Princess in Training (Prince Harry #3)

Chapter Forty-Eight

Harry kissed Meredith on the lips again, as she tried to push him out the door. "It's like you want me to go," he joked.

"Get out," Meredith squealed. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Then you won't be able to escape me." His face turned serious but his voice was still light.

"Don't make me regret this." Meredith playfully pushed against him. "I'll change the locks on the door."

"I'd like to see you try."

"Get out."

"Good bye, girls." Harry ducked out of the Kensington Palace flat, and Meredith slid the deadbolt into the door. From the other side of the door, there was nothing to be heard.

Standing there for a second with her back pressed against the door, Meredith merely waited. Listening intently, the footsteps faded away from the door, heading elsewhere for the night. Kyra, Rachel and Chloe all smiled at her friend, ready for the long night ahead of them. "One moment." Spinning around, Meredith nearly ripped the door off its hinges. "Harry."

He was only a few meters away from the door, and Meredith ran to catch up with him. "Did you miss me already?"

Meredith kissed him deeply, wrapping her arms around him. "I'll see you tomorrow." She pulled back.

Harry laughed. "Remember to wear that dress I like."

"Shut up." Meredith had a hard time looking away but eventually she went back inside Kensington Palace. After tomorrow it was official that this was all hers. For tonight, Harry was kicked out.

"Are you going to say that you love him yet?" Rachel asked sassily. "Or are you just going to be all 'It's not a big thing. You know, I'm just marrying a prince for his money. I don't care about him at all.'"

Meredith pursed her lips. "I don't sound like that."

"Sure." Rachel rolled her eyes. "I do hope you get some sleep tonight."

"I wasn't going to sleep anyway, so that's why I had you guys come over. If you guys look sleep deprived as well, I won't look so bad," Meredith responded.

"What are you going to do with the height?" Chloe asked. "We can't help with that."

"I've got heels just to make you guys even smaller, so it'll all work out." Whisking past her friends, Meredith grabbed a bottle of alcohol and put some popcorn in the microwave. "If it's my last night of so-called freedom, then let's make it great, and we shall eat all the Oreos, popcorn and chocolate of the world."

"I think most brides starve themselves for their wedding day," Kyra retorted and plopped down on the sofa.

"I will have to starve myself for the rest of my life just to fit into their beauty standards, so let me have one night off."

"Do you want to get some sleep tonight?" Chloe asked. "We have booze, and I am sure there are pills somewhere."

"Holy fuck, Chloe. Do you want Prince Harry all to yourself?" Meredith responded. She didn't look at her friend but stare up at the ceiling. There was a stain in the corner that someone had tried to clean up.

Chloe shrugged nonchalantly and sat down. "I wouldn't mind the crown."

"Yeah, are you wearing it tomorrow, Mer?" Rachel wondered. "Chloe, it's tiara. Please get it right. You'll need this information for tomorrow."

"All I know is that the dresses look wonderful, and we're going to be hot," Chloe gushed. Not that Chloe wanted to be the center of attention, Chloe just loved the idea of what was happening tomorrow. She preferred not even to be in the wedding, where she liked the hidden shadows and no international attention, but she had lack of choice. Meredith had one Maid of Honor and two bridesmaids.

"Did you post some of your artworks online?" Meredith asked. "I am going to make you famous." She drank more, almost spilling on herself.

"Do we have to cut you off already?" Kyra asked, drinking her own alcohol.

"Alcoholism isn't cool, you guys," Chloe replied, "and yes, I did. Two days from now, I will be a famous artist just because I'm in your wedding."

"People could decide you're bad at art," Kyra snarked.

Meredith hummed. "Isn't that the point of art? It can't be bad, technically. I've seen art that I don't like, but I can't say that it's bad. People seem to like it; I just have no idea what's going. Harry is good at art." Her mind wandered over to him, thinking about what he was doing tonight. She missed him already, and Meredith had to question herself when she became so dependent on him. Certainly less than a year ago, she wasn't.

"Are you thinking about him again?" Rachel asked, leaning on her friend.

"Hmm?" Somewhere she was lost in her thoughts about Harry, and she wasn't even sure what it was about him. Perhaps it was his existence. Everything about him made her happy.

"You have that face, like you're in love." Rachel pursed her lips and looked starry eyed. "It's only one night to be away from him, and then you're with him forever, Mer."

"Who thought she would get past dating him?" Chloe asked. "Now marriage? It's unfathomable."

Chucking a pillow at Chloe, it barely missed the small girl with curly hair. High pitched laughter filled the room, and many drinks were nearly spilt. Chloe grabbed the pillow and threw it back at Meredith, who caught it with ease using only one hand.

Standing, she towered over her friends and smirked, "You're going to get it now." Finishing off her drink and placing it on the table, Meredith went to work as her friends screeched and grabbed for their own pillows. Rachel removed herself from the situation, much preferring to watch anyway.

"No fair!" Chloe yelled. "You're a giant."

"It's not my fault you're child size," Meredith laughed and turned her attention toward average-sized Kyra, who had been able to fight off most blows. Her eyes glanced at the multiple things around the room that were expensive and could easily be broken; she didn't care enough. "We can make this even?"

"Kyra and me against you," Chloe said. "Sounds like a plan."

Chloe and Kyra teamed up to take the great and powerful Meredith Rogue down. Unfortunately for them, Meredith was well versed in pillow fights, and she manged to blow most of their blows. Her lengthy arms spread wide as she went full force down on her friends, and both of them fell to the ground with all the pillows and blankets laying about.

"What about now!" Meredith screamed. "Ha! Look at me now."

Kyra threw a pillow at Meredith's knees, and she collapsed. "Yes, look at you now."