Not Your Type

Chapter 3: Not Just Yet

The shoot was going smoothly. Everything went according to plan. Nadine acted like nothing even happened within the last 24 hours. She even got him food to share during their break. "Anytime now, Nadz," he thought. "Anytime now."

Ate Ca went up to him because he was just staring into space for good few minutes. "Hoy! Anong ngyari sayo?" 

He looked up at her shaking his head, "Wala to, Ate. Siguro pagod lang." 

She eyed him suspiciously, but didn't push any further. "Okay. You're almost done. 2 backgrounds left." 

He nodded in understanding and she left to her usual spot. And as she said, they were done in almost no time. Everyone was packed up to go and James looked at his phone to check the time. "Before 5. Cool. That was easy. Almost too easy..." 

Nadine came up to him in the middle of thought process, "Hey, can we talk later?" 

"Actually, I have to meet up with Bret soon. But after, is that ok?" 

She giggled, "Yea! Go ahead. Tell him I said hi." She kissed him on the cheek and left before he could say anything. 

"So she hasn't changed her mind?" 

**phone rings** 

Boss Vic: "James, do you think you can stop by the office real quick?" 

"Sure, po. What is this about?" 

"Oh walang issue. Just a check up on things." 

"Okay, po. I'll be right there." 

---In the Office--- 

Vic was sitting at his desk, looking at all the recent JaDine pictures. He knew he was gonna have this talk with one of them eventually, but hoping it wasn't during their peak. Sadly, it was. James came in and shook his hand like he usually does. 

"Sit, Iho."

James sat on the chair right across Vic. "Okay, po. May problema, po?"

"Walang issue. Nag sabi na yun sayo. Pero may tanong ako... Alam ko friends pa rin kayo, pero lately ibang-iba yung itsura mo kay Nadine. Liligawan mo ba sya?" 

"Shit. What do I say? Yes? I'm planning to? What's the problem?" ---- "I was planning to, Po. Kasi we talked this morning and we told each other how we feel. Is there something wrong with that?" 

"Uhhh..." Vic was hesitant because he knows that he shouldn't stand in the way of them dating, he shipped them too. But as their boss, if the media knew, their tandem might lose it's appeal because now they're like every other loveteam who gets paired up and date. They lose their kilig factor mystery and what would that do to their careers? "Uhhh... konti lang." 

James didn't want to hear it. "Why do they get to tell me who to date and not to date?!" He was about to yell back, but stopped himself when he realized that it wasn't just anyone. After a beat, he finally spoke up. "Why, po?"

"Uhhh... well I love you and Nadine together. I really do. You know that me and Veronique adore you both and wish nothing but the best for you--" 

"Then why can't we be together?!" James yelled and immediately regretted. "Sorry, po." 

Vic was proud of James for fighting it, but returned to the task at hand. "Okay, lang Iho... What I was saying is... If this was a different time, we wouldn't butt in. We'd let you two be together, if that's what you two really wanted. But it's different. I need you to understand that you two are at the top of your game. And both of you are really smart. You've probably figured out what makes your loveteam work - it's the mystery behind friendship you two have."

James was fuming trying to stop himself from yelling again, but calmed down when he realized that Vic was right. Their tandem is because no one can tell the difference between "Reel" or "Real," and their fans go crazy over the littlest things. 

Vic continued, "And right now, I don't want you two to lose that appeal. If you're at the peak, then it might be easy to lose the hype you've built up as a team. And both of you have worked so hard, I just don't want anything to go wrong for you two's careers. Do you understand?" 

James stared at Vic, trying to find the words, but all that came out was, "So no dating?" 

Vic sighed and looked down as if he was trying to say sorry, "No, iho. Not right now." 

James started to get teary-eyed, "Ok, po." He got up shook Vic's hand and left the office. "This career is for your family. It's for Nadine's family too. She's doing this for them. Vic's right, it's going to be easy to fall... but what do I say when we've already sorta admitted our feelings?" 

***phone rings***

Bret: "Ay man! Where are you? Are we still meeting up?" 

"Yea... I'll meet you at your place. Be there in 15." 

---Bret's Place--- 

"Wait, so you're saying Vic ships JaDine, but not?" Bret asked while handing James a beer.

After taking a swig, "No, I'm saying he ships us, but not yet." 

"So what? You're just gonna go to Nadine and be like, 'Hey, I love you, but we can't date.'... Man, she's gonna wanna sock the shit outta you... if not, Yassi will beat her to it." 

James groaned, "Ugggghhhh... I know. But what am I supposed to do? If we do date, management's gonna bring us both in and tell us to break up. But then I don't want to not date her. I'm totally down for it.... I mean, she's my best friend." 

Bret acted offended, "Ahhh... so I'm being replaced by Nadz?" 

James laughed, "No, dude. You get what I mean. You're my best friend, like another brother. She's my best friend that I wanna wake up next to everyday and kiss all the time, if I'm not telling her everything or hugging her. You're cute, man, but I don't know about waking up next to you everyday, or the whole kissing thing." 

Bret moved closer to James and looked him in the eyes. "You don't wanna kiss me?" 

James pushed him away, "Bro, c'mon." 

"Naaaah. You know I'm just kidding.... both of us won't fit on a bed anyways." 

They laughed at the memory of them sharing a bed after a party. They both ended up pushing the other one off at some time to have the whole bed to themselves. 

Bret sighed and brought them back to reality, "So what are you gonna do about Naddie?" 

James laid down and stared at the ceiling, "I don't know man. I mean... I'm gonna tell her we can't date." 

"Awwwww, really? I was hoping you'd be reckless and just go for it." 

"I wish. If this were another time, I would. I'd go all in. But Vic's right. It's too much of our careers to risk. If anything happens to that, man... Nadine would kill me even more. I have to stop this before it starts. It's for us anyways, it can't be that bad. Can it?"

Bret shrugs and sips his beer, knowing deep down that James is in a bunch of jebs right now. 

***I wanted to change it up a bit. It's always James chasing after Nadine. Let's make Nadine do the chasing this time. What do you think she'll say?***