Chapter 39

How long has it been since he last saw her? Joshua could still remember that one last time he set his eyes on her. Of course, that's not the last time he heard something about her. They continued being friends on Friendster until that website went down. But the last time he saw her face to face, it was that time when they broke up. "How are you feeling?" Joshua asked. For him, she didn't change much. She still has that beautiful face he fell in love with during elementary days. She matured, yes, but she is still as pretty. But, did he really fall in love with her that time? He was just twelve going on thirteen. Yeah, maybe that's not really love. But the happiness he felt when he was with her was real. Madeline smiled bitterly. "What do you think?" Joshua felt pity for her. He might not know the whole story yet, but he can tell that she's in great pain. Physically and emotionally. Who knows, but it could have transcended mentally? "You know, I should be happy because after all these years, I saw you again," Madeline said. "But I just have a lot right now that I can't make 'happy' come into my system. I just can't feel happy." She started crying. Joshua felt he needed to console her, so he sat beside her and held her hand. It somehow made Madeline smile. "Funny, but after all these years, after all the love that I had, it seems like my first love is the one who will save me," Madeline said. Joshua smiled. It's the only thing he thinks he can do after hearing what she said. "You know what? After you, all the relationships I had... they all failed," Madeline said. "You're the only good relationship I had." Madeline smiled, but then she cried again after. Joshua can do nothing but watch her. He doesn't even know what to say to appease her. "I had three boyfriends after you. The first one, we broke up because he realized he's still in love with his ex. He just used me to try to forget her." She smiled bitterly. "The second one, he fell in love with his best friend. Then the third one... this one, it's the worst." She gave Joshua a pained looked. "He cheated on me! He's a cheater." Madeline burst into tears. Joshua felt pity on her, so he rubbed her back to comfort her. Madeline looked at him with gladness. "I still consider you as my best relationship. If only we were not too young back then." She tearfully smiled. "If only we had endured it, then maybe... maybe we did not end it that time." Joshua didn't answer. He looked away, actually. He suddenly felt guilty because basically, he's just like Madeline's ex-boyfriends. Of course, it still counts that they are far from each other and are still very young to have a lasting relationship. But there is also another reason why they broke up. He fell in love with Carla. "But, here we are again, after all those years. What if... what if this means something?" Joshua was dumbfounded, especially because of that look she just gave him. She's not crying anymore, though her eyes are still full of tears. There's something in the way she looks at him that is starting to make Joshua feel quite uncomfortable. "What if... What if we're really destined for each other?" Joshua's mind went blank. *************************************************************************** ‘What happened to them before?' ‘Why they broke up...? I guess, it was because of you.' Carla sighed as she remembered her conversation with James last night. Why did that even cross her mind? Almost a day had passed since then. She's in night duty again, but the memory of that scene keeps on playing on her mind. Was it because of guilt? However she looks at it, she still feels like she has a part why Madeline and Joshua broke up before. If she didn't appear in Joshua's life, then he will not be distracted and break up with his first love. But, is that really her fault? Is it her fault that she chose to study in CPRU? She didn't even plan on meeting Joshua or be his classmate. She never wanted him to like her. It just happened that way, and if there's someone to blame, it should be destiny. Again, she tried to ignore the guilt that she's feeling. She tried to busy herself with work again, but it seems she will still be haunted by the issue about Joshua and Madeline. Right at that moment, Donna is nearby and she's happily sharing the update about Joshua's Youtube channel. "Papa Joshy's channel has reached one million subs," Donna said. "Wow! For just one week after his video with Ria was posted, it already reached a million subs." "It happened last night, my friend," Leah said. "The fans are now waiting for Ria to reveal who Joshua's first love is." Carla's heart pounded. "What else do we need to know?" Donna said. "His first love is Doctor Carla, right?" "Agree," Leah said. "So, Ria will not do a reveal post anymore?" "No idea," Donna said. "But I think she has to. That's what she promised to the fans." She really needs to reveal it, Carla thought. She has to tell everyone the truth. Honestly, she doesn't know how to feel about it. "Guys!" It was Sarah, another ER nurse, and a certified Joshua Socorro fanatic. "Ria tweeted about Papa Joshy's first love." "Really?" Donna asked as she looked at her cellphone. Leah went closer to see as well. "You found it?" Sarah asked. Instead of answering, the two nurses both looked at Carla. The doctor gave them a questioning look. Donna looked at her cellphone again. "Madeline?" "Seriously?" Leah asked. She then looked at Sarah. "Is she really Papa Joshy's first love?" "The mukbang video was attached to the tweet," Sarah said. "See?" Donna and Leah looked at the cellphone again. Then they both scowled after. "But, who's this Madeline?" Leah asked. "You haven't heard yet?" Sarah asked. Leah and Donna looked at Sarah again. "Last night, a woman named Madeline was admitted, and until now Papa Joshy is still in her room. He stayed for the night to watch her," Sarah said. "I've heard about that," Leah said. "So that's the Madeline that Ria tweeted about?" Donna asked. "Maybe," Sarah answered. "Well, the girl is pretty. I can say they are a good match. But she seems stressed. She looked so toxic last night when they took her to ER." Sarah was the nurse on duty when Madeline was admitted. She was the one who helped Carla treat Madeline, so she saw her at her worse condition. Carla felt quite annoyed at what Sarah said. Though it's normal for nurses and doctors to talk about a patient, Madeline is a different case. "Can you check on your patients, please?" she said bluntly. "This is not a time for you to chat." The three nurses complied and left to tend to their patients. *************************************************************************** Ria is looking at her tweet about Joshua's first love. Twenty thousand retweets in just one hour. It seems like she has captured the interest of the netizens once again. The tweets about that revelation are trending, especially the name 'Madeline' that is on the number one spot. "Your tweet is trending," James said to Ria as he gives her the iced tea she ordered. "Is there something new?" James smirked. Ria smiled as well. "I made a promise. I have to fulfill it." "And also, to correct the misconceptions of the people," James said. "Everyone thinks it's Carla. Well, they are completely wrong." "First love is great, but what's important is the last," Ria quoted. "You have a point..." James sighed. "But, it's not wrong to go back to the first one, right?" Ria didn't answer. She just gazed at him as he continued talking. "What if Madeline is really the one for Joshua?" Again, Ria did not respond. Actually, she did not expect that question from her friend. "I just find it coincidental that Madeline came back to Joshua's life, during the time that the issue about his first love was brought up. I don't think this is just nothing," James explained. "What if it is?" Ria asked. "What if it's just pure coincidence?" "Maybe," James answered. "Maybe it's really Carla after all. Also, because it seems like Joshua's feelings for her has returned." "Are you sure about that?" Ria asked. "Well, it's just based on what I observed. Like during our medical mission. You had a quarrel that time, right?" "But that was because he didn't want to stay beside Carla that time, remember?" asked Ria. "Because he wants to stay opposite her," James answered. "Your place is directly facing Carla, so he can see her while he eats. And, you were late that time, so you haven't seen how he looked at her when we arrive in Brgy. Loria. It's like he can't take his eyes off her." Ria did not comment and just took a sip of her iced tea. "The problem is, what happened before might happen again now," James said. "Joshua will fall in love with Carla, but she will not reciprocate again. He might end up chasing her again." "Maybe now, it will be different," Ria said. "This time, Carla might also fall in love with Joshua." "Well, that would be good," James said. "At least this time, Joshua's feelings would be reciprocated." Again, Ria did not comment and just took a sip of her iced tea.