The Royal Contract

"Alex! Finally, you made it," Evan shouted beyond the noise that echoed in the room. "I thought you would make some lame excuse again." He clapped his friend on the shoulders as greetings.

It had been a while since the group was complete again. Alex and Marcus were usually too busy to join them on their night outs. Or Alex was with Dani, being the perfect boyfriend.

Evan swore that he was not ready for that kind of life or any commitment of that sort. He was happy to be single, to have complete control of his life without thinking of another one.

"If you ask me, I would have stayed at home rather than be here, but I do miss my friends." He responded, sitting next to his other friends.

He had long given up clubbing and acting like a man without responsibilities, even before he met his fiance. But now that he was about to get married, he was ready to give up his bachelor's life.

"We are glad that you still remember us. We thought that you had drowned under the skirt of your fiance." Evan continued his clowning around.

He could not help it. He missed his friend, who had stopped seeing much of them since Alex found what he called the one. He would make fun of him until he realized what he was missing.

"Funny, Evan. But, are we here to make idle chats or drink and have fun?" Alex grabbed the drink that David handed to him.

"Come on, Evan, lighten up." David admonished his other friend. "Hey, it is nice to have you join us again." He turned to Alex, raising his glass to him.

He was glad to see his friend, looking great despite the stress and pressures of his current responsibilities, and then add to that the preparation of his wedding.

"Are you ready for your coming wedding?" Marcus interjected as he placed down his empty glass on the table. 

Although he and his friend had worked closely together in the company, bonding moments were limited to drinking coffee with clients or a glass of scotch after a long day.

They rarely talked much about their personal lives except for a few words here and there. Nothing too in-depth. But Marcus was glad that they were here now, having a few laughs with their friends.

"Who would have thought that you would marry her for love? Remember, this all started as an agreement." David stated the fact of the matter.

He still remembered that he was the one who drew the contract that led to this foreseeable union. He envied his friend for jumping with both his eyes open into this relationship.

Somehow, it made him think about his choices in life. He needed to rethink his plans for the future. He was starting to believe that settling down was not such a bad thing.

"Absolutely. I am sure that I am ready." Alex expressed his determination to go through with the wedding, not because of the initial reason why he asked Dani her hand.

But because he knew he could never live without her. She had become everything to him. The very reason why he rose every morning from his sleep.

She had become his motivation to strive harder to reach his dreams. Without her, his life and what he worked hard for would be meaningless.

"Well, I guess you will agree with us when we say that you lost in our bet." Evan looked at him, reminding him of their agreement. "Although, I was hoping that I would lose." 

He shook his head, not liking the idea that one of them was finally leaving them for a different life. As the youngest one in the group, he was not ready to let go of what they had. He did not want things to change between them, not just yet. 

He also noticed that David was starting to follow in Alex's footsteps. He saw the sign that David was getting into a committed relationship with Rosella. 

Although Marcus remained single, he seemed to have changed too. He rarely went out with him or David since he broke up with Jacky. Evan was afraid that he might eventually end up alone one day.

"I guess it is time for me to pay up," Alex stated as he remembered their agreement.

He had forgotten about the other contract he entered with his friend when he decided to offer a fake marriage to Dani. But it did not matter. That contract was not relevant to his situation.

He would pay everything he owed to his friend without blinking an eye. What mattered to him was the woman he was about to marry and the new contract that they were about to sign soon.

"You know you don't have to pay," David said, knowing that it was just a silly game that they played. 

He knew that everyone would agree with his statement that there was no reason to honor their arrangement. It could be their advance wedding gift to their friend.

"Yes, I agree." Marcus seconded his friend's declaration. Evan readily acquiesced, too, knowing that the majority had already decided.

He would support his friend with his decision. He did agree that Alex had made the right decision to marry Dani. He had grown to like her as a friend and as an equal partner of his friend.

He could not help but feel slightly sad that he had lost his best buddy to her. But in return, he had gained a new friend in her. So, it was good to say that, in conclusion, it was still a fair trade.

"No, I insist that I should pay. We can never break our rules. Even if I get married, or any one of us does, we still have to continue our friendship and our tradition." Alex stated in front of his friends.

Money was just an object to them, but it was the principle of their friendship that he valued. He could not let go of that even if he tackled on a new path. 

He would never forget his friends who had helped him reach his goals. They had been the instrument in his success. He would never turn his back on them.

"I would agree with that." Evan was the first to respond, glad to hear what his friend proclaimed.

He immediately ordered another set of drinks, enjoying probably the very few last moments he would be spending with his friend while he was single.

"Well, I guess we should raise our drinks to our friendship," David said as he extended his hand to the group.

He would like to toss to the friendship they had formed through the years of knowing each other. They had been through some rough times but many great years of fun and exciting adventures together.

"This is to your wedding." Marcus also raised his glass in the air. He wanted to wish his friend luck in the new path that he was about to take.

He suddenly envied his friend for finding what he most valued the most. Alex might have lost the bet.. But still, in the end, he was glad that Alex still won the biggest prize.