Like Nobody's Watching

by Tara Frejas

  But maybe not right now.

  Because right now, the small contingency of fangirls from Manila have decided to follow him wherever he went. He had already gone inside a few clothing boutiques and record shops, hoping they would eventually get tired and go back home, but they were still there. They weren’t invading his personal space though, thank god, because he didn’t want to have to tell them to back off.

  Both Audrey and Vivien looked at him, wearing identical smiles, when he approached their table. Vivien offered to grab a chair from another table for him, but he shook his head and took Audrey’s hand.

  “I’m sorry, but we have to run.”

  “What? But we were just…”

  “Now, please.”

  Vivien grabbed her bag. “Are your fans following you, or do you really just want some private time with Ate? Because I can go ahead and—”

  “Yes and yes,” Pio replied, looking over his shoulder to see if any of his fans have tracked him. “And no, Viv. You’re not going ahead. I’m driving you girls back home.”

  “Pio, we’re fine. We’ll take the bus back t—”

  “No.”

  Audrey’s eyes narrowed, making him think for a second she would argue with him on this. Instead, she smirked and said, “I have never heard you use that tone on me before.”

  “There’s always a first time.”

  “Sexy.”

  “Um, okay…” Vivien waved her hand in front of their faces. “Let me just say I totally ship this, but you two need to get a room.”

  “Thank you, Viv—that was part of the plan. Which is why we need to go.”

  Thanks to Vivien’s excellent reconnaissance work, they dodged the group of fans gathered in front of a Krispy Kreme three shops down the hall. This was unfamiliar territory, but they managed to fly under the radar after Audrey suggested accessing the emergency exit stairwell. And when they finally reached the basement parking lot, Cleo was there, waiting to hand Pio’s car key over.

  “Thanks, C. I owe you one,” he sighed and gave her a hug. Quick introductions were made, and Cleo only flashed Audrey and Vivien a polite smile before turning to Pio with a look of mild dismay.

  “You can make it up to me by driving safely and showing up on Monday morning,” Cleo said and turned to go, her own car waiting for her somewhere in this packed parking lot.

  That was their cue to go.

  “What’s Monday morning?” Audrey asked later, when they were finally on the road.

  “First day of shooting. New teleserye.”

  “Wow—congratulations! Who’s the lucky lady you’ll be kissing every episode now?”

  “Am I sensing hostility?” Pio laughed. Vivien too, but stopped when Audrey shushed her. “For the record, I don’t think I will be kissing anyone in this show…so you can stop being jealous.”

  “I’m not jealous!”

  Audrey’s protestation was met with a muted guffaw from the backseat, and soon, the music in Pio’s car was overpowered by infectious laughter. This was definitely something he could get used to.

  When the laughter died down, Vivien noticed they were driving down a different route and voiced her concern. Pio glanced at her from the rearview mirror and said, “We’re just doing a quick stopover at the Alvez home.”

  Audrey turned to him, bugged out eyes and all. “What?”

  “I planned to sleep over at Mom’s but I’ll just swing by for a bit so—”

  “Pio!”

  “What—we’ll be quick. I promise.” He stopped at an intersection and took Audrey’s hand. “Besides, my mom’s been wanting to meet you.”

  “You are impossible.”

  “I am a lot of things.”

  “Show me.”

  He looked up at the rearview mirror again and saw Vivien’s scandalized expression. “Oh no. Viv, close your eyes.”

  “Jesus Christ—just kiss already!”

  And because it took forever for the light to turn green, they did.

  Finally.

  Years down the line, Pio might write this off as a series of events that unfurled after acting on impulse, and that was okay. Because how many people could actually say they found someone they wanted to be with after meeting them drunk outside a bar, with mascara running down her face? How many people could say they were offered to play pretend boyfriend and ended up wanting the charade to be real?

  People might find it a tired cliché, but it was as real for him as the taste of coffee on Audrey’s lips: bitter and sweet at the same time.

  Hazy at best was how he might describe what’s ahead of them, and that was okay too. Things didn’t have to be perfect all the time, after all. Maybe that’s where his obsession of fixing what he thinks is broken would come in handy. Or maybe he would learn a thing or two about appreciating flaws and letting them be. For now, all that mattered was that a woman he cared for enough to consider giving love another shot was here, willing to take this wild and bumpy ride with him.

  And that, to him, was more than enough.

  THE END

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Tara Frejas is a cloud-walker who needs caffeine to fuel her travels. When she’s not on work mode, she keeps herself busy by weaving her daydreams into stories.

  Aside from her obvious love affair with words and persistent muses, this full-fledged Piscean (who cares what NASA says?) is passionate about being caffeinated, musical theatre, certain genres of music, dance, dogs, good food, and romancing Norae, her ukulele. She owns a male bunny named Max who sometimes tries to nibble on her writing notes.

  MORE BOOKS FROM TARA

  Paper Planes Back Home | The “Forget You” Brew | Scandalized | Settle the Score/Hustle Play | Make My Wish Come True (#romanceclass Christmas anthology) | Waiting in the Wings | Summer Crush

  GET IN TOUCH WITH TARA

  Website: tarafrejas.com

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  Twitter: twitter.com/tarafrejas

  Instagram: instagram.com/tarafrejas

  Email: author@tarafrejas.com

  Subscribe to my newsletter: bit.ly/subscribetotara

  GLOSSARY

  adobo, n. (Filipino) | traditional Filipino dish which involves cooking meat, seafood, or vergetables in soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic

  alaga, n. (Filipino) | ward, a person being taken care of. Alaga may also be used as an adjective meaning care or protect.

  alfajores, n. (Spanish) | soft cookies made with cornstarch, filled with dulce de leche

  ate, n. (Filipino) | big sister

  bagoong, n. (Filipino) | Philippine condiment either made of fermented fish or krill.

  barangay, n. (Spanish) | the smallest administrative division in the Philippines, also the native Filipino term for a village, district, or ward

  basted, v. (colloq, Filipino) | to be rejected by someone you like

  Baybayin | ancient Philippine script derived from the Brahmic scripts of India, first recorded in the 16th century

  bulalo, n. (Filipino) | a beef dish from the Philippines made by cooking beef shanks and marrow bones

  bunso, adj. (Filipino) | youngest child of the family

  chichirya, n. (colloq. Filipino) | junk food

  inihaw na pusit, n. (Filipino) | grilled squid

  “Kaawaan ka ng Diyos, anak.” (Filipino) | “May God be with you, child.”

  kapritso, n. (Filipino) | whim, impulse

  kare-kare, n. (Filipino) | traditional Philippine stew complimented with a thick, savory peanut sauce

  kulit, v. (Filipino) | to badger, pester

  kuya, n. (Filipino) | big brother

  lechon, n. (Spanish) | roasted pig

  lechon kawali, n. (Spanish, Filipino) | boiled, deep fried pork belly

  loko, adj. (Filipino) | fool

  lumpia, n. (Chinese) | spring rolls

  mabango, adj. (Filipino) | pleasant-smelling

  malambing, adj. (Filipino) | sweet or affectionate. When used to describe a voice, malambing could mea
n melodious or pleasing to the ear.

  manang, n. (Filipino) | derived from the Spanish word, hermana, manang is often used as a familiar term for a middle-aged woman, even if not related to the speaker

  manliligaw, n. (Filipino) | suitor

  mayordoma, n. (Spanish) | the female head servant of a household

  mechado, n. (Spanish) | a beef dish originating from Spain, and often served in the Philippines

  otome game, n. (Japanese) | literally “maiden game,” or a story-based video game in which one of the players’ objectives is to develop a romantic relationship between the female character and one of the male or female characters

  pabitin, n. (Filipino) | a popular children’s party game where a rack of items is suspended over a crowd who attempt to grab at the items while the rack is lowered and raised

  pasalubong, n. (Filipino) | a souvenir, or anything a person buys during a trip for someone back home

  pata negra, n. (Spanish) | a type of cured ham produced in Spain and Portugal

  “Pio na ang puso ko.” (Filipino) | a play on the words “Iyo na ang puso ko” which means “My heart is yours.”

  pogi, adj. (Filipino) | handsome, good-looking

  saling-pusa, n. (Filipino) | an idiom that refers to someone joining in a group activity despite not being a full-fledged member of said group

  salubong, v. (Filipino) | to welcome. A birthday salubong is a party that happens on the eve of a celebrant’s birthday.

  sorbetero, n. (Filipino) | a man who peddles sorbetes or “dirty ice cream” on the street

  taho, n. (Filipino) | snack food made of silken tofu, brown sugar syrup, and sago pearls

  teleserye, n. (English, Filipino) | a coined word meaning television series

  tito/tita, n. (Spanish) | uncle, aunt

  tsokolate de batirol, n. (Spanish, Filipino) | hot chocolate drink made from pure cacao balls/discs

  turon, n. (Filipino) | banana spring rolls

  ube, n. (Filipino) | dessert made from boiled and mashed purple yam

  “Umayos ka.” (Filipino) | “Behave.”

  walis tambo, n. (Filipino) | broom made of tambo, a common reed

  yaya, n. (Filipino) | nursemaid, governess

  SPECIAL THANKS

  First of all, if not for the well-loved Waiting in the Wings back-to-back live readings during April Feels Day 2017, this book would not have been written at all this year. So thank you, Mina, for that dream come true. And thank you, Gio, Graie, and Fred, for lending your voices to Ramon, Erin, and Pio.

  Like Nobody’s Watching once again took a small village to complete, and I am so thankful to everyone who cheered for me and/or lit a figurative fire up my ass as I took on this journey.

  Thanks to my family, whose love and support I feel all the way from Baguio City. Mama, Daddy, and Tita, thank you for the Instagram likes and Facebook messages, for checking up on my manuscript progress. Thank you, Jill, for being the best baby sister in the world. I love you all.

  My ClingyGirls—Rix, Pach, and Kushie—I’ll always be thankful for you ladies. Rix, thank you for loving Pyo and Audrey too.

  Six and Jay—my Summer Crush Girls—for the samgyupsal, the daytime drinking, and the pompoms. I’m ready for our next adventure!

  For loving Pio from the very beginning, thank you Carla. And thank you for helping me ease my anxieties about this book.

  Thank you Ninang Layla, for working with me once again (this is our third book now!) and helping me make Pio and Audrey’s story better. I’m still in love with your side comments, by the way. It’s my favorite part of editing. Labyu.

  To #romanceclass’ official photographer and book cover designer, Chi and Miles, thank you for the magic. Fred, congratulations on your face!

  To everyone on #TeamPio (you know who you are), thank you for wishing and hoping for this precious boy’s HEA. Your encouraging tweets, comments, and messages kept me going. You’re all part of this too, so thank you.

  To the #romanceclass community, thank you for being my happy place. Let’s all keep cheering each other on and making things happen. Someday, we’ll take over the world, one romance novel at a time.

  Finally, to you holding this little dream in your hands, thank you. Whether you’ve been waiting for Pio since finishing Waiting in the Wings, or you’ve stumbled across my work for the first time, thank you for your time and I hope you enjoyed the book!

  #ROMANCECLASS

  #RomanceClass is a community of Filipino authors and readers publishing and reading romance in English. We are constantly creating new things (books, merch, events) and we’d love to have you on board whether as an author or a reader. Check out our catalogue here: http://romanceclassbooks.com.

  EPILOGUE

  F ive months later

  Damn. Was it hot in here, or were there just that many people?

  At past midnight on a Wednesday, SM Megamall’s Cinema 11 was jam-packed with movie fans who attended Pio Alvez’s debut movie premiere. And judging by the noise Audrey could hear from inside the cinema, there were more fans waiting outside, perhaps to catch a glimpse at the stars as they leave.

  “Babe…”

  Audrey’s back stiffened when she felt Pio’s hand on the small of her back. They were still glued to their seats while everyone else moved out of the cinema.

  “Alice and I will go ahead and greet the fans. Might take a little while,” he said and held her hand, depositing his car key in her palm. “Wait for me in the car?”

  “Sure.”

  He leaned in to kiss her on the cheek, but she shoved his face away, to his disappointment. “Pio—your fans are around.”

  “So? They’re your fans now too, you know?”

  There was a sliver of truth to that, if the basis for being a fan was following someone on virtually every social media platform possible. As soon as Pio confirmed on national TV that he was currently seeing someone, his ardent fans went on detective mode and found her on Instagram and Facebook. They weren’t at all hostile, but Audrey couldn’t help but feel like a million eyes were now watching her every move. She has since learned to brace herself for hundreds of notifications whenever she posts something on Instagram, whether or not it involved Pio.

  “Here, take this instead—” she said, pulling out a wrapped gift from her bag. “Congratulations.”

  Pio looked surprised. “Awww, babe!” he exclaimed and hugged her tight, kissing her hair afterward. “Can I open it?”

  “Now?”

  “Yeah!”

  “Up to you,” Audrey said, laughing softly when Pio started shaking the gift near his ear. She thought he looked like a child who couldn’t wait to open his Christmas present.

  Excited, he tugged at the gold ribbon and tore through the black wrapping paper, revealing a framed photo of himself and Audrey at the Café Sabel terrace last Christmas. Running his fingers along the black frame, Pio seemed to realize something and quickly turned to her.

  “I get to be on your wall?”

  A grin broke across her face. “Yes.”

  “Yes!” He raised a fist in the air and leaned in to hug her again. “I get to be on your wall!”

  “I like you better in my bed, though,” Audrey said, making sure her voice was low enough so no one else would hear.

  Pio pulled his head back, the look on his face pure mischief. “Oh, that could be arranged.”

  Audrey knew Pio would be pulled away by the event staff any moment now, but right then, the coast was clear and she had these few seconds of calm with the man of the hour. The corners of her lips curved upward as she placed a hand over the lapel of his midnight blue coat.

  “I know,” she whispered, leaning in to press a kiss on his lips. It was an overture—swift, sweeping, but powerful—a promise of things to come. Audrey swiped her thumb over Pio’s lips when she disengaged. “Don’t make me wait too long.”

  “I won’t. I promise I’ll be quick.”

  “Okay.”

  “I love you,”
he said, just as she was about to leave.

  She froze.

  “It’s okay. You don’t have to say it back right now.”

  “I’m sorry.” Audrey bit her lip, certain Pio meant every word. “I’ll get there soon enough, okay?”

  “I know.” Pio smiled and folded the torn gift wrapper over the frame, sliding it into his breast pocket. He patted that spot. “Even if you don’t say it, I feel it. Every day. And that’s good enough for me.”

  She sighed and patted his cheek. “You ask for too little sometimes.”

  “It’s hardly fair to ask for anything else, y’know.”

  “Now that is a movie line.”

  “No it’s not!” Laughter escaped his lips as Pio pulled her back into his arms and kissed her hair. She could already hear Cleo’s impatient tone from a distance, but her worries about Pio getting scolded again were swept aside for a moment when he spoke into her ear. “I love you, okay? And if you don’t get there soon enough, I’ll just camp out over there and make things cozy and warm. So you wouldn’t want to be anywhere else when you finally make it home.”

  Oh, this sweet talker, she thought, her pulse racing under his touch. If, after her bad breakup, Audrey believed she’d never feel as loved as she had been before, Pio was working overtime to prove her wrong. She felt it too. Every day.

  “You promise?”

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “Take your time, Audrey. I’m not going anywhere.”

  PIO & AUDREY

  WILL BE BACK