Chapter 56

Upon entering and closing the door to his room, Joshua answered the call on his Cupid Phone. "Ri–" "Josh-ua!" Joshua took the cellphone away from his ear because of Ria's loud scream. "What in the world did you just do? What kind of reason did you just give to Carla? Are you out of your mind?" Joshua frowned, not only because of what Ria just said to him. The way she spoke is kind of weird that made Joshua wondered... "Are you drunk?" Joshua asked his friend. "That's not the issue here," Ria asked instead. "Josh-ua! What in the world did you tell Carla?" "W-What did she tell you?" Joshua suddenly felt embarrassed. Did Carla really divulge to Ria their confrontations, which were supposed to be just between them? "Why did you tell her that you can't fall in love?" Joshua was stunned. So, Carla really confided to Ria. He kind of felt betrayed. "What kind of reasoning is that, Josh-uaaah!" Because of what he learned, Joshua felt kind of annoyed. "She's not supposed to be telling that to you." "But that was–" Joshua feels like Ria wanted to swear, but she did not go with it. He kind of found it funny. So even though she's drunk, she still could not swear. He just shook her head because of his friend's weirdness. "Totally... and completely... annoying..." Ria said. "Ri, you know what? You're drunk, you're just repeating adjectives, so let's not talk right now, okay?" He felt annoyed again as he remembered that Carla divulged everything to her. "What's wrong with us talking right now, huh?" Ria asked. "And so, what if I repeat my adjectives? It's to prove a point that what you said is just plain stupid." And Joshua totally felt annoyed. "And what do you want me to say? That I am a Cupid, so I just can't fall in love with someone else other than my red thread?" Ria did not reply. That made Joshua feel more confident to explain his side. "You know I can't do that. I can't say those things. I'm just following the rules." "Joshua, Joshua, Josh-uaaah!" Joshua took the cellphone away from his ear again. "Joshua! Just when will you ever learn?" Joshua's anger shifted to Ria. "Do you know what Carla told me? That she felt you wanted to kiss her." Joshua was stunned again. So, his guess was right. Carla really did feel he wanted to kiss her. But what's making him feel worse is that she told Ria about it. "But you didn't, and she felt you led her on that's why she feels so bad right now. See? She does not drink but she had four bottles of lambanog." Joshua suddenly felt worried with what Ria said. Carla is drunk? "There she is in my bed, completely drunk. She can't even stand," Ria added. "Carla is still there?" asked Joshua. "Be-cause, she felt so bad with what you did to her, with what you made her feel. Like you were falling for her, then you'll suddenly stop and go MIA for three days. Three days, Josh! Three days!" "Because I can't. I just can't!" Joshua is feeling frustrated with his friend's insistent. "You know the rules, Ria. You're the one who told them to me." "Rules, rules! You're so focused into remembering those rules that you haven't realized that the real thing is already happening to you." Joshua frowned. "Josh, if you really follow the rules, then you know them by heart. So you should know, and I know you remember, that a Cupid does not fall in love with just anyone... That is exactly what happened to you. Right there in Daebak Park. Right then when you were with Carla under the stars and the lights, and the freakin' fireworks..." Joshua was dumbfounded. What Ria said was true! It feels like a million fireworks exploded inside his mind as he arrived at a realization. "Figure it out yourself." Ria ended the call. "Ri...! Ri...!" Joshua looked at his Cupid Phone. Will he dial Ria's number and talk to her again? But what will he say? Heck, he doesn't even know what to think! Yes, maybe... maybe he should collect his thoughts first before doing anything. Before speaking to anyone about it. Because, what will he say if his mind is not working properly? He sat down on his bed to think. Once a human becomes a Cupid, he or she will never fall in love with someone who is not his or her red thread. That is exactly what Ria told him when she was discussing the rules and immunities of being a Cupid. That is the reason why he had to know about Caith and Tony. Wasn't he hurt so badly when he found out the truth? But looking back, Joshua could say that he was hurt because of the betrayal he felt. But other than that, he can't even feel anything else especially for Caith. And that might also be the reason why during the time he became a Cupid and before the breakup, he had been thinking less and less of Caith. He's not even excited to see her back then. That could only mean one thing. The immunity took effect because Caith wasn't his red thread. And then, there's Carla. He randomly saw a picture of her, and he bought it immediately, because what? Because he fell in love with it. Now, he can say that he bought that picture because there's something inside him that was gladdened when he saw it, particularly Carla's smile. Then the want of being reconciled and ultimately be friends with her. Every time that they are together, he feels happy. He thought it was because he gained a friend. But no, thinking about it now, he realized it was more than that. He loves being with Carla. He's glad when he makes her smile, when he feels like she's enjoying his company. He's looking forward to seeing her, and every moment with her is pleasurable. The Daebak Park adventure was truly magical, and he really wanted to kiss her not just because of the stars, or the lights or the fireworks. He just wanted to kiss her. That could only mean one thing. He was falling in love with her. He IS falling for her. Joshua's heart feels like exploding as he finally acknowledged the truth. And he is a Cupid and Cupids has immunity and they could not fall in love with just someone. So that could only mean one thing. Carla is his red thread.