"How far guy?" Prince Damola and Ayoola greeted each other. Behind Ayoola was Ara who stayed calm with her hand wrapped up with a white bandage. A long white bandage was also tied to her neck holding her hand in place and making it look as if she had a broken hand. The pain was still much for her that Ara could barely speak and just couldn't wait to sleep.
Both Grace and Sewa ran to her. "Oh my God, Ara why didn't you tell me you had issue with Florence. You know how bad she can be. Please don't keep silent next time. Not in a place like this." Grace said with a caring voice, looking more concerned with how tired and pitiful Ara looked.
"Where is he?" Ayoola asked, pointing to the stairs.
Prince Damola knew who Ayoola was talking about. "He shook his head. "I don't think he's coming downstairs."
Ara looked up on hearing what Prince Adedamola said. She almost cried on the spot with the thought that Prince Ire really never even cared about her. Her heart was heavy. Pounding and disappointed. She knew she had overestimated herself. She was just his worker right. But how come she really wanted to see him. At least for him to just have a look at her and say something. Ara wondered why she was suddenly worried to have him care about her. The truth was, you can't deceive the mind. It knows what you really want. Ara looked up again, hoping he would just appear from nowhere, but she was too hopeful thinking that. It was the same reason she had called Ayoola instead of him.  Slowly, Ara felt her cheeks burning. It instantly became wet, trying to hide her face that was seen by others already. This was bad, she told herself.. She knew she'd better stop.
"Ara what is it?" Sewa felt for her too.
"I'm just tired," Ara said. It wasn't a lie because she was truly tired. She eventually burst into tears and left everyone a bit angry, walking straight into her room. Ara was good at getting angry unnecessarily and she knew that.
"Okay, I will take my leave. Send my greetings to him. And thank him for the food while I was here," Ayoola said and turned, entering his car and immediately drove out of the palace.
After Ara had fed herself and had taken her drugs, she was sound asleep that she didn't hear her door was opened. Prince Ire made his way into her room quietly. A smile crept on his lips and he immediately scolded himself. He shouldn't be laughing at Ara's hand. But the way the hand hung up in the air caused Ire to smile more. He ended up having a big smile because thinking of Ara being in his position and him being in her position, the Ara he knew would laugh her ass out. So silly, he thought of her, touching her bandaged hand. The moment he did, Ara was awake but her eyes remain closed. She knew who that was.
"That's stupid you know?" He had said a bit loud. "You talk when you don't have to talk and act so silly when you need to brace up. You need to grow up." Prince Ire shook his head.
Slowly enchanted by her lips, Prince Ire moved a bit closer. He wasn't sure what he was doing, but he was sure he wasn't in his right senses. Ever since he laid his eyes on Ara, he had thought of having the privilege just to kiss her once. Slowly, he carried himself up, pecking his lips with hers. He was stunned by the feeling. Damn! He sat down back and raked his hair, completely magnetized by the kiss. Her lips was pleasurable and tempting. Ara finally released her heavy eyes.
"Why?"
The voice raised Prince Ire's head at her. What a small peck to wake her up. He was excited to see her stare at him in a way that had the blood in his body flow faster. He smiled at her. "I'm sorry. I couldn't help it."
She repeated again. "Why?"
"Ara you are irresistible." He couldn't deny it.
Ara smiled at him. What a confession. "I know."
"You are beautiful."
"I know that too," Ara said with a slight blush.
"What then do you want me to say."
Ara stared at how humble Prince Ire was. "You won't tell me I'm stupid. You said that earlier. You should be man enough to tell me to my face."
Prince Ire gave a small deep laughter. Exactly what he had said earlier. Now she could talk. He gave a cute look at her. "Are you really talking to me?" He bit his lower lip and gave Ara one of his sweetest smile no one knew existed. "You really are. You know that already."
Ara smiled, unable to hold the laughter that followed, but the pain from her hand made her shed little tears, yet she kept on laughing.
Prince Ire couldn't understand Ara. He knew she was in pain, yet laughing. "You are still laughing."
Ara gave a slight nod. "I don't know, I just want to laugh."
That made Prince Ire laughed too. The little laughter coming from Ara was contagious and beautiful. "You are weird. Don't hang your hand that way. That's not the best way."
Again! Ara thought. "Why do you talk like a doctor though."
"Because I'm actually a doctor."
Ara burst out laughing again. Then she paused, giving Prince Ire a look of, sir you don't mean it. She couldn't believe what she just discovered, but Prince Ire looked serious about what he just said. While trying to laugh again, Ara hit her hand. "Ouchhh....." The pain from her hand made her stop. "Please tell me what I don't know."
"A gynecologist to be precised."
"You say what!" Ara yelled with another beautiful mode of laughter, covering her face in embarrassment with a clothing material beside her. "Don't touch me." She screamed, laughing. Still covering her face. "I can't believe I said those things about doctor that day and you just kept mute. Jeez! My camel toe..." The last statement came out in a whisper. "How many have you touched? Don't touch me please." She laughed, rushing up by lifting herself with her right hand. The material was gone, but she couldn't wipe out the sudden shock written on her face. Suddenly, she felt naked standing in front of him. A gynecologist! He'd seen the most precious parts of a woman's body. Oh, no!
"How come you look like a body builder? I mean the first time I saw you, I felt like you gym a lot."
"Yes I do," Prince Ire was honest. The conversation wasn't bad. "I stopped when I got back to Nigeria. Now I consume food."
And you do eat a lot.
Prince Ire gave her a look. "You can say it out. I heard what you and your sister said on your first day already."
Ara laughed remembering the first day she met him. She knew she had to watch whatever she was saying still. I'm not planning to wash curtains again tomorrow. She went back to the bed and sat down resting her back on the long wood attached to the bed. "Thanks a lot for checking up on me. I thought you actually didn't care."
Prince Ire got up and gave her a small smile. "I actually did care. I hope you will be very careful now. Palace isn't a place to act a good girl role. You really need to mind your business."
"I understand," Ara said. "I just thought you can't be mean to bring out the best from people. They will only change who you are by their toxic attitude and that might be hard for you to deal with. But I'm still me. I've just learnt bad people will always be bad. We better not think for them and just make them pay for what they've done."
Prince Ire gave a deep sigh and a slow laughter. "You are a fast learner."
Ara shook her head. "I hope what I just said reflect in my actions. I'm weird. I'm a preacher who does not follow her preaching." Ara made jest of herself.
"One more thing," Prince Ire said looking down at the phone vibrating in his hands before looking up at Ara again. "I will be having a nice time with my friends. I need you to go with me. Can you? I mean will you be able to come with me? They all gonna bring someone and I don't just want to. . ."
"How much are you paying me? It's all about money money money..." Ara cut in with a song on her lips, stretching her hand forward at Prince Ire.
"Pay you? Ara you have a million naira and four hundred thousand naira in your hands already. I paid you that four hundred thousand naira."
Ara laughed a little making jest of herself again. "So you are calculating my money for me?"
"Maths is my best subject."
Ara screeched rolling her eyes."I hate it and I will detest it till I die."
"I can understand," Prince Ire said with a cute smile displaying. "Maths was created for brilliant students...Like me."
Ara couldn't help the little cute smile that graced her face, but then she managed to roll her eye balls at him. Before she could reply, his smile was gone when his phone vibrated again. Immediately, his straight face was back. "I need to be somewhere now. You should stay out of trouble," he said and rushed out of her room when his phone rang again for the third time.