Shipped Off... to English Boarding School!

3. We Meet Again

Tuesday morning was 'Physical Education' for two hours (otherwise just known as gym class to Americans), which was the worst fucking time ever to have gym. Alex stepped out onto the field, late again (today he would find a map), and there he was– Prince Henry. It was strange seeing him in a tee shirt and shorts, his normally prefect hair already slightly tousled as he jogged around the field.

He was more formed than Alex would've imagined beneath his suit. Lean muscle defined along his biceps, calves, and the half of his thigh Alex could see below the navy gym-shorts.

There was no easy way to go up to him as they jogged around the field, so Alex just tried not to stare. He also noticed, annoyingly, Tim was also in this class. Alex had asked Tim where to go for gym this morning before Tim left, but he had just "the field" which was not at all helpful. That bastard could've just waited for Alex and walked him here.

He didn't have to do gym during the day at his old school since he was on a team that practiced everyday after school. He hadn't realized when he first accepted to come here that it also meant he would be giving up lacrosse for the semester. As he ran in circles, Alex really missed his lacrosse buddies. He was their captain, and he left them. Fall wasn't lacrosse season, spring was, but he still hated missing out on the fall training the varsity team did. Liam was picking up the slack back home and acting as interm-captain for the time being.

After showering, Prince Henry was no where to be seen in the locker room. The showers here was actually individual, with fancy flogged glass doors and metal handles, so Alex hadn't seen the Prince there either.

He had no time to linger because Enviro started in 10 minutes. After that was lunch; Alex looked around for the prince but again he was no where to be seen.  After grabbing a quick bite, he set out with his books to one of the libraries Mrs. Harrington had shown him the other day. And there, sitting quietly - almost sulking - in the corner, was the Prince of Whales.

Henry looked up from his books and seemed surprised as Alex walked up to him.

Alex put on his best politician smile and stuck out his hand, "Hi, I'm Alex Claremont-Diaz. We met this summer in Rio. I'm Ellen Claremont's kid– oh wait, do you follow US politics?"

"Yes, Alex, I know who your mother is. And I remember you. It's nice to see you again. Have you transferred to Callerton?"

"I'm just here for the semester. A semester abroad. My mom wants me to get worldly experience, and you know, hide me from all the paparazzi. So she shipped me off!"

Prince Henry bite his lip while smiling, did Alex almost make the Prince laugh? "I see," he said with his uptight princely attitude regained. "And how are you liking England so far?"

"The whole country or just this frozen prison? Because all I've seen of England so far is about a quarter of the campus and the fog covering London from the air."

"Well that is disappointing. This place does not represent nearly all my country has to offer."

"Shhhhhhh!" The librarian from the desk pointed at them and whisper-yelled, "This is a library!"

They continued speaking in lowered voices.

"Oh yeah? What are the top sights I'm missing out on?"

"Well some of this countryside is actually quite beautiful– forests, hills overlooking the sea, lots of good hunting if that is your fancy."

"Well I'm from Texas, so yeah. But I got hunting there, what else?"

"London is always fun. I know most of it is stolen, but truly our museums how some of the wonders of the world. There are the most beautiful masterpieces in the V & A, it's a particular favorite of mine." Was this actually working? Henry seemed to have forgotten that he hated Alex for some reason at their first meeting, or he was just pretending to, but he's being friendly enough today. Maybe Alex could pull off this prince-friendship thing after all.