AN: in my head, i've casted Arjo Atayde as Nathan and Angel Aquino as Zenaida. Lol.
Nathan has been staring at James for the past 5 minutes.
He just can't believe what he was seeing.
And there it was again.
James's phone sounded and he was quick to get it. Nathan watched as he read whatever was on the phone and...
he's smiling again.
An actual genuine smile.
Nathan has known James since they were kids. They had grown up together like siblings and had been best friends ever since.
He was probably the person who knows James the most. He was his confidant and he had been with him through highs and lows.
And James rarely, as in once-in-a-blue-moon-during-a-leap-year kind of rare, smiles. And he seems to have been smiling--grinning even, for the past minutes he had been there.
The only one he knew who could make James smile effortlessly was Sebbie. Even he has to try hard to get one out of him. But now, now he's... really smiling.
Nathan seriously considered crying. Whatever James was looking at on his phone, he hoped it continued making James smile. He didn't care if it was memes, maybe porn? or maybe an actual chat mate (which he really can't imagine but hey, 10 minutes ago he didn't think he'd see James smiling like that).
Nathan was really curious but opted not to point out his friend that he was smiling--or even disturb him in anyway, because he might stop.
Quietly, Nathan left the papers he was meant to give James on one of the table and then exited the room.
---
After James's dinner with Nadine that fateful night a few weeks ago, they didn't part ways at once.
Nadine had invited him to stroll through the mall and just talk. One thing he confirmed about this meeting was that he really couldn't say no to her. She just had a sort of pull on him.
They've talked more about each other with Nadine sharing things about her work and once in a while, asking James about his.
After a while, Nadine asked if they could buy milk tea and they walked towards her favorite store. James had bought the tea this time, since Nadine already paid for their dinner.
They've spent about one more hour just talking until Nadine's bodyguard had started calling her and she had to go.
She looked like she didn't want to, but she shared that she didn't want her mom to get angry at her bodyguards so she rarely escapes--even if she can.
Before she went, she exchanged numbers with him and asked him to add her in social media. When she found out he didn't have any social media account, she had made him make one right then and there.
And that's what brought him to now.
Nadine had added him on Telegram and has been sending him messages since parting ways that night.
At first, it was a little awkward to James since he didn't know how to reply to all her messages (or even how to chat with someone). But he learned she didn't always needed a reply. Sometimes, she just wanted to share something, much like how she is when talking in person.
It was mostly Nadine who send messages, talking mostly about her day and once in a while ranting about an inconvenience or two.
After a while, James had reciprocated and started sharing, too. Mostly if there were any interesting thing that had happened to him (which wasn't really a usual thing).
Then she had started sending photos. Just of things she was talking about initially, but then she started sending photos of herself as well just to show him where she was or what she was doing at the moment. In return, he started sending her pictures as well. But just of Sebbie. Nadine seemed to love them.
James knew though that this might be just for now. Probably, Nadine will get tired of him eventually.
He doesn't really know how friendship works but he doesn't really see anything ideal to being his friend. So, he just lets himself enjoy it while it lasts and he makes sure to save her photos so if the time comes when she stopped reaching out to him, at least he'll have those.
James had heard the door closed and he looked up. That was when he noticed that there was a new stack of paper on his table.
"Huh. Did Nathan came?" He asked and looked at Sebbie. Sebbie just looked at him for a beat and then went back to his chew toy.
--
It was around dinner time when Nadine next sent him a message.
James smiled as he read the first one (Nadine usually sent several).
'Jaaaaaaaames' it says.
But his smile faded away when he saw the next one.
'😢'
He replied at once.
'Did something happen? Are you okay?'
As a reply, she sent a picture. But it wasn't just of her. It was a picture of the two of them that night in the restaurant. Nadine's face is seen but it was only James's back that was visible from the angle of the camera.
'Someone saw us and took a picture of us. 😭' She says next.
Suddenly, James felt a little scared. Does her mom knows now? He was 100% sure her mother wouldn't want her associating with him even though he was technically family. He'd always been seen as an outsider and he was sure Dennis would make sure his new family will see him that way, too.
James was already used to that, and he even expects it of people. But Nadine... He wasn't quite ready to say goodbye to the chats.
'So what will happen now?' He asked, even though he didn't want to.
'Well, my mom got angry because I slipped. And I might be getting new bodyguards.' She sent next.
'But the worst about all of this is that the media doesn't know it's you since they can't see your face.' She sent next and James was a little confused.
He waited cause he knew she have more to say.
'But that lead to people assuming that I was on a date with Carlos Gamboa 😭' She said.
James felt somewhat annoyed at that and he didn't even know why. Still, he waited for her next message.
'He's my mom's friend's son and has been trying to court me for a few months now but I don't like him at aaaallll. He's arrogant and thinks he's a gift to woman and everyone should be thankful he's existing.' She sent.
'But mom loves the idea because he's from a wealthy family that she trusts. And now mom is all excited and is setting me on a date with him.'
'I hate this.'
'😭'
James sighed, not really knowing how to feel about this. But he knew he had to comfort her. That's what friends do, right?
But he didn't really know what to say about her predicament, so instead, he started talking about his.
'You know, Nadine... It's my mom's death anniversary today.' He sent.
For a while, Nadine didn't reply but James waited. And then it came,
'How did you know..?' She asked.
'When I was old enough I tried looking for her. I found her, but it was too late. She died a few months before that.' He shared.
It was actually the first time James was sharing this to anyone. Nathan knew about him looking for and finding his mom, but he never told him what this date meant to him.
'I'm sorry.' Nadine say next.
James was quick to reply.
'I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this when you asked me before. I'm not used to talking about her. Not even Nathan knew.' He explained.
'James, it's okay. It's your choice whether you want to share something with someone or not.' Nadine said next.
James didn't know what to say to that, but he didn't have to as Nadine sent another message.
'But why did you tell me now?' She asked.
James thought for a while, and then answered honestly.
'I'm not sure why, but I really wanted you to know.'
He had been thinking about his mom the whole day. But unlike the years before when he rejected the thoughts and tried to drown himself in work so he'd be distracted, this year he had welcomed them. Even when he was talking to Nadine earlier, he was thinking about her. And the thoughts didn't make him sad, angry or frustrated.
Somehow it was like he had accepted it. He still wished he had met her, but he's okay now.
Maybe he got tired of being angry.
It was after a little while when Nadine sent another message.
'Can we meet?'
'Right now'
'Please?'
James stared at the messages. And just then, Nathan came into the room.
"Nathan." James called.
"Yeah?"
"Can you cancel our meeting?" He asked.
Nathan blinked at him and just stared at him for a beat. And then, without asking anything, he said,
"Okay."
"Thanks." James said and stood up.
"You going somewhere?" Nathan asked this time.
James just nodded, but was already focused on his phone.
'Where are you?' He asked her.
'Thank you.' Nadine replied and next sent an address--a hotel and a room number.
--
James knocked on the door, feeling a bit nervous. This is only the third time they will meet, after all.
In just a moment, the door opened to reveal Nadine wearing a tank top and shorts.
James had looked at her face, checking if she was okay. But she was smiling brightly at him.
"Come in." She invites.
"Uhm, your bodyguards..?" He had to ask.
Nadine shook her head. "Mom thinks I'm at work. I convinced her about a year ago not to have my bodyguards follow me around when I'm at work since it just creates tension." She explained.
"Come on." She said again, pulling James inside.
James followed reluctantly.
When the door closed, he was surprised when Nadine hugged him tightly.
"Nadine..?" He asked.
"Sorry I made you come here. I just wanted to see you. And I needed a hug." She said then pulled away, smiling at him.
"And I thought..." She continued saying. "I think you needed one, too. A hug, I mean."
James just stared at her.
Nadine looked at him curiously.
"...Don't you?" She asked.
"I... I don't know." James said, not really knowing how to explain. "The only person who had ever hugged me was Tita Esperanza." He just says.
Nadine looked at him, frowning a bit.
And then she stepped forward and hugged him once more.
"Everyone needs a hug once in a while." She said. "I'm here now. If you need hug, just tell me."
---
TBC.
AN: tbh, word vomit.