The Royal Contract

Several people walked on the pavement, probably on their way to work, home, or somewhere they had to be. She found herself among them, trekking the busy sidewalk, rushing on the unfamiliar street to meet a friend.

Until.

She was lost, wandering around the place, circling back and forth but only to end up in the same spot where she started. Where was she going?

“Amelia.” A familiar voice called to her. When she turned around, there he was, staring at her.

What was he doing here? He was not supposed to be here.

She was confused. She searched her mind for an explanation, closing her eyes for a second. But when she opened them again, she was now in a large room, crowded with people in beautiful gowns and black tuxedos.

.....

What was going on? Then, she remembered something.

Of course, she was attending the party as her eyes looked down at the beautiful gown she wore.

When her eyes roamed around the room, they landed on a pair of eyes staring at her.

There he was again. But in an instant, he vanished.

Suddenly, like magic, he stood before her, holding her hand, swirling her in time with the beat of the soft music. He was dancing with her in the middle of the ballroom while everybody watched them.

“What are you doing here?” She asked while her body followed his lead, letting him control the tempo of their movement.

“I am here because you wish me to be here, Amelia.” He softly said her name. She could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest upon hearing his voice, feeling his body against hers.

She did. She unconsciously wanted this man to be present with her in this unfamiliar place, building memories together. Maybe if she could not have him in the real world, at least in her fantasy, she could have him.

Somehow, she never wanted this night to end. Or whatever this was. Then, she pushed herself on her toes when the music finally ended, planting a soft kiss on his lips.

In return, he took charge of the kiss, covering her lips with his as his hands began exploring her body. She moaned loudly, feeling the burning desire deep inside her, wanting it to be satisfied.

Thud!

A loud sound echoed around her, but the pain made her realize it was her.

“Ouch!” Instinctively, her hands touched her back after feeling the pain from the impact of falling from the bed and landing on the carpeted floor.

She gradually opened her eyes, realizing that it was all a dream. But that was not all she had discovered or finally accepted. She could not deny, not anymore, how much she wanted that man.

He had haunted her dreams at night and continued to do so even in her waking hours. She could not stop thinking about him no matter how much she had tried.

“I am tired.” She mumbled.

She was tired of fighting her feelings for him, exhausted of denying how much his presence affected her. She wanted him, and that was her fact.

But should she settle for a one-night stand or a short affair with him? Should she be happy to have a few moments with him rather than not having him altogether?

But is it worth risking her heart, hoping he might change his views about wanting a relationship with her?

Was it better to feel the pain of losing him someday instead of just watching him and doing nothing now?

But her musing abruptly stopped as her phone rang, filling the air with its shrilling sound. “Where are you, Amelia?” Her friend shrieked at the phone, making her look at it as if she was still dreaming.

But when she saw the time, she knew she was back in the real world. “I am sorry, Haley. I think I overslept.” She shook her head to clear her mind. “I will just get dressed and be right down.”

Fortunately, she stayed at the same hotel where the event would happen. She did not have to go through traffic to reach her destination.

She would be a few minutes late, so she was not worried. Her friend was only exaggerating, probably feeling the pressure of organizing such a big event. But she was confident that they could manage this event just fine.

She had done countless of these events. Therefore, this was just a piece of cake. But of course, the success of this event would all depend on the cooperation of everyone involved.

In a few minutes, she was greeting her friend, Haley. Then her friend introduced her to the people who would be working with them. It would take time before she could memorize their names, but she was good at faces.

“Are we ready to work on these finishing touches?” She asked the entire group, but she noticed that her friend was slightly off when she failed to answer with the group.

But everyone else seemed enthusiastic about their current progress. There were a few glitches that still needed fixing, but it was not something that should cause alarm.

On the other hand, her friend seemed to be somewhere else. She could account for her absentmindedness to the stress of dealing with this event, but she could also consider that she had another thing bothering her.

“Are you...” Before she could question her friend, asking her about what seemed to be her problem, her eyes fixated on a man in a suit, recognizing him undoubtedly.

He walked straight to the other end, not looking in her direction. But despite not seeing his entire face, she would recognize him even by looking at his back.

Moreover, she also knew her eyes were not deceiving her as she followed him. She believed, without a doubt, that he was in the same room as her and not just part of her dream.

She watched him stop at a table, almost hidden from her view. But before he disappeared, a woman stood up and hugged him, kissing him on both cheeks.

“That could be a friend.” She mumbled, reassuring herself, knowing the girl could not be related to him because he was an only child. He had not much of a family except for Angela.

But what if he was here for a date as her mind suddenly insisted. She checked her watch for the time, and it was not that late for a dinner date and a late nightcap.

“What did you say?” Her friend must have heard her, but her mind must be busy with something else than processing what she said.

“Nothing.” She responded. “I just said that I think we are all good here.” She could adjourn the meeting early since there was nothing much more to discuss.

“Then, I guess we can now conclude this meeting,” Haley announced to every volunteer and guest who attended the gathering. “Enjoy your remaining night.” She told them before facing her.

“I have to leave. What about you? Are you going back to your room?” Haley asked her as she grabbed her bag and checked her phone.

“I think I am going back to my room to get some more rest,” Amelia told her friend as she followed her at the exit. “I will see you tomorrow.” She faced her friend since they still had a few things to discuss before the big day.

“Yeah, I will see you then.” Haley kissed her before proceeding to the exit of the hotel while she turned one last time to stare at the far side of the room.

Her eyes landed again on the man and the girl sitting before him. It was clear that they were laughing and enjoying their dinner as she watched them from her hiding place, just beyond the window at the exit.

Amelia could only wonder who the girl was. But she doubted if they had a relationship. Then, a thought occurred to her.

Of course, she was not jealous. Why would she envy that girl when she knew they could not have anything more than just sex.

Suddenly, she could not help it. She tried to imagine herself in her shoes. Could she be like her, a hook-up for a night?