Me Before You
Chapter 12

Since then, Monica was made to laugh by Angela Frances thanks to a joke that the girl threw. It was already late afternoon and their task of harvesting wine was not yet completed. All they were doing right now was laughing loosely as if there was no burden on the head. Several times Joan Frances called the two to finish their work immediately, but all they did was joke and scramble scissors to cut grapes.

"You cut the wrong part and the wine doesn't bear fruit anymore" Monica told her brother. Monica had told Angela several times about how to cut the right grapes.

"I've done it right, you know." elak girl, refuting that she was right to do it.

"I told you, you just take this basket." - Kimpal Monica, while handing the basket on her back to Angela.

"don't want. Heavy." said Angela while sneering.

"Ih, shitty!" then Monica tickled Angela's waist. He knows very well Angela's body control center. Angela really doesn't like being tickled.

"Monica, hey! Stop that!" angela exclaimed with a laugh, she couldn't stand being amused. The girl also gave up. It's better for him to obey Monica than to tickle the girl. "Monica! Yes, yes, I want to take the basket."

Feeling pleased, Monica smiled with satisfaction, then she handed the basket filled with wine to Angela. Inevitably Angela had to accept it.

"You cheated!" said Angela.

"I'm not cheating." Monica dodged back.

This is the original behavior of Monica and Angela, their age is indeed an adult, but the behavior is still like a five-year-old. Sometimes they look familiar, sometimes like Tom and Jerry cartoons.

"Monica, I'm hungry" Angela said as she held onto her stomach.

"Makanya daritadi don't joke. Come on, get it over with." scolded Monica and got a sneer from Angela.

"By the way, Monica." Angela hung her words a little.

"Why?" monica answered without looking at Angela. The girl was still focused on cutting the grapes.

"Lately I've noticed you're so close to Joshua."

Angela's words just now, made Monica stop her activities for a moment. Secretly the girl noticed Monica. Monica thinks her relationship with Joshua isn't as close as people think. The man just came, accompanied him for a walk, chatted about the summer holidays and occasionally joked. There's nothing special. Even Monica doesn't know the other side of Joshua's life other than, insomnia and likes to read novels. Maybe for Monica, Joshua is an open person, but there is one side where Joshua does not want to share anything with others. As if something was hidden.

And for some reason, Monica feels Joshua is hiding something from her.

"We're not that close" Monica replied at last after a long silence.

Angela smiled, she managed to tease Monica. The girl slowly approached Monica who had already taken her first step while leaving behind every vine.

"really?" Angela whispered in Monica's ear, making the girl stop her steps and look at Angela, annoyed.

"We are not close" he said with emphasis.

"Don't say, if he leaves, you'll just regret it." Angela seemed to know Monica's heart. Angela knows, slowly Monica must have started to harbor feelings for Joshua, and vice versa. They just don't understand that feeling yet.

They may think it's a normal feeling, when they first meet someone and start a conversation. However, over time there are certainly unexpected feelings, such as needing each other and not wanting far away. All of that happened because they were too used to what they had been through for that long. They will be aware of those feelings after one of them leaves.

That's how complicated human life is. Especially about love.

Monica may not realize it now, but maybe after Joshua returns to City, Monica can only realize it.

Angela doesn't want Monica to waste the opportunity she's had, just to get too used to Joshua's presence and forget the fact that Joshua isn't always here. Joshua had his own life in the city and he also couldn't possibly last forever in this place. If he could, he would have had a special reason.

But what is happening now is... Monica and Joshua both had no reason to make either of them stay and stay.

The opportunity that man has does not come twice. Opportunity comes a moment, then goes. And when people realize the opportunity they have is gone, they will regret it.

Angela then smiled. "You haven't noticed it yet, Monica" said the girl.

Monica was silent at first. In silence he thought about Angela's words. There's a point to Angela's words just now. Monica was not fully aware of her heart. He was too used to Joshua at his side, until he forgot to ask himself. Does he like Joshua Spencer?

"I don't know if this can be said to be close or not. But he was always there when I needed to. She always accompanied me, comforted me, even worried about me when I was sick." Monica finally muttered. "But what I'm thinking about right now is the fact that he's leaving soon and he might forget me."

Monica was seen sighing, then the girl continued, "for the first time I felt something like this on a tourist" she said with a chuckle.

Angela stroked Monica's back, calming the girl down if there was currently Angela supporting and encouraging her. "You need to realize that you're starting to like her, Monica."

To be honest, Monica still does not fully believe that she actually likes Joshua Spencer. It feels like Monica's mind is still being manned. All he's been doing is taking his time for Joshua. Until unknowingly, Monica began to get used to the presence of the man in her life.

Even unknowingly, the time that passed so quickly, requiring Monica to answer the question in her, 'does Monica currently like Joshua Spencer?'

Under the full moon, Joshua Spencer wandered around the inn, to throw fatigue in his mind⸻so that after this he could go to sleep and wake up tomorrow morning to continue his story. He was quite happy to be back to find something that was missing in him all this time.

Lately, the insomniya has not appeared again. His mind was even lighter than before. There's only one problem. He hasn't been able to be honest with Moncia about what happened twelve years ago. Joshua may have the same desire as the Monica family, he does not want the smile on Monica's face to fade, after knowing the facts about her.

Just a few steps he walked, suddenly the door of the house in front of him⸻which is where the house Monica⸻ opens and displays a girl figure out of the place. Joshua squinted his eyes, sharpening his vision to see who the girl who was this night was walking towards the garden. Right under the yellow light, the girl's figure was caught by Joshua's vision.

"Monica?"

The girl raised her head. And now their eyes meet.

Slowly, Joshua Spencer approached Monica. "Why are the nights out?"

"I just want to go for a walk" he said.

"You're having nightmares again?" Joshua remembered once, this incident was similar to the first time they met. That's why he asked to be sure.

"No. I just thought of something." muttered the girl.

If you can be honest, actually Monica is still thinking about the words of Angela this afternoon. About the imminent existence of Joshua Spencer. That man is leaving Gibbston Valley soon. Leaves the memories that linger in Monica.

"I'm with you, yes." Without waiting for Monica's answer, Joshua immediately took a step first while putting his hands in his pants pocket.

Monica inevitably follows Joshua, not for five seconds, the girl is now next to Joshua.

"You're insomnia again?" ask Monica. Seeing the whereabouts of Joshua these nights, made Monica curious. Did the man have insomnia?

"No." Joshua replied briefly. "I just need a refresh."

Monica also nodded in understanding. Thank goodness Joshua is not insomnia anymore.

"I heard from Angela, you're going back to town" the girl said, telling me when Joshua left. He wanted to make more memories with Joshua.

"Still long. It's still a week."

One week, for the time being this is very fast. Even what they have been through together one week yesterday is not felt, so fast the circulation of time. Let alone a week, sometimes a month alone will not be felt.

Time really passes so fast.

"No feeling, huh? We've known each other for a week." chirped Monica quietly. His voice sounded hoarse, as if forced.

Joshua nodded. "Time goes by so quickly." Joshua chimed in, oblivious to Monica's sad look.

"Oh, yes, if I may know, what's your job in town?"

Joshua stopped his steps. For the first time, after being acquainted for one week, Monica just inquired about her work. Joshua couldn't possibly tell Monica the truth. Joshua also had no intention of hiding his identity to Monica, but he could not tell the girl now. It's not ready yet.

"The marketing consultant" said Joshua finally, he managed to find the right word to lie.

"Oh, you deserve to have insomnia. I hear that job is always chasing targets, don't you think?"

Joshua smiled then he nodded. He replied, 'my job is always pursued by the target, but I'm not a marketing consultant'

"It's hard to live like that" he said. "But I'm sure you can deal with it. The spirit!"

"Thank you." and subconsciously, Joshua stroked the top of Monica's head, gently. Making the girl pause for a moment, stopping her steps. Seeing Monica's stopped steps, Joshua stopped as he furrowed his brows.

"Joshua?" for some reason when Monica called her name, Joshua felt that there was something that the girl had been quiet and wanted to convey now. Joshua's blood suddenly rippled and his heart was pounding. "Do you have no reason to stay here for a minute?"

Joshua was shocked to hear Monica's words. What the hell does that mean?

"Max..."

"It's okay, let's go for a walk" he said, then the girl took a step, while Joshua was still standing there, trying to decipher what the girl had just said.

Could it be that Monica meant...she did not want Joshua to leave?

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