Anita smiled to herself. He didn't do texting, but the man certainly did sarcasm.
She thought for a moment, and then replied.
Oh, good. I was worried. There have been far too many saucy sheikhs around here lately. I have to be sure.
She should stop. She knew it. She shouldn't keep on like this-not if she was going to honor the promise she had made in her mind to Fadi-but with every message, she found it harder to imagine not meeting up with him the next day.
Finally, she had to put an end to it. It had been, in many ways, the most exhausting, overwhelming day of her life. It was time it came to a close, but she wasn't sure how to broach the subject.
Luckily, or unluckily, Hakim brought it up himself.
So, you'll meet me tomorrow night?
Now was the time. Anita knew what she had to do.
I'm sorry. I can't meet you.
She clutched her phone as she waited for a response.
How do you make the pictures on this?
What?
Wait, I found it.
And then there was a picture of a sad-faced emoji.
It was too late for Anita to laugh again in her room; Fadi was only a few rooms over. But something about the idea of the heir apparent to the throne of Az Kajir sending her emoji's was a bit too much to take. She texted back.
Well done.
His reply came quickly.
Well enough done that you'll meet me?
Who was he to say? But then, just now, it felt like he wasn't asking too much
I'm sorry.
Even as she typed the word, she could feel her conviction waning.
I command you as your prince.
Anita realized she hadn't stopped grinning like an idiot this entire time, and this response only made it worse.
You're not my prince.
A bubble. No bubble. A bubble again.
Not yet.
Anita clutched her phone to her chest and stared up at the ceiling, at the glow-in-the-dark stars she'd put up there when she was young. She should have removed them long ago, but she couldn't quite bring herself to do it.
"What should I do?" she whispered up at them now, as though they would provide her with guidance.
There was no answer. But she had no willpower to go on refusing.
She told Hakim she agreed, and he fired back a happy-faced emoji.
You're getting the hang of this.
His reply came back almost instantly.
I'm a quick learner.
He sent an address through, and they said goodnight.
Anita tried to sleep, but she kept looking at the phone in the dark, hoping for another message, even though they'd already said goodnight. She'd have to tell him the next day that they couldn't be together, she thought. It wasn't fair to string him along.
Still, she couldn't help but be excited. There were butterflies in her stomach, and they fought hard against her exhaustion.
But finally, it was all too much, and she fell into a deep sleep.
SIX
Anita did her best to act normal the next day. She even tried to seem a little cross and disappointed when she was around Fadi.
It was difficult. She'd never been much of an actor, and she'd been a good, well-behaved enough daughter that she'd rarely needed to pretend with him. The sensation felt strange, and if she weren't so excited for her date, it would have been a miserable day.
By the time evening came, the whole thing was forgotten as Anita felt her excitement bubbling over. She'd barely resisted the urge to google the address Hakim had given her. She desperately wanted to know, but it was clear that he wanted it to be a surprise, and she found the idea of disappointing him intolerable.
It was Anita's night off, and Fadi was hard at work down in the restaurant. She knew she couldn't go out the front without anyone seeing her, and it was too late to come up with an excuse; she'd told Fadi she would be in her room, reading and watching Netflix. He would accept that; it was boring enough for him to believe.
This left her with one option: the fire escape.
It had been years since she'd sneaked out using it, and when she had, there hadn't been nearly so much at stake. Now, she flinched at every mournful creak of the metal, as though it would summon him out from the kitchen and he would catch her in the act.
Anita adjusted her skirt once she was on the ground. She'd gone back and forth on what to wear. Hakim had worn his tailored suit like he was born in it, and Anita had a feeling that he was usually dressed up to that degree. But she couldn't compete with that. Plus, whatever his surprise was, she needed to be prepared. So she'd gone the semi-casual route, with a skirt, some new sandals, and a T-shirt. She had a thin cardigan stuffed into her bag in case they were out late and it got chilly, although the warmth of the night seemed unlikely to let up anytime soon.
This was her, she thought. This was who she was. This was how she dressed. If he really liked her, he'd accept it.
As she walked, Anita chided herself for thinking that way. He wouldn't have to accept it, because they wouldn't be seeing each other again. Right?