Headlines
Welcome to the world of a tabloid reporter.
Chapter 1
Kathleen Thomas cleared her throat as she prepared to open the door before her.
Angela Cohen,
Editor and Chief
These words glared at her, and Kathleen felt her stomach churn in chaos. Kathleen was about to be interviewed for an internship at The Daily Scandal (Have suggestions for a better name? Please email me!) - England's newest and most controversial tabloid. Always moral and idealistic, Kathleen hated the thought of being a part of a tabloid; and yet, journalism was a competitive field in which one needed experience - whether it was sleazy or not didn't matter.
"Well," thought Kathleen, "here goes nothing." She knocked gently before opening the office door. "Mrs. Cohen?" she questioned.
"Yes, I'm Angela Cohen," answered the altogether too intimidating corporate-looking woman behind the desk. "You must be Kathleen Thomas, you're here to interview for the internship, correct?"
"Yes, ma'am," Kathleen replied.
"Well, you've got the job. Now, let's see what kind of talent you have."
"Excuse me?" Kathleen was very confused, stunned even.
"Look," said Mrs. Cohen, a little frustrated, "The Daily Scandal is just starting out, we need all the help we can get. There aren't many who are willing to work for a magazine as, shall we say, infamous as our own. You may start right away. You're attending Brunel University, correct? Good. You'll be transferring to Cambridge Universtiy for your first assignment. We'll be happy to pay all your expenses, granted you do your job well."
Kathleen, still stunned, could only nod her head.
"This will be a difficult task for you, I'm sure, but, as our youngest employee you are the only one suitable for the assignment."
"What exactly will my article be about, Mrs. Cohen?" Kathleen asked, utterly perplexed at the swift turn of events.
"Oh, Kathleen, you won't be writing an article (not just yet). You'll be doing research, and supplying the magazine with your findings."
This was beginning to sound a little strange, "Researching?"
"In a way, yes. More sensitive people might call it ... stalking... or spying..., but here, we call it reasearching. I'm assuming you know of Prince William? I understand he's quite popular with all the young ladies."
Kathleen could sense which direction her assignment would be leading her in. "Mrs. Cohen," she interupted, "I'm fully aware of who Prince William is, and I really don't feel comfortable-"
Mrs. Cohen cut her off, "Comfortable? This is not a question of comfort. This is your assignment. If you are unable to fulfill your obligations to this magazine, then I'm afraid you'll have to leave. I certainly woudn't want to see you pass up such a wonderful opportunity as this one..."
Kathleen bit her lip, and looked nervously at the door. This was the only corporation, producing what resembled a publication, that had accepted her application. She made one last effort to escape this horrible trap. "I was under the impression, Mrs. Cohen, that the media had been instructed to leave Princes William and Harry to themselves, not to intrude upon their lives. Won't this be a violation of that request?"
Mrs. Cohen laughed, "Kathleen, it's been so long since I've met anyone as... naive as you are. Prince William is practically all grown up. He'll be twenty-one soon enough, and the palace can't protect him much longer. We're just getting a bit of a head start in our intrusion."
Kathleen nodded uncomfortably. She paused, "All right, Mrs. Cohen, what exactly do I have to do?" There it went, she thought, her last shred of dignity. She had been shedding her values like dead skin ever since she had sent in her application, and the last layer had just fallen to the ground.
"That's better," Mrs. Cohen smiled devilishly, "welcome, my dear, to The Daily Scandal."
Chapter 2
Kathleen sat on the leather couch in the hallway outside the admissions office of Cambridge University. "All right," Kathleen said under her breath, "how difficult can it be?" She remembered her instructions from Mrs. Cohen. "All I have to do is-" she gulped "-a little research on William. I'm already signed up for each and every one of his classes, I just have to-" she gulped again "-observe. Follow him around a bit, perhaps go through his garbage... Ewwwww! I've disgusted myself already and I haven't even begun yet. Won't he notice that I will go wherever he will go? He can't be that foolish. And what if I get caught? I'm sure his body gaurds will be well trained enough to catch an amateur like myself. I can see it now, Obsessed fan stalks Prince William, committed to asylum for treatment. I'll have to be subtle, I can't risk getting caught - I'll never be able to live with myself." Her muttering was interupted by the sound of boisterous voices and their accompanying footsteps. She glanced upward as the group of students rounded the corner. At that point, life was in slow motion, as Kathleen realized who exactly she was looking at (Author's note: If anyone watches Felicity, you know the effect I'm going for - slow motion, stolen glances as they pass in the hallway... ok, moving on). Kathleen sat up straight and attempted a dazzling smile as Prince William's eyes briefly met hers. Hey, if she was going to be stalking the kid, she might as well make a good first impression, right? She wasn't going to deny it, Kathleen hadn't been entirely immune to William's good looks for the past few years. She wasn't blind, in other words. He smiled back at her, and she quivered a bit inside. Kathleen was about to stand up and introduce herself, when she noticed a blonde streak sprinting from the other end of the hall. She sprinted right into William's arms.
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