#ok wait cancel that thought thud came out after mr. but still

[krowbby]

absolutely fucked that pterry gave me sally von humpeding and her whole fuckin. dynamic. with angua in thud! and then just took her away from me. idk if more sally would have fixed angua but it would have given her more to chew on (WINK)

upon more thought i looked up the order and thud is actually one of the last books so. i’m amending this to be a wish that sally was introduced earlier so i could have more of her.

[alwaysbemymaybe-phff]

Chapter 8

She Keeps Me Warm

It is a comfortable place. As Bella came to her conscious, she remembered where she fell asleep and her eyes shot open to see Harry’s face right in front of hers- her arm is wrapped around his waist while he had his arm under her head and his other arm on her waist as well.

 She smiled.

Under the moonlight, she can still see features of his face. Her heart skipped a beat as her hand traced the contours of his face softly; his eyebrows, his nose, his lips. It is then that her heart started thudding inside her chest. She would be lying if she say that she doesn’t like Harry. In fact, the more she stays near him, the more she feels attracted towards him. Slowly, she pulled her hand off his lips. Don’t be stupid, Bella. He has a girlfriend.

 For a few more minutes, she stayed still, staring at him until she finally looked at her watch and saw that it’s already 6:30 in the evening. She bit her bottom lip trying to figure out how to untangle Harry from her without waking him up.

 “Where have you been? I’ve been looking for you for ages- I almost alerted the officials!” Mike whispered when Bella reached her quarters to change into a less wrinkled clothes. “I’ll wait for you. We should go to dinner together.”

 Harry woke up in a jolt when he felt that the spot beside him is empty. Wait, was that a dream? He asked himself but when he looked towards his table and saw the two food containers, he thought It wasn’t. His eyes went towards the clock just behind the containers and saw that it’s 6:45 in the evening. He sat up from his bed- his mind replaying the moment when Bella wrapped her arms around his waist. What is that about? He asked himself with a satisfied smile on his face as he pulled a shirt above his head. You reckon she likes me as well?

 The prince made his way towards the dining hall with a huge smile on his face. Bella cuddled me. That ought to mean something. He thought cheerfully stepping inside the dining hall and then his smile is wiped off of his face when he saw Bella sitting beside Doctor Mike laughing. So she goes to him after me? Prince Harry frowned and made his way towards Prince Seeiso.

 He sat there during dinner watching Bella and Doctor Mike. They might be just friends. His conscious consoled but still, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of jealousy especially when Bella placed a hand on Mike’s arm from laughing too much. Ok. Why are you so affected? You have Meghan. You should just fix things with Meghan.

 But it didn’t soothe Harry. In fact, it made him more agitated. He couldn’t understand himself. The internal battle he has whenever he’s with Meghan or Bella is absolutely infuriating. Lately, whenever he’s with Meghan, he couldn’t stop thinking about Bella and thinking whether Bella is alright or not. When he is with Bella, his mind nudges him about Meghan and he feels guilty for being too close with Bella. But, once he sees Bella with Mike, all logic goes out the door and all he can think about is the jealousy he feels and the disappointment that Bella is actually talking to another man- or be close with another man. It might just be infatuation with Bella, you know. She’s good looking. Good face, good body. Intellectual. Has a vision. Charitable. A perfect woman. Never married. His mind ranted out and his eyes travelled towards Bella again and she caught him- she smiled. She’s marriage material and you know that. We may live in a modern society but it still matters for you to marry a woman who’s never married.

 Harry shook his head. Meghan is perfect too though. Wild to an extent and driven. His mind then said in contrast. And smart too. Who would have thought that she would notice your profound interest towards the doctor? And that’s what they fought about.

 “You invited the doctor here?” Meghan asked aghast at her boyfriend. “Without telling me?”

 Prince Harry tried his best to not roll his eyes at his overreacting girlfriend. “For a medical mission.” He nodded slowly as if there’s nothing wrong with what he is doing. Well, technically, there is nothing wrong with what he has done. “She wants to help women from third world countries- so why shouldn’t I give her an opportunity?”

 “You gave opportunity to a woman you were skinny dipping with when we were not together!” the brunette screeched angrily, veins in her neck showing from annoyance. “And you expect me to be civil with her?!”

 You shouldn’t have told her. Harry’s mind said in a matter of fact tone. You wanting to be honest leads to this kind of trouble. “We didn’t do anything bad.”

 “Skinny dipping is not bad?! You’re a taken man, Harry! For goodness sake!”

 “I wasn’t taken during that time.” Harry retorted getting sick of the jealousy already. “We weren’t together during that time.”

 Meghan scoffed, “So we shouldn’t of gotten back together then.”

 “Not this again, Meg.” Harry sighed exasperated. He knows what’s going to happen next. “What do you want me to do so we don’t fight anymore?”

 “Cancel the invitation.” Meghan said simply.

 It is Harry’s turn to look at the woman shocked. Can she be really this petty? “I cannot do that.”

 “I divorced my ex for you! What’s so huge about cancelling a doctor from coming here, huh?!” she screeched angrily and Harry just rubbed his fingers on his forehead. “Why? Is she that important?”

 “I gave her my word. I already told Seeiso that I have an OB/GYNE locked in for our medical mission. I can’t just cancel here and not have anyone here for births for a fortnight!” Harry explained exasperated and angry at the worthlessness and shallowness of the argument. “Can you please just understand that this is my job? And you will be a part of this too!”

 “When, Harry? When?!” Meghan screamed and Harry’s lips pursed together. “Because I am sick and tired of waiting!”

 If you don’t act this crazy and if you don’t always threaten me with separation then maybe we would have been already married. His mind answered her question but he chose not to say it anymore. He’s tired of fights. He’s tired of always having this kind of row with her. “We should calm ourselves down.”

 “No.” the brunette shook her head. “I’m going home.”

 “You cannot go this sudden, Meg.”

 “Watch me.” She said testily and Harry just looked at her tiredly. “It’s either her or me, Harry.”

 And watch did he do as Meghan got in the car to make her way to the airport. She basically asked me if I should choose her over duty. His mind ranted out as he turned away from the driveway and made his way towards his quarter. Duty first over everything else.

 His mind cleared when he felt Prince Seeiso’s hand on his shoulder and he looked at him. “Time for dessert?” Prince Seeiso asked and Harry nodded pushing his plate away from him.

 But maybe I should fix things with Meghan. She gets me. Harry thought again. She makes me happy. He added sending a glance towards Bella’s table again and she’s busy texting someone on her phone. Who’s she messaging?

 But as if to answer his question, his phone vibrated from his pocket and he fished it out to see Bella’s name on the screen. He swiped to read it. Stop thinking too much because the creases on your forehead deepens as well. She texted and he sent her a funny look from his seat. Bella typed something again and his phone vibrated again, I can fit a coin on those creases.

 Harry decided to not respond to the messages and placed it back on his pocket and he glanced towards Bella’s table to see her shrug then continue talking with Doctor Mike. You don’t ignore her then expect her to come chasing, mate. His mind chimed once again.

 After dinner, Harry paced inside his room debating whether he should call Meghan or not until finally, he decided that he should try and fix things and called her. After a few rings, Meghan answered with a What?

 “How are you?” Harry asked and internally, he thought of how his heart doesn’t race like when he would call Bella.

 He heard Meghan sigh from the other end before saying, “Still pissed.”

 “Look, I really only did it for the charity.” Harry explained sitting down on his bed and running a hand through his hair. “If there is indeed something like you think, I won’t even bother doing this.”

 It is silent for seconds on the other line before Meghan said, “You went skinny dipping with her, Harry.” She pressed on and Harry suppressed a groan from coming out of his mouth. “Then you didn’t tell me that she’s coming. I wouldn’t even know that she’s coming if not for Prince Seeiso asking you about her arrival.”

 “I just forgot to tell you, Meg. I didn’t think that it was that important.”

 “But she is important enough that you could not cancel, right?”

 “Let’s not be petty, Meg.”

 “Am I being petty, Harry?”

 Yes, you are. His mind answered but he only sighed. “Look, I think we need a few more days to think to ourselves.” He finally said not wanting another fight to ensue. “I’m here when you make up your mind.”

 After the call, Harry sat on his bed staring at a spot on the wall. Why don’t I feel bad? He asked himself trying to figure out why he doesn’t feel bad that they haven’t made up. If these were a few months ago, you would be making plans to go to Canada by now. He continued thinking and then he sighed, dropping backwards on his bed and staring at the ceiling. I’m fucked. I need some fresh air.

 Bella had just finished her medical report for the birth this morning. She yawned, stretching her arms above her head before finally filing the report on a folder to be given to Prince Seeiso’s office. The night is quite chilly and Bella hugged her folder closer to her chest as she back to the headquarters in a quick pace. “Oh. Harry.” She said stopping when she almost bumped into Harry on her way in. “Where are you going?”

 Well, luck be a lady. Harry’s mind trailed off as he stopped mid step and gave Bella a confused look. “Where have you been?” he asked back forgetting to answer Bella’s question and she gave him a funny look.

 “I just finished Mrs. Brovak’s medical report. I’m about to pass it over to Prince Seeiso’s office.”

 “This late?” Prince Harry asked.

 Bella nodded, “Yes. I was supposed to do it this afternoon but I fell asleep.” She explained with a sheepish smile. “Well, I must go now.”

 Harry watched as Bella’s small frame passed by him and his heart skipped a beat- the urge to touch her in unreal. He gave out a huge breath, “Bella, wait.” He called and Bella stopped and turned to look at him with a confused look. “Let me go with you.”

 The two walked side by side quietly; Bella deep in thought about why her heart is beating quite erratically while Harry debating why he feels more at peace with the woman beside him than when he was talking with his girlfriend. Harry sent Bella a glance but quickly looked away when he felt his face heating up.

 “I’ll be quick.” Bella said going inside Prince Seeiso’s office.

 After a whole minute, Bella got out of the room and smiled at Harry. “Are you going to bed?” she asked looking up at the red head. “I’m not yet sleepy.”

 “Me either.” He responded. Should I go with her or not? Harry asked himself as he looked at the doctor before him. “Would you like to take a walk with me?”

 Bella bit her bottom lip. Lately, she had been feeling different towards the prince and it worries her. And them, always being this close, is starting to break her down. “Sure.” And still, she couldn’t say no to him.

 “So, you’re leaving in a few days..” Harry started as they walked through the familiar path towards the gardens. “Did you enjoy?”

 “Yeah. I loved it here very much.” Bella answered nodding and looking straight ahead where a mango tree is. “How about you?”

 Harry chuckled, “I love it here so.. It’s quite obvious what my answer would be.”

 Bella blushed, “I just wanted to ask.” She defended herself and they both sat down on a wooden bench not far from where they first sat at.

 “What are your plans after Sentebale?” Harry suddenly asked turning his head to look at Bella. “Are you going straight back to work back home?”

 “Not really, no.” she answered shaking her head. “I have to go to Thailand.”

 “Are you serious?”

 Bella furrowed her eyebrows and licked her bottom lip before answering with a nod. “I have a meeting with UNAIDS and then I’m going to Phi phi Island to cross off cliff diving.” She said in thought suddenly feeling excited about leaving Sentebale. “I am going to be an ambassador for women with AIDS for Western Europe.”

 “But, you’re going cliff diving?” Harry asked again.

 “I told you before that I wanted to do it.”

 “I didn’t think that you would actually do it.” He said and both looked at each other at the same time. “Do you have a death wish or something?” Bella smiled at Harry and his breath hitched- his eyes scanned her face before ending at her lips. Kiss her. His mind urged but he quickly looked away.

 Bella noticed him staring at her lips and his abrupt action of looking away- she bit her bottom lip and looked away as well. You can’t be expecting to kiss you! We both know you’re dying here! “I don’t have a death wish.” She whispered looking down on the ground. “I just wanted to live before I die.”