The Royal Contract

"Are you also going out tonight?" Jacky asked as she finished preparing for her date tonight.

Sebastian had asked her once again for the fourth time to go out with him. It would seem that he was genuinely interested in her. But her question remained. Was she?

She did promise to give him a chance, and if he would still ask her again on the fifth time, then she might reconsider taking this relationship more seriously. 

"I am not sure. But probably not." She said resignedly. 

Two days of not seeing him became torture for her. She believed that he was beginning to be an addiction to her senses. And an obsession that she could not stop because she longed to be with him all the time.

"Why not?" Jacky asked, knowing that she had been waiting to see him all day.

"My father unexpectedly dropped by his office today and interrupted his meetings. Now, he is still conducting an important meeting as we speak." Dani said sadly and quite disappointed since she was looking forward to tonight. 

Alex had promised that he would wrap it up early today so that they could have dinner together. But sometimes, things did not work out the way they wanted them to be. As fate, in the form of her father, had meddled with their plans.

"I am sure Alex will think of something to make it up to you," Jacky consoled her as she sat beside her on the couch.

"Seems like things are getting serious with you and Sebastian." She stated, changing the subject away from her. She turned to face her and watched her reaction. "By the way, you look stunning in that blue dress." 

She hoped that Sebastian was the real deal so that her friend could finally find someone who would love and take care of her. But from the way her friend was acting, she believed it was not Sebastian who was the problem, but her.

"I think there is something wrong with me." Jacky finally disclosed as she slumped back on the seat beside her. "I know that he is a good guy. I am lucky that he finds me interesting, but something is missing."

"What do you mean?" She asked, unsure of what her friend was saying. 

She was no expert about relationships since she was barely figuring what she was doing with her own. But she wanted to know what was wrong with Jacky. She still might be able to help her.

"I don't feel the connection that I had with Marcus and Lance with Sebastian. Do you think it had something to do with me not having sex with him yet?" She asked, burying her face at the palms of her hands.

She assumed that the lack of intimacy might be the reason behind the absence of her attraction for him. But in a way, she was also unconvinced.

"You mean that you haven't done it with him yet." She yelped unbelievingly. It was not like Jacky not to include sex in the equation when it came to dating, especially when they were already on their fourth date.

"I am trying it your way this time. Trying to get to know him first, then the sex part can come later." Jacky admitted, feeling a bit uncomfortable telling her friend about following her lead.

"Where is my friend, and what have you done with her?" Dani asked, shaking Jacky on her shoulders, pretending to pry the information from her. Then, she could not stop her frown from changing into a smile.

"Stop it! I am trying to be serious here." Jacky grabbed a pillow and smacked her with it so she would let go of her. 

"Sorry, you just caught me by surprise. But. Really?" She still could not believe that her friend, who always tried to convince her that sex was the answer to all their problems, was now trying it her way.

"Yes. But if that is the case, then I should not have felt anything for Lance too, since we also have not done it yet." Jacky confessed to her friend something that she had kept from her.

She should not be excited to see Lance. She should not be feeling the burning sensation every time that he would look at her. She should not have felt the electricity when their skin touched.

But despite not sleeping with Lance, she still felt the pull of her attraction to him. So, she surmised that the lack of sex with Sebastian should not be the reason for not wanting him.

"First, I will say good for you. For not using sex as a basis for a relationship." She never felt proud of her friend. "But maybe you are still pining on Lance, waiting that something would happen. So, you can't make room for Sebastian in your life."

That was the only explanation she could think of at the moment. She could tell that Lance made an impact on her, especially after what happened with Marcus. So, it was likely that she was still not over whatever attachment she had with Lance.

"But I could not keep hoping that by some miracle, Lance would suddenly appear in front of me. We don't live in a fairy tale, and I am not Cinderella. Unlike you, he is not my prince that would whisk me away to my happy ever after." Jacky mumbled on, unable to stop the words from coming out of her mouth.

"So, you are not over, Lance," Dani finally concluded. "But how sure are you that he did not feel the same way. Did he said it to you that he was not interested to see you again?"

"Come on, Dani. I live in the real world. I don't have the luxury of dreaming of something that would never, ever going to happen. I am better off trying my luck with Sebastian than to wait for a damn prince charming." Jacky kidded around, finally accepting her faith.

She did remember him saying that he would miss her on the last minutes of their last day together. But it did not mean that he would fly across the world to see her. She could not be foolish enough to believe that.

"Fine. I am just saying that sometimes, fate can do some crazy things. Maybe you might cross paths again with Lance." Dani expressed her belief in destiny. 

It did happen to her. Who would have thought that she would see Alex again after a year of their one-night stand? Then, they would end up in a relationship.

Besides, she was hesitant if Jacky should continue dating Sebastian if she did not feel the same way with him. But it was not her life and her choice to make, so she did not want to influence her decision.

"Sebastian is a nice guy. He likes me and makes me feel special. He seemed to care for me. So, why should I let him go, in order, to hold on to a dream?" She shook her head as if she was trying to clear her mind.

Because that was what Lance was. A dream that she could only have in when she closed her eyes. 

She pulled herself up from the couch and moved towards her bedroom. She still needed to finish up before Sebastian arrived.

She could not put her life in the hands of fate.