James sighed.

He picked up his beer, already his 4th bottle. He just got back this afternoon from San Francisco and felt the itch to go out. He needed to drown his frustrations in alcohol.

He was at the Brewery with the usual suspects Bret and Sam. Julia was with them this time. Well, she was with Sam, actually.

***

Nadine sighed.

She played with the Charriol bracelet around her wrist. Yes, the one that James gave her. Yassi had demanded to meet her as soon as she got off the plane. No buts.

They were at The Nook, a quaint little coffeeshop near Maginhawa street. She's always loved this place with its Harry Potter vibe, but now it just reminder her a little too much of James.

***

Out of the corner of his eye, James saw Julia nudge Sam and point her head in his direction. Sam cleared his throat. "You okay, bro? Tahimik ka."

He shrugged. Sam leaned in closer. "May problema kayo ni Nadz?"

"Come on, I just wanted to see you guys."

Julia side-eyed him. "Really, James? Drinking over a girl? So unlike you."

He took another swig at his beer. "She's not just any girl, okay Julia?" He said a little irritably. "She's... everything. She's Nadine." He couldn't explain it simpler enough.

"You mean she's your karma," Julia huffed and stood up to go to the bar, taking Sam with her.

***

Yassi pursed her lips and regarded Nadine with raised eyebrows. "I don't understand. Mahal mo siya pero ayaw mo siyang mahalin?"

Nadine started telling Yassi all the events that transpired in her life since New Year. She hadn't had the chance to go into detail about what's been happening with her and James before tonight, just the random viber message of "OMG, James kissed me!" and then her reply of "What?!? Love, spill!" that she hadn't been able to reply to.

Nadine nodded. "Ewan ko, Yas. Parang natatakot ako e. I don't trust him. Tapos iniisip ko yung career pa namin. Diba? Ang hirap?" She looked at Yassi for validation.

"E, if hindi kayo, then what's all this crap during the presscon in Sacramento? Right now, alam ng lahat is kayo talaga. Ano yun?"

"Hay naku, that was just James being James. But then Boss Vic called and said panindigan daw muna namin kunwari."

"Ang gulo niyo! Mahal ka niya, mahal mo siya, umamin kayo na kayo, pero hindi naman pala kayo. Ano ba yan! Parang teleserye!"

***

Bret was quiet, just watching James drink his beer. This was why Bret was his best friend. He knew when to back off. They didn't normally talk about their love lives, God knows James hasn't really loved and lost before to actually be needing to talk to someone about it.

Maybe it was his silence, but James found himself saying, "I don't know what to do, bro."

He didn't even have to tell him what happened, it was like he already knew.

"Well, you're not gonna get her if you act like that."

"Like what?"

"Yourself!"

***

"Parang when he kissed me, everything felt so natural. Parang it was just us being us. I was on such a high at the beginning."

Yassi nodded and she continued.

"That kind of feeling... Nakakatakot. I never felt that way before. It's... mind-numbing. Made me want to leave everything behind and just stay in his arms. Forget everything I worked so hard for."

"But that's love, love."

"And then I see this Instagram post of him with another girl--" Yassi sat up suddenly in her seat and she laughed. "--easy lang, love. It was a meaningless picture. But it was a meaningless picture that woke me up."

Nadine looked at Yassi, holding back tears. "I'm such a mess, Yass. I realized then that James is James." She let out a wry laugh. "Did you know, he didn't even tell me he went out that night. Tell me, how do I commit to that? When I have so many other things to think about?"

***

"What the fuck, Bret?"

"You're a flirt and a drunk and a womanizer. Of course Nadine doesn't trust you," Bret said bluntly.

"I am not a womanizer. True, I've been with lots of women, but not all at the same time. What can I say? They throw themselves at me." James sneered.

"Wow, Jaye the Wolf, huh," Bret snorted.

James shoved Bret. "What's your problem, man?"

"James, why the fuck are you even here?" Bret glared at him.

"To drink! To party!"

"See. Did you even invite Nadine?"

Is that a trick question?

"This is not her thing man."

"Yeah, but you want to be in a Re. La. Tion. Ship." Bret put an emphasis on each syllable. "You can't be like that if you wanna be with someone like Nadine." Bret said that last one with a hint of longing in his voice that made James want to punch him in the face.

Bret went on. "Listen to me, man. You can't expect things between you to level up when you don't want anything to change."

***

"Si James yun e. I know him too well. I know what he's capable of. And I know he's not the type to really take anyone seriously." Nadine took a sip from her coffee.

"Yun nga love, e. Si James yun. Your partner in crime."

"So? Why do you think that makes me any different from all the other girls he's been with?"

"There's too much at stake if he plays with you. James may be a lot of things, but he's not stupid. Trust me, it's different with you."

***

James looked at Bret in confusion."The fuck are you talking about? What needs to change?"

"You." Bret said matter-of-factly.

James heart thudded against his chest as his mind registered the full weight of what his best friend was telling him. He's always prided himself on remaining true to himself no matter what. I've never pretended to be anyone but myself. This was one of his more famous Instagram captions.

But apparently, myself isn't good enough.

He downed his beer in one long gulp, all the while coming to a decision. It wasn't a hard one, not really.

Naddie, I guess you're my game changer.

James sighed again and it was a sigh of resignation.

"Fuck you, Bret."

Bret laughed and clapped him on the shoulder.

***

"Pero dapat patunayan muna ni James sarili niya sakin, diba?" Nadine's eyes begged for confirmation from Yassi.

"I guess..." Yassi said slowly.

"What?"

"Nothing! I was just thinking, panong patunayan? Ihahatid sundo ka sa bahay, like that? Or maybe... Mag-iigib! Like he did in OTWOL!" Yassi started laughing because she couldn't picture James doing traditional courtship stuff and Nadine chimed in.

"Hi Nadine. Yassi." It was a man's voice and they both looked up. JC. Nadine's ex.

"Uy." Nadine and Yassi both greeted him with a beso. They were friends, after all.

"Do you wanna sit with us?" Yassi asked, even while Nadine was shaking her head, her eyes wide.

"No, I actually need to get back. Just bought some coffee to go." He held up the 2 cups he was holding. "But thanks."

JC backed off, waving at them and the two waved back.

A/N: We all do crazy things for love, but one thing I know for sure is that love should make us all want to become better people. Bow.

Edi wow! Words of wisdom daw, ganun. Anyway, thank you for reading! Lapit na, konti nalang!