It was too good to be true.
After they got rained on, James and Nadine grabbed a cab back to their hotel as they still had to get ready for their presscon, which was to start at 8 pm.
James hated presscons. He hated being interviewed, period. He knew it was something that comes with the territory, but he found it extremely difficult to sugarcoat his answers. Maybe because he was open and frank, the type of person who can't take bullshit. Funny, considering the industry he was in. Nadine was way better.
Today was different, however. He was smiling at everyone, waving to the media and the fans, as he and Nadine made their way to the small stage at the front of the venue, his hand at the small of Nadine's back, leading her there. No one can bring him down today. He was invincible.
The presscon started, and, as expected, they were bombarded with the usual questions. About OTWOL, the next episodes of which they will be shooting in San Francisco (they will be going straight there after Sacramento), how they feel about the show ending, what next projects are lined up for both of them and the like. Basic stuff. Nothing he couldn't handle.
Until, of course, the personal questions came.
He should have expected it, as they were asked the same question in practically every interview they've been on ever since he and Nadine were partnered together. But somehow, it still took him by surprise, probably because he felt different now and he knew their old answers just wouldn't cut it.
"What's the status of your relationship now? Are you still just friends?" asked the media guy in pink.
The surprise was short-lived, and without another thought, he jumped in before Nadine could speak. "We're together," James said and he couldn't disguise his pride.
All hell broke loose, fans squealed, the media buzzed, electronic equipment were crashing to the floor as everyone registered the full weight of what James just said.
But James barely noticed nor cared. He was looking at Nadine... who was staring at him like a deer caught in headlights, her deepset eyes wide with shock. His eyebrows furrowed and he frowned. Did I say something wrong?
Nadine turned to the press. "Ah, I think ang ibig sabihin ni James is we're together... as a loveteam! Hindi pa mabubuwag ang Jadine, marami pa kaming projects lined up so di dapat mag-alala ang mga fans kasi we'll still be together..."
"Woman, that wasn't what I meant and you know it," He whispered in her ear, a little pissed, no actually very pissed, that she was denying him. She dug her hand into my leg under the table. He pushed her hand away.
The press wasn't buying it, they barely heard Nadine in the pandemonium. His 2 words carried so much more weight than Nadine's hasty alibi. Probably because what James said was what everybody wanted to hear.
Questions were being thrown at them from all directions.
"Kailan pa?"
"What do you call each other?"
"Bakit parang bigla bigla naman?"
"Kiss nga!"
James felt Nadine stiffen beside him, her head moving from side to side, looking like a trapped animal. Without another word, she got up and walked out of the room.
Oh shit.
***
He found her in her room, packing her things. She had forgotten to lock the door, so James went right in and closed the door behind him.
"What the eff, James!" she yelled at him. James almost laughed. Even when she was boiling mad, she still couldn't bring herself to curse.
"What's your problem?" He was frustrated. He didn't get why she was so angry. He would stand by what he said because it was true. They were together... Right?
She took a deep breath and continued packing her things. "James, we didn't talk about this. Why did you say we're together? Why?"
"I'm not gonna deny you, Nadine," he said, gritting his teeth.
"There's nothing to deny!"
"Really? Nothing?" James was incredulous. He wanted grab Nadine by the shoulders and shake some sense into her.
"Nothing! Look at us! We're not even officially together yet and we're already fighting."
He sat on the foot of the bed and took both of Nadine's hands in his, trying to be patient. "We're fighting because you don't want this official."
She looked at him with scared eyes. "Hindi ko alam, James. It's too much all at once. Di ka man lang nanligaw, wala!"
James almost dropped her hands. His voice rose, back to being frustrated. "Me? James Reid? Manliligaw?" he stumbled on his Tagalog. "What are we, in high school?"
"Why do you wanna put a label on this ba?"
"Because I love you!" He yelled, his heart thumping wildly against his chest because he wasn't planning on saying it now. Not today. Not like this.
That shut her up.
She took her hands from his and sat down next to him on the bed, staring at the floor.
He knelt in front of her and chucked her at the chin, forcing her to look at him. "Come on, Naddie, why are you fighting this?"
It took a while for her to answer, and when she did, the words came out slow, like they were being forced out of her, little by little. Her voice was small, but firm.
"Because I don't trust it. I don't trust what this will do to our career, I don't trust myself and I don't trust you."
Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. "I don't trust you not to hurt me, James."
It hurt. He didn't know it could hurt so damn much. That here he was, ready to take on the world for her, while she... wasn't. The high that he felt earlier that day at the museum, the park, the skating rink... Gone with just those 9 words. Suddenly, he was vulnerable.
His feelings for her were so strong that he simply couldn't believe it wasn't enough for the both of them.
So this is what rejection feels like.
It wasn't a good feeling.
"Diba sabi mo nga, love life can wait," Nadine continued with a small smile.
James laughed bitterly. "You throw my quotes back at me one more time, and I swear to God..." he stood up and left the room, slamming the door behind him.
A/N: I'm not a confrontational person, so I really had a hard time writing this one. Just saying.
As always, thanks for reading!
