Chapters 14-15

Chapter 14

James lost Devon through the brush between the cottage and the shore, and has been running and searching for a while in vain. It was dark, it was muggy, and the mosquitoes would've been having a field day over his flesh if he hadn't been running. This was a lot harder than he thought. He forgot that he and Devon used to run together, at his urging even. He forgot how stubborn she was. Forgot a lot of the little things – maybe not so much forgotten, really. More like, pushed back at the far, far, far, far corners of his mind.

He remembered them then. The fact that Devon ran as if she had the power legs of a steed, that she had the fastest draw in probably the whole of Asia with her slap attacks, and that she can inflict the fiercest, most minutely abusive, and indiscriminate pinches known to man. Devon was most definitely a force to be reckoned with and he was gonna have to step up his game big time if he expects to win her heart. His charm and wit seem to be failing him.

As he hunched over to catch his breath, he realized that what might have worked before was no longer gonna work. He knew he had to come up with a plan. Something to get her attention. But because the direct approach was not working, he knew he needed some round-about way to get to her. Something so circuitous she'd get so tangled in it before she even realizes she had no way out. Something clever. Something so conniving, so deviously detailed. A plan that only a woman could concoct!

There in lay the crux of the matter. He was lacking an essential spare X chromosome for his brain to work sufficiently and play well in Devon's home turf. He was clever, but when Devon was concerned, he was not nearly clever enough. With her, he was a fool. And in Devon's game, James was quite the loser.

***

“Alam mo, magpakita ka muna sa kanila.” Devon urged Tricia.
“Wapakels naman mga yun. Saka magpapakita ako doon, sa camera and all, ganto face ko? Mukha akong sambakol. Yuck! Tapos ang dami pang madlang people dun.” angal ni Tricia. “Sa room nalang siguro ako. Nangangawit na din kasi paa ko eh.” she readied to get up and leave. “Sama ka na. Na-discover na tayo ng mga lamok.”
Devon laughed. “Well, ang bilis mong maging okay. I'll give you that.” anito sa dalagang kaharap niya.
“I have to. Life is full of trials. Sayang lang beauty ko kung mag mumukmok.” Tricia sassed. “At ikaw, bago kong BFF. Go ka na rin sa loob.” she chided, then paused. “I guess time alone?”
Devon sighed in response and hugged her knees close to her.
“K, do you need to talk? Cause I can stay.” Tricia offered sincerely. “Matters of the heart?”
Devon sighed and ignored the addendum. “Wag na. May AM shoot ka tomorrow, PM pa kami eh.” Devon reasoned.
“Oo nga pala.” Tricia agreed. “Basta, don't go wandering off, ha?”
“Opo.” sagot ni Devon bago tuluyan nang umalis si Tricia. She watched Tricia's form disappear towards the gardens then heaved a sigh.

'What happened there?' she wondered, appreciative of the reprieve her new friend offered her by chance. But even that was already spent, and she was left to her own thoughts again. Her own little storm cloud was back and she did not have the energy to swat it aside or send it away. So it stayed, and she wallowed a little. Dimple just flew out the other day for a seminar, which meant she'll be gone for a week, which meant Devon only had less than a month to be with her sister. Three weeks and then another painful goodbye. She had three free days that she could spend with her sister, but she was away. And when she gets back, Devon had to get back to work. Those three weeks and some will be done in no time, so really, there was not much time left at all. The clock was ticking.

She was also worried about the Ball coming up. Her and her friends all had a week off of work. Seven days, four of which were part of a working holiday, three were real free time, though really the last day was the day of the Ball, which meant it was a day of getting ready, then a night of gorgeous faces and fabulous clothing. And dancing. The endless dancing. It was too sad to reminisce for she knew she had no choice but to miss it altogether. She loved the first time she went. James and her went together...

***

Devon closed her eyes as she lounged luxuriously on the huge soaker jet-tub of her hotel room. She sighed a silent prayer of thanks. She could hear people laughing in the other room. People who loved her for who she was, loved her unconditionally, and they kindly provided her with a wonderful custom gown, her own make-up artist, and a professional photographer to boot. She wondered what she did to deserve such adoration from perfect strangers... Strangers who treated and doted on her as they would their own child. She wondered if she was deserving... But her mind drifted back to thoughts about the Ball. James asked her to be his date, and they were gonna go to the venue together in style. He was gonna pick her up, and she was gonna be gorgeous. Like a princess. And he, well, he was gonna be her prince... Her date...

***

She got all dolled up and dressed to the nines, while James was running late. She didn't really mind too much. She looked at herself in the mirror and was too amazed to care about much else. She looked like a princess. She felt like a princess – surrounded by friends who gushed and awed at her. They took pictures, gushed some more. They were like doting FairyGodmothers. She was sure the night was gonna be amazing if not for the fact that not very many girls could say their first date was at a fancy Ball. That kind of thing was the stuff of fairytales.

But this was real.
She gets to be Cinderella for a night.
Looking and feeling like royalty. Like a Princess.
And her Prince was coming to get her...

***

Devon smiled sadly to herself. That was the day she realized she was falling for him. She remembered laughing nervously as she tried to get on the massive Hummer James had waiting.

***

“Ano ba, um, Pano to?” she laughed awkwardly as she eyed the massive vehicle. It was quite high, and she was not properly attired, what with the heavy designer gown and the strappy-not-to-mention heeled and sparkly sandals, it was a near impossibility. “I mean, how do I--” she started. James interrupted her by smiling knowingly and offering a hand. She clasped it tightly, trusting his grip. He helped her up with a smile that could melt any woman's heart. More so the heart of the woman he was offering it to. “Don-- Don't drop me!” she joked flatly as her heart raced for some reason. Nerves, perhaps?

The venue was really just a stone's throw away, but the car was a necessity with how they were dressed. Devon caught James throwing side glances at her, and it made her cheeks burn. She wondered what was wrong with her, and briefly worried if she was running a fever.

“Are you nervous?” James asked.
Devon laughed. “Ano ka ba? They already asked you that kanina!”
“What?”
“Wala kang originality.” she joked. “Fail!”
“You were being fussy, so I thought you were nervous.” he defensively offered.
“Oh,” she muttered, feeling caught. “No, no. I'm not nervous.”
“Yes you are.” he said smugly as the car turned the single corner. They were almost there. “I don't really see why you should feel that way. You look great. The dress suits you.” he said with that abnoxious smirk of his.
“Ha?” Devon's mouth gaped. 'Am I hearing what I think I'm hearing?' She thought to herself. 'Did he just say what I think he said? Nabubuang na ba ako?'
“I told you it would.” he said with a confident grin, as he opened the door the get out of the vehicle.
Devon sat dumbfounded, mouth still slightly agape as James opened her door in a gentlemanly gesture. She smiled absently upon seeing his face, a smile that grew wider as he helped her down. Photographers were going nuts with their speedlights going off a mile a minute. Her mind in quite a loop, she forgot her clutch in the car, which James noticed. He grabbed and held on to it for her as she smiled and grinned like a complete idiot at the wonders of her surroundings, the boy with her, and the words that were coming out of his sweet lips. She should wonder what it meant, but she did not care. The blinding flashes looked like twinkle lights. It was a dream. A dream.

***

“Are you nervous?” Devon asked James, much returned to her normal self, and very much aware of her bristling nerves. Being inside the hall felt worlds away from the real world. It was wonderful and overwhelming. The lights, the people, the big wigs of their Network...
“Wala kang originality?” James asked in awkward Tagalog as they walked past and mingled with other Star Magic talents. Devon's mouth, for the nth time so far that night, gaped in a half laugh.
“Did you just speak Tagalog?” she asked, eyes sparkling in excitement. As if that was the most wonderful thing to have happened that night. Not the fancy dresses, the hunky actors, the Ball, even.
“No, I didn't.” James dismissed, but Devon's lips quickly formed a grin.
“You did! You said 'Wala kang originality?' You did!” Devon gushed, imitating James' awkward delivery and quite off Tagalog accent. “Narinig ko. I heard you!”
“You heard nothing.” James lied, a small laugh starting to form on his lips.
“No! I heard. I heard it!” Devon giggled like a little school girl.
“I didn't say it!” James lied, laughing a little. “I didn't say anything.”
“Ah, ganon?” she said, grabbed her clutch from his hands and walked off with a smug grin on her face. “Oh! Papa Bear!” she called excitedly – lying. She did not see Joe, but acted as though she had.
“No! Don't go! Geez.”
Devon stopped and quietly counted. “One, two, th--”
“I don't want to say it again.“ James admitted, looking at the floor like a four year-old caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar. He looked up and saw Devon smiling at him. His breath caught in his throat as the smiling lady walked back towards him.
“Two seconds.” she announced proudly.
“What?” James blinked, and asked.
“Wala.” she said, with a tight-lipped smile.
James cocked a brow, but said nothing.
Devon leaned over and whispered in his ear. “I'm not nervous anymore. Thank you.”
James took a breath and was washed by the sweet heady scent of Devon's perfume. “Oh,” he dumbly said. He wondered if he was running a fever, or if he was going out of his mind. “That's-- That's good.”
“Let's go?” she offered her hand, and James took it with a smile. Feeling her pulse fall into a rhythm with his.

***

The night was young, but the Ball was wonderful and tiring. The cotillion was gloriously glamorous and just sent Devon's heart racing again. Not with the physical exertion, but because James bent low, looked up to her and took her hand. It was scripted, all a part of the choreography. But for Devon, her knees would've buckled right then had James not been holding on to her. Afterwards, struggling to maintain composure, Devon found her stride. She spotted a free couch and they sat down together. They were joined by Bret and Fretzie as Devon carried on looking around at everybody, perfectly content just playing the role of a child at a candy store.

James stood, and Devon looked up at him. James gestured with a flick of the wrist, and Devon just nodded. She thought he needed a breather, but James came back holding a wine glass filled with punch.

“Oh, Thank you.” Devon said, surprised. Pleasantly so, but still surprised.
James nodded cooly as he took a sip of his drink.
“Thanks.” she said again as she took a sip herself. She noticed that James kept rubbing his palms against his knees. “Are you okay?” she leaned and spoke in his ear.
“Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine.”
“Are you sure?” she pressed softly, with a slight nod.
“Nerves.” he answered. “I'm nervous.” he said, leaning towards her in a vain attempt to have a private conversation in such a crowded space.
“Why?” she asked her tone changing from concerned, to coyly teasing. “Akala ko ba excited ka?”
“Well, this is our first date, you know. It's kind of customary.” he said in that dry way of his. “So, yeah, I'm nervous.”
Devon said nothing, but hid a smile by taking a sip from her glass. He was being incredibly adorable and she was endeared by his minor qualms. “Don't be.” she reassured. “I've got a feeling that tonights gonna be a good night.” she said.
“What?” James asked, realizing she had just spewed song lyrics at him.
“I got a feeling-- that tonight's gonna be a good night-- That tonight's gonna be a good night~” she sang, and James smiled with a frustrated sigh. He knew the joke well; but somehow it hasn't gotten old yet and he was castigating himself for laughing at corny jokes. It wasn't his style. It wasn't cool.
“Come on.” he announced, and grabbed her arm. He readied to drag Devon somewhere.
“What?” Devon stammered. “Wait—Wait lang.” she barely had time to quickly put her drink on one hand and reach for her clutch till James had already gone two strides and she was forced to follow suit.

“Where are we going?” Devon asked, eyes wild with confusion, looking every which way.
“Over there.” James replied looking ahead without turning towards her.
“Huh?”
James said nothing but continued to gently drag Devon past faces and dresses that went unnoticed. Devon followed meekly, awkwardly trying to gain composure by sipping her cocktail and failing miserably. She was anxious, slightly embarrassed, but also excited. There was no room for nerves. She spotted a server with an empty tray and she wordlessly handed her glass to him, then responded by mouthing a thank you to the confused man as she trailed away behind James.Then James stopped, which surprised Devon.
“Will you dance with me, Devon?” he asked politely. Devon didn't realize the direction they were going in the whirl of action, and so she was surprised to find that after some serious walking and maneuvering, there they were. Smack at the center of the dance floor. The strobe lights died down as if on cue, and dull lights reflecting on the floor replaced them. Devon's breath hitched at her throat as she looked up at James for the first serious time for the night. The final throb of the bass faded.

“Yes.” she answered, as the slow strains of the new song permeated the air.

Chapter 15

Devon wiped a tear. The memories were not serving her well for they were now more bitter than they were sweet. The contrast was too sharp not to sting. Atleast then they got along... Now, things were quite the opposite of getting along. They practically pretend neither existed.

***

Fate was playing games and James was but a pawn. He searched for hours in vain, but when he gave up and decided to go for a walk to cool his thoughts down, he found her at the beach. She was crying. Defiantly wiping off each tear that dared fall, but crying still... 'Funny, Fate. You are too funny!' he cursed. How does one profess undying love to someone who's too busy falling apart? There was no way, and only an idiot would try. The timing could not be more wrong. James walked up to her, a scene too similar but entirely too different. This was a purposeful tread compared to the listless wonder it had been before, he lacked the proper composure. But it was one of those now or never things. Life was too short to dilly-dally.

“Hey.”

***

Devon felt a jolt run through her spine when she heard his voice.
She wiped her eyes off with the back of her hand. 'James.' she thought, wondering why he was there, what he needed, better yet; what she should do, where she should go, what should she say. She stood too fast and lost her balance for an instant, stumbled, and James rushed towards her to help. But she held up a hand to keep him away. “I'm fine.” she said scornfully as her ankle ached.
“Why did you run?” he asked quietly, hurt. The idiot in him has already made up its mind to confess, but the timing wasn't right, circumstances were not conducive for his purposes, and the ire of the object of his admiration was on him. “I've been looking for you.” he said, with his obvious raw emotion
“I just needed some air.”
“Ofcourse you did.” he said with a low voice, defensive and guarded. He could only handle getting brushed off once in one night whether or not it had been intended.
“Eh ano naman kasi ngayon sayo?” she said, with her hand on her hip. She knew that tone and it irked her more. He was being sarcastic, and it pushed her to get cross.
“Don't you sass at me! Why do you have to make this so hard?” he said, equal parts frustrated at the situation, and upset at Devon. “I just wanted to talk. You and I, we need to start over. That's all we have to do!”
“James, this isn't some videogame. This is life! You can't just revert to an old save file and carry on. It doesn't work that way.” Devon started to walk away, wincing with every step. “I'm not just some NPC you can talk to when it serves your purposes, then forget about as you gallivanting with your other friends.”
James followed. “I didn't say it was a game.” he said, struggling to keep up with Devon as he jogged backwards to face her. “What the hell, Devon. You were never like that to me.”
“You're right. You're so right. You didn't.” She said with a smile. She was being crass and sarcastic. “That was my bad. Pasensiya na lang taga bundok kasi ako. Begging your pardon, sir.”
He grabbed her shoulders to keep her in place and she yelped in agony. Her ankle got worse and was already swelling. “Shit.” James cursed under his breath, realizing what happened. Devon tried to push him away, but he angrily made her sit. “Sit down.”
“I don't want to sit.”
“Sit!” he growled. Suddenly mature, suddenly the bigger man.
Devon couldn't help but sit from the combined force of his eyes and the pressure he was putting on her shoulders. He sat down infront of her.
“Why were you walking on this?” he asked condescendingly gesturing with both hands at the foot resting on his legs. “Are you stupid?”
No answer.
'Oh yeah? Well two can play at that game.' he thought to himself. He took his shirt off, which made Devon gasp. He tied it tightly on her busted ankle.
“Ow!” Devon yelped in pain.
He smirked. For the first time in a long time, he managed to get the correct reaction from her. “Wow. You can behave and react like a normal human being after all.” came out of his mouth. He cursed at himself at yet another wrong move he coud not take back.
Devon scowled, said nothing more, and immediately rose after James finished tying his shirt on her foot. Even when her foot hurt as he put more pressure on it, she kept mum, and even though it ached even more as she walked on it, she kept a straight face. She stormed off in complete gimped fashion, limping and annoyed. They reached the garden when James finally admitted defeat. He couldn't play at that game after all.
“Okay, what the hell is your problem? I just tried to help.” he asked
“Why, then thanks for your kindness.” she said, eyes blazing, and he both hated and loved it. Atleast she was looking at him. “Sobrang maraming salamat, ha? Talagang nag-abala ka pa”
“You're welcome.” he replied smugly. 'Say something else. You fool!' “It really was no trouble...” 'Not that! Something else!'

Devon rolled her eyes and walked on.

“Devon, Wait!” James took two quick strides to reach her and caught her arm. The spark was still there, and it was undeniable to both of them. When their skin touched, without the pretense of an injury, or choreography, or even some dumb photo-op, that spark burned and awakened a raging current so strong, they were both caught off guard. Awkwardly gauging their feelings as one stood before the other in an overwhelming swell of emotion, they stared in shock. At the contact point, at each other, then again at the contact point. Wondering what was happening. Wondereing if it had been a shared experience. Wondering what it was.

James dropped Devon's arm like a hot potato. “I'm-- I'm sorry.” he breathed. Still in a heady rush. Devon bit her lower lip and said nothing. She was still reeling in herself. It was no more than a second. No more. And yet, she could feel every fiber of her being awakened. “Are you-- are you alright?” he asked her.
She nodded, her contrary mood has been replaced and flooded by this overwhelming sense of, of... She stared off blankly as she struggled to put into words how she felt. This overwhelming sense of completeness.
James took her arm gently this time, measured and precise. “Here, I'll help you to your room.” he said quietly, feeling more alive than ever. Extremely aware of Devon's smooth skin against his palm.

Devon just followed, focusing on the warmth of his palm on her skin. It was not the same feeling as mere moments ago. Something has changed, but she chould still feel it. The same warmth. A warmth that seems to have settled at the core of her very being and easily flowed through her as if it was not such a foreign feeling after all.

***

When they got to the door, James let go of Devon's arm gently. She nodded at him in appreciation, as he stared intently at her. She grabbed the door knob as if to enter.

“What happened, Devon?” James asked, eyeing the ground, serious, quiet.
Devon paused, releasing the door knob. “What do you mean?”
“To us. What happened to us.” he asked, leaning against the wall, as if being vulnerable like this was draining him. “Where did the entire last year go?”
“Ewan ko, James.” she said with a sigh. Still warm from James' touch. “I was never an expert of these things.”
“You give Fretzie advice.” he challenged.
“I give her advice.” she nodded solemnly, and backed away from the door to lean against the wall opposite James'. “But thoughts are a lot different from knowledge.” Something in her voice made James look at her. She was thinking. Digging for the deepest morsels she could find. “Advice... thoughts lang yun.”
“Let's go for coffee.” he blurted out.
“What?” Devon asked, brought back from her reverie.
“Coffee.”
“Sarado na yung shop...” Devon tried to argue, pointing towards the direction of the coffee shop.
“Pag ayaw, maraming dahilan.” James said in nearly perfect Tagalog, and Devon eyed him suspiciously. She used to say that all the time. “It's just coffee, Devon.” he offered her his hand. Looking in his eyes, Devon placed hers in his. He took it and intertwined his fingers in hers like he used to when they were still friends. They shared knowing looks over a shared memory. “I missed this.” he said, as he slowly led her to the patio facing the lit pool.

***

He lifted the mosquito netting for one of the patio swings and led her in. He made her sit there. “If I go for five minutes, do you promise you'll still be here?”
Devon said nothing.
“I'll take that as a yes.” James said, as he bolted back to his room.

He took the coffee cups from the kitchenette and a sweater from the room he was supposed to share with Bret, but Bret roomed with his band, so the room was all James', then he took some hot water from a dispenser at the nearby cafeteria and made two cups of instant coffee. He walked back to where he left Devon, and in the dim lighting, he saw her silhouette still sitting there, watching the pool water ripple and lightly swirl. Or so he thought. Because when he rounded the corner, naka-tungo ang dalaga. Nakatulog na.

He set the coffee cups on a small table near by and sat by her. He rested her head on his shoulder and sighed contently. He was taking liberties, he knew. But he was preparing for the rockiest, probably most physically dangerous courtship ahead of him, and if this was at all close to what it was gonna be like to be hers officially, he'd gladly put up with the initial abuse. He was aware of how sweet Devon could be. How endearing. How loving. He saw it first hand once upon a time. A time he still remembers fondly despite all his efforts of eradicating it from his thoughts. He leaned his head on Devon's forehead, and Devon sighed and stirred. James froze. Unwilling to let this moment end just yet.

***

“Dhemy... Wag kang sumama...” she breathed, sleep talking.

“Devon?” James asked, checking if she was awake.
“Hm?”
“Where's Dhemy going?”
“Eh, sasama siya kay Dimple.” she mumbled. “Ako nalang matitira...”
“When is Dimple leaving?” James asked stone-faced. She was dreaming and troubled even in her sleep.
“Sabi niya, nadelay daw. Sabi niya matatagalan pa. Pero nakita ko yung plane ticket niya. End of September na yun...”
“So less--” he tried to talk some more. Devon hasn't been this open to him in ages. But Devon cut him off.
“Sayang nga kasi long weekend pa naman ako this week. Out of town sana kaming lahat.”
“Out of town?” he asked, but got no answer.
“Sinabi ko kay Ivan ready na ko for the Ball!” she muttered with a slight giggle. “Pero hindi ako pupunta.”
“What?” James asked, a bit too violently for Devon shuffled, and dozed off in a much deeper sleep. Sleep talking was over. James wondered what she meant. She wasn't going to the Ball? She was excited for it the previous year, and talked about how she was excited for this year's even then. But she was not going?

Devon rested her head comfortably on James' chest as he carried her back to the girls' room. He did not offer anything beyond the customary 'she fell asleep' to the questioning eyes of Shey and April. He did not really care. He was too pre occupied. He already realized he was gonna be doing some slick sleuthing. He had 5 days till the Ball. Two of those will he booked with work, so he only had 3 days to work with incase his suspicions were true.

The bottom line though, was that he had to take care of this. Devon was going to the Ball if it all came down to him.