Royalty Gone Bad novel Chapter 29

Writer’s POV:

An amused Asahd poked his head in first, looking around the apartment to make sure Djafar wasn’t seated there.

Saïda was behind him in the corridor, biting her finger and hoping her father wasn’t awake. She’d kept her phone off throughout and when she’d put it on, she got notifications from about five of her father’s missed calls.

-

The apartment was completely dark, meaning Djafar had long retired to bed.

“Is he there?” Saïda whispered.

“No. Let’s go in,” Asahd replied. “Shhh.”

They tiptoed into the apartment and Saïda quietly and carefully locked the door behind her.

They started making their way through the furniture to get to their rooms. Everything was fine until in the dark, Saïda hit her leg against a chair and it made her trip over. Asahd, at the exact same moment, who’d heard the noise from the chair, was turning to ask Saïda to quiet down and was taken by surprise at a falling Saïda.

She fell forward and before Asahd could stabilise himself and catch her, she fell on him. Though he succeeded in wrapping his arms around her, it was still unexpected and in the dark, he lost balance and fell from Saïda’s weight. They landed on the carpet with a heavy thud, Saïda on top of Asahd who’d hit part of his head against a chair while falling.

She was fast enough to put a hand over his mouth, muffling his groan of pain.

“Oh my gosh, I’m sorry,” she gasped, automatically rubbing that part of his head.

He couldn’t blame her. The apartment was completely dark.

“I’ll- I’ll survive. Hopefully we don’t wake Djafar,” Asahd whispered.

“Hopefully.”

Just then, both realised how they were positioned. Saïda’s knees and thighs rested at his sides, like she was straddling him. Asahd had his arms around her lower waist and his right hand was a little too low, resting at the top of her butt.

She sat up immediately and at the same moment, Asahd hurriedly took his arms and hands off her. She got off him and stood. He got up right after.

“We should rush to our rooms before he hears more noise,” Saïda whispered and carefully tiptoed her way towards her door, in the dark.

Asahd did same, going in search of his door.

“If my father asks me questions tomorrow, which he definitely will, you’ve got my back, right?”

“Sure. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

He waited for her to enter her room and then he stepped into his.

“Time for me to get rid of these wet clothes,” he said to himself.

***

The next day, as expected, Djafar questioned his daughter and scolded her for keeping her phone off the previous night. Asahd stepped in for her though and explained to Djafar that he had invited her to the movies and because they were in the theatre, they had to keep their phones off. He asked Djafar not to get angry with Saïda. Djafar eventually let it go.

***

That night, Asahd called Saïda to his room.

“Yes?” she sat on his bed and stared up at him. He had two shirts in his hands.

“Which of these two cheap and pathetic shirts would look best on me?” he mused.

“You’re terrible. They’re great.”

“Nothing compared to my clothes that you abandoned in Zagreh!” he picked a pillow and threw it in her face. She laughed.

“Good for you.”

Asahd rolled his eyes in amusement.

“So which?”

“Aaaw, it’s cute how you are dressing to impress Allison.”

He laughed out in the most sarcastic manner.

“Saïda, I thought you knew me. I dress to impress everyone. Fashion has always been at the top of my list, Darling. I gotta look charismatic in everything I do,” he ended proudly. She laughed because it was a fact.

Asahd wasn’t even thinking about impressing Allison. He was doing that to get everyone’s attention, which he loved.

“Girls dress to impress me. It shouldn’t be the other way round.”

“Wait till you fall in love. Hopefully with Allison. I swear, Asahd, you’ll wear the best clothes around her. Just to impress her and only her.”

“Yeah, yeah whatever. Didn’t call you here for a chit chat,” he teased and she rolled her eyes.

“Fine. Wear the first one.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s cool. They’re both beautiful shirts but I like the first most especially because it’s blue. That’s my favorite color.”

“Who cares?” he laughed and threw the blue shirt away. “Because you chose that one, I’ll wear this one instead. The oxblood. Ha-ha.”

Asahd was a stubborn case. Saïda shook her head in amusement and picked the blue shirt. Asahd watched her silently make her way to the door and open it. Before stepping out, she said in the most satisfied manner:

“Reverse psychology, Asahd. I knew you wouldn’t pick what I would chose and so I intentionally picked the one I liked the least. Oxblood is my fav, dumbass.”

Asahd’s smile faded a little and she laughed.

“Alright, give me the blue shirt,” Asahd mused.

“Nope,” she rushed out.

“Saïda!” Asahd followed her and by the time he found her, she gave the shirt back. Only problem was, it was soaked with water. “Are you serious?!”

“Oxblood goes with your eyes. You’ll thank me later," she mused and went to sit with her father who had been busy watching TV.

***

Allison’s heart skipped a beat when she saw Asahd walk down the sidewalk and towards her.

“How are you?” he smiled and gave her a warm hug. Allison melted on the inside. His sweet smell caused goosebumps on her skin.

“I’m fine. And you?” she asked softly, raising her head to look at him once they’d parted.

“I’m good.”

“I like your shirt. Goes with your eyes,” she complimented and Asahd smiled a little.

′Guess that stubborn kid was right,′ he thought, referring to Saïda.

“Thank you. You look great too.”

“Thanks,” she blushed.

“Let’s go get our tickets then. Have you chosen a movie?”

“Mhm. I hope you won’t mind it.”