Ara didn't know she was hungry until twenty minutes ago. She drank the rest of the apple juice and immediately, the table was cleared the moment they were done eating. The people were accurate with their eyes on their customers. Hehe...what do I expect with how expensive everything is here. Ara cleaned her mouth only to look up and saw Prince Ire staring at her with toast bread in his mouth. She wondered if she actually ate so fast or was the Prince looking at something else. Ara turned to her back but saw nothing except from a lovely couple smiling and teasing each other. Ara smiled. It was sweet watching them for few seconds.
"Hmm..." Ara cleared her voice getting Prince Ire's attention. "Thank you sir. I enjoyed the meal."
Prince Ire nodded. Dropped the rest of his toast bread and pressed the bell attached at the side of the table. "Table 13," he said. His voice barely came out that Ara wondered if the people actually heard, but instantly, a smiling waiter was standing next to their table already.
"Done eating sir?"
"Yea. Just serve me a chocolate cake and ice cream. And when I'm leaving, I would love you to pack me one extravaganza pizza. Any fruit wine that is not expensive. If you have Valeta. That's not expensive. What about you?" Prince Ire turned to Ara who brought her two hands up, shaking it along with her head as if she had no mouth.
"Sis, you need a dessert. You gonna love what we have here. I'm sure you enjoyed the meal."
Ara just gave the waiter a nod. She was filled already. She wasn't expecting the Prince to order anything again after all they ate. Though the Prince didn't finish the toast bread he ordered, but he ate most of it. She didn't know what to think, wondering how the Prince was going to eat all that again? After the cake and whatever he had ordered, he ordered another one to go with again. Ara realized the waiter was still standing, busy smiling at her. She knew it was his job to always smile at customers, but it would be nice to not fustrate him because he must be tired doing that all day. Ara forced a small smile on her lips. "Thanks. I'm just fine. Besides, we are still here for some time."
"Okay then." The waiter left.
And immediately, Ara said again. "Thank you sir."
"That's the fifth time you gonna thank me. If you don't want me paying for your bill till we leave here, just tell me." Prince Ire said, looking up at Ara who suddenly became dumbfounded.
Huh! Her expression almost made the Prince laugh but he decided to bone his face instead, looking unaffected when he wanted to laugh so hard at Ara's scared face.
Ara you see what thank you, thank you has caused you! Where do you want to get that amount of money everyday to eat? My friend, just shut your mouth like that and think of something to say.
"Yea...em... I mean..." Ara stammered. "I mean thank you for offering me a dessert but I'm actually filled up."
Prince Ire nodded, smiling in his mind. He was only teasing her actually. His cake and ice cream was brought to the table, but he looked up at Ara instead. "So you threw away the complimentary card. Senator is actually gonna take care of you. You could even stop working for me. Have your house, car and get yourself schooling outside the country just like you wanted. I mean all these French thing and becoming a translator in a twinkle of an eye. He's gonna really spend on you. All you gonna have to do is just sleep with him and you get all the life you want. What do you think?"
"I think I better not start what will eventually destroy me, because I still will never be satisfied. You are right though. I'm gonna have everything, but I'm still gonna lose everything."
Prince Ire felt something odd about Ara the moment she spoke. She sounded sad as if she remembered a past or something she could never forget. Listening to her reply, Prince Ire was slowly interested in Ara more. She was not just beautiful, but she had a goal in mind. She had passion to really become a translator than just going to school to become anything the society offers her. That was the kind of woman he wanted. Beauty with brains. Intelligent and goal oriented. Not greedy or loud. Though, he couldn't be convinced with just her reply, but he was wowed by her thoughts. Ara knew what she wanted. Almost all the girls he had met wanted that life they could get on a platter of gold which means it could be taken from you at any time because you aren't the licensor or the real owner of it. Prince Ire looked at Ara apologetically. "I'm sorry if I made you remember something awful in your past."
Ara smile at Prince Ire, almost in tears. "Did you learn how to read people's mind?" Ara laughed, eventually getting Prince Ire to smile sincerely and sweetly at her.
"If you say so. I've learnt women can't be offended. You are almost crying and I guess I caused that."
Ara smiled a bit shy, rolling her eyes and wiping the little tears coming from her eyes. She realized Prince Ire's smile was cute when he seemed to be in a happy mood. "Actually, I guess we just learn from people's mistake." Ara covered her eyes not to cry. Blinked her eyes, but burst into tears eventually. It was that moment you didn't want to cry forming strong woman but you were too fragile, and the hormones wanted you to just cry it out and let you be comforted.
Prince Ire who didn't know what to do instantly became shocked. He regretted bringing up the matter and wish he had not. Now everyone thought he made Ara cry or broke her heart. "Hey, did I do anything wrong?"
Ara's face was instantly red, especially her nose. She wiped her face, shaking her head at Prince Ire. "I just remember my elder sister. We lost her early last year." She stopped crying. "She was even more prettier than me. Fairer than me and just like what I'm facing now, she faced it too. She got lots of approach from guys, men and even more like that. Last two years, she met this strange married man and that was how my sister suddenly changed. She moved out of the house to a house he got for her. Dropped out from school. She was already in 300l at that time you know, thinking by the time she was done and got a good job, she would assist our last born and I but that changed." Ara suddenly recovered from her trance ashamed to keep talking about her sister's mistake.
"I'm sorry for bringing that up. I'm just trying to tell myself not all these rich people's money are actually clean. Some just need someone to offer as a sacrifice so they start by giving you all that you request for, and began to use you till you are of no use while you think you have everything. Many who tried to play safe still eventually get into their hands out of greediness. Lost my big sis to a strange sickness and despite all we did, we lost her at the end." Tears rolled down Ara's eyes but immediately Prince Ire provided her his handkerchief because he knew she was going to use her hand again.
"Thank you sir."
"It's okay. Take your time." Prince Ire suddenly lose taste for all that he ordered for. He didn't make a sound, allowing Ara to pour out her mind. He knew he was right that the tone of her voice before she shared all that she shared with him was full of sadness. Now she knew why Ara was being careful. While out of the country, he had heard many cases of girls being used for rituals, even men who had fall victim. And while listening to Ara, he picked a lot, but one thing that struck him was the fact that greediness has destroyed many people. Many people are consumed by their selfish desires until they are hooked down by a disease or illness for them to realize good health and their breath really matters to live and survive in this world, and by then, everything they had become useless if their health is snatched from them.
Ara chuckled slowly. "I guess I scared you with my tears."
She didn't expect it but Prince Ire smiled a little again. "You really did. If you had not stopped on time, I would have called 911."
Ara laughed a bit more, putting all her fears and worries behind her. She suddenly found Prince Ara funny. "It is better I'm admitted in Dgram's hotel." Then she laughed, watching Prince Ire speaking effortlessly again as if he was told not to talk at all.
"Table 13," Prince Ire said immediately he pressed the bell again. Some seconds later, the smiling waiter was back again. Prince Ire turned to the waiter. "I will need you to pack the cake and ice cream with my last order. We will be leaving in the next five minutes."
"Okay sir." The waiter left quickly.
Prince Adedamire turned to Aramade. "So, we are stuck in my suite for this night."
Ara swallowed hard nodding her head before replying. "I can just take the couch."
"If that's what you want." Prince Ire replied and got up. His package was brought by the same waiter who handed him the package immediately. "Thanks for patronizing us."
"It's fine." Prince Adedamire said. Then turned to Ara, picking up one of her bags. "After you."
"Sir?"
Prince Ire just raised his brow. I just told you get up and move. He didn't say that out but Ara got it and walked slowly before Prince Ire feeling a little bit shy knowing he was behind her.