Me Before You
Chapter 18

When the sun began to shine, Joshua Spencer was already in front of the inn with his suitcase and backpack. Today he will leave Gibbston Valley, leave Monica, and leave behind the memories he once made with Monica. The man began to pull his suitcase and went to see Lady Frances to give her the keys to the room, as well as meeting Monica.

Joshua was quite surprised to find Monica Frances with Angela already in front of the house, as if waiting for Joshua to come. The man smiled at a glance, apparently Angela managed to persuade Monica. Without thinking anymore, Joshua approached the two while pulling his suitcase.

"Good morning" Joshua greeted Monica as he stroked the top of the girl's head,

Monica did not reply, the girl held Joshua's hand in her head, then held it tightly. His eyes began to glaze over.

Joshua stroked Monica's cheeks gently, while smiling sincerely at the girl. "Don't cry, hm?"

Seeing Joshua's smile, Monica couldn't hold her heart anymore. He looked down and one tear fell. Joshua automatically raised Monica's face slowly, so that their eyes looked.

"I'll make sure we meet again and when we meet, I'll make sure I feel for you" she said.

Believe it or not, those words had just warmed Monica's heart, making the girl comment on a smile.

"Right now I can't say anything because honestly there's something that makes my head feel a burden. And when the time comes, let's remember everything, without any guilt."

Lastly, and unexpectedly, Joshua Spencer brought himself closer to Monica, slowly looking down and kissing the girl's forehead long enough. The view was certainly seen by Angela. Angela closed her mouth with both hands, not expecting Joshua to do so. Angela believes that Joshua loves Monica.

Joshua distanced himself from Monica after gently shuffling the girl's hair. She turns to Angela, approaching the girl while reaching into her pants pocket.

"When you meet Miss Frances, please give me this?" joshua said while giving the room key to Angela.

Angela also nodded. "Yes, of course" he said as he received the key from Joshua's hand.

"Thank you." He said, "thank you for persuading Monica." Joshua continued.

Angela commented a smile on the face. "Together."

Then Joshua looked back at Monica who had just been silent and watched her.

"Don't want to talk to me about anything?" the man glanced at Monica.

Monica laughed briefly. There was actually one sentence that he had not been able to say for a long time. Monica is also not sure to say it now in front of Joshua, especially now there is Angela. But, if not now, could there be another time someday?

In the end, Monica decided to say it.

"A....."

Yet...

Monica's words came to a halt when a vehicle pulled up in front of the garden, honking a large horn. Well, it's Joshua's travel car. It's time, farewell time.

All the views that were originally fixed on the car, now turned towards Joshua Spencer. The only thing that was noticed was Monica Frances. "I'm leaving?" he said with a faint smile that adorned his face.

Without saying anything, Monica immediately hugged Joshua. Joshua also returned Monica's embrace.

"I'll say it when we meet again." muttered Monica.

Joshua did not understand what Monica was saying, but he still nodded, agreeing with Monica's request. "See you" he said after taking off Monica's embrace and giving the girl a wave of his hand.

Slowly but surely, as Joshua was about to get into the car, he saw Monica waving at him. He waved the girl back, before finally getting into the car.

Joshua looked back when the car had left the inn. I don't know why his chest is getting crowded, let alone seeing Monica and Angela who are still standing in front of their house. Joshua let out a rough sigh and chose to return to his rightful position, staring at the street in front of him, even though he was currently sitting in the back seat.

Suddenly Joshua realized something, he immediately took off his backpack, opened it, then picked up a book. He found a piece of paper on the front page of the book. Yeah, that was the letter yesterday that he found in the tree of hope. Letter from Monica. The wishes and hopes of Monica. Yesterday night he had read it, the contents made Joshua's heart stir, he immediately felt tight. If he can grant Monica's wish, of course he can, the only way is through a fan meeting on Christmas.

Time went by so fast, without feeling he had been in this place for two weeks. Starting from the meeting with Monica, it ended like a reunion with an old friend, until finally feelings began to arise due to the togetherness. Not wrong indeed, because they are adults and it is appropriate to feel love.

Should Joshua pour all his feelings on Monica in the next novel?

...-οΟο-...

Upon returning from below, Monica went straight to the room. At this time his heart felt more comfortable than yesterday, especially after meeting Joshua, the man convinced Monica that they would meet. As if giving Monica a chance to continue fighting for her feelings for Joshua. Monica is not alone, as most likely Joshua feels the same way. Especially with the treatment of that man who suddenly kissed his forehead.

Oh, Monica doesn't stop holding her forehead now.

Unintentionally, Monica's gaze fell on the yellow-coated book on the table. Since yesterday he had been eager to open the book, but since his mood was not possible, he repeatedly undoes the intention.

He walked over to a study table full of his books. Monica picked up one of the books that had been the center of her attention since yesterday.

The Power of Change.

Monica looked at the book. Good title, maybe good too. Think Monica.

Monica began to open the first page of the book, then opened the next page, and so on. A novel, thick with a philosophy of life. The girl started reading the first part of the book.

"Humans are so vulnerable to adversity and despair, that it leads to growing distrust within them."

Monica also read word by word from the book, until without feeling she was at the last end of the first part. Monica gasps, when she finds a black and white photo of an oriental-faced boy, typical of Asians. How can a picture be found in this book? Monica never opened it herself.

Is this a picture of Alex?

But Alex's face isn't like this. Monica knows Alex's face well, even though she only sees her brother's face in the photos. But, Monica can confirm that this boy is not Alex. Alex has a typical western face.

Then who is this boy?

Monica doesn't want to bother. He ignored the photo and switched to reading the book again. Keep in mind, although Monica tried to ignore the photo, in fact Monica's mind is not so. Monica's mind continued to work, spinning all the memories to find the answer 'who exactly is the boy in the photo?'

Like a movie spin, the shadowy gloom really bothers Monica, until she has trouble concentrating on reading.

"Don't let others over-regulate life⸻akh!"

Monica felt her head throb a little, the girl was holding her head which suddenly hurt. This is bad, surely something bad will happen. Maybe now his memory will return?

Monica continued to groan in pain, until she fell on the floor. The book and the photo he had been holding had also fallen somewhere. Monica now felt her gaze a little heavy. Monica squealed inwardly, that she should not fall unconscious. Then the girl felt there was a twist in her mind. Like there's a gap where he can get into the past.

Monica tried to endure the pain while allowing herself to go deeper into her mind that rotated so fast like a wheel. From the overall memory that appears, he can see the figure of a boy who is exactly the one in the photo. Monica could also see the boy giving her the yellow book. Not only that, the boy even helped Monica out of her nightmares in the real world. Yeah, right...

Monica remembers everything now. He remembered who he was. He remembered the bullying. He also remembers Joshua Spencer.

The boy in the picture is Joshua Spencer. Joshua Spencer, who he had just met and left, left him again.

Without thinking of anything else, Monica Frances immediately came out of her room, went down the stairs and darted away out of the house without heeding the call of Angela who saw Monica in a hurry,

At first Monica wanted to go to the inn, then she remembered that Joshua Spencer had just returned home. With the remaining confusion in mind, the girl immediately ran towards the bridge and ended up in a large pine tree, which she used to call the tree of hope. I don't know why the girl suddenly went to that place,

With a breath that was stretched, Monica took the letter that was still inserted in the bark of the tree. Monica thought the letter was still hers, but once it was opened, it was petrified. The letter was no longer hers, but it was a letter to her.

And the story of the past is repeated. Joshua Spencer has just left carrying Monica's hopes, leaving her hopes for Monica

...---...