I love you, don't you mind?

One

we'll finish what we started, we'll be the lionhearted

Everything comes to an end, she knows this. She knows this better than anyone else. Her first love had stopped loving her just like that, but she was sixteen then, and that heartbreak had come to pass.

Nadine has had years to prepare for the end. After all, it's always safe to assume your current love team won't last for more than a year or so. Her and James had been lucky actually. Their partnership had run longer than the average, and she knows she should be grateful for the time they had.

After two shows and four films, she should have seen it coming.

Their love team has run its course.

Of course, fans were as solid as she's always expected them to be, but their names just weren't being thrown around as much as it used to be anymore. New generations were coming and taking over, just as they had done during their golden years. Now, it was just a matter of making sure their handlers and everyone behind the scenes working hard to make the show end on a good note. She was, is an actor, but in the past few years, she's had to keep up a role beyond the television shows and the films and guest appearances. Her life, both public and private, has become something of a stage for everyone to see. Now it was just a matter of ending on a good note before things turn sour and people tire of them.

She never wanted that, not for him anyways. Nadine can do with the hate, and she's more than willing to, but he deserves so much more than that. His good looks and natural talent for acting could bring his career so much farther. It just won't be with her.

She's come to accept that.

Two months ago, Boss Vic had come to her, discussing contract renewals. When Nadine realized they were planning on paring her up with an up and coming model turned actor, she saw the opportunity. She wasn't obliged to renew her contract, and the only reason she'd kept up with the appearances and the hype was because of James. Now that she would be assured no part in his career, she would be free to leave.

So she spoke with her mom, and talked MJ's ear off about the whole thing. At the end, it seemed to be the best idea. She'd let him renew the contract on his own, knowing he'd never have to find out about her, at least not until she's far away, and that would be it. No more JaDine. No more Nadine Lustre.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Nadine picks up a lipstick sitting atop the vanity and swipes another coat of pigment on her lips. She has a couple minutes left before her RM is scheduled to come and check in on her, and she wants nothing more than to keep her hands busy enough to stop from shaking.

The sadness in the bottom of her stomach is screaming, and she's forced to take deep gulps of air in order to try and calm herself and will the tears back into her eyes.

She has her eyes closed and her mouth muttering something between a Hail Mary and the chorus of her latest single when she hears his voice.

"Hey," He asks, his voice small. "How are you holding up?"

She forces a smile on her face, her eyes trying to express something somewhat playful. "Okay lang, ano ka ba? Para naman first interview natin to."

["I'm fine, why are you asking? It's not like this is our first interview."]

He chuckles, and she wished at that moment that the ground could just swallow her whole. He makes her so goddamn weak. "That's the ironic part, isn't it? This is the last time we'll be interviewed together, but for some reason, I think I'm more nervous than the first time we did this."

He props himself up on the vanity in front of her, and she silently curses him for interrupting her from being sentimental on her own.

"'Sus, kaya mo to. Push!" Nadine knows how half-assed that had come off, and she shuffles the makeup in front of her in an attempt to make some noise to distract him.