Ara lazily opened her eyes to the shinning light coming from the big bulb above her head. She closed her eyes back. She could feel the soft pillow underneath her head wet. Has she cried? She wondered. Suddenly, she remembered what happened to her last night. The slap brought a big shame to her feet. She held no grudge with the first Queen, accepting what she did was bad.
She treated the Queen's visitor poorly. She decided she would have to go back to the Queen and give her a proper apology different from the one she gave her in the hall.
Ara traced her left hand down to her stomach. She was hungry. Hunger could not let her enjoy her sleep. While she was being called on by Sewa to eat, she gave an excuse that she was taking a shower which was not so.
"You and this shower!" Sewa had said to her, knowing the shower excuse was a big lie from Ara. Sewa knew it was because of what happened, but she hope Ara wouldn't continue that way especially with the way the first Queen was embarrassed because of her. They waited for Ara still, hoping she would eventually join them but Ara never did. Grace who also felt for Ara tried knocking on Ara's door but never came a response because Ara was already asleep. She slept off crying.
Ara moved out of her bed, adjusting her eyes to the bright light. She sat on the bed, yawning, without forgetting to quickly lift up her left hand, dabbing it on her mouth till she was done yawning. Ara was the type that would wake up during midnight anytime she forgot to eat her supper. She was never a foodie, but never love skipping her meals.
It took her time to adjust to the bright light because she was used to waking up to a small light from her kennede model touch at home. Life in the palace was in a long way different from her life at home. Instead of sitting her feet on a cold hard ground, she felt the same soft rug she became familiar with hours ago loving up her warm feet.
Ara realized she was still in her black gown, but then she was too thirsty and hungry to change. She walked out of her room to a dim light coming from the sitting room they all used. She passed through the spacious sitting room, heading towards the kitchen, hoping she could really see something to eat. Many times, Ara's mom had warned her to always eat her supper no matter what to save herself from the stress she was now going through in the midnight at the second Prince Quarters.
Ara walked in, dragging her tired body into the kitchen whose light was totally off.
"Sleep walking around the house?"
Ara's eyes shut open in the dark. She had become familiar with the voice too well already.
Ara could see the figure standing before her, resting his back on the cabinet peacefully sitting on the kitchen tiles. She found the switch enjoying the coldness of the wall and flicked it on, bringing every corner to light. Prince Ire who was watching Ara in the dark before, looked away like he was engrossed with something else.
Ara finally replied, not giving a damn of who she was standing with. She just didn't like the way he spoke to her. "I guess the same act brought you here as well," She said, referring to the first statement Prince Ire said.
Adedamire didn't react to the tone of her voice at all. Instead, he lazily stretched out his muscles, making it difficult for the eyes Ara thought was feeling sleepy to slowly admire his strong muscles, his well defined six packs, and his strong body as a man. Ara looked away and walked towards the fridge to get herself a cold bottle of water but Prince Ire stopped her
pointing to a half bottle of water sitting carelessly on the cabinet. Ara gave him a look. She was suddenly not scared of him. "That's not cold," she said. "Besides, someone else took that."
Adedamire look pointedly at her. "Someone else will have to finish it. I don't allow wastage in my house because I'm not buying them for it to be wasted. It's not really that easy to make money. You can relate right? Is it?"
Is he kidding me! Ara thought to herself, holding back the laughter that was trying to flew out of her mouth. Not because it was funny, but because it was absolutely crazy to her. She finally understood why they tagged him stingy. These people are rich! They have the money. One bottle won't do any harm to his money. Why does he have to be stingy? But he must be the only one. Ara thought, knowing the food prepared last night must have wasted as many didn't get to eat before her and the rest left with Prince Ire.
Ara stood there, not knowing what to say. She wanted something cold, now she was being deprived again. She was too thirsty, and instead of getting angry unecessarily, she reached for a cup and the half bottle of water, pouring the water in the cup she was holding. Might be because it was just the two of them, Ara felt relaxed under a different atmosphere.
Prince Ire finally spoke up again. He felt like he should just talk about what was in his mind, but he didn't say it too well. Staring at Ara who was about lifting the cup in her hand, he said... "If you are still wondering about the guy you hit at the King's event you ushered for, it was me.
And I didn't even get a sorry."
The cup that was about kissing Ara's mouth stopped, obeying the sudden command of Ara's little hand. Ara's head turned to Prince Ire. Why was he telling her anyways? She thought. Was he expecting her to apologize or what? She thought again. Ara switched to her thoughts. So he knew her from the very time she stepped into the palace? Ara dropped the cup in her hand. Her thirsty throat was suddenly filled up in a magical way that she was no longer thirsty for water but for answers.
Ara squeezed her brow at him. "So you knew me the moment I walked into the palace? Is that why you changed me from the main kitchen to your Quarters?"
Prince Ire curved his lips into a little smile. It was something he rarely does. He just didn't see any reason to smile, but he couldn't help it seeing how Ara was reacting to something he would never do. His time was too precious to monitor where a staff would be. If not because he realized too late, she wouldn't even allow Ara to be in his Quarters. For his own good to kill the stirring feelings he buried years ago. Ara was stirring up something dangerous in him and he was starting to be overprotective again. He pushed aside his thoughts and answered bluntly. "Who has that time. You can always go there if you want to."
Then he said again without any second thought. "I like you though. The very first time I met you which you didn't. But why stress myself knowing I can't date someone of your status. I'm getting nothing in return."
Ara felt an invisible slap to her face through his words. Why so mannerless? She thought. That moment, her dislike for Prince Ire rose again. So pompous. He's not even that handsome.
What's his problem? Every thoughts of his fine muscles, hard body, cute face was gone and suddenly erased. Ara rolled her eyes at him, but that was not able to express the words in her mind. She then spoke. "What type of a guy actually stands before a girl and talk this way? You are doing justice to what I already heard about you and I actually don't care to know what you think about me. I don't care if I hit you once cause I already said my sorry even though your two ears weren't present. And I don't care if you like me or if you can or can't date someone like me. I'm here to work and I will stick to that. Besides, are you encouraging me to dislike you or like you?"
Adedamire smiled for the second time. This time Ara saw it and totally wish he masked up his face back to the ugly one that fitted him most. She didn't find the smile one percent attractive
at all. Adedamire suddenly masked up his face like he could read Ara's thought, responding to her outburst. "None of it can actually add any meaning to my life. Can it make me richer? So, just keep it and remember when next you about talking to me, I pay your bills from henceforth." He looked straight to her eyes telling her... Morning is almost here. I'm still the boss.
After he made himself clear, Prince Ire's hard look was gone and was slowly replaced with a relaxed one again. He looked at Ara a bit surprise she spoke too well. "But how come? I thought you don't talk."
Ara shot her brows up. "At least I'm not stupid. I know when to talk." Her replied came calmly. Her respectful voice was back. She was finally thirsty for water again. She carried her cup and drank the water at once. When she dropped her cup, she saw what she wanted sitting before her. A cold bottle water, sweating to escape the coldness it was feeling. Prince Ire had brought out one for her while she drank the one she poured inside a cup.
"Thanks," she said. Surprised he changed his mind.
Prince Ire didn't reply. He finally heard the microwave beeped. He brought out the food he was warming, took small out of it for himself and passed it to Ara. "Next time when acting a victim, learn to put other parts of your body in consideration," he said. And apart from Ara's stomach, he felt Ara's face was too pretty and smooth for the lines of tears that sticked to it. He didn't say that out because Ara does not need to hear or know that.
Ara didn't know what to say. Prince Ire carried his own portion with a bottle of water walking towards the kitchen entrance before he stopped. "You should know it's too early to poison you if I want to. You really don't know much anyways, but do well to keep what you already heard to yourself. It stays that way with us."
Ara turned her head, looking at Prince Ire's eyes that held no emotions. She understood what he meant. He knew he got her message too. With his full hands, Prince Ire walked out of the kitchen. He hope he didn't scare her. He just wanted to remind her. To remind her that there are things unsaid in the palace.