Anne furrowed her eyebrows momentarily before returning to the kitchen to continue. Henry watched her go before turning back to the visitor. "Well… I'm Henry. That was Anne, my best friend. We're going to school here and then we're going to return back home," Henry introduced himself, extending an arm. His voice was very proper and slightly tinted with a mix between a Spanish and British accent. "And I'm afraid I didn't catch your name."
Monroe took Henry’s hand in return. His expression shifted into something of a mix of interest and slight confusion, intrigued by the accent. He nodded, and swept his intrigue aside, when Henry asked for his name. “It’s wonderful to meet you both. I’m Monroe.” His sentence ended abruptly as he hesitated mentioning a last name. Not for any real reason, but it seemed unnecessary since Henry hadn’t given one. He stuck his hands in his pockets. “Ah, and you’ll probably meet my sibling, Lauren, at some point too.”
"Lauren, no, I don't believe so…" Henry slightly narrowed his honey brown eyes, trying to remember if he had ever encountered a Lauren. "But we haven't gotten out much. Anne's usually the one to get our groceries and supplies." Henry shrugged.
"Hey, Henry," Anne called from the kitchen. "You still have homework."
Henry cursed softly under his breath and ran his tanned fingers through carmel hair. "Yes, I believe I do. Until next time, Monroe." And with that, Henry shut the door and made his way over to the couch to continue his classwork.
(Heyo, I’ve been feeling pretty under the weather lately, and while I’ve been trying to get responses up I haven’t really been able to keep up as much as I’d like to. I wanted to let you know that a reply is coming soon, it just might take another few days or so :) thanks so much for your patience!)
(You're fine! :D Take as much time as you need, there's no hurry)
(Ahh many thanks! :D those few days definitely helped me reset)
Monroe dipped his head again, opening his mouth to reply when Anna called from the other room. He shut his mouth then, smiled, and awkwardly bobbed his head. “Of course. Until next time.” Once the door was closed he turned on his heel. Letting his hand slide down the metal railing as he descended down the stairs. He’d left the door unlocked just for convenience while he got the mail, so he entered his own apartment easily enough.
Inside, the conversation he’d had with Henry and Anna replayed in his mind. The self-consciousness of meeting new people—particularly when the people were his neighbors, and of them one he found especially physically attractive. He forced the thought out of his mind, instead knocking on Lauren’s door. “Hey, you up, yet? Your class starts in, uh—“ he glanced over at the clock on the wall—“fifteen minutes.”
(No problem my guy! :D)
Henry got to work on his calculus - which he planned to outlaw when he got back to Spanugal - with a huff. The pencil scratched noisily against his graph paper notebook that Anne insisted he buy. With every equation, Henry's brain got more and more muddled. Even mundane things, such as taking a sip of his water, now seemed confusing and mind-boggling.
"Henry," Anne's soft voice rang from the kitchen. The Prince looked up, an irritated fire in his eyes. "You're getting worked up again."
Henry sighed and set down his notebook, only half of a page was filled in. "I need… I need a break or something." He straightened out his pristine white shirt and paced over to the door.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"On a walk."
"Henry, there are dangerous people out-"
"Yes, Anne!" Henry barked, cutting his friend off. "I-I apologize. I just need some alone time. I'll take…" He looked around, searching for something he could take with him to defend himself if necessary. "Oh! I'll take this pocket knife and the pepper spray. Will that suffice?"
Anne sighed, setting down the knife she was using to mince garlic. "I would rather go with you, but I know you like your space. Just be back here in half an hour, or I'll go searching for you."
"Alright. Thank you." The bolt clacked as Henry unlocked the door and the hinges creaked as he opened the door. "I'll be seeing you, Anne."
"Be safe!" The bodyguard called after her friend as he exited.