Where I Belong

“Ellinor, dear, Natasha just rang you,” said nain. She lightly rocked Ellie’s shoulders until she woke up. “Get up, get up love.” Her soft, gentle voice was hard to ignore and as she continued to wake her granddaughter, Ellie finally opened her eyes.

“Good morning nain.”

Her nain waddled out of the bedroom and turned to smile at Ellie and said, “Morning dear. You should ring Nat back, she seemed like she had big news.”

After Ellie brushed her teeth, she pulled her hair into a messy bun on top of her head and yawned. She dialed Nat’s number on her mobile and waited for her to pick up.

“Brin! MAJOR NEWS,” exclaimed Natasha.

The brunette laughed and took a seat on her bed. “What is it, Nat?”

“Prince Harry was spotted leaving the library yesterday! They said he was dressed very low-key and people hardly recognized him, but still, Georgia caught a glimpse of him as he walked down the stairs!”

Ellie’s eyes widened. “Wow, that’s amazing.”

Natasha took a breath and continued squealing. “So… did you see him?”

“What are you talking about? He was dressed low-key, how do you expect for me to know it was him?”

“Well maybe you could’ve bumped into him and you’d never know.”

She sighed, “You’re right.”

Ellie spent the rest of the day helping her grandparents fixing up around the house. She cleaned while they sorted out their closets and guest bedrooms. As she started dusting around one of the unused rooms, Ellie stumbled upon a photo album that had fallen from the top shelf in the closet. It was labeled ‘Briony Jones’. Slowly, Ellie moved from the closet to the bed. She began turning the pages and saw the burned out photos of her mother in her younger days.

Of course, there were pictures of the books. Her mom's collection of books. She couldn’t say anything. She had nothing to say. Her mother looked happy in the photos and all that made Ellie sad. Her hand felt the spine of the photo album as she turned each page. After going through every page, she shut the album and held it to her chest.

___________

“Nice seeing you again,” said the ginger as he walked up to Ellie, who was sitting on the ground with her back against the bookcase. She had the photo album lying on her lap and as she looked up at him, she smiled. “Hi.” This time, the Prince was dressed in cargo shorts, a white v-neck, sunglasses, and a black hat that covered his ginger hair.

He stood in front of her and asked, “Mind if I sit down next to you?”

Ellie shook her head and patted the floor next to her. As he sat down, he glanced at the album on Ellie’s lap. “What’s that?”

She shut it as he tried to reach for it. “It’s nothing.” Harry looked at the front cover. “Who’s Briony Jones? Is she the author or is that the title of the book?”

Ellie grinned, “Why would you care? You don’t even like books.”

“Well,” he began, “I could start.”

“You know, you should be more careful when you come around here. My friend called me this morning saying that one of our friends saw you walking out of here yesterday.” Ellie looked at the Prince. “You need to watch out.”

He nodded. “I know. That’s why I decided to dress a lot more casual so I can blend in with university students. Am I doing a good job?”

Ellie looked at his outfit. “You’re doing a great job at trying to be a fake student.”

The two of them sat with their backs against the book cases and started making conversation about the school. Ellie gave some positive information on the university and whether Harry should take up a semester or two, even if he didn’t need it. He listened to her and gave her his undivided attention. Something about her was attractive and it wasn’t just her looks. For the first time ever, a girl didn’t freak out being around him.

“So… Harry. Tell me something about you?” She asked, biting on her thumb nail.

Harry turned his head towards her. He raised a brow and said, “Really? You don’t know anything about me?”

She laughed, “Am I supposed to know everything about the,” she whispered, “the Prince of Wales?” He shook his head and bumped her shoulder. “Why aren’t you going mad?”

“Why would I go mad?”

“Because I’m sitting right next to you…” he said, grinning.

This time, Ellie turned to look at him. “I don’t know much about you and I’m just not as crazy about you like my friends.”

He raised his hand and said, “Wow. I don’t have enough charm to make you crazy about me?”

Ellie shook her head and smirked. “It takes a lot for me to like a guy.”

They locked eyes and smiled at each other. Seconds later, he stole the album off Ellie’s lap and placed it on his, swatting away her hands away as she tried to get it. “Hey, Harry, give me my book back.”

“Please let me take a look? Please?” he begged, putting his lips.

Ellie looked at him and rested her head back on the shelves. “Alright, but don’t ask any questions.” As soon as she said that, Harry flipped over the front cover and stared at the first picture of Ellie’s mom. He glanced at her and asked, “Who’s this?”

“I said no questions Harry.”

“Please tell me.”

“That’s my mother.” She mumbled.

He paused and shut the book. He placed it back on Ellie’s lap and swung his arm around and draped it over her shoulders. “Look, I know we just met but I feel like we have a connection. A really good one actually.”

“You do?”

Harry nodded. “So what does it take for a guy like me to take a girl like you out for dinner?”

Ellie looked down at the book and ran her fingers across the front cover. She felt Harry’s face close to hers and with his arm around her shoulders she knew she couldn’t get up and walk away.

“I don’t think you should do this…”

Casually, the ginger removed his arm from around Ellie’s shoulders and rested them on his lap. He looked forward and didn’t say a word. “T-that’s fine. I was just wondering.”

Ellie stood up, holding the photo album close to her chest and looked away. “I’m sorry.”

And with that, she turned away, leaving the prince sitting on the floor by himself. Ellie felt bad for just leaving him there without a reason. As she exited the library and toddled down the front steps, she looked back at the glass doors thinking Harry would be right there, but he wasn’t.

Relationships weren’t always on the same page with Ellie. She felt as every time she tried to open up to a new guy, something would always shut her out. Her love for books was the only thing she could believe in because she knew they wouldn’t leave her out in the rain…

Ellie hung her head low as she walked down the sidewalk. For once in her life, she found somebody who had an interest in her yet she wasn’t willing to let him in, even if he was the Prince of Wales.