Chapter 50

Joshua took Carla outside the villa where Carlo Reyes' birthday party is being held. They passed through the patio and proceeded to the lush garden of the grand house. Carla can't help but be blown away by the breathtaking sight they went into. There are lanterns hanging on the trees to illuminate the place. It added to the magical and romantic vibe of the place. Romantic? Carla frowned. Why did that suddenly cross her mind? 'This place is nice, don't you think?" Joshua asked. Carla turned to face him. 'It seems like this was set up to be the extension of the venue of the party," Joshua said as he looked around. 'So this is where you were hiding?" asked Carla. Joshua looked at her. 'Yes. Fortunately, no one seems to notice this place. So, that means, it's just the two of us here right now." Carla's heart summersaulted. She can't fathom if it's because of what Joshua said, or how he said it, or that look on his eyes when he said those words. Probably it's all those reasons. She turned her back on him to hide the reaction her whole being felt that transcended to her face. Good thing is the place was dimly lit. Maybe he didn't see the expression on her face? 'Are you okay staying here?" Joshua asked. 'Or do you want us to go back inside?" What else will she say? Because the truth is, she likes to stay there with Joshua. Yes. She likes to be with him. Finally, she was able to admit that to herself. 'It's up to you…" was what Carla said. 'It's fine if we stay here, you know." 'Then, let's just stay here." And there goes her heart again. It's like it skipped a beat with what Joshua said. She turned her back on him again. 'How have you been?" she asked Joshua, just to start a conversation and to divert her mind from whatever she is starting to think. 'Well… I've been busy," Joshua answered. 'Been doing a lot of content for my Youtube channel." So that's why, Carla thought. So that's the reason why she hasn't heard from him since their Korean-inspired weekend. It has been three days since then. 'I have a collab with a famous Youtuber," Joshua added. But Carla is not listening anymore. She is preoccupied by the thought of Joshua not even trying to call or text her during those three days after they've been to Daebak Park. After he took her home that night, he did not communicate with her anymore. Not that she's expecting he'll call. But based on how they were that time, especially after the fireworks display in Daebak, she thought something happened between them. Something sparked that during their trip back home, they were already different. Maybe she should not have assumed anything. 'The stars are very beautiful tonight, don't you think?" Carla just said. She looked up and saw the twinkling jewels in the sky. That's what she decided to focus on. 'Yes, they are," Joshua agreed as he looked up as well. 'Know what? Back in high school, there's this story that we learned in English class that I really love." She looked at him. 'Dead Stars by Paz Marquez-Benitez." Joshua tried to remember the story. 'I don't think I still remember that." Carla looked up again. 'It was about a guy who has a girlfriend. Fiancée, I think? I can't exactly remember, but he's already committed to someone. Then, he met this girl and they became close. Too close he started feeling something special for her." She faced him. 'Then the guy got confused if he will continue his relationship with his girlfriend, or if he'll choose the new girl." 'What happened?" Joshua asked. 'The new girl left," Carla answered. 'Then the guy married the girlfriend. Years passed, and the guy did not forget the girl. Until one day, he had the chance to meet her again." Carla looked up again. 'Then he realized, what he has been feeling for her are just like the light of dead stars – long extinguished, yet seemingly still in their appointed places in heavens." Carla smiled. She might have forgotten most of the details of that classic, but those words are still lodged in her memory. It seems like she would never forget those words. 'Are you saying that it was a classic story of the ‘What If' premise?" Carla looked at Joshua. 'That for so long, the guy was thinking, what if he chose to be with the girl, and not with his girlfriend?" Joshua continued. Carla nodded. 'Isn't that how it is? There are times when you think, what if I did that instead of this? What if I chose that person instead of the one I am with right now? What if I let go of this person and stayed with the other one instead?" 'What if I did not stop pursuing you?" Carla was stunned. She did not see that coming. 'What if I continued even after my father died?" Joshua continued. 'Would you have given me the chance? Would I have made you love me?" What is happening? Carla is suddenly confused as to how and why their conversation came to that. Her mind seems to blow up because of the pressure. Her heart seems to burst as well as her heartbeat intensified. 'Can you be perfectly honest with me, Carla?" Carla swallowed when she saw the serious look on Joshua's face. 'Was there really never a chance… even the slightest amount… that I somehow touched your heart?" Carla was not able to answer. She just kept looking at Joshua, who stared back at her. What is she going to say? Would she tell him the truth? That if he did not stop pursuing her, maybe she was able to accept his feelings for her? Can she say that to him? Can she lower her pride and accept all the shame caused by her initial rejection to him? For a while, they just stayed like that looking at each other. Joshua was the first one to break out. He looked up to the stars again. 'Well, maybe… maybe I have also been clinging to the light of those dead stars." He looked at her. 'It's something that I should have let go since long ago." Carla felt the pain in those words, and it made her wonder. Why does it seem like Joshua is hurting? It feels as if he's still hoping about something that he wants so badly, but he just realized it will never really happen. That's what he made her feel. Amidst the confusion came Edmalyn. Yes, she literally came to her. Carla just saw her hurriedly approached her as she calls her name. 'Besh!" Edmalyn cried. 'Besh, lets get out of here. Let's go!" Carla gaped at her teary-eyed friend. Her mind is not yet functioning properly, like it was floating because of her conversation with Joshua. Joshua was the one who asked Edmalyn. 'What happened? Is something wrong?" Edmalyn looked at Joshua. 'Thank you, Josh, but you don't have anything to do with my problem. I just need to leave." She looked at Carla again. 'Besh, let's go!" 'Wait!" Joshua said to Edmalyn. 'I know we're not that close and we just reconnected as former classmates. But I might help you." 'You can't do anything!" Edmalyn started crying. 'Carlo... He already has a girlfriend!" Joshua and Carla both said 'What?" at the same time. Because of that, they looked at each other. 'I was so stupid," Edmalyn said, gaining back the attention of the two. 'I thought, this is finally it. That he is finally the one." 'Besh…" Carla tried to console her crying friend. 'He introduced me to his parents. He even introduced me to his friends," Edmalyn added. 'Are you sure that she's his girlfriend?" Joshua asked. Which made Carla feel quite annoyed. 'Why are you even asking that?" Joshua was dumbfounded by Carla's question. 'Well… Uhm... I just think that maybe, she's not really his girlfriend," Joshua explained. 'They hugged each other," Edmalyn said. 'And she even kissed him." 'On the lips?" asked Joshua. 'Cheeks only," Edmalyn answered. 'Left and right." 'There you go," Joshua said. 'Maybe they are not the PDA type," Carla countered. 'If they are not the PDA type, then they should not have hugged and kissed on the cheeks," Joshua responded. 'Why does it seem like you're defending Carlo?" asked Carla. 'And why does it seem like you don't like him?" Joshua asked instead. 'It's not that I don't like him," Carla answered. 'But you don't like him for Tats," Joshua said. 'I didn't say that!" Carla is already pissed. 'But judging from your actions, that's what you want to convey." Carla totally felt mad at Joshua. 'You! Don't have the right! To tell me! What I feel!" Joshua was stunned at the sudden rise in Carla's voice that he just gaped at her. Even Edmalyn was dumbfounded at the quarrel that the two are having. She just stared at them like they are really the ones who are problematic and not her. 'Besh, let's go!" Carla said, pulling Edmalyn away from Joshua. The two ladies left Joshua in the garden. That's when he totally realized what just happened. His mission suddenly became problematic! He has to do something to prevent his mission from failing. Impulse told him to look for Carlo Reyes. He went back inside the villa to do just that. He saw Carlo hanging out with some friends, which includes a girl whose arm is entwined with his. Joshua thought that that might be the woman that Edmalyn was talking about. He took out his Cupid Phone and checked what happened a while ago. Edmalyn was left with Carlo's friends as the latter came to greet other guests. Then, the lady in question approached Carlo. Upon seeing her, Carlo smiled, and they hugged and she kissed him, just like what Edmalyn said. The problem is, she didn't hear what the two talked about. 'Happy birthday to my favorite cousin," the girl said as she hugged Carlo. So she's his cousin. That explains the connection between them. Joshua went to Carlo, thereby exposing himself to his friends. Never mind. He doesn't have a choice as he has to do this for his mission. And also, to help Edmalyn whom he considers his friend. 'So my cousin wasn't joking when he said he's working for you," said Corrine, Carlo's cousin. Joshua smiled. 'Yeah… Uhm, Carlo, can we talk for a second?" He took Carlo away from the other guests. 'Is there a problem?" Carlo asked. 'Tats just left." It took a few seconds before Carlo was able to process what Joshua said. He then looked around, as if confirming what Joshua told him. 'She thought Corrine is your girlfriend." 'What?!" Carlo was shocked. 'I know. You have to talk to her and explain." 'Did she go home already?" Carlo is obviously worried. 'Maybe not." Carlo gave him a questioning look. 'Let's just go and you drive while I try to search for her location." And together, they exited the venue of the birthday party.