Kryptonite

Masquerade

A/N: Before this chapter begins, I just want to warn everyone about a flashback that will come into play eventually. I'm placing a trigger warning next to it as it may be too dark and violent. If that may bother you, please feel free to skip over it.

--

"You're forgetting something," James expressed

"What?" Nadine asked.

James could only smile as he brought his glass of wine to his lips to take a sip.

He and Nadine were currently sitting alone together at a table as the rest of their tablemates had left to go mingle. To his luck, he had yet to interact with anyone he knew had quite a number of skeletons in their closet.

Of course, part of that had to do with Nadine making an effort to avoid as many people as possible. There were only a handful of people she willingly approached. The rest she seemed to ignore.

Despite his initial impressions of her, he had come to realize that she wasn't the snobby heiress that tabloids loved to portray her as. In fact, she was quite the opposite. Though she was oblivious to the heinous crimes many people there have committed, she had good enough instinct to know who to avoid.

She really isn't good at pretending, he realized. If she likes you, she likes you. If she doesn't, it'll show. She won't try to fake it.

"Hmm," James began. "You know I could've binged a show on Netflix, could've finished a book, maybe even went out on a walk, maybe even go on a date. Instead, I'm stuck here-- eating food I don't even know the name of and surrounded by people I don't. know"

Nadine rolled her eyes. "So anong sinasabi mo? Kasalanan ko na hindi nakikipagdate?"

James raised an eyebrow. "You know, that wasn't the only thing I mentioned," he clarified.

Nadine stuffed a piece of fish into her mouth. "Masyadong maingay kasi dito. But still, I didn't ask you to agree--"

"You're right, you didn't. I choose to come with you," James interrupted. "Though I don't really know why," he said with a sigh. He began to pout, which prompted Nadine to lightly slap his arm.

"Wag kang magdrama diyan. Babayarin kita, wag kang magalala," Nadine grumbled. Turning her head to the side, she grabbed her spoon and began to attempt to cut through her steak.

James laughed as he tapped her shoulder and handed her a knife. "Number one, that spoon isn't going to do anything. Number two, hindi naman pera ang gusto ko."

Nadine furrowed her brows. "Then what? Alam mo nakakainis ka pa rin kung ayaw mo talaga dito pwede kang umalis--"

James pressed a finger over her lips, which caused her to immediately go silent as she eyed him in what was a mix of shock and confusion.

"Nagbibiro lang ako kaya wag kang magalit," he assured before lowering his finger. "And honestly, I wouldn't have been able to do all those things in peace knowing you were gonna be miserable and alone."

Nadine's face relaxed. "Talaga?"

"I mean, who wouldn't be miserable here?" he whispered as he scanned the room. "But again, there is one thing I do want to hear."