The Royal Contract

The trip to the airport had been quiet. Then, during half of the flight, the two passengers barely spoke any words, except a few questions and brief answers. Nobody offered a more in-depth conversation.

"Do you need anything?" The female flight attendant politely asked her, offering food, beverages, alcohol, and assortments of entertainment to choose from.

"Thanks, but I am good for now." Jacky could not eat anything as her nerves were at the edge. Then again, changed her mind. "I can certainly use something a bit stronger." She requested from the only other woman on the plane.

The woman nodded her understanding and moved to the other side to ask the same question. But this time, her voice changed, hinting at a bit of seduction as her body insinuated another kind of offer.

"I will have whatever she was having." He told her, not particularly interested in entertaining her advances. 

At another time, his eyes would probably wander in her direction, but not anymore. He believed in some ways he had changed. He could not look at a woman in the same way again.

The stewardess moved to get their drinks. Though a bit disappointed by the rejection, she still served them respectively with a smile on her lips. 

"Thanks," Jacky said to the woman, slightly surprised with what she witnessed. 

She had already assumed that when the girl made her first move, Marcus would grab the opportunity to get her number. But she was not expecting that he would ignore her just like that.

As the minutes flew by, Jacky remained in her seat on the other side of the plane. While Marcus sat on the opposite side by the other window. 

Although they had been just a few feet away from each other, to them, it would seem they were a million miles apart. They had created such a big wall between them that it was hard to look past it.

Then, something happened. The intense turbulence shook the plane, rattling the crew and the passengers on their seats. The few remaining liquids in the glass on her hands started to swirl, spilling some of it on her hands.

It was a regular occurrence in a flight like this, as the wind grew its strength in their current altitude. But it was not an incident that the pilots could not handle, not a situation to panic or worry about.

"Oh my!" She could not stop the words from escaping her lips as the hair in her nape stood up, and her stomach started to churn.

She had never been completely terrified of anything, but at the moment, she was shaking like a leaf. She was not afraid of heights or flying. In fact, she was excited about this trip.

However, she was afraid of falling, crashing down at the vastness of the ocean. She could imagine sinking at the bottom, never to be found again when she accidentally gazed down at the infinite blue water below her.

"We are experiencing slight turbulence due to a change of wind direction because of a weather disturbance, but it is under control. Please stay buckled on your seat for the meantime." The captain informed the occupants outside the cockpit of their current condition.

"Are you alright?" He asked her in his calm tone, sitting across from her on the other aisle.

He did notice her sudden change of expression when he happened to look in her direction. Then, he remembered that she barely had any experience in flying. This incident might be new to her.

"I'm ok." She turned away from the window before she felt sick any further. She automatically closed her eyes, leaning her back further in her seat. 

She was not going to admit to him that she was scared. It was not the time or the place to admit vulnerability to a man who liked to take advantage of a situation.

As far as she was concerned, her earlier stunt or previous act of chivalry did not prove that he had changed. It could only be an act or a temporary lapse in her character.

"Are you sure?" He continued as he unbuckled his seatbelt and stood near her. "I think you are a bit pale. Do you want me to sit down beside you and hold your hand?"

He meant well when he offered his help to her. He could see her struggling with her breathing, although she was fighting hard not to show him.

"You don't have to do that." She took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. 

After all, she was assured by the captain's words about having the situation under control. She did not want nor need his help, not if she could help it.

She would never allow herself to be a charity work that he needed fixing to feed his ego. Afterward, he would discard her because he had lost interest.

Somehow, his presence and her feelings for him had been her motivation to distract herself from her fear. She knew she did not hate him. But it did not mean that she wanted to be friends with him again.

Although, she could settle for a civil relationship, considering their friends, Alex and Dani, in the equation. She could not keep avoiding him or associating with him.

"If you are sure." He still hesitated, continuing to observe her physically. Although, he did notice that she had started to relax in her seat, a good sign that she was feeling better. "Anyway, if you need anything, I am just on the other side."

He could not blame her for rejecting his help. He did deserve whatever it was coming at him. As the saying goes, you reap what you sow.

But he could not also help himself for feeling worried about her. She had been a big part of his life. Honestly, she was the only woman who ever made a dent in his heart.

The flight went smoothly after that incident. The two arrived at the airport with only a bit of a delay after the mishap with the driver.

"Do you need any help?" He offered again when he was the first to unbuckle his seat and stand in the aisle. 

He could see that she looked better than earlier. The color of her cheeks had returned to normal, and there was no sign of her slight panic attack earlier.

"I think I am good." She answered, trying to remind herself that she should act civilly in his presence. At least for the sake of their friends.

"Can I escort you down the plane?" He offered, hoping that she would accept, given that she looked a bit friendly this time. "The steps going down the plane are a bit steep, and your heels might get caught in the slits." He added.

He had seen many accidents involving those killer heels getting stuck on the metal strips, causing minor injuries. He was just avoiding that from happening, nothing more.

Seeing that there was no harm in accepting, she finally agreed. "Ok." She walked with him towards the door, letting him guide her, and held her by her elbow.

Sadly, she realized that Marcus was still the only man who could light her up in a second. When his slightest touch sent a thousand bolts of electricity to her entire body.