch of her.
Her outfits were simple and showed off every curve she had.
Her bum hugged her leggings that made me just want to grip her with my hands.
I adjusted in my seat, feeling myself getting hard.
Shit.
I needed to stop looking at her.
A door opening snapped me out of the trance I was in. I opened my bag pulling out my notepad and module information with a pen placing it on the table.
“You don’t have a laptop?” I looked to see that it was Melinda’s friend who was asking that question.
“I didn’t catch your name,” I said.
“Megan.”
“Well, Megan, I don’t bring my laptop because I find I get distracted easily. I would just be working or answering emails and like Melinda, I’d rather focus on my degree than be distracted,” I said.
“What are you getting your degree in?” Melinda asked curiously.
“Media and communication. It will fit into what my future role will be in life,” I explained.
I hated explaining to people what my role within the Royal Family actually was.
A lot of people just thought it was a lot of money, fancy parties and travelling.
In all fairness some of it was that but a lot of it that wasn’t shown was charity work, liaising with different countries, heads of state, and different companies.
They were just a few of the responsibilities that we had.
“You think I have time to run to the loo before the lecture?” Melinda asked curiously, looking around the room.
“Definitely,” Megan said.
Melinda stood up and left the room. “You, Mr. Prince.”
My eyes widened, not one person had used my title whilst I had been at university.
“Yes, I know who you are. I’m not as thick as her.”
“What do you mean by you’re not as thick as her? She’s not thick. I’m not surprised you know me. Most people do,” I said. “Why doesn’t Melinda care that I’m a Prince? She is a force to be reckoned with.”
Megan scoffed. “She’s my bestie. I can call her what I like. Your whole family could walk into that diner and she would still have no clue who you are. To be fair, I think celebrities could walk past her, and the girl still wouldn’t have a clue.”
My eyes widened as my mind went blank. “Eh?” I rubbed my forehead slumping back in the chair. “She has no clue that I’m part of the Royal Family?”
“Not a clue. Are you telling me that you had no idea?” Megan said. “Are you dumb?”
“Wow.”
I was speechless. I couldn’t actually form a coherent thought. It hadn’t even crossed my mind that she had no idea. I just assumed she didn’t give a shit about it. I thought for once I had found one person who didn’t care about my status or my title.
“Whatever you’re planning for revenge. Get it out of your head.”
“You think that’s my goal here? Revenge?”
“Honestly, yes. You don’t have a good reputation,” Megan said pointedly. “If you hurt her, prince or not, I will hurt you.”
Could I keep my royal life away from her? One thing was certain if she googled my name she wouldn’t find good stories. The gap year I insisted on having was mostly Jeremy and I getting drunk. “I promise I don’t want to hurt her.”
Megan nodded and slid back into her chair, typing something on her phone.
She had my respect that was for sure anyone who was willing to defend their best friend was good in my book.
“Megan,” I said. She looked up from her phone and raised an eyebrow. “Can you not tell her I’m a prince please?”
“Why? Honest answers only or I will tell her.”
“To her, I’m normal. I’m not a prince. She doesn’t want me for money or fame or what I can do for her,” I admitted. “I like that she puts me in my place and isn’t scared to tell me what she thinks.”
Megan looked at the door and then back to me. “Fine. I won’t tell her, but if she asks me, I will not lie.”
“Thank you.” This girl clearly deserved a good Christmas gift, she was going to be on my Christmas card list, well she would be if I sent personal Christmas cards.
The lecture was dragging on. And from the look on everyone else’s faces, I’d like to think that they agreed with me.
“Alright, I can see some of you have checked out, let’s have a twenty minute break and resume after,” the lecturer said.
Almost immediately, people started getting up to leave the room. I watched as Megan and Melinda flopped their heads down onto the table with a groan.
I could relate.
“I think watching paint dry would be more interesting than this.”
“Amen, sister,” Melinda agreed.
“Not even planning the Halloween pub crawl stopped my boredom, and you know I love planning pub crawls,” Megan said shaking her head.
“Halloween pub crawl?” I questioned. “What is that?”
“Exactly what it says on the tin,” Melinda said, shaking her head as if I was stupid. “If it had a tin that is.”
“Take pity on the sheltered man,” Megan defended with a chuckle. “He could live in a really small country side that has no pubs, or he could be a recluse and live in a basement.”
I stared at her in disbelief. She was really having too much fun with this. Technically, she could tell any story, and I probably wouldn’t deny it. Well, as long as it didn’t get close to the truth.
“Oh, you mean like that girl who was kept in the basement by her dad,” Melinda said. “What was it called?” She scratched her head. “You know the one where she fakes the kid being sick to go to the hospital and she finally tells someone and escapes.”
Megan shook her head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Why were you watching that? Does not sound like something you would watch.”
Melinda looked at her sheepishly. “It’s not, but I got sucked into TikTok and part thirty-four. Later, I had nearly watched the whole film. Something about needing to go to the next part really gets you and hooks you.”
“I clearly need to download this app.”
Both of their mouths dropped open in shock, “do you live under a rock? How do you not have TikTok?” Megan asked, shocked. “It’s like a staple. Maybe you were really raised in a basement. Mel, I think we need to save him from the basement.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “We have gotten so off track with this, what is a Halloween pub crawl?”
“It’s basically on Halloween, hence the name, and every year Megan plots a map for different pubs and clubs for us to visit and if we see a costume we take a shot,” Melinda explained. “If someone says something we take a shot. The aim is to get as drunk as possible.”
I frowned. “You’re both eighteen, right?”
They nodded.
“So, how did you get into pubs?”
“Fake ID’s,” Megan admitted.
“Naughty girls.” I laughed.
“It’s the one time of the year Mel can’t say no to me,” Megan said. “She refuses to go clubbing or drinking any other time. My one time is Halloween, so you bet I go all out for it. We dress up in costumes. You know, the whole shebang.”
“Do you not like drinking or something?” I asked curiously.
“Between work and university it doesn’t leave much time for anything else,” she admitted.
I couldn’t help but pity her slightly. That was no life work and school. Every once in a while, people needed to have some freedom and let go of everything. I fought like hell to have that freedom, the races, coming to this university, and defying my father by doing the course I wanted to do.
“Is that the life you want?” I asked curiously.
Melinda stared at me before turning to look out the window, I had a feeling she wouldn’t be answering me.
“Anyway, you can come if you like. The more people the better. It would be even better if you’re going to buy us some drinks,” she said with a wink, making me laugh.
Damn, this girl wasn’t subtle at all.
“I’ll buy you some drinks.” I laughed. “As long as you don’t give me silly costumes to wear.”
Megan tilted her head.
Melinda laughed. “You shouldn’t have said that.” She shook her head turning to face me with a grin. “She doesn’t choose the costumes. Although you’ve given her an idea now.”
She best not come up with some stupid ideas now. I had a feeling it would make Melinda hate me even more if she had to wear a stupid costume.
Megan smiled a wide grin. “Oh, the possibilities, Alex! What could I turn you into?” An evil laugh escapes her mouth.
I looked at her flatly. “I’m shutting down whatever idea you are having right now. If you put me in a stupid costume, you can say goodbye to me buying you drinks.”
“Poof,” Megan said, clapping her hands once. “Idea gone. What idea? Mel, did you hear me have an idea? Nope. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Melinda smiled, and I couldn’t help but smile with her. I wanted to see that smile of hers everyday if it was possible.