*4*

Alicia was amazed by all that she saw, they had gone to the national museum and made researches with the guide and that since the 20 days that they came here. Alicia was amazed and was already pitying her upcoming departure. They had almost finished their homework, but Sarah was still complaining about not having seen the sheikh's brother...

- Sarah, stop kidding yourself. He is the sheikh's brother. He is of royal blood and we are just simple students. There's no way we can see him... He'll probably be swarmed by a horde of guards.

- Yeah, but just seeing him would be enough for me. I want to see him... He studied out of Jaipour and he is 27 years old. He is so handsome and he looks so much like the sheikh but he is always smiling... We can even say that this is what differentiates them...

- Yeah, but what if we go over our homework and don't talk about those cute kids anymore?

Sarah sighed and let it go. The next day they didn't go to the museum, but they went to the stores to do some shopping and that's how they came back to the hotel with several floors.

Alicia was surfing the internet when she heard Sarah squeal and then shout cheerfully and almost screaming:

- Tomorrow the royal family will organize a small party in their private beach. What if we go? Oh my God I'm going to see the sheik's brother.

- Well... I'll have to tell you that there will be a lot of people there and they won't even be in the crowd or in the water, they'll probably be stationed with thousands of guards to watch people marvel at them as if they were gods and I hate that...

- It's not true. Please stop being pessimistic. Besides the majority of the people won't be able to access it because they don't have the money to afford it. But we do...

But it's not fair... Why??? To make a private beach that everyone can never have access to is selfish... Unfortunately, injustice is much more common than justice. Alicia sighed and looked at her best friend, her eyes sparkling and her hands begging for an answer.

- Okay.

Sarah let out another, even more shrill cry and now the young woman wondered if the hotel hadn't heard. After all, it was a vacation and they were going to have a great time, and besides, she wasn't from the country, she didn't have to cry for them. But those poor people...

A few minutes later, dinner was brought to them and the young woman ate while watching a movie on TV. A few hours after the movie, Alicia looked at Sarah who was sleeping because she had spent the last few hours trying to find the perfect bikini. Alicia took her headphones and put on a t-shirt and shorts before leaving the room. She took with her some water because she was going to run.

- Ma'am, would you like a ride somewhere?

- Oh no, thanks. I will walk a little.

The young woman smiled at the driver before leaving him. She took the road on foot with her headphones on and looked around her while looking back to memorize the path. Everything was splendid. The houses were spaced out and were independent. Some were huge villas and others were small houses with pure luxury. The young woman saw a small square. It was beautiful but nobody was sitting here and the young woman approached and sat tenderly on a bench to better analyze the place...

Someone tapped her on the shoulder and Alicia took off her headphones and looked behind her... The agent spoke to her in Arabic and as she knew this language, she could easily answer him:

- Hello Miss. Who are you? This place is probably not authorized for you.

- Ohw. I was just taking a walk. I'm a history student and I'm here as a tourist to write a paper on this country. I'm staying at the ******** ***** hotel.

- Ah I see wait for me. What is your name?

- Alicia Miranda Gerardhi.

The agent turned around and picked up her phone and made a call. The agent verified that the young lady was staying at this hotel. After the agent excused himself and left.

Alicia watched the agent leave and understood that this pretty place was off limits to everyone. But it was so beautiful and clean too. Why this gap between the rich and the poor? Anyway, this gap exists in every country in the world and this enraged the young woman... If everyone was like her...

She huffed and puffed and deprived herself of this luxury because she didn't feel right enjoying something that others couldn't. She continued her walk and put her headphones back on. At the end of a street, she turned and saw a dust in the distance and realized that she was in a zone of the rich and now she was entering the zone of the poor and the more or less well-off. The noises rose and she could already see the misery painted on her dusty walls. She walked and soon she arrived at a market and from there she saw the true reality of Jaipur.

Clothes, ornaments, jewelry, meat, and more were sold in one space and the vendors could touch a piece of meat and without even washing their hands they would touch saris or jewelry. People were in a hurry and every now and then a small argument arose and added to the incessant noise that reigned there. The young woman stood in the middle of the market and looked around. Children were running with hoops, others were pushing loads that were way too heavy...it was horrible...

- Pay for my fish, you little thief.

- I don't have the money... Take your fish.

- You don't have the money Heinh...

The merchant began to hit the poor boy and in a small race Alicia arrived near them and took the little boy before passing him behind her.

- Who are you to defend him?

- And who are you to hit him? With a thing that you use for meat moreover...

- this little rascal stole some fish from me and he's going to pay for it...

He tried to grab the little one but the young woman squeezed him even more behind her.

- Look at this poor child! You surely know better than me that this child doesn't have enough money to buy a lollipop or to pay for a fish and moreover he probably has his family to die tonight and with all the problems he has you are hitting him on top of that. And you think that this will correct him on the contrary he will steal even more: fish, jewels, saris, locks. And tomorrow the number of bandits will increase.

The young woman felt her tears flowing, then she looked around and said more loudly:

- And you? You don't say anything when this little boy is probably doing huge jobs for you for no money and you don't do anything to help him...

Alicia looked at the little boy and stroked his soft face hardened by misery and the weight of work. She reached into his pocket and pulled out two 20-euro bills. He stood up and handed one to the merchant who took it and pocketed it before leaving and she handed one to the little redhead and said with a smile:

- Take your fish. Go and don't steal anymore...

She watched the little boy run away and her heart sank. A sheikh? my ass and look at all the misery on their faces. No doubt he struts around the courtyards of his castle contemplating all his wealth. But what good is his wealth if his people are languishing in misery?