Playmaker

3

"Galit ba sya?" Nadine asked Bret, her back turned to James and Henz.

Bret took a sip of beer and looked towards the boys, "He doesn't look mad..."

"Sabi ko sa'yo, e. He's not gonna get mad about me dating."

He shook his head and chuckled, "I'm just making sure I'm not passing any bro code boundary, Nadz."

"Anong bro-code boundary?"

"If he likes you, then I can't like you because you two were friends first. The only way it would work out is if you liked me and not him," gesturing at himself with his hands.

She nodded, "Ahhhh ok. Pero di mo ako gusto kasi hindi 'to date."

"Who said it wasn't?"

Nadine furrowed her brows and looked at Bret, "Hoy, ikaw! Feeling mo, ha."

Bret looked over at the boys and made eye contact with James. He didn't know if he was jealous, mad, or sad, but that didn't stop him. He scooted closer to Nadz and put an arm around her.

"Truth? I told you to come with me because I needed to see how the both of you would act."

"At kailangan mo malaman un kasi...?"

He laughed, "Dense ka talaga.... Nadz, I like you."

Her eyes widened as she stepped back from Bret, "Sus! Nambobola ka lang, no?"

"No. I'm not. I'm serious," stepping back to grab their drinks. "I just figured you liked him since you two are like bestfriends. If he got jealous and came over, it means he likes you. If you started going off about how you can date because he went on a date first, then you have feelings. But neither of you did any of that."

She grabbed her drink from him and shook her head, "If we're being so honest, aaminin ko... gusto ko sya dati. Back in high school. Pero nagcolegio kami and walang nangyari. E di kung walang nangyari noon, wala talagang mangyayari."

"So wala ka nang feelings? Ganun kadali?" Bret raised an eyebrow at her, curiously.

She sighed, "Sa totoo lang? Di ko alam. Ang alam ko, gusto ko na masaya sya palagi kahit di ako ung dreamgirl nya. Siguro, bilang kaibigan lang ung mahal ko sa kanya."

"You didn't get jealous seeing him on a date with, Elaina?"

Chuckling, "Me? Jealous? No. I think I'm just as curious as everyone else to see if he actually likes her."

"So that means... may chance ako?" stepping closer to her.

She smiled at him, "Kalma ka dyan. Ligawan mo muna ako."

"Of course!" smiling back.

___________________________________________________________

One date turned into two. And two dates turned into a real relationship after a few months.

As Nadine's feelings for Bret grew, the more her and James grew apart because she'd spend more time with Bret.

This meant that he stopped the game because they didn't have time to continue it and James had kept his feelings for her hidden. James kept himself distracted by working on a new album with Henz or trying to go on dates with other girls. But every girl never amounted to Nadine, so none of them ever worked out.

After almost 2 years, Bret had left for a business trip in the States and the two were finally able to spend actual time together.

"Wow. Is this real? Nadine Lustre actually has time for me?" James joked as he looked at her dressed up like a business woman.