Second Chances (Kathneil FF)

Second Chances - 23

Second Chances - 23

"So, Kevin boy. You are what, 28 this year?" Theodore de la Pena, host of Entertainment Tonight asked.

"Going to be, yes," Kevin smiled making himself as comfortable as he can under the studio's neon lights. Veronica Thompson sat prettily beside him, both of them dressed in colour coordinated outfits.

"Time to settle down, no? Going to make an honest woman out of our Ms Veronica here, what say you?"

Theodore has always been known for his direct and sometimes, tasteless, remarks.

"Theodore," his co-host Gabby Alviera admonished, "28 is still too young to settle down and our Veronica just turned 24."

"Yes," Veronica nodded.

"Yes, Gab, but they've been together for 3, almost 4 years now," Theodore interjected. "And never have I seen a lovelier couple."

Kevin smiled charmingly, used to the line of questioning; but looking forward to his trip back to Malaysia in two days time, nothing can dampen his good mood.

"Aww... Kuya Teddy," he replied. "4 years, yes. But our partnership is strictly for the cameras. Veronica and I are good friends, and great drama partners. But definitely nothing more than that."

"That's what you said about Inessa Sanchez, but we know how that turned out to be."

The silence was momentary but so awkwardly deafening.

The industry knew that the topic of Inessa Sanchez was taboo. And totally blasphemous when spoken in front of Kevin.

Yet, to the talk show hosts surprise, Kevin smiled even further, looking serene and happy, like a man in love.

"Inessa is special," he said, "I am fortunate that that friendship turned out to be so much more. It is something you cannot compare."

+++

"Veronica, you ok?"

"Yes, Kev, I'm fine."

But her rigid posture and the way she turned away from him in her limousine seat, suggested otherwise.

"I'm sorry if what I said at ET upset you," Kevin lay a tentative hand on her arm, trying to placate his drama partner.

"No, strangely enough, it didn't," she sighed but turning towards him at last.

"It didn't?"

"No," she shook her head, the sadness in her eyes, made her even more beautiful. "I guess I am used to it already. You've always made it known to me that whatever chemistry we have, is strictly contained to TV land."

"Vie, you know I mean no malice in saying that."

"I know," she smiled softly. "I know I can never replace her. Not on TV nor in your heart."

"Do you want to? Replace her in my heart, I mean?" he quickly snatched his hand away in surprise.

She laughed at his alarmed face.

"No! I mean, I don't know," she smiled. "But Kev, you're a wonderful catch and can be really charming when you want to be."

She fiddled with her pink white hands on her lap.

"And a really good actor that sometimes, those sweetness you portray in front of the cameras, well... I tend to believe in them," she smiled wryly, looking up at him, straight into his eyes. "It just makes a girl dream, that's all."

"Vie, I'm so sorry. I never meant to give you any wrong impression."

"It's ok," she said quickly. " Like I said, you have always made it clear about your feelings or the lack of, for me."

He kept remorsefully silent, making her laughed a little.

"Hey, don't worry you handsome face about it. I'm a pretty girl, charming in my own too. I'm bound to find a guy of my own, one day."

Now, it was her who put out her hand to reassure him.

"Let's just keep our good pairing on TV only, huh," she smiled sweetly.

However, her smile slowly turned into a worried frown.

"But you know, Kev, you pine for her far too much. It's beyond cute."

Veronica shook her head disapprovingly. She noticed that Kevin spoke of Inessa in present tense earlier, which she assumed was a slip of the tongue.

"She's gone, you know," she tenderly squeezed the hand she still had on his arm. "She really is. It's time you accept it."