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Do I like being with Leo? Of course, I do. Is that a realistic thing that can happen? He makes me feel like it could be realistic. I’ve only met his real side recently, but now that I feel like I know him better, I’m starting to feel differently about these things.
And the scariest part about it is —
I jolt in my steps, stopping me in the middle of the studio lot as my phone rings. Quickly, I pull it out of my blazer pocket, seeing my little sister’s name on the caller ID. I let out a sigh, knowing I’m in for a tongue-lashing. I answer hesitantly, “H-Hello?”
“So, am I the maid-of-honor? If not, I’m going to burn through your renovation money that you’re still probably gonna send,” Lia doesn’t even start with a greeting. She just goes right for the jugular every single time.
“Okay, okay, I know I dropped a huge bombshell on everyone, but I can explain,” I reply, slowly walking toward a secluded area of the lot. I can’t really let anyone hear what I’m about to say, but I also can’t keep this away from my sister any longer. We didn’t really have that much time to talk during my time back in Manila because I bolted on the second day, so I owe her a lot.
“I’m sure it’s riveting. Tell me all about how you fell in love with your boss,” Lia’s still relentless, and I can’t really tell anymore if she’s mad or if she’s teasing or if she’s both.
I process my thoughts for a minute, knowing I’m just as confused about the situation as she is. “I didn’t,” I answer, and I immediately regret it because that’s just the worst possible way to respond to that question. “I mean — It’s just —” I cut myself off, feeling a choking sensation building up in my throat as I desperately try to explain the situation.
“Are you okay?” Lia asks, now genuinely concerned. “I honestly thought this would be a more straightforward part in comparison to Mom and Dad spending your dream house money on our cousins.”
Which she never told me about. Well, I can’t really blame her. I can’t force her to take sides with her family members. That’s not the point right now, and it’s not important anymore. The money is gone, and all I can do is just earn it back. Which leads me to the actual important point.
“You’re not gonna like what I’m gonna say,” I warn her, thinking how she’s not even close to finishing her studies yet and how she’s depending on me to pay for her tuition. Benji’s going to need my help someday, too, when he decides to go to college. Which again, is why I’m doing all of this.
“My visa extension got rejected.”
Lia falls silent on the other end of the line, and I’m just assuming that she’s shocked by what I said.
“Isa, if you’re doing all of this just so you can provide for us, then I would respectfully have to ask you to stop.Nakakaloka ka,” she states firmly, calling me stressful in Tagalog at the end of her sentence. “You always valued marriage! You’re like Mom and Dad with how traditional you are about it.”
I look up at the sky. Lia is right, and I’ve tried to ignore these feelings.
“I know that, but you know I can’t just stop. And no, this isn’t just about the dream house, it’s about giving my family a comfortable and secure life. Don’t you remember being tired of just living paycheck to paycheck? Not knowing if we’ll have food at the table by dinner or having money to buy medicine if one of us gets sick? That’s why I’m doing all of this.”
“By committing a felony?” Lia, again, gives it to me straight, but she acts like I haven’t thought of that. She acts like that very crime hasn’t been keeping me up at night, but I try not to let my frustration get the best of me. I know she’s only looking out for my best interest.
“You can’t marry someone you don’t love, Isa. Don’t sell out your principles and your beliefs for us. We can’t accept that.”
Another silence falls between us. I’m at a loss for words, for sure, but a big part of me knows that I don’t need to say anything. Lia can literally hear it in the silence.
I can hear Lia’s shaky breath through the phone, and I know at that very moment that there’s no running away from this now. “Wait, are you actually in lo —”
“Hey, listen. I have to go. Tell everyone I love them, okay?” I cut her off, my heart still not sure if it can take hearing those words out loud. Even right now, just as Lia’s incomplete words ring infinitely in my ears, my heart’s ready to jump out of my body and run five hundred miles.
I hold a hand against my chest, hoping to calm myself down as I see through my peripheral vision the daily hustle and bustle of the crew of different projects currently materializing in the studio, and I’m reminded that I need to get back to work. I may have an upcoming interview with a terrifying woman who’s out to prove we’re committing marriage fraud in a couple of days, but today, I’m an assistant to the CEO of Camden Studios, and there are good people out there who need me, including Leo.
Ugh. I shouldn’t have thought about him. Now my thoughts are just filled with our nights in Boracay as I begin to walk back to the main office again. I need to get things under control. How I’ll do that, I’ve yet to figure out.
Thankfully, I reach the main building without any sudden outbursts, and I’m almost positive that I can get through this day. Fortunately, Leo is out of the office today. Usually, I would go with him to a meeting, but he insisted I stay behind at the studio. I would have asked why, but I’m sure he has his reasons. Maybe he knows it’s not the best thing for us to be seen together at work when practically everyone in Hollywood already knows that we’re engaged. It’s hard not to spread the news about the most eligible bachelor in Tinseltown about to tie the knot with his assistant, but that’s something I’ve drowned out. I’m not usually one to let other people’s opinions get the best of me, but it helps if I can keep them out of earshot and eyeshot.
I walk toward the elevator, pressing the button to go up to Leo’s office. As it opens, however, I’m greeted by no one other than the loudest and most wonderful person I know.
“Isa!” Cody’s voice screeches throughout the entire lobby, earning the attention of everyone in the space. I quickly push him back inside and close the elevator, pressing the button for Leo’s floor. “You havesomuch to tell me, you vixen!” Cody’s voice continues to boom, and being enclosed in an elevator elevates those volumes tenfold in my ears, but I know he’s just excited.
“It’s nice to see you, Cody,” I greet him, already out of breath. Maybe I have been breathing raggedly this entire time and I just haven’t noticed.
The elevator continues to go up like my best friend’s enthusiasm. “So, tell me all the details! I haven’t shut up about the two of you to my boyfriend, and you know how I can talk an ear off.”
“Yep, yep, I know that too well,” I confirm with an eye roll and a snicker. “But… can I tell you something?” I ask, allowing myself to be vulnerable as the elevator opens and we walk into Leo’s empty office. My muscle memory kicks in and I realize we need to take this to my own desk. Thankfully the foyer in front of the office is empty. I make my way toward my desk and Cody sits in one of the chairs in front of me.
“Honey, that’s what I’m here for,” he assures me, elongating the last word. Cody dials down his enthusiasm, however, probably sensing that there’s something bothering me.
I take a deep breath, already feeling my heartbeat rapidly increasing as thoughts of Leo’s smile flood my brain. His laugh echoes in my head as if it’s hollow, and that’s the only thing reverberating forever. I can feel my body remembering how his smoky green eyes make me melt into a puddle, washed away by the beauty of his face. I can still feel myself yearn for his touch, like he’s left his mark on me for the rest of time, and he’s the only one who can satiate this need.
