Childhood Sweetheart

Carlo heard of the chirping sound of the birds and the warm sunlight hit his face. Cold breeze of the morning comforts him from the warmth and sweat that I experienced during his sleep. He opened his eyes and his blurry sight clears, revealing him of the the dextrose that is attached to his right arm.

"Where am I?" Carlo wondered and realizes that he is in a hospital ward.

Carlo looked around his surroundings and saw his fellow soldiers in their beds. Their injuries varies from light wounds, critical and some were amputated. He wondered what injury he had? He is sure he was unconscious and he wondered how many days he have been out.

Carlo look outside from his window and saw people gathering outside the military hospital. There are reporters in the scene. The flash of camera can be seen from his position three floors from the ground level of the hospital.

The door of his room opens and a unexpected guest arrives at their room. The soldiers seeing the man before them were glad and happy. It was the President of their country, Samuel D. Roa visited. Media and some of his entourage with some military physicians were also present at the scene.

One by one, the president congratulated the soldiers and handing over medals and promises for compensation. He also thanked them for their service in the military and their sacrifice.

Carlo is the next soldier in line and he felt uncomfortable with the idea. Being in front of the media, the television and the President himself. The President approaches him and said the words he said to the soldiers earlier. He thanked Carlo for his service, awarded him the Gallantry Award. It is an award given to soldiers who survived combat and performed beyond what is expected from duty.

Carlo returned a smile and accepted the President's gesture of a handshake. Flash of camera follows as media men recorded and aired the scene live. They proceeded to the next soldier beside him who had serious injuries during his last mission. Carlo stayed in his bed for a while and waited until the event is over.

After the President left, the room once again turned silent. Carlo stared at the roof as memories from his last mission returns to him. The faces of his comrades that were killed in action, the loss of one of their power suit operators against the enemy.

Carlo remembered them all but his mind tells him that something is amiss. He forgot something that is very important and he wondered what it was. Carlo tried to remember but to no avail he could not. Only vague and slight ideas but fades as he tried to remember everything.

Carlo gave up thinking about it and once again looks outside the window. The calm and serene sight of the morning, the sun that is rising from the horizon and the warm breeze. He started to sweat as the heat and the light once again hit his face.

"It is a good thing to be alive from such ordeal. It is a pity for those ones who died though, they are real heroes and deserves all the credit and awards that I got," Carlo thinks in his bed. "Maybe when I see the news that I may know of what the media has to say."

Carlo slowly close his eyes as the breeze gently hits his face. Such a sooth relaxing feeling that drifted him slowly to sleep. Moments later, Carlo fell asleep. His tired mind and body rested despite of him being unconscious for a long time.

"Carlo..." A faint sound calls his name.

"Carlo, wake up!" Carlo ignored the call for the second time.

On the third time, Carlo felt a painful sensation in his ear as if it is being torn into pieces. As he opened his eyes he saw a familiar face. He was scared seeing her scary look and if he could jump to the ceiling he would have done so.

"You!?" Carlo surprised to see her face.

"Yes, me!" It is the infamous scary assessor, Juliana Hart.

Carlo tried to open his mouth but was stopped by her finger. Her scent and perfume put him off and her breath, although scented reminds him of their time together before. Despite of it being a somewhat pleasant one, he can not ignore her scary form nowadays.

"Missed me?" She said seductively on Carlo.

"You are scaring me...!" Carlo replied with chills.

"As if we didn't go out before!" She said disappointingly thinking that Carlo still have the thing for her.

"What do you want?" Carlo asked after she distanced herself from him.

"I only want you alive as possible, that you may serve a purpose to me!" Juliana replied with her scary eyes.

Carlo froze for a moment seeing her icy stare. He could not fathom the fact of the sweet, kind and ladylike woman to turn into a scary one like her. Probably it is from the stress? He wondered what really happened to her.

"Failures upon failures, do you know how much I have invested on you?" She said.

Her tone this time is not demeaning but somewhat concerned. She looks away from Carlo and then continues to talk.

"You know what, the guys in the Institute is not favorable towards you. I have to work hard for you, to get their favors and hoping that you may get promoted and all." She faced Carlo.

"I do not get you, whatever is between us before it is over! Why don't you just let me be?" Carlo replied to her.

She stopped talking and reverted back to her scary face. Probably she is being tough on Carlo. He can sense her concern and probably her emotions but he cannot let it hinder and affect our jobs. He am not planning to have a relationship with someone from the same work especially in the military.

Carlo continued to rest in his bed and while she, hearing his words approached the door said, "I will not give up on you!"

She said and closed the door. Carlo heard her footsteps fades away as she left. His heart somewhat ached but he will have to endure. Whatever is between them is over. His childhood sweetheart, maybe is crushed because of Carlo's character. He was to be partly blamed of that. However, she should learn to move on.