They came to us and greeted us very kindly and I noticed they didn't shake hands. The men escorted us to the house and opened the huge door for us.

"Ahlan Wa Sahlan!"

Ahla what???

A man dressed in white said with a huge small on his face and hands wide open in a welcome sign.

"Be welcome to my home!" he said in English and as soon as he said that, Arabian music started playing and then I noticed behind him were belly dancers.

They begun dancing with the music and the man made a sign with his hands for us to step inside. Michael was smiling from ear to ear, so I figured I should smile as well.

Then, women came from the entrance, carrying trays with food. The man signaled them to bring the food over to us and invited us to eat. Arabian people really were hospital, I must say. I took a piece of baklava and eat it while enjoying the beautiful dance of the belly dancers. After what seemed like 30 minutes to me, the dancing and music stopped and the man invited us to the living room. Later I understood that this was the way people welcomed guests here and besides, it was Michael Jackson - they needed to welcome him properly.

We sat down on the couch and he begun

"Me so glad that you came to home!" he said with a strong Arabian accent.
"Thank you so much! Me and my wife are happy to be here, right honey?"
"Yes!" I nodded while smiling.
"Honey, I didn't introduce you the sheikh. This is him."
"It's nice to meet you. My name is YN."
"Nice to meet too." he looked like a nice man - always smiling, polite, hostile... Fooling him would be the easiest thing I have ever done. "I prepared nice room for you but feel like home! You are not my guests! Sheikh glad to have you in Dubai!"
"Thank you so much, but... as you probably know, I have a busy schedule with my job." Michael begun "So we won't be able to stay here very long... I think we should discuss our business as soon as possible! Tonight would be great, because we need to leave soon."
"Ahaaa ahaaa... understand." the sheikh said, then turned around to the man besides him and said something to him in Arabian language that me and Michael did not understand. However, they were smiling as they were talking, so I believed he was saying something nice about us.

Actual talk:
"So he is eager to make business with me.." the sheikh said, smiling so that Michael or his wife wouldn't suspect anything.
"So it would seem, sheikh."
"Do they really think that am I fool? Do I look like a fool?"
"No, sheikh, not at all!"
"He just got here and wants to make business and then leave as soon as possible so that I won't suspect his lies. I bet this woman isn't really his wife."
"We need to put them to the test."
"That's what will do."

"Me understand, but..." he begun after finishing his conversation in Arabian "sheikh hadn't have guests for a long time! I want you stay longer in Dubai! Then when time is right.. we talk about business and sign contract!" he nodded smiling.

I looked at Michael and noticed his hands were in tight fists. His jaw tightened too. He didn't like what the sheikh said and I didn't like it either, because I also wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.

"I see, but my schedule is really he-"
"Sheikh don't take NO for answer!" he exclaimed.
"Well..." Michael took a deep breath, trying to control his anger "if that's the case sheikh, then me and YN would be more than happy to stay here, right honey?" Michael said through clenched teeth and a fake smile on his face.
"Of course! I love Dubai already!" I did my best to look excited.
"Haha great!" the sheikh said. "It settled! Then my servant will show you room! You rest and we have dinner together in western style!" the sheikh nodded his head.
"That sounds great!" I lied. Michael was trying to control his anger so hard and I noticed sweat on his forehead, but not because it was hot...

After we were shown to your chamber, Michael closed the door and showed his true face

"I can't believe this!" he said with his hand on his forehead, walking around the room in circles "That stupid sheikh made us stay longer! Damn! Who does he think I am? Santa? Who has work only during winter??!"
"You might wanna keep your voice down, because in case you have forgotten... we must appear as happy, calm, nice couple!" I reminded him.
"Oh I haven't forgotten and you know what... I can't pretend to be nice for too long! I wanna sign the papers and get the hell outa here!"
"Geez, relax! I can't believe how different you look on TV and in person..." he stopped walking and looked at me.
"Are you implying that I suck in person?" he pointed his finger at him.
"Ahh... no not at all!" I quickly denied. "I meant that you look cooler and calmer and.. ahh.. ahmm.. more.. how should I say it... patient and stuff."
"Oh I am patient!" I raised my eyebrow at him. Michael patient?? Hell no.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, but only for an hour! Then my patience vanishes in the air!" I couldn't help it but giggle. "Why are you laughing?" he said "Do you think this is funny? We're stuck in here for I don't know how long and you're laughing?"
"I'm sorry but you were funny.."
"So now you think I'm funny! Do I look like a clown?"
"Not at all! You were just saying funny things!"
"Whatever, girl... you know what..."
"What?"
"Women are naturally more smarter and cunning than men... why don't you use that and combine it with your beauty to make the sheikh sign the contract so that we can leave?"

Michael thinks I'm beautiful? Oh my God!

"Girl I'm talking to you!" he snapped his fingers.
"I am listening! Michael I can't do that.. I don't know how!"
"What do you mean you don't know! You're a woman, you should know!"
"I haven't done that before..." I said. He sighed and looked at me.
"Well, I guess you really are nothing like the women I've had before..." and continued walking around the room.

I didn't know whether I should take his words as a compliment or insult...

"So what are we going to do?" I asked to escape the awkward situation.
"There's only one thing we can do... pretend until his lazy ass decides to talk business."

After we had dinner with the sheikh and his family, which was spent in talking about America and Dubai's economy, then the conversation moved over to family, me and Michael headed back to our room.

We made Michael's bed which was on the floor next to mine and then laid down to sleep.

"So YN..." Michael begun just before I fell asleep. "Do you have a boyfriend?"
"No.." why would he ask me that?
"Why? You're a pretty girl, I bet there are many men who want you." did he really say that or was I just dreaming?
"I guess I haven't found the right one for me yet..." I replied and quickly asked him the same "Do you have girlfriend?"
"No." he replied quickly. "I used to have... but it wasn't really like a couple thing..."
"What happened?" I suddenly realized my question might have been inappropriate so I apologized "Sorry you don't have to tell me!"
"No I'll tell you. I found out she was with me only for money." I could feel the pain in his voice as he said it. She must have really hurt him.
"I'm really sorry..."
"Don't be. That's the story of my life, I even got used to it, so it's fine." his words got me sad... I really felt sorry for him. "I sometimes think I'm not good enough for somebody to love me." his voice cracked.
"I believe that you're an amazing man, but it's just your fortune and fame that blinds women and they are not able to see through all that... to discover the man you really are." a few minutes of silence followed and I even started thinking that I insulted him, until he...
"This is the most beautiful thing I've ever been told in my life."

I couldn't believe this was his reply... it really made me feel warm and happy on the inside. I thought he was going to say something bad or ignore me.. he wasn't that cold after all.

"Well, whatever." he said "Let's sleep. Don't forget the sheikh invited us for a walk in the morning... we need to rest. We have a lot of pretending to do tomorrow."
"Of course." I was glad he changed the topic.
"Good night."
"Good night."

After like 10 minutes, again just before I fell asleep, he said

"By the way, you did great today." I was sleepy and didn't know what he was talking about, so I asked
"In what?"
"In pretending what else!! Damn girl! You so forgetful!"
"I am just sleepy!"
"Whatever." than everything became black.

In the morning, after breakfast, me, Michael and the sheikh and his wife went out for a walk. Since Michael was Michael and he couldn't just appear places, we decided to go for a picnic  somewhere, where it would be only us.

Michael and the sheikh were walking in front of me and the sheikh's wife. They were talking about politics and me and his wife were talking about jewelry and other girly things.

Suddenly, as I was walking, I felt my right foot not hitting the ground and the next thing I knew, I fell.

"AHHH!" was all I could do, while I was falling down in something like a ditch.
"YN!" I heard Michael scream my name.

I fell on my back and it really hurt. It took me a few seconds to realize what had just happened. I looked around to see the ditch was higher than maybe two people.

"YN are you okay?" I heard Michael yell from above. I looked up but couldn't see him clearly.
"Yeahh.." I said.
"Oh Allah, this is terrible!" the sheikh said "I call help!"
"YN, did you hurt yourself?" Michael seemed worried for me.
"I think I'm fine!" then out of the nowhere, I saw a snake in front me. I looked again and noticed there was something like an opening from the earth and OH MY GOD! THIS WAS A SNAKE'S NEST!!!

The snake was slowly approaching me and then after it came another snake and another and

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed in panic.
"YN WHAT HAPPENED ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" I heard Michael.
"MICHAEL PLEASE HELP THERE ARE SNAKES HERE!! GET HELP AHHHHHH!"

to be continued.