Sa likod ng mga Tala

Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Ang Pagbabalik ng Nakaraan

Habang ang set ng pelikula ay patuloy na nagiging isang lugar ng tensyon, si Katie at Daniel ay nagsisimula nang magduda sa kanilang mga nararamdaman. Kahit na may magagandang sandali sila, hindi maiiwasan ang mga pagsubok na dulot ng mga bagong karakter sa kanilang buhay. Sa kabila ng lahat ng ito, mas lumalalim ang kanilang relasyon, ngunit sa kabila ng magagandang araw, may mga hindi inaasahang kaganapan na nagdudulot ng takot sa kanila.

Si Maria, na ngayon ay hindi na kayang magtago ng kanyang nararamdaman, ay nagsimulang magplano ng mas matinding hakbang. Hindi na siya makapagpigil at nagdesisyon na tanungin si Daniel tungkol sa mga nararamdaman nito kay Katie.

Isang araw, habang nagkakaroon sila ng dinner break sa set, nagkaroon ng pagkakataon si Maria na makausap si Daniel ng masinsinan. “Daniel, I have to be honest with you,” sabi ni Maria, tumingin siya kay Daniel, halatang nag-aalangan. “I… I like you. Hindi ko na kayang magtago pa. Hindi ko kayang makita na ikaw at si Katie ay laging magkasama.”

Daniel was taken aback. He didn’t expect this confession from Maria, especially given their professional relationship. “Maria, I… I didn’t know,” he answered carefully, feeling conflicted. “Katie and I… well, we’ve become really close.”

Maria, seeing his hesitation, pressed on. “I know you care about her, but I think there’s more between us. I just need you to see that.” She was persistent, trying to find a way into his heart.

Daniel, feeling the pressure, was unsure how to respond. “Maria, you’re an amazing person, and I respect you… but my heart is with Katie. I don’t want to hurt you, but I’m not sure if I can return the feelings you have for me.”

Meanwhile, in another part of the set, Katie was talking to her best friend, Karen. “Karen, I’m starting to feel like everything is falling apart. Parang may mga hindi na magagandang nangyayari sa set. Lately, Maria’s been… different. Parang she’s trying to get closer to Daniel.”

Karen gave her a concerned look. “Katie, you know Maria’s feelings for Daniel have been obvious for a while now. But I think you should just trust him. If he really loves you, he’ll stay loyal.”

Katie sighed, unsure of what to do. “But what if I’m wrong? What if he’s been hiding something from me all along? I don’t know anymore.”

As the tension continued to rise between the characters, a new storm was brewing in the form of Janine, the antagonist of their lives. Janine had been waiting for the right moment to strike and get revenge on Katie, whom she believed had stolen Daniel away from her years ago.

One afternoon, while Katie was in her dressing room, preparing for an intense scene, she received an unexpected knock on the door. “Katie,” a familiar voice called from the other side. It was Janine.

Katie hesitated but then opened the door. “Janine, what are you doing here?” she asked, confused by the unexpected visit.

Janine gave her a cold smile. “I just wanted to talk. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? You’ve been doing so well in your career. But I guess you’re used to it by now. Always the center of attention, always getting everything you want.”

Katie frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Janine stepped inside and leaned against the doorframe. “I just wanted to remind you that I was once with Daniel, too. And I haven’t forgotten how you came into the picture and stole him away from me. Don’t think you’re the only one who’s been hurt.”

Katie was shocked by Janine’s words. She hadn’t expected to hear such bitterness. “I never wanted to hurt you, Janine. Daniel and I didn’t plan this. It just… happened.”

Janine laughed bitterly. “Happened? You’ve always been good at pretending, haven’t you? But you can’t keep that act up forever, Katie. I’m sure Daniel is just using you, just like he used me.”

Katie was about to respond, but before she could, Janine turned and walked out of the room, leaving her with a heavy heart.

As the days went by, the pressure of the situation weighed heavily on both Katie and Daniel. Katie couldn’t stop thinking about Janine’s words, and the growing distance between her and Daniel felt suffocating. Meanwhile, Daniel was torn between his feelings for Katie and his guilt about Maria’s confession.

One evening, after a long day of shooting, Daniel and Katie found themselves alone in the parking lot, ready to go home. The silence between them was thick, and neither knew how to break it.

Finally, Katie spoke, her voice barely a whisper. “Daniel, I feel like I’m losing you. I don’t know what’s happening, but everything’s changing. You’ve been distant lately. Is there something I should know?”

Daniel took a deep breath and turned to face her. “Katie, there’s nothing going on with Maria. I promise. It’s just… there’s been so much pressure lately, and I’ve been trying to figure things out.”

Katie’s heart skipped a beat. “Pressure? What kind of pressure?”

Daniel ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t expect things to get so complicated. Maria, Janine… everything feels like it’s falling apart. But I’m not going anywhere, Katie. You mean everything to me.”

Katie looked into his eyes, searching for the truth in his words. “Do you really love me, Daniel?”

Daniel took her hands in his, looking into her eyes. “I do. I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. But I need you to trust me. I can’t do this without you.”

Tears welled up in Katie’s eyes as she nodded. “I trust you, Daniel. I just… I need you to stay with me, no matter what happens.”

Daniel pulled her into an embrace, holding her tight. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”