"I STILL can't believe you decided to come with me here."
Mula sa inaayos na gamit ay napaangat ang tingin niya kay Sage. "Why, of course. Isn't unfair if you're the only one having fun here while I'm being left alone there?"
"You know I'm not here for fun. I'm here to do my work," paliwanag naman nito. Itinabi nito sa gilid ng kama ang isa pa niyang bag. Tinulungan siya nitong dalhin ang iba niyang gamit sa kwarto niya.
She made sure to book a reservation at the same hotel where Sage was staying. Hindi nga lang magkatabi ang kwarto nilang dalawa ni Sage pero ayos lang din sa kanya yun. She could still see him anytime she wanted to.
"Are you going back to Manila right after your shooting is done here?" she asked. She was hoping he could stay for a bit so they could spend some time together. Alam niyang di siya nito masasamahan dahil magiging busy ito. What she could only do for now was to watch him while he's filming.
He shrugged his shoulders. "Why, do you want to do something? You do deserve some rest. It's probably going to be a hectic schedule for you once you go back in New York."
She pouted her lips. "Oh, please don't talk about it. Ang isipin ko lang yun ay parang magkakasakit na yata ako."
He laughed. "Seriously, you shouldn't slack or someone might steal your spot."
"How I wish there is," she mumbled.
"Hmm? Did you say something?"
She shook her head. "No, I didn't. Baka guni-guni mo lang yun," sagot niya. But to be honest, she would like it if something like that to happen. Mas makakabuti yun para sa kanya. But knowing her mom, hindi nito hahayaan na mawala siya sa spotlight ng ganun-ganun na lang.
"I'll go now. I have something I need to do first."
"Okay," aniya. Gusto man niya itong pigilan ay hindi niya magawa. She didn't want to be a hindrance on him. "Let's eat dinner together."
"Why, of course yes," sagot naman nito.
Now, what should she do to kill some time? The gorgeous beach was buzzed with a couple of activities she wanted to try. But she didn't want to do it all alone. Gusto niyang ayain si Sage.
"What the hell are you two doing here?" boses iyon ni Sage.
Napalingon siya sa may pintuan. She frowned when she saw Sage was just standing there at the door and hadn't left yet. May kausap ba ito?
"Sage?" tawag niya dito pero hindi siya nito nilingon. Tumayo siya at nilapitan ito. "Sage, sinong kausap—" she stopped mid sentence, her jaw dropped. Ganun na lang ang gulat niya nang makita kung sino ang kausap ni Sage.
Seeing the smirk of triumph played across Hunter's lips made her blood boiled. What the hell was this guy doing there? He even brought Rainee with him as well that made it even worse. Oh, if looks could kill, she wanted Hunter dead by now.
"Hunter invited me to come with him here. It was so sudden. He told me not to tell you so we could surprise you," it was Rainee.
She almost rolled her eyes. She knew he had only told her that so she wouldn't know about his plans. She gritted her teeth in annoyance.
"I hope we're not disturbing you," she continued.
"Of course not," sagot kaagad ni Sage. He pulled her close and planted a kiss on her forehead.
She averted her gaze from the scene. Whatever hope she had for the next few days vanished in an instant. And it was all because of him. Sadyang pinaninindigan talaga nito ang pagiging kontrabida sa buhay niya.
"I thought you have something to do, Sage?" paalala niya sa kababata. Hindi niya gustong makita na sa harap pa niya naglalampungan ang dalawa.
"Oh yeah, right. I almost forgot about it. By the way, where are your rooms?"
"Just here," si Hunter ang sumagot sa tanong ni Sage. He pointed at the two rooms next to her. "What a coincidence, isn't it? To think that Zaylee's room is just next to ours," he said, amusement in his voice.
She shot him a dagger look. The smug expression on his face was so irritating for her to look at. As much as she hated it, she couldn't do anything more now that the two of them were already there. Ang tangi niya na lang magagawa ay siguraduhin na hindi maiiwan magkasama sila Sage at Rainee. All over her dead body.
KAGAT-KAGAT ni Gianna ang straw ng iniinom niyang juice habang pinapanood si Sage at ang kapareha nito. The shooting didn't start till late this afternoon. Bukod sa kanila ay may ilang tao din ang nanonood sa shooting. Some couldn't hide their excitement as they watched them. Kanina niya lang din nalaman na honeymoon pala ang scene na kukuhaan dito.
She couldn't help it but envied the leading lady and wished she was her. She wanted to feel Sage's soft lips on hers. She knew if it was him, she would like it. She was already kissed a couple of times. Her exes were always the one to initiate it. Not her. She never did. It was always awkward on her part. She was expecting to feel something from the kiss but nothing. It was bland. No sparks, no fireworks, no spine-tingling just like what she was expecting. Just this wet and sloppy feeling of it. And that made her hate the thought of being kissed again. But if it was Sage, she knew it would be different.
She glanced at Rainee who was sitting beside her. She wondered how can this woman watch his boyfriend with that poker face while he was holding someone in his arms. She was already filled with jealousy just by watching them. She knew it was nothing but all just an acting pero hindi pa din niya maiwasan ang hindi madala sa acting ng kababata.
She couldn't take it anymore. She wanted to watch while he's filming but not this kind of scene. She took off her embroidered lace cover up and went for a dip in the pool. It's gonna be a good way to distract herself. Or so she thought.
"Are you bored?" nakangiting tanong ni Rainee sa kanya. Hindi niya namalayan na sinundan pala siya nito sa pool.
Tinapunan niya lang ito ng tingin bago nag-dive. She would rather be bored and alone instead of spending her time along with that woman. Faking a laugh, forcing a smile—she didn't want to do it anymore. It was tiring.
She thought she already left. Pero pag-angat ng ulo niya mula sa tubig ay nakita niya ito sa gilid ng pool at nakaupo. Nginitian siya nito. She sighed.
"Where is Hunter?" tanong niya at naupo sa tabi nito. Inikot niya ang tingin sa paligid pero maski anino nito ay hindi niya nakita. "Why is he not with you? That's surprising." She was expecting he would follow her around the whole day.
"I'm not sure though. Maybe he's at the gym right now."
"Ah, ganun ba." She almost forgot that this hotel resort had their own gym. "So, do you need something from me?"
"I just want to talk. I'm sure you're bored as well. Bakit hindi tayo mag-bonding? I want to try some activities here but it wouldn't be fun if I do it alone."
Gusto niyang matawa sa sinabi nito pero pinigilan niya ang sarili. "Why don't you ask Hunter? I'm pretty sure that guy will go with you."
"It wouldn't be fun if it is just the two of us. The more the merrier, right?"
Hindi niya ito sinagot. Napadako ang tingin niya sa direksyon kung saan nagsho-shooting ang kababata. Anong oras kaya matatapos ang mga ito?
"I saw the look of surprise on your face yesterday nang makita mo kaming dalawa ni Hunter. I'm sure you were not expecting to see us here. It must be the reason why you have that sullen look since yesterday."
Hindi niya ito sinagot. She cursed herself for being easy to read. She still tried to act cheerful in front of them but guess she's not that good at acting unlike her childhood friend.
"You probably want some time alone with Sage. Ilang taon din kayong hindi nagkita."
Those years felt like forever for her. "Have you ever had someone taken away from you?" she asked out of nowhere. Rainee was taken aback by her question. Hindi ito kaagad nakasagot. "I guess you don't. You don't know how scary it is when the person that you loved for so long vanished in an instant in just a blink of an eye. And no matter how much you tried to forget him, it was still futile.
But what can I do? The heart wants what it wants. And so I decided that I'm going to take him back. I'll make his heart waver. They are still not married yet so I still have hope."
"You can't possibly do that. Aren't you being selfish?"
She raised her eyebrows. "That's not for you to decide. You're not in my shoes so you don't know how miserable it felt like. You don't know what a woman can do just for the sake of love." Tumayo siya at kinuha ang suot-suot na cover up kanina.
She won't back down. Why would she? Yes, she's probably being selfish right now. Pero ano bang magagawa niya? Wanting someone, loving someone so much to the point that it hurts. It felt like an endless torture for her. She knew it's painful but she's still holding onto that feeling. Maybe she really already had gone crazy.