It's Magic --- PART II - Chapter 22

Jealousy and pain.

Chapter 22

 

        “I repeat. The roles of Tyrone and Diana should be given a kissing scene.” And it is all clear to me. Lawrence and I will do a kissing scene!

        I look at him who is beside me, and I can see the shock through his face. But when he notices me looking at him, he looks the other way. I look at Mylene in front of me, and she seems to be happy about it, yet she must be keeping it to herself. I look at Kevin, and I can also see the shock through his eyes, and the weird disappointment behind those. Weird…

        I raise my hand up to refuse. “Dir, maybe we could do some other takes, but not the kissing scene.”

        “Oh, no, Katherine… A kissing scene is the only way to fulfill the audience’s hunger for romance. Anyway, Hannah and Travis have did some back at Amsterdam. Of course if they can do it, you can also do it.”

        “But �"” I say in desperation.

        “Katherine, decide now or we will waste all that we have spent �" time, money, efforts and many more �" if you make the wrong decision. The future of this film lies in your hands.”

        “Dir, I think we could still make another scene instead of that.” Lawrence argues, but the director just simply sways his head side-by-side.

        Well, Hannah, who is beside me, opposite Lawrence, pulls me down and whispers something in my ears that changed my decision.

        “Kate, Travis and I didn’t really kiss. Don’t worry, I will teach you and Lawrence the trick.” But I still have puzzles in my mind. I hesitate for a while, but after thinking about it good enough, I agree, as to not disappoint the audience.

        “Okay, dir.” I say, and then everyone falls silent. I look at Lawrence, “We will do it.”

        And then the behind-the-scenes staffers are in a great ruckus. Okay… I guess my decision is what they have been waiting for.

        I can see the shock through Lawrence’s eyes as well, but I simply smile at him. Don’t worry, Lawrence. Everything will be alright. Hannah will help us.

        He looks the other way. Awkward, I know.

        And what gets my attention is…

        “Excuse me.” He simply says with a cold voice, silently stands up and then leaves. All eyes are on Kevin as he walks out. I feel bad upon seeing him like that, and I also feel the race of my heartbeat. But I know something must be behind that walk-out. I should know about it.

        “Well, everything’s in place now. Meeting adjourned.” The director speaks.

        “Thank you, dir…” They all response, I’m not included. My thoughts fly to where Kevin could possibly go �" what’s possibly in his mind.

        I leave as well, and I really feel that something’s wrong. I feel so uneasy. Weird…

        So, I go to the biking station, rent a bike and go strolling along the road. And there are other bikers, too. This must be a good day.

        I just stroll around and around, until in the midst of my biking, I see someone with the strongest aura ahead of me, also biking. And upon seeing his back, his hair and his good body makes my heart skip a beat.

        Kevin.

        As I’ve said, he is ahead of me, so it is likely that he didn’t know that I am around. And I can say that he looks directly ahead based on how I see him.

        He slows down then stops at the tree that I once cried when I hurt him. Remember that?

        I also slow down and stop at the tree. I get off my bike then go to him with no words coming from my mouth. I’m sure he has seen me, but why is he ignoring me?

        We’re like crazy mutes. When I look at him, and he looks at me as well, he immediately looks the other way as if I’m not around even though we are not moving. I try my best to smile at him but I don’t get any smiles in return.

        And I can’t take this anymore, so I voice out. “Kevin, what’s wrong?”

        “N-nothing.” He stubbornly answers in a cold tone. And I feel the heave in my chest.

        “There is.” I insist. And he just falls silent, but now, we’re eye-to-eye.

        It’s a long while of eye contact, and that when I feel really bad that my eyes start to moist, I am surprised when he just pulls me close, hugs me really, really tight and brushes his hair with mine and whispers in my ears.

        “You love me, right?” He asks which tickles my ears, but his tone is serious yet sweet.

        And I hesitate before answering. Awkward! “Y-yeah…”

        “So please don’t do it.” And I understand what he means �" the kissing scene.

        Well, I have to question it. “Why?” But the race of my heartbeat starts.

        “Just please don’t do it for me.” He says softly and hugs me tighter.

        “Well, I should, Kevin. It’s for the production.” I explain, and it’s true. “I have to do it, Kevin. Anyway �"”

        “Please…” He says with now intensified voice that I really feel something wrong. “Please don’t break my heart.” I am then surprised by that. What? Please don’t break his heart?

        “K-Kevin… do you mean something?” I ask, but I already have a hint of that, though I still need to confirm.

        “Yes, Kate. Don’t you see? Don’t you even feel it?” He says as he breaks from our closure and looks at me eye-to-eye with convincing eyes, and then he takes my hand and puts it against his chest. I feel his heartbeat, which is quite the same with mine. And my eyes widen upon realizing what I just found out.

        “Are you that numb not to feel or even notice that I am in love with you? Not just as a big sister… I mean, something real Kate.” He says in his soft yet sweet tone.

        And that statement makes my heart jump of joy! S**t! So all of those moments we’ve made are never wasted, after all.

        “K-Kevin…” I gasp, surprised.

        “That’s why I keep telling you that I love you, Kate �" because I really do…” He says. “But I have to say it as other means, like adding big sis, because you are just too numb to feel it.”

        “K-Kevin… why?” I ask, still in surprise. Why just now?

        “I don’t know. It’s the way you make me feel…” He says. And swear, it’s magic…

        “But please, Kate, please don’t do it…” He says with pleading eyes that moistens. And I can feel the pain by just looking at his eyes. “You don’t know how great it would break me to see you kissing him.”

        “Kevin…” I say as I take my hand from his chest. “I’m sorry, but I have to.”

        “Why, Kate?” He asks. “Didn’t you say you love me?”

        “Kevin, I’m sorry. I don’t have a choice.” I explain, but in fact, I’m just doing this to tease him. I’d like to see his reaction �" to prove that he’s really afraid of losing me.

        “Kate, please…” He says, takes my hand and squeezes it really tight. “Please?”

        But I really have no intention of stop this tease. So, I say in my sweetest tone, “Kevin, I’m sorry but �"”

        Tears then fall from his eyes, and he lets go of my hand gently. So he’s really serious. And I feel pain at seeing him like that. He doesn’t sob, but I can see the pain and sadness in his eyes.

        “Kevin, I…” I say as I go to him, but before I could take his hand, he moves back.

        “Do you really have no choice?” He asks politely, but I can feel the coldness in his tone. “Do you really need to do it?”

        “Well, Kev �"” I try to speak.

        “No.” He says in his sweet tone, as he forces a weak smile. “You can do it. It just simply means that you don’t love me. There’s no problem, anyway, I can’t and will not control you, so I can’t stop you if you really need to.”

        “Everything’s up to you, anyway.” He says after a while, and before I could speak, he mounts the bike and then turns. “And before I go, I think I still have to tell you this, Kate…”

        Then after a while of silence, he says in his cracked voice. “I love you.”

        And I feel the pain in my chest and the moist in my eyes. I feel bad to see him that way. I didn’t know that my tease could affect him that much. And plus, it’s his birthday in two days! Is that my birthday present to him as his lover?

        This is what I did wrong. I played too much that I broke his heart.

        But I have to heal it. I’ll give him the best present on his day.