After James and Bret managed to have Julia's family come and get her, James thought that that was that.
But he couldn't be more wrong.
The next day, he arrived early to their set just so he could explain and apologize to Nadine about what happened. But he was greeted by the brightest crazy eyes he's ever seen.
'Hi baaaabe!' Julia exclaims as she wraps her arms around his neck, leaning forward to give him a kiss.
He was fast to dodge it and get out of her pull.
'What the? Julia!! What are you doing here??'
'I came to visit you, babe. Ano ka ba! We hadn't had a chance to bond since you left. I missed you so much!' Julia slings her arms around him again but this time, he wasnt able to move away as fast.
'Does - your family - know - you're here??' He says as he struggles to move away.
'No. They won't allow me, babe! I hate them, so Im staying here with you!'
'Julia! No! Stop!' He says as he keeps on struggling away.
'No! I missed you so much.' Julia smooches his neck.
There's nothing else he can think of. Just that he is in sooo much trouble.
As he tries to unwrap the crazy off him, Nadine walks in and she sees them.
She was obviously shocked with what she saw.
'Oh, sorry! I didn't- '
'And why are you here??' Julia turns to her, sounding so smug and accusing.
Nadine was really just gonna leave them alone, but she didnt like the tone of Julia's voice.
'Excuse me?? This is my tent. I should be the one asking you that question.'
'Nadine, sorry. She was just leaving.' It's James who answers. He didn't want to cause more ruckus. He knows Nadine wouldn't back down from a confrontation, but he's just concerned that she might get hurt again, because Julia doesn't really listen to reason.
Julia's eyes are still on Nadine, she didnt notice James walk her out the tent.
He quickly got a sight of Ate Ca and called her for help. He will have to thank Ate Ca for getting her out of the set.
He just hopes that's the last of her.
'Nadz?' James calls her once he was back in their tent.
'Hmm?'
Nadine responds, but she keeps her eyes on the script on her lap.
'Hey, about what happened...' he starts to explain but he gets cut off.
'James, wag mo na ituloy. Let's just not talk about it.' Nadine looks at him with a small smile. He knows she meant well, but he couldn't accept it. He can't just have an easy pass on this. He knows how bad it was, and she didn't have anything to do with it.
'But Nadz- '
'James...it's okay.' She cuts him off again. 'Dont worry about it.'
'We're okay? Are you sure?' He seriously didn't expect her to be okay right away.
'Yeah.' She finishes with that smile of hers again that doesn't reach her eyes.
He doesn't move away. He remains standing beside her chair. It amazes him how understanding she could be, but he still wants to explain.
'I just wanna tell you that Julia and I are not together- '
'And yet, you two were just kissing...' Nadine reasons, she couldn't hide the hint of annoyance in her voice.
'No, we're really not together! It was just a one time thing. I didnt know she was coming here. Like how I didn't even know she was still in my condo. I left her and I thought she'd just leave.'
He earns a humorless chuckle from Nadine.
'What?' He wonders.
'Oh, nothing.' She realizes he's oblivious to what he just said and what it meant. That's typical of him, she thought. No regards of his actions.
'Really? Did I say something funny?'
'No. I'm sorry...it's just...' She hesitates, but decides to tell him anyways.
'I've heard rumors about you and...girls. You know, how you treat them. I really thought they were just...rumors. Kase, you always have treated me like the gentleman that you are...'
She pauses and she smiles a sad smile to herself.
'Wala...It's just...I dont know...'
She hesitates.
'I think it was for the best that Julia was there...I never really should have came home with you.'
...
'Pau.'
Nadine calls Paulo softly as she approaches him after the long day. He was avoiding her ever since he got pissed with James (and her) this morning.
He turns around.
'Hey.' He greets back plainly.
'Are we okay? Buong araw ka na ganyan.'
'Yeah.'
'Pau...'
He sighs.
'I'm sorry. I got pissed okay? It's just...nakakainis na ganyan ka sakanya.'
'Ano? Pau, alam mo naman na may pinagdadaanan siya diba? You know that he hasnt been...well. Sana pinagpasensyahan mo nalang.'
He gives her a humorless chuckle.
'I cant believe how understanding you can be. Especially with him.'
'Pau, alam mo naman kung bakit diba?'
'Yeah, because you feel responsible. Pero Im not just talking about that. Kahit dati pa, lagi mo siyang iniintindi.' His tone, harsh. Saying those words riles him up again.
'Pau- '
'Kahit na alam mo kung ano talaga ugali nya. What's it with him, Nadine??'
'What? Wala! Ano ba, Pau??'
'Ugh! You keep on saying na there's nothing going on between the two of you, pero Nadine, if there's nothing, why is it that he's the reason you're holding back from us?'
'Ano bang sinasabe mo, Paulo? We talked about this! Hindi ka ba masaya? We're okay diba? We're doing fine!'
'Yes! And then he comes along again, saying shit you dont even understand, tapos affected ka na agad?!'
'Affected?? What are you even saying?'
'Nadine, alam mong ikaw ang unang umiiwas!'
'What are you even talking about??'
'You think I don't notice? How you keep your phone away when he texts you? How you think long and hard before you text him back?? And you don't even want me close to you when he's around!' He laughs bitterly before he adds. 'You think I don't know you went to see him??'
Okay, Nadine didn't intend on keeping that from him. But also, she didn't want him to find out as to not make it a big deal. She made it clear to him that she doesn't have feelings for James at all. But somehow, Paulo finds it hard to believe.
This 'thing' of theirs started when they really got close during tapings. They never really put on a label. It didnt matter at first, until they became a lot closer. But she was insistent, she keeps on saying that it's hard to fully commit because James and her is still in a loveteam, regardless of how Paulo and her are paired up right now. She doesn't want any complications with her career and her lovelife, so she wanted to just keep their thing between them.
Still, it's James' name that comes up as the reason.
'Para kang desperada! Ikaw pa talaga habol ng habol!'
Slap!
Nadine's hand flies straight to his face. She has never seen him this upset, especially at her, but what is he said is just totally uncalled for.
It hurt.
She cries in her tub that night.
'Para kang desperada...ikaw pa habol ng habol!'
Paulo's words echo to her. It stings straight to her chest, deep in her heart.
She hates this. She hates how she feels it's so true.
She knew. She always have. He made it clear.
We're just friends.
She's not my type.
That's what James always says when he's asked about her.
She knew.
He never made a move on her. It was clear. They were just friends.
But she couldn't help but like him. They're always together. He has this ability to make her laugh. He's always been nice to her, he never showed her any rudeness or whatever. Of course, his good looks and charming smile helped too.
She thought maybe it was a normal crush.
Until they went on a shoot out-of-town a few months ago.
It was a three-day shoot for their movie. They were by the beach as the setting for the scenes.
It was their regular work. They get up early to prepare, they have their make up, their wardrobe. They memorize their lines. They act as lovers. The usual.
But something was...well, unusual.
...with James mostly.
He's not so moody as he usually is. It seems like he's always in a good mood.
Ate Ca and some of the staff thought that it's because he wasn't hungover from partying. It's good, it makes their work easier.
Nadine, on the other hand, thought something more of it. Having to be together and act out romantic scenes, she's been the main recipient of his 'good mood.'
It was a little thing at first.
He was more talkative to her. He makes faces and just be plain silly towards her.
And then he does something more.
If before, after the director yells cut, he would immediately let go of her hands. But now, he wouldn't just let go, he would even put his arms around her neck, keeping her close and still holding her hand.
It wasn't like him either to tickle her ear or play with her hair as she lays on his lap, waiting for the director's cue for action.
It would seem that he was totally flirting with her. But she was never the one to assume.
So she just let him. She can't deny to herself that she doesn't like all the attention from him.
His happiness carried on until their last day of shooting. His jokes, the silliness, and the subtle flirting - he still kept on playing with her hands even off cam, he learned to whisper really close to her like he's deliberately brushing his lips on her ear - everything, he continued on doing.
At the end of the day, when work was over, she asked why he seems so happy.
He gives her a smile. A carefree smile.
'We're at the beach. Why wouldn't we be happy?'
Sitting with him by the shore on the break of sunset as the wind blows her hair and just the noise of the waves crashing together to accompany their voices, she can feel the beautiful simplicity the beach brings to her, and really, she feels happy.
She closes her eyes and breathes it in, taking in the feel of it.
He's right. She thinks.
James turns to look at her.
'Tell me I'm right.' He says. It's like he heard her thoughts.
She smiles. Even with her eyes closed, she knows that he has a smug smile on.
'Hmm...maybe.' She answers with a playful shrug.
'You just won't admit I'm right!' He says as he pokes her sides.
She was broken out of her reverie as he tickles her senseless.
'James! Ano ba! Stop it!' She squeals in between her laughs.
Of course, James didnt listen. He kept on tickling her until she was lying on the sand and he was almost on top of her. Both of them stopped suddenly when they realized the position they were in, but neither was moving away. They kept their distance close, until they heard someone call out.
'JAMES! NADINE! Tara na!'
They sit up as they straighten up themselves.
As they walk back to the group quietly, James calls her suddenly.
'Hey, Nadz...'
'Yeah?'
He moves a little closer to her as he rests his hand on the small of her back before he whispers close.
'Do you wanna come by my place tonight?'
There was hesistation at first, but the way his thumb fumbles on her back makes her mind blank.
She wants this.
'Okay.'
When they got to his place, she was only greeted with another woman inside. It wasn't a very friendly greeting.
She doesn't even remember what happened. All she knows is that she wanted to get out of there. She wanted to runaway.
What made her realize her feelings towards him is so much more than a simple crush is how she's so willing...to him, regardless of the warnings in her head.
How she let him in...easily...
And how after what happened, she's just willing to forget everything...
Because of embarrassment...? Maybe.
Of hurt? Yes...
She thinks maybe he was just carried away by being on a romantic setting. Maybe because, of course, she was the only girl there --
Ugh.
She hated it. She doesn't even wanna think about that. She hates how he makes her feel so less of herself.
She tried to keep her distance from him after that. Somehow, she's glad he doesn't bring up anything about them.
Like he understood?
No. She stops herself from reasoning for him.
It's 'cause he doesn't care. She so want to believe.
They continued how they were.
Workmates, loveteam, friends.
They were fine. She was fine.
Until he bursts in their door that day...looking so helpless, saying things she doesn't need to hear.
She swears she thought he was pulling a prank on her. But it seems so real...
And now, she's a mess again.
Few days passed and James noticed Paulo and Nadine weren't as close as before. In fact, they didn't talk at all except during takes.
Paulo even insisted to move out of their tent. Nadine was relieved he did. But the tension inside didn't lessen at all. James should be happy that they're together without Paulo, but Nadine is not very friendly with him either.
Their tent looked like the border between America and Mexico, like there's this invisible line to separate them.
His side and her side.
No one officially implemented this, it sort of just happened when it was just the two of them left there. He thought of many times to approach her, but she's too focused on distancing herself from him. She doesn't even give him her ice cold death glare that he knew from where he was from. Just nothing, he doesn't know what level of anger is this, or if it really is, and it is scary. He never really actually tried to 'cross the border' because he's afraid of what will happen.
(He imagined a team of rifled soldiers would suddenly drop down from the sky and shoot him.)
It's not like he wants her to be lovey-dovey to him, especially now that Paulo's away. He just wants them to be okay. He wants to make sure that she's okay.
Sure that him making the first move is not going to work, he thinks of another way. He would make her come to him.
----
Hi!
My favorite part didn't make it. Next chapter!