The Malay Princess

Press Releases

I could hear yelling outside. Isn't that my mom and Zarith? It's that time of the year again. I raised from my bed, I had a crippling hangover. Should I check it out? I should. I forcefully pushed myself out of bed and draped around my robe. I smell like alcohol, but who cares? I wore my slippers and head outside to the living room. 

'What the fuck, you guys?' I asked, taking out a cigarette from my robe and smoked it. I sat on the dining room table, they were having breakfast while squabbling. 

'Zara, you look like shit.' Zarith says, I kissed his cheek. 

'How are you, my brother?' I said. 

'Zara can you please tell your brother not to defy me?' I would always bicker with Raja Permaisuri but Zarith has his own issues too with mother. My mother threw his phone to me, it was an article. 

Next in Throne Prince Always Ready To Party

It was an article by the online Daily Mail, I flicked my cigarette to the nearby ashtray. The help asked me if I wanted breakfast, I told her I needed some yogurt and my hangover smoothie. 

'So what?' I said. 

'We're a member of the royal family. I don't mind you, Zara, you know how to make it discreet. But since..what happened, well, you're brother is next in line. This is Malaysia, you know how I hate publicity like this.' She says, the mother, dressed in a lavish gown just to prove that she's queen. I laughed, snorted even. 

'Deny it then.' I said. 'Ma, this is not a big deal. Bad press are meant to be forgotten, what do you expect?' My yogurt with a hint of honey came and I let it be. I'm going to finish my cigarette first. 

'This sticks forever, Zara, and you know it. I don't give a hoot about whatever you guys do. But bad press, no.' She says and stands. Probably she's going to talk to our PR representative. I placed the butt from the finished cigarette down. I touched my temples, and finally I start eating too. 

'Since when did you go to clubs? Zouk of all places? You know that there's a lot of story there.' I said, without even raising my head. He didn't say anything, so I finally raise my head. 'It's okay, Zarith. The people will understand, even if the Permaisuri doesn't.' 

'I think you're much fit to rule than me, Zara. Even if you're like that, people still look up to you, likes you. The only thing people see me as is just some brat. Everyone knows it.' He says. I touched his cheek. 

'Who would want a junkie to rule someone's state, Zarith.' I said, snorted while laughing. 

'Even so,' he says and he sighs. 'Like the charity you held, the demographic took it really well. The people like you, Zara. They look up to you.' 

'You've held charities too.' 

'Not like yours. The charity that you single-highhandedly started, it is supported by multiple NGOs, a lot of important people are backing you up. You don't even need to call a billion people just to do that. I'm closer to ma, but she likes you better - and even you know that fact.' He stands, and he walks away. 

'Zarith!' I called him but he doesn't look back. Without Zarith, I am nothing. We've been close, we were like twins. If Zarith doesn't like me, then who does? I wish I had dad to talk to. 

Now I feel like drawing a line, and blow. I left my yogurt and asked the help to send the smoothie back into my room. I have a few calls to make. I might not be the best sister for Zarith, but I need to make this go away. 

I knocked on Zarith's door. 

'Zee, go away.' I ignored his request and barged inside. He's in bed, I crept into it. I lied down on his chest and watched the ceiling with him. 'Didn't I tell you to go away?' He asked.

'Well, this is not the first time that I didn't listen to what you had to say.' I said, and chuckled. I went on top of  him. 

'Zarith.' I said. 

'You're heavy.' He says. 

I smiled at him. 'I made it go away.' I said. I kissed his cheek and went off of him. 

He raised from the bed. 'What do you mean it went away.' 

'Well, I made some calls. They're retracting the statement back, and the official statement will be on the papers instead.' I said, going into the covers. He looks at me, out of disbelief. 'They're searching for a doppelganger now. I told them that you were with me.' 

'Zara, you can't do this for me.' He says, somberly. 

'In fact I can. You've been helping me around dad, and this is the least I can do. I told them that it was a mistake and they retracted the statement. It was taken in a club anyways, the pictures weren't even enhanced properly. They're releasing a public statement and apologized for the inconvenience caused.' I went out of the bed. 'So excuse me, I am heading to your press release.' 

'You know they won't believe me.' He says.

'That's why I'm going and you're staying. Zarith, they might not believe you since you're an esteemed playboy, but they will believe your innocent sister. I'll fight, and I'll fight hard for you.' I said. 

He couldn't say anything. I kissed both of his cheeks and he took me into a hug. 'I love you, Zara. You're the best.' 

'If you want to go out, make sure I know where you are. I'll fix it a million times if you want.' I said. I left the room. It's time for the beautiful, innocent Zara to face the press.