Ricky And Jackie

23. Ricky

I haven't taken a plane in a while, but I'm still not worried when it takes off. For some reason I'm more comfortable with the idea of flying over lands than seas. And I do know how to swim.

I haven't been in California since two years ago, when Jackie and I broke up - kind of. It was a really hard thing to do but the distance helped to numb the pain.

I'm not even going back to Oakland and I feel nervous about being in the same state as her. I would've called her but she had asked me to step off, to stop reaching out to her. In Jackie's vocabulary, it meant she would be the one doing so when the time is right.

I wonder what happened to her over those two years. I heard about her modeling contract and Marie-Claire wouldn't leave me alone with her makeup tutorials on YouTube, but other than that I haven't been up to date about her that much.

As for me, I kept myself pretty busy over the past year. I first took a flight to Miami and met with a few childhood friends who moved there. Then I went back to Hispaniola after almost 2 years of living in France and the USA. But I quickly ran back to NYC to give my parents the time to digest my abdication.

You read right. I abdicated even though Jackie and I are no longer a thing.

Why, you may ask? Well, I personally believe royalty is going to end soon in Hispaniola. The people don't see the point of having a royal family who can't even help them create jobs for them. People who can't relate to their sufferings. A family who tear their members down whenever power and money are involved. Needless to say, Alexandra is very impopular in Hispaniola.

Which is why she now lives in Los Angeles. With the kidnappers threat back in the kingdom, we didn't take the chance to lose our heiress. As for Marie-Claire, the danger wasn't that big, so she stays in Port-au-Prince with our parents.

Speaking of them, don't you think giving up on my crown has been accepted easily by them. They actually didn't accept it at all. In fact, they banned me from our house and parliament, so I couldn't see Marie-Claire and "influence" her in a bad way. Fortunately, my now seventeen years old sister doesn't care and contacts me through texts or FaceTime almost every single day.

As for Alexandra , she does calls sometimes, but her friendship with Ella doesn't help things out, so we haven't talked in months. I just texted her to let her know I would be in town and she read it, so it's up to her now.

The plane lands safely in LAX after several hours in the sky. I mentally thank God for the trip and walk out of the plane. I know I'll have a car at my disposal in order to go wherever I want or need to so I already plan on stopping by the nearest McDonald to grab something to eat.

I smile. I remember when Jackie brought me there to get me accustomed to the American lifestyle. It wasn't my first time there, but it was the first time I liked the food. Maybe the pretty brunette in front of me had something to do with it...

A bodyguard grabs my luggage for me and we head to the car. I sit on the back seat while the chauffeur and the bodyguard sit in front, leaving me some privacy for my calls. I am here mostly on a business trip. I have partners to meet to discuss expansion plans and direction for my company. I want to implement workshops in Hispaniola and 7 other third world countries and I will need my team's help to do so. Especially for Hispaniola since I lost contact with the royals there. Except of course...

My phone ringtone catches me off-guard.
"Sa kap fèt [what's up in Creole], Ricky?" the happy voice of MC says.
"Not much. I just got here. How's everything home?"
"I miss my siblings."
"Why don't you come here? I'm staying for two weeks in Los Angeles."
"Yeah, like Mom and Dad would allow me." she sighs.
"Do they really have to know? Just tell them about Alex, not me."
"I can always try. But she should call them. They won't say it but they feel bad."

It is my turn to sigh.
"You know it's better this way. I get to do what I want, not the country. I can help my people without a crown on my head. One day you'll understand."
"I don't think so, but that's not why I called."
"Why then?"
"Jackie is in LA too. She scored Covergirl new ambassador." she announces me, squealing. "Are you going to see each other?"
"It's up to her. She's the one who broke up."

I mean, I did made sure she knew I wasn't a prince anymore and yet, I never heard from her. And she talks to MC all the time. They even went to South Africa together for their summer vacations.

"Okay whatever. Are you gonna meet Alex's new boyfriend?"
I cringe.
"She is still mad at me for telling her Ella was her friend for fame. I already met Big Sean anyway, and he doesn't like Ella either, so maybe, if I have time."

Alexandra was now 27 years old and she was still dating people who wouldn't reign with her according to Hispaniola's royal decrets. Maybe she was aware as well of the precarity of her title. Her boyfriend was a cool person to hang out with so personnally I supported her decision, since I had been in the same place as her last year.

Marie-Claire answer me but I don't hear her out. The car suddenly starts speeding up.
"Hey!" I shout, knocking on the glass, "What's going on?!?"

The bodyguard lowers the window, looking concerned.
"We almost got an accident, sir."
"That's not a reason to pass the speed limit!"
"We're being pursued by a vehicle sir, and they don't seem friendly."
I turn around, but don't spot the police. "I don't see the cops."
"I'm not talking about the cops, sir. I-"

The brakes shrieks and before he can say anything a car hits us from the side.