Anna smiled when AJ and his girlfriend, Kaye, came to the gazebo where she is currently working for the interview she had with Nick. “Hi, wow! You made this your personal office.” AJ says and browsed at the pictures in her digital camera.

Anna nodded. “I heard that you were out on a dive. How is it?”

Kaye smiled. “It’s great. It was wonderful out there. You should’ve come with us. Nick is the only one unpaired.”

Anna chuckled and closed the laptop. “Oh, Mr. Grumpy. Thanks, but no way.”

“Why?” AJ smirked. He noticed that the two seemed to have this silent disinterest from each other. The other guys noticed that too and they chose to observe rather than to intervene. Nick is curious with Faye’s sister and they wondered why.

“Why? Well, I just feel that if ever I will come across into trying to start a conversation with him, he will brush me off immediately. I’ve tried that earlier, even requested a smile from him, but he only walked out as if he’s just wasting his time.” Anna told the couple. “I know I don’t know him and I’m not trying to judge him that easy except that I found him to be Mr. Grumpy. That’s all. Please, don’t pair him up with me.”

“Oh, okay.” Kaye glanced at her boyfriend. “Would you like to go hiking with us tomorrow morning?”

Anna shakes her head. “I’m sorry, I can’t. I’m leaving the island tomorrow. I still got lots of work to do in Manila.” She smiled. “Thanks, anyway.” There’s been silence for a while until AJ cleared his throat.

“Uh, by the way, Anna?” the two women looked at him. “It’s about Faye.” He suddenly felt uncomfortable because of the sensitivity of the situation. “Well, she told me about you when I had the chance to talk with her during the flight.”

“How did you meet, by the way?” Anna asked. AJ couldn’t see any hint of emotion in her face and he wondered how she could do it, being incapable of feeling anything or rather showing her emotions. Drawing a deep breath first, he started to tell the first time he met Faye until the moment when she died inside an exploded car.

“I somehow knew about you from the way Faye tells your stories. She’s so fond of you. She missed you and she loved you so much.” AJ finished. He watched as Anna continued working on the laptop, looking as if they’re just talking about some random things. He met Kaye’s look. “Oh, and there’s another thing I have to tell you. Nick likes you.” He added.

Anna raised an eyebrow. “Okay. That’s a joke.”

“Seriously,” Kaye agreed. “He’s talking about wanting to know you more. Did he drop by here earlier after our dive? He said he wanted to talk with you, maybe like asking you out for a dinner tonight.”

“He did drop by but our conversation was far from getting to know each other. He’s actually unnerving.” Anna looked at them. “Did someone break his heart or something? He’s like a robot.”

“Ignore that. Nick actually likes you. He’s just being dumbfounded when he’s around a woman he really likes.” AJ tells her. He smirked. May Nick forgive him, because he’s pairing him up with Faye’s sister.



~~~



“So, as I was saying,” Kevin chuckled as he continued with his story, “I’m thinking of painting the kid’s room pink but Kris preferred white.” He and the rest of the guys, and their wives and girlfriends, are having dinner that evening. Nick is the only one not there, said he went to the other resort to check out the party going on there.

“Pink?” Brian chuckled and turned to Kristin. “Kevin likes pink?”

“Let him get what he wants. He’s too excited having a baby and he wants a girl. I, on the other hand, preferred to paint it white.” Kristin said. The couple has been planning to have a child in a very long time and they must have found time to concentrate on that part now. She looked around. “Where’s Nick?”

Others shrugged in reply. “I wonder what his business is with Anna. Have you noticed him? I saw him going towards Anna’s cottage earlier.” Brian told them.

“He likes her?” Howie asks. He continued with his food. But before Brian could reply, the subject of their conversation entered the dining hall, literally following Anna. The two were in a conversation but they couldn’t hear what it is. They did not even seemed to notice that their friends were there. The two went straight to the buffet table, still talking about something.

“What’s going on?” Leigh, Howie’s girlfriend, asks. They waited for the two to join them but after a while of taking what they need to eat, they settled on a table outside the dining hall, overlooking the beach. The group all looked at each other with curiosity. What’s going on with Nick and Anna?



~~~



“Oh! Come on,” Nick insisted but Anna only rolled her eyes. She never thought that this guy can be very persistent when he wants to get things his way. And he’s asking her for something ridiculous. She went out of the dining hall, deciding to occupy the table facing the beach. She noticed that Nick followed her and sat opposite of her.

“Nick, I said no. That’s N-O.”

“Why?”

Anna stopped from slicing her pork and looked at him. “Why? It’s ridiculous! You are asking me to go to the US with you.” She smirked. “That’s just not possible.”

“Why? I’m offering you a job. You can be our tour coordinator.”

Anna forgot what she’s holding – a knife that she’s now waving in front of him, emphasizing what she’s trying to make him see. Nick had to edge away to avoid the sharp edge. He saw how pissed she is but instead of getting worried, he secretly smiled. Anna glared at him. “Tell me, Nick. Why are you doing this?”

They stared at each other for a while before Nick cleared his throat. “Alright, I admit. I want to see you and the only way to have that is to ask you to come with us when we go home. It would be impossible if you refuse because you’re here and I’m there. I want you near.”

“You’re a spoiled brat,” Anna shakes her head. She continued eating. Nick watched her that she felt conscious on what she’s doing. “Has anyone ever told you that it’s rude to stare?”

“I’m an artist and I have this penchant in appreciating beauty, most especially of the one that’s right in front of me.” Nick smiled. It’s the first direct smile to her since the first time they met. Anna thought her heart beats faster than she thought. Intin is right. Nick can be really charming and mesmerizing if he wants to and he knows when and how to use it. He’s doing his tricks on her in order for her to agree on what he’s asking of her. She still disagreed. It’s ridiculous.

“You don’t have to smile like that just to get what you want.” She drinks her glass of water.

“Doesn’t it have any effect on you?”

“You’re charming but I don’t agree with what you want. I’m not someone who will give in and follow what you want. I have a very good life here in my country and I won’t go with you to the US.” Anna looked at Nick and met his stare.

“Is that your final answer?”

“Yes.”



~~~



“What’s up, man?” Brian asks when Nick joined them. Nick missed the curious looks that his friends exchanged with each other as he asked a waiter for a bottle of light beer.

“Fine. I just spoke with Anna, nothing much though.” Nick studied the food that is in front of them, wondering what kind of exotic dish it is.

“Oh, Anna.” That was AJ. “She told me that she’ll be flying back to Manila tomorrow.”

“Huh?” Nick looked at the elder man. “Why?” Anna never told him anything about that while having dinner with her earlier.

“She needs to go back. Apparently, her hands are full with so much work.” AJ replied. The others were weighing the situation on whether they will confront Nick about his interest with Anna.

“When we get back to LA, there will be a demo recording at the studio. Ken informed me last night.” Kevin told them.

But Nick’s mind is elsewhere. He is tapping his fingers on the table, biting his lower lip. “Excuse me,” he stood up and left the group.