Loved Not

Patience - 4

Patience - 4

I’ve gotten her name, now what? Prince Akil thought to himself as he walked through the lush gardens toward the royal golf resort. The morning breeze carrying the crisp scent of greenery, surrounded by the familiar tang of nature.

Set to loosen himself in his game activity. He felt the strong need to exercise and focus his mind.

He spotted his distant cousin and longtime golf partner, Ahmed, preparing for a swing. Ahmed lifted his club with practiced ease, but his attention shifted as he noticed Akil approaching. He smirked and turned.

“Good to see you Akil, I presumed you had hidden yourself in the palace”

Akil smirked back “Sarcasm isn’t a fitting look Ahmed”

Ahmed chuckled.

Prince Akil gripped his club firmly, positioning himself for his shot. With a smooth swing, the ball soared through the air, landing just a short distance from the hole. He gave a slight nod, pleased with the shot.

Ahmed stepped up, calm and steady. He swung his club with skill, sending his ball rolling smoothly toward the target. It stopped just short of Akil’s. They exchanged a knowing look. No words were needed—the game had begun.

His next shot sent the ball rolling effortlessly toward the target. They continued playing, each shot keeping Akil’s mind focused.

Their golf matches were always friendly but competitive, each trying to play better than the other.

“I see you haven’t lost your touch,”

“I could never lose to you, you know that.” Akil replied.

After finishing his last round, Akil walked to a bench and sat down.

As he rested, he noticed a few people watching him with interest. He paid them little attention, instead pulling out his phone.

Scanning through his notifications, his thoughts drifted back to her.

It didn’t take long. When he found her f*******: profile, a hint of a smile curved his lips. Found you.

There wasn’t much to see on her page, it was a new and her face was enough confirmation it was her account.

“Your highness, it’s been —“

A sharp flick of his wrist sent his guards moving forward, barricading the man before he could finish his sentence..

Might as well ease the boredom Akil decided and sent a message. His bio was vague and his username ‘Z.kil’ wouldn’t give him away

“Hey babygirl”

Minutes passed, dragging like hours. Was she ignoring him? No one ever did. The thought irritated him more than he expected. Should he delete the message? That would mean admitting a mistake—and he never did that.

Rolling his shoulders, he set his club aside. The palace guards could handle the equipment. He stepped into the car, settling into the leather seat as they drove him home.

He wouldn’t wait for her reply. Instead, a hot shower and strong coffee would do.

The drive was quiet, with him staring out the window, his mind still lingering on her name. His ego clashed with his curiosity—why was this different? He was used to instant responses, effortless attention. But now, he was waiting, feeling something unfamiliar creeping in.

By the time he arrived, he had convinced himself he didn’t care. He moved through the grand halls of the palace, shrugging off the lingering thoughts. Stripping out of his clothes, he stepped under the hot spray of water, letting it ease his frustration.

Whilst in the shower, his phone sat untouched on the counter. He refused to look at it. But even as the steam rose, the question hung in the air. Would she reply?

His ears were perked, waiting for the notification sound. He was just about to towel his hair dry when it finally came. Rushing out with water droplets trailing behind him, only to see a different name on his screen. Disappointment hit— he clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay calm. Breaking his phone wouldn’t change anything.

Exhaling sharply, he strode back to grab his towel, drying off properly before slipping into the silk robe that had been laid out for him.

Sliding open the balcony doors, he stepped outside, the air cooling his olive skin. He eased onto the sofa in his adjoining living room, unlocked his phone, and there it was.

“Hey”

Forty-nine minutes. She had taken forty-nine minutes to respond. He wasn’t a patient man. But for now, he would let it slide—she didn’t know who he was yet.

Z.kil: “Where are you from?”

Scarlet: “What is it to you?”

He smirked. She wasn’t making this easy.

Z.kil: I am from Egypt. My name is Zaid.

Scarlet stares at the message mistrust seeping out of her body.

Z.kil: Are you there?

Scarlet: I am from NY. My name is Scarlet.

Z.kil: You are beautiful and have a lovely name. I would like to know you.

Scarlet: Thank you

The chat is stiff and formal. Akil has never conversed with a female who held her guard up like this. He didn’t even know a woman like this existed. It felt like staring into a mirror of himself —unyielding, cautious. He found himself intrigued.

Z.kil: Any hobbies? Personally, I enjoy sports

Scarlet: Are you any good at it?

He chuckled, shaking his head. She was testing him.

Z.kil: Of course. You should watch me play sometime.

Scarlet: I don’t know you.

Z.kil: Not yet, but soon enough.

The way she chatted kept spurring him on, keeping him hooked without realizing it. He wasn’t used to this chasing.

Scarlet: I have to go now

Z.kil: Why?

Scarlet: I have work to do

He stared at her last message, exhaling slowly. She was different.

And that only made him want to know more.

Scarlet exited the app, her mind lingering on the conversation. It felt surreal. She had talked to Jimmy as usual —but then there was the stranger. Mysterious yet intriguing. The conversation replayed in her mind, she had eight minutes before her shift. She opened the locker and changed into her work clothes. Jimmy had been the same, his text was familiar in a way she knew well. The stranger, his presence lingered in a way that unsettled her. She had found him interesting and discovered a new side to herself, akin to a tease. She wanted to know more, but something held her back. What was his deal? Was he someone she knew? She was certain that she didn't know any Egyptian Zaid, so what did he want with her? So many unanswered questions. The logical part of her argued that she could find out if she kept up communication with him — what harm was there in that? but logic wasn’t the only voice in her head. There was doubt, she had never had any male friend let into her life this way before. Friendships with men were uncharted territory, and the idea of stepping into something new was both thrilling and terrifying.

Akil scrolled through their chat again, analyzing each exchange. She hadn’t given much away, only responding in a way that kept the focus on him. Clever. He liked that. She wasn’t easily impressed.

Still, her mention of work stuck in his mind. What did she do? Was it at the store where he had seen her?

He leaned back, tapping his fingers against the screen. He could ask her, but he didn’t want to reveal his identity this early. He would wait. For now. She was intriguing. And he wasn’t done figuring her out.