Palm Dreams

Turning Up

"James, we can't keep doing this," Boss Vic said.

In another 'Damage Control' meeting, Boss Vic and Tita Veron were begging him to not take this second chance for granted. They must've meant business because Nadine and Caryl were almost never in these meetings.

James shrugged, "Then why do you keep doing this? Everyone else is giving up on me."

Nadine looked up at him and then at her bosses. She just pursed her lips and looked back down at her lap, before Boss Vic spoke up.

"No one's giving up on you, James. We're trying to show you that so many people care for you and your well-being."

He looked back at her, fiddling with her fingers in her lap out of nervousness.

The thing with James and Nadine's relationship is that they were friends, but not the type of friends to call each other out on things. If Nadine even tried to suggest a solution to his problems, he'd bark back at her to stay out of his business. If James would try and help her out, Nadine would push him away every chance could.

So that's where they stood.

Or at least that's what he thought.

_______________________

"Bro! C'mon! Naddie rarely comes out to these things... don't mind her," Bret screamed over the loud music on the rooftop bar. "We're here to celebrate before you leave us for San Francisco. And look ---"

James looked down at what got Bret and Sam's attention: a new Lamborghini pulling into the hotel's valet drop off. The doors opened to a few girls coming out and the guys nudged each other. The last girl to get out literally made James' jaw drop -- Nadine Lustre, clad in a bandeau and black pants.

She looked up as if she knew that they were watching her and smirked. As soon as she and her friends disappeared into the building, James' anticipation for her arrival increased.

Nadine walked straight towards Bret and Sam and gave them a beso. James smirked at her when she stood in front of him, grabbing his drink on the high table to sip on as he peered at her.

"I'm not here to spy on you. I'm just here, James. Don't worry... I'm not ratting you out." She tiptoed up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek before getting lost in the crowd.

Bret nudged James, snapping him out of his thoughts as he looked out at the rest of the party-goers. "The night is young. Me, you, and Sam still have that after party planned when this place dies down. Let's turn up, boys!"

And so, they did.

From the rooftop bar, James literally found himself on the roof of his house, looking down at all the people bustling in and out. It was a packed house, full of people familiar and unfamiliar. But the only thing that was bothering him was his own thoughts.

He should be happy. He should be the life of the party like he always was at these functions. His life couldn't get better than it is right now. In less than a week, he'll be leaving for San Francisco to film for his first teleserye that him and Nadine were lucky to headline. His sophomore album was successful and his single was still topping the charts. Everyone knew his name and who he was --- or so, they thought.

When he made his way back into the house, he downed a few more shots with his friends before turning around to the most comforting sight and sound: Nadine laughing with a few girls. She looked up at him and he bowed down to her, causing her to laugh even more.

She walked up with a fresh made drink in her hand and replaced his nearly empty cup with hers. "To San Francisco," putting the cup up like she was cheersing with him before walking back to her friends.