Chapter 27：Protective

***

Writer's POV:

That week was another normal one for Asahd. He worked, made his money, paid Djafar what he had to and saved some for his ticket. Oh he was still very determined to leave New York. And neither Saïda nor her father, knew what the Prince had in mind.  He'd not completely gotten used to his new life and he didn't even want to completely adapt to it. He still hated it very much.

Saïda on the other hand was loving her little job. She was paid weekly and at the end of that first week, she was given her first pay which made her very happy.

Her employers were satisfied with her job that week and sure planned on keeping her. She had fully adapted to this new life and had no reason to complain. She was a simple girl who'd been taught to accept whatever she had, as it was. Whether big or small.

Also, she'd been paranoid throughout that week because of Asahd and his vengeance. She never left her phone unwatched, because if she did, he would probably take it, hack through her password and get Noure's number. Asahd was very capable of calling Noure and lying to him about Saïda. That was just how stubborn and mischievous, the Prince was.

-

Soon, the weekend arrived.

*

Saïda's POV:

I immediately grabbed my phone from the table when I saw Asahd roaming around it that Saturday morning. He chuckled.

"I like your shorts." I heard him say, entering the kitchen.

I'd forgotten I had sleeping shorts on. I never wore shorts out of my room and so I became a little uncomfortable because it was kind of a wrong thing, back in Zagreh to expose too much leg skin. Decent girls never wore tiny shorts in public or in front of men that weren't their spouses. If you had tiny shorts and were a respectful young woman, you would wear them in your room and only in your room . I'd gotten so comfortable that morning that I unconsciously left my room in those shorts.

My cheeks started to burn and I hurriedly put the tea on fire before rushing past Asahd and into my room to change into something better.

"Still the very good girl." he mused when I joined him in the kitchen once again.

"Of course. " I scoffed playfully and opened the fridge to get the bread.

"By the way, you have beautiful legs, Saïda."

"Asahd, I'm already too uncomfortable. You weren't supposed to see me in that. Your compliment proves you were checking me out and so please shut up." I joked with a little laugh.

"Of course I was. Report me if you want." he mused, "How rude. No thank you? At least?"

"Fine. Thank you." I rolled my eyes and put the bread near the toaster,

"The eggs are finished. Wanna accompany me to the store?"

"Okay. Lemme change my T-shirt."

"Alright."

Asahd's POV:

While she watched the tea and put the bread in the toaster, I got the mayonnaise bottle and sneaked my way into her room. I grabbed her shampoo bottle and squirted a considerable amount of mayonnaise into it.

Once done, I hid the bottle in my shorts, just in case she caught me, and left. Luckily, she didn't notice. I put the mayonnaise on the table in the living room and rushed to my own room.

--

On our way back from the store, I decided to invite her too.

"You should come with us, to the movies, tonight." I said.

"You think? They didn't invite me."

"I am. They won't mind cuz apparently, you're my sister."

"Hmmm. I don't know."

"Cmon. You haven't gone out and enjoyed yourself, since we got here. It's just movies and fun. Nothing more. No clubbing or alcohol. It'll be cool. Say yes."

She hesitated for a while.

"I'll tell my father about it, then."

"Means you're coming?"

"Yeah. But let's not take your car." she laughed.

"Girl, I never had plans of taking it! Imagine us pulling up in front of a theatre and get out through the window, in front a crowd of complete strangers. The disgrace. I have to maintain the little dignity I have left." I ended and she laughed even more.

"I'm never going to get over the car issue. Bhahahahaaa! My eyes water every single time when I see you drive it." she started coughing a little through her laugh and I stared at her, amused.

"So, you're mocking me now?" I asked and she pressed her lips together, holding laughter and shaking her head no. Her eyes were watery and she looked like she would explode if she didn't laugh.

Before I could say anything, she burst out laughing and started running ahead and into the building, doubting I would try to pull her hair or hurt her. As she ran away laughing, she said to my hearing:

"I'm sorry! I can't help it!"

I laughed a little and then entered the building. I wasn't going to do anything because she had mayonnaise shampoo awaiting her.

--

After breakfast, she went to shower first and I sat in the living room, waiting for when she would realise what she was washing her hair with.

Ten minutes after she'd gotten in, I finally heard her little cry. Soon, she stepped out in her bathing robe with wet soapy hair.

"Asahd! What did you put in my shampoo?!" she exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Mayonnaise." I replied casually.

"Are you serious?! You've wasted my shampoo!"

I laughed out happily.

"Now we're even."

She frowned and pouted like a kid, then stomped her tiny foot on the ground.

"What do I do now??"

"You can use mine." I said, after laughing to my satisfaction.

"I hope all this is over. Pleaaaase." she begged with her hands joined in front of her.

"Yes it is." I laughed, "You are free. That is, if you don't mock or tease me again."

"Trust me, I'll avoid that. You'll stop pulling on my hair too, right?"

"You know that's impossible." I mused and she pouted again.

"I'm tired of you." she mumbled and went into my room to get my shampoo.

She stepped out with it.

"Eew. It smells like you." she grumbled.

"Be happy. That's VIP. And use it wisely cuz it's what I used in Zagreh too. It's too expensive here for me to buy another if it finishes."

"Should've thought of that before spoiling my shampoo." she scoffed.

"What did you say? Repeat it so I force you to wash your hair with liquid dish soap." I threatened and she rushed to the bathroom's door, laughing.

"You win."

"As usual, baby."

**

Saïda and I stepped out of the cab that night, in front of the theatre, on the other side of the street. I paid the driver and he drove off.

The others were all there and were standing in front of the building, waiting for us to cross.

"What am I doing here?" she mumbled, "I don't like this."

Saïda was sort of antisocial.

"Don't be."

I was surprised when her hand suddenly grabbed mine. I looked at her but decided not to say anything about it. Instead, I held it in return. She was probably a little nervous.

"They're nice. I promise. Would you want to sit close to me? So you don't get really uncomfortable?" I asked.

She stared at me, looking very surprised.

"What?" I asked.

"Since when do you care about how I feel?" she teased with a little laugh.

"And there you are, teasing me again." I mused, "I invited and insisted that you come, and that's why I don't want you uncomfortable."

"No, I'll be fine. You have to sit with Allison, remember?"

"Okay, then."

We crossed and joined the rest. They greeted us and welcomed Saïda in a friendly manner, quite glad that I'd invited her too. I saw Saïda relax almost immediately and feeling a little more comfortable.

-

We bought our tickets and went to buy our snacks.

"Want something?" I asked Allison who seemed very happy I was giving her some attention.

"Lickerish and soda, please." she smiled, her cheeks pink, "Thanks."

"No problem."

I then turned to Saïda who was going to buy hers.

"Wait I'll–" I was going to propose buying her snacks, myself but Stephan appeared.

"Don't worry darling, it's on me." he said. Saïda refused but he insisted and so she let him. He bought her what she needed and the put an arm over her shoulder, "You'll be sitting with me, cupcake."

"Stephan, watch it." I said in a rather firm manner, surprising myself.

The others cooed in amusement.

"The big brother has spoken." Matt mused.

"You heard that tone, you better not try anything stupid with his baby sister. Clearly overprotective." Alex mused and they laughed, Saïda too who was definitely laughing because they'd called her the baby sister. If only they knew.

Thing was, I already knew the type of guy Stephan was. He wasn't the serious type and just had fun playing with girls' feelings. He was like me on that one and I really didn't want Saïda in the hands of a jerk like myself. We weren't blood related but I still considered her as some little sister or so.

"Woah chill, Asahd. I won't bite." Stephan chuckled.

"I won't even let him." Saïda added and the others cooed.

"We got another strong head in the family. You can be at peace, Asahd." Elsa mused.

We finished buying and entered the theatre.

We chose our seats. Allison and I sat four rows away and behind the others. It was okay because I had an eye on Stephan who was seated close to Saïda.

Soon the movie started.

Saïda's POV:

Throughout the movie, Stephan tried whispering to me a few times but I cut him every single time, telling him he was bothering me and that I was trying to watch the movie. After a few failed attempts, he stopped.

In the dark, I had this normal reaction to always turn and check on Asahd. I did it almost every ten to twenty minutes. Just like that. And whenever I did, he would notice and look back. We would smile a little at each other and then look at the movie again.

Sometimes he would nod in Stephan's direction as a way of asking me if the dude was bothering me. I would shake my head no in amusement and he would wink at me.

Honestly, I really liked this side of Asahd that I never knew existed. This side that I was gradually discovering. That of a concerned and protective friend. I really did like it.