How Long?

Text between Louise and Harry:

Louise:: What is the difference between a brick and a ginger?

Harry:: This should be interesting. What?

Louise:: At least the brick gets laid 

Harry:: Ha! Funny

Louise:: Where have you been? I haven’t heard from you in ages.

Harry:: Been busy.

Louise:: Doing what?

Harry:: Things

Louise:: Why are you being so vague?

Louise:: Harry?

Harry:: Not being vague, just busy at the moment.

Louise:: You are getting a full mobile reception that means you are not in Lesotho anymore then what are you busy with?

Harry:: Why are you being so nosy?

Louise:: Nosy? Just asking Harry, I miss you. Sorry to disturb to you, your highness.

After an hour:

Harry:: Hey, I am sorry about before. I miss you too and don’t be daft; you know you don’t disturb me. I just had things on my mind.

Louise:: Still being vague.

Harry:: You are so annoying. I was out with someone.

Louise:: A date?

Harry:: Yes

Louise paused. She hadn’t really thought about that possibility before, not while he was gone, but for some reason she didn’t like the idea of Harry being on a date. Not that it was any of her business; she was seeing Jake who was perfectly nice and good looking. It wasn’t like she had a right to be jealous, but she was jealous. These thoughts had made her stomach knot up, her breathing change and her mind swirl.

Well, she couldn’t suddenly go silent on him. It would look weird and he knew her too well. So, after staring her phone for a couple of seconds she punched buttons on her keypad.

Louise:: Oh my god. Why didn’t you tell me?

Harry:: You are one to talk? I had to dig it out of you. It took you a whole month to tell
me you have a boyfriend.

Louise:: That’s different; I and Jake are just casually dating. Plus, I have already
apologized to you a thousand times.

Harry:: Casual ehh? Come on, I hear things Lou. Snogging in cars is not casual.

Louise:: Bullocks, how did you know?

Harry:: I know everything. I have informers in all of Great Britain.

Louise:: Perks of being a prince. But, seriously though who is she? Do I know her?

Harry:: She is great and no, you don’t know her yet.

Louise:: I need details.

Harry:: I can tell you one thing.

Louise:: What?

Harry:: It’s not only the brick that is getting laid.

Louise:: Ewwww!

Harry:: Haha. You asked for it.

Louise:: Is it serious?

Harry:: I think so.

Harry:: Yes, I would say it’s serious.

----

Louise entered Highgrove with a bounce in her step. She was having lunch with William, who was home from university for a couple of weeks. She was really looking forward to meeting him. She had always cherished the time she spend with him. Louise and William had a similar relationship as she had with her older siblings but unlike her brothers, William had a rational side to him. They had never been as close as her and Harry but they were still pretty close, they kept in contact via mails and messages.

William greeted her with a kiss on the cheek and they made their way to the parlor where lunch was set up. When the two of them were together the conversation flew easily. William was very fond of Louise; he always has been since childhood. He sometimes was envious of the kind of rapport she and Harry shared but felt that both of them had a tendency of taking each other for granted.

As always they talked about everything, catching up on the lost months. Unlike her conversations with Harry, which was mostly fun and lighthearted, Louise and William always talked about mature things like school and their future. This afternoon they were talking about his time at University of St Andrews. She was telling him about her plans after school.

The afternoon was going great and they moved to the gardens for tea after lunch. William was always surprised by how natural Lou was. She had no pretences. Like everyone they knew she came from a family with a lot of money but she was still as down to earth as a lot people he had met at the university. She always had a plan of what she wanted and she was very head strong about it. He listened as she talked about her wanting to get into Cambridge and majoring in sociology then she planned to do masters in business, so she could one day work for her favorite charities or if she ever found a noble cause she could start one of her own. It didn’t surprise him though, from everyone he knew except his mother, Lou was the most empathic person he had ever met. She even at this age helped out at the local animal shelters, volunteered at the hospital and had insisted to help out at fundraisers and charity events that were hosted at the polo club. She had everything mapped out. He wished Harry knew what he wanted to do. His brother was a lot of things and unfortunately one of them was being clueless about his future.

“So, did Harry tell you about Chelsy?” William asked sipping his tea.

Louise nodded. He could feel her tensing up a little. Her smile turned into a frown which she changed immediately but it was definitely there for a second.

“Yes, he told me that he met someone and it was rather serious. Talking about serious how is Catherine? I haven’t seen her in ages. Where are you hiding her?” Louise said teasing him.

“Kate is great, thank you for asking. I will admit I am indeed hiding her because of the press. Things really went bonkers since the time we went public. Don’t worry, you will be seeing her soon enough. She is going to attend Harry’s welcome home party” William said. He knew Louise was changing the topic. Talking about Harry’s new girlfriend had made her uncomfortable and visibly flushed.

“I heard you are seeing Jake. I must say, I didn’t see that one coming” William said.

“It’s just casual and friendly. Nothing serious, he is great though” Louise said. She didn’t know why whenever someone asked about her and Jake she said they were casual. What did that even mean? Why she just couldn’t say that Jake was her boyfriend?

“He seems like a nice bloke. I don’t really know him that well. Why don’t you invite him to lunch someday” William said while enjoying the panicky look on her face.

“That won’t be necessary. I mean… I am sure he will be there at Harry’s party next week” Louise said
taking a sip of tea.

“Very well then, I look forward to meeting him” William said smiling to himself. He knew what was going on here and it surprised him he didn’t think of it before.

---

Harry was back but not alone, Chelsy was with him and all through the party he had been by her side to make sure she doesn’t feel out of place. Louise was standing near the bar looking at Harry introducing Chelsy to their friends. She didn’t like this one bit. Was she jealous? Hell yes.

“Here is the virgin pina colada you asked, ma’am” Jake said handing her the drink.

“Thanks” She said smiling sweetly at him. He leaned in kissed her lips lightly. Though it was an innocent rather sweet gesture, Louise was taken aback.

“Jake” She said blushing.

“What?” He said putting his arm around her waist.

“Jake, I told you I am not a fan of PDA’s” She said taking his hands off her.

He frowned. She knew she was testing his patience. He had been very understanding.

“I am sorry” She said kissing his cheek. “I will make it up to you”

“I will hold you to that” He said grinning at her.

“Now, go and enjoy with your friends. You don’t have to keep me company, I am quite alright”

“You sure?”

“Positive”

It’s been over an hour since Louise had been there and except for the words ‘Welcome back’, she hadn’t said a word to Harry. He was too preoccupied with his girlfriend, a part of her understood it but the other was a burning with rage and jealousy.

She sat on the couch talking to Kate while William was making social rounds, playing host. She really liked Kate; she was funny, nice and down to earth. William had picked a gem of a gal and they seemed genuinely in love. Kate was a so refreshingly different from her normal group of friends that she enjoyed her company even more.

She loved her friends, she really did but most of them were so full of themselves that she sometimes felt like an outsider. All they wanted to do was to party or plan vocations to exotic places. That’s why she avoided going out with them without Harry.

Kate excused herself to use the loo. Louise sat there fiddling with her phone replying to a text to one of her school mates. She didn’t even noticed when Harry plopped up next to her.

“Who are you texting? Your boyfriend is standing right there” He whispered in her ear.

She jumped from the sudden contact. “You wanker, don’t scare me like that” She said slapping him on the arm.

“Sorry, you don’t need to assault me” He said rubbing his arm.

“How come you bestowed me with an honor of your presence my majesty” She said with a straight face.

“Oi! Don’t be snarly. She is new here, I don’t want to scare her off” Harry said.

“You have a little tan” She said inspecting his face.

“It suits me, doesn’t it” He said giving her a cheeky grin.

“You are such a cheeky bastard” She said rolling her eyes.

“Where is she now by the way?” She asked while her eyes scanned the room.

“There, she is dancing with Tom” Harry said pointing them out on the dance floor.

“Tom is dancing. Ha! This will be so much fun to watch” She laughed clapping her hands. Tom was twisting like an idiot while Chelsy was laughing at his ridiculous dance moves. “Bloody bugger, I am going to give a piece of my mind. He never dances with me” she said folding her arms over her chest.

Harry laughed. “Don’t be mad at him. I told him rather begged him to take Chelsy off my hands for sometime”

“Oh no! Trouble in paradise?” Louise said raising her brow.

“Not at all, I wanted to spend some time with you. I missed you, you nutter” He said taking her in a head lock.

“We are in public you man child” She said pushing him.

“What? Afraid your boyfriend will see it?” Harry said teasing her.

“NO! And as I said we are not… he is not my boyfriend. We are not labeling it”

“As you say” Harry said shrugging it off.

Later that night while she laid on her bed awake, Louise wondered why Harry dating someone was bugging her so much while her dating Jake didn’t even fazed him. Was she overreacting or did she have more than friends sort of feelings for Harry? It can’t be that, can it be? They have known each other since they were in diapers. You don’t suddenly start liking someone like that. Maybe she was just a bad person who doesn’t like seeing people happy, even her best friend. Maybe she will turn out to be a sadistic serial killer after all. She slept that night thinking about how she will cover her tracks if she ever killed Chelsy.