How to Break Up a Loveteam in Two Ways

No

"When were you gonna tell me about her?" she asks simply.

The two are in the cabana the crew had set up for a scene earlier. Sitting with his legs crossed, he is surrounded by some local food he wanted to try and she was scrolling in quiet concentration thru her IG feed. Her mouth popping open every now and then as he feeds her the food he thinks she'll like.

A group was with them earlier, but as dawn approaches, everyone disappeared one by one leaving the two alone. She knows what the crew is trying to do but she's more concerned by the chaos erupting in their IG at the moment.

The way she sees it, it's either she waste her time waiting in vain or she could simply ask him if the rumors are true. And a wasteful person she is not, so she simply asked him.

Nadine notes the way the question catches him off guard. How he pauses mid-bite, chewing slowly and gulping his glass of Coke until it's almost empty. She notes the way he's stalling. And she begins to regret asking.

"About who?" he finally answers.

She pauses, closely studying him with her eyes. He looks unbothered, the cool sea breeze softly playing with his tousled hair, but she knows better. She's seen him do it every time a reporter asks him a question he doesn't quite want to answer.

"Really James? You're gonna spin me around to avoid lying? You taught me that trick."

Brown soulful eyes meet black bright ones, trying to portray an innocent look, "I'm not lying, I really don't know who you're talking about."

"Julia. Is it true?" He blinks upon hearing Julia's name. Five, ten, fifteen times. She lost count, but one thing is clear, the name flustered him.

" Look, just drop it okay?" The irritation is so obvious in his voice now, and still she decides to push on.

The need to know is like an itch she needs to scratch until it bleeds.

" Okay. But why?" His reaction confuses her, she was expecting an outright denial and a mere shrug. Not this-

" Coz the fact that you asked me, means you'll doubt me anyway!" -this harshness and defensiveness from him.

" Then oblige me! Coz this is the first time I asked you about any of them, James! And I need an answer!" She snapped back, her own voice starting to rise to match his.

"Look, its not what you think. Its actually-" He says, quickly attempting to pacify her.

"James!!! I'm not asking if you think I'm stupid or not!!! I'm just asking if its true! Are you and Julia dating?!" She asks thru clenched teeth.

"NO! OKAY?! ITS NOT TRUE!! AND HONESTLY, NADINE, EVEN IF I WANT TO? I CAN'T!!! I CAN'T BECAUSE OF YOU!"

She holds her breath, her heart catching in her throat, and eyes darting back and forth between his face and the sand as her head spins with his outburst.

Her insides feel like it's on fire. Burning the words in her mind: It's your fault! He's unhappy because of you!

It's her fault he and Julia can't be together, he can't date because of her. Admittedly, people don't want to see them with anybody else, fans can be selfish that way.

But she never thought it bothered him this much! And hearing him say it out loud? Unhinges her.

"Oh...o-kay...okay...ahm...uh...I'll-I'll talk to Boss Vic tomorrow.."

Rational Nadine would never make such an impulsive decision, they both need each other, but Emotional Nadine is undeterred right now. The latter wouldn't (ever) want him unhappy because of her. And of the two, do you even have to guess who won?