"Hinihintay mo ba si James, Beatrice?" Tanong ni Ms. Stephanie. Andito ako sa lobby ng SyncUK, may pupuntahan kasi kami mamaya ni James.
Aside from James, and outside uni, si Ms. Stephanie lang ang kilala ko dito sa England. "I see you two have met already." Sambit ni James pagkalapit niya sa amin.
"I knew her daaaaaaaaays ago." Sa sinabi ni Ms. Stephanie, parang sinasabi niyang matagal na niya akong kilala. Halata sa mukha ni James ang pagtataka sa sinabi niya. "With all the paparazzi shots leaked, the fans have searched you all over the internet."
"They're crazy."
"They're not James. They just love you and they care about who you are with." They both smiled at what I have said. We bid our goodbye to Ms. Stephanie and James drove up to somewhere.
"Where are we going?"
"I don't know. But I want to bring you somewhere secluded."
"Oh. I can now foresee tomorrow's headline." Even when he's driving and looking straight at the road, his brows furrowed. "James Davidson accused of killing a friend, Beatrice Capistrano, in a secluded area." And he cracked up for about five minutes. As if I told a very funny joke.
"Two JFs please."
"Are you a regular here? You seem to know people here too well."
The place is pretty well, yeah, in a secluded area. All smiles ang mga staff noong pumasok si James, ang ibang mga customer din ay kinamayan niya.
"This is like my secret place. Everytime I am here, you wouldn't see even a single tweet telling where I am. People here tend not to mind others' businesses." He took a sip on the JFs he ordered. Sabi niya James's Favourite daw ang name ng drink na yun. "I'm going to tell you a story."
"I met the Prince here."
"You what?!"
"Yup. I met him here. I was exactly right here in this stool when he sat beside me. He said 'Guess you know how it feels to be controlled?' Then we had drinks together and told stories back and forth. He seemed a little depressed that time."
"Were you depressed that time too? You wouldn't be coming here without a reason."
He told me that, that was when he decided to take a break but the management doesn't want him to. His brother had Leukaemia kaya gusto niya sana munang magstay out of the spotlight to take care of him. Unfortunately, his brother died. Akala ko, noong sinabi na ni Ms. Stephanie sa akin ang details about him, eh kilala ko na siya. Hindi pa pala.
His brother was as young as my brothers when he died. I don't know what would I do if that happened to me. Lalo na, halos yun na lang ang kasa-kasama niya. His mom died noong bata pa lang siya. Dad naman niya, nagasawa ng iba years after his mom died. Pero iniwan din sila ng daddy niya and his step-family.
"You know Beatrice, if I could turn back time, I wouldn't be choosing this life. But right now, I see a reason why I should be happy."
"And what is that?"
"You."
Napainom ako sa sinabi niya. Sinong hindi magugulat?! "Wow. Nice joke, James."
"I'm not joking."
"Ha. Really?"
"Yes. And I'd be proving it."
