Nadine stood in front of the mirror in Leah's wedding gown.
The past 2 weeks passed by in a blur. Everything happened so fast but at the same time she felt like nothing was moving. That she was rooted in the same spot where she had been when James requested her to be free. Free. What did that even mean?
Today was the day of Clark and Leah's wedding. The concept for the wedding was to make it as realistic as possible, and OTWOL's creative team hired actual hair and make up artists, photographers, videographers and the like. OTWOL's film crew will be in the background, taping everything. A sort of behind the scenes take on an actual wedding. There were a few scripted lines here and there, but Direk told her to just ad lib her lines by getting into her character -- Leah, a hard working girl who fought tooth and nail to be with the only man she ever really loved, which was of course, Clark.
It was a hustle bustle of activity and Nadine was currently in the bridal suite of Sofitel. Nadine, or rather Leah, was surrounded by her entourage Manang Tiffany, Betsy, Monette, Audrey and Jenny, who were all ooh-ing and aah-ing while the hired photographers took pictures and the camera crew filmed the entire thing, no cuts. Manang Tiffany took Leah's veil and put it on her head, smiling.
Nadine stared at herself, and without even realizing it, tears started rolling from her eyes. Everyone was beside her in a flash, rubbing her back, patting her head and she just sat on the bed and bawled like a baby. Thank god for good make up. She cried and cried -- over the events of the last month, over the last shooting days of teleserye that changed her life, over the impending end of her loveteam with James, over James. She let it all out, holding nothing back. The girls were all muttering random advice, about how things are going to be okay, about how she'll find happiness eventually. About how she'll find a way move on from James.
Do you guys even know what you're talking about?
She can't blame them, not really. They were just trying to comfort her, without really knowing the reason behind her tears. It was her own fault for not opening up when it came to her and James. They didn't know the real score, but they could feel the tension and how things changed on the set since that fateful day at the Viva office.
But still she said nothing. Because she didn't need to say anything. She just needed to let it out, before she finally made her move. It was like seeing herself in a wedding gown made her finally realize what she wanted. And she wanted it all.
God, I've been so stupid. I can't lose him. I can't.
She's done fighting it.
This time, she'll fight for it.
***
James needed a breather. His hotel room was filled with people -- Tolayts, Gabby, Jordan, Harry, Axl, Kiko, even Cullen was there for Clark and Leah's fairy tale wedding. It was a grand ending to his first teleserye, and having to act all happy and excited with just the right amount of nervousness was enough to drive him nuts. To think there were no second takes in this wedding episode. He sighed. Who dreams up of this stuff?
He pretended to make a beeline for the toilet, but he actually slipped out of the room. He closed the door silently and turned around and to his surprise, he found Nadine standing right in front of him, a little breathless.
"James." Her eyes were so dark they were almost black. And they bore right into him that he felt as if she were looking straight into his soul that he wanted to strip clean for her, into his heart that only had space for her.
She was stunning in her wedding gown and James took her in with a sharp intake of breath at the same time that Nadine's heart raced while her mind registered his handsome features and his broad shoulders filling out his black tux.
He put his finger into his mouth in a shhh motion, took her hand and led her farther down the hallway without another word. He didn't know where he was taking her, it's not like they can really go anywhere outside to find privacy, they were in their wedding outfits, for Christ's sake.
The past 2 weeks have been driving him crazy with want... Wanting to touch her, wanting to kiss her, wanting to talk to her. But he had promised himself that he would give her space. And as hard as it was for him to let go, it was something that he felt she needed. Time to think about what she really wanted.
Nadine was fidgeting beside him, stumbling on her heels as she followed him. "James, I'm tired," Nadine said resignedly. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. She took his arm and stopped walking abruptly that he had to stop too.
"What? You don't think I'm tired too?" James sighed, a hand unconsciously reaching up to rub his neck, refusing to look at Nadine.
"No! I mean yes! I know you're tired too. But what I meant was... I'm tired... Of denying..." She put her hand on his cheek and forced him to face her. "Tired of fighting this..."
James looked away because it hurt to look at her, to love her this much and not be loved back. To not be worth fighting for. He swiftly turned around and started walking back to his room. Nadine followed him, hitching her skirt up so she can walk faster and match James' wide steps, speaking loudly at his retreating back.
"I'm tired of... not being with you. I don't want to... be not with you... I mean, not be with you... be without you..." She didn't know when she started becoming this incoherent girl, who couldn't get what she wanted to say without tripping over her words. Or without tripping over her heels... Nadine fell to the floor, her hands saving her from sprawling completely and she was on her hands and knees when James finally looked back, a look of surprise and worry on his face. She didn't care that she must've looked like a fool. She started getting up as James approached her, reaching out both of his hands to hers to help her up.
"I'm not scared anymore, James," Nadine said, shaking her head. "I love you and I want to risk it." She took his hands and held on, her hands trembling, her chest heaving up and down with each labored breath she took. She looked lovingly into his eyes while she said, "Handa na ko. Handa na ko." Nadine's voice caught on the last sentence and James didn't even realize that he was already crying. Nadine cradled his face in her hands, wiped away his tears, then leaned in and gave him a soft sweet kiss on the lips.
James smiled against her lips and lifted her up against him. Nadine deepened the kiss and he stopped smiling, kissing her back as all the pent up longing of the past month, of the past years, was finally released. He could swear he could hear the hallelujah chorus in the background. She couldn't stop her leg from popping up. It was the best kiss they ever shared because there was no more holding back. No fans. No bosses. Just the two of them deciding that once and for all, they would just finally love each other, fully, completely. Buong buo. Walang alinlangan.
And just like in #OTWOLMostApprovedKiss they only stopped when they heard clapping in the background, as all their co-stars had apparently come out into the hallway, watching them kiss. James put Nadine down with a laugh and touched his forehead to hers, smiling.
"I love you," Nadine whispered, feeling as if her heart would burst. There was no taking it back now, but she had never been more sure of anything in her life.
"I love you," James whispered back, then hugged her. He suddenly laughed. "Whooooooo!!!!" He carried Nadine by the waist and twirled her around and around as she laughed her gorgeous laugh, her feet kicking underneath her. Their co-stars were clapping and laughing, cameras were flashing, the cameramen were all over them, filming the whole thing but all they had eyes for were each other as James and Nadine leaned in for another long, sweet, lingering kiss.
