Taking Chances

The Gamechanger

Unlike his lovelife, Matt's career wasn't exactly flourishing. After that lead role in the soap was done, there were a few movies and hosting stints that he accepted. These were the ones that challenged him and that would mature him as an artist. The rest he purposely declined to make him less of a problem for Sarah's management.

Nic had asked him that day at the tracks if he was OK that Sarah was so much bigger than him.

"So she's larger than life and all the little girls wanna be her and she gets a million retweets a day... And Kobe Bryant follows her..." Nic rambled on.

Matt just snorted in response.

She turned away from the ongoing race to look at Matt, raising her shades from her eyes. "How does that make you feel?" Her face was serious.

"Honestly, I am her biggest fan..." Matt answered in a heartbeat. "I don't care that she's more sikat, or that she's more accomplished." He breathed deeply and stretched out his legs. "Helping her achieve more makes me very happy."

"Ang sarap nya suportahan kasi wala syang kayabang yabang. She's still the nicest, and kindest, and down to earth person you'll meet."

Heck, she even thinks he's joking when he confesses how beautiful she is, he realized.

"I can't believe that you're the same wicked boy who pulled all those pranks on me every time I beat you. Bakit ngayon ka lang nagbago? Meanie." Nic screwed up her face and kicked him hard, remembering seeing her crush at thel hallway with a cute dress and rubber shoes on because Matt hid her matching sandals.

"Oww..." Matt laughed and rubbed the pain off from his leg. Nic may have blossomed into an elegant beauty, but she was the same tomboy deep inside.

"Can't you just think of that as an investment? I mean look at the man that you raised me to become... Pogi ko lang diba?! Am I not worth it?"

"Baliw! Here's news for you, mas marami pang waiter sa Milan na mas gwapo, matangkad, at appealling kesa sayo no. Lugi ako sa ininvest kong pagtitiis sayo no."

"Tssss.... Touche."

As they laughed, Victor, Marcus, and Sean sped by, still in the heat of the race.

"So if you're so happy and content then what's the deal with the secrecy thing? Is her career finished if they find out na ulupong ang boyfriend nya?!" Nic asked jokingly.

Matt offered a weak smile and followed the speeding cars with his eyes.

"Well parang ganon na nga," he said calmly.

As soon as Nic knew that he was serious, she jumped beside him and prodded him to tell more. Matt could never keep anything from his best friend, and for the first time shared their arrangement with someone.

He felt sorry hearing himself. It was not like anything that would happen to a guy like him. He was proud of who he was and what he's done for himself. And yet he didn't measure up to be good enough for Sarah.

"I don't care if Boss Mark never allows her to talk about us. Basta pabayaan lang nya kami sa relasyon namin. I'm fine with how things are basta I get to be the guy in her life..."

Nic shook her head. "You can't just take crap like that..."

"Don't be that way," Matt lightly punched her arm when he saw how furious she was. "It's not as bad as it seems..."

She in turn passionately cursed the boss and even him for being such a pushover.

"That's so unfair! It's one thing to compromise, pero that man is stepping on you already. Until when can you put up with that? Kung ganon din lang edi come with me to Italy. Drive for us and in 2 years I swear that Mark will want to kiss your feet!"