Love and Resilience

Between Two Hearts

Serena's POV

After finishing my breakfast, I settled back onto my hospital bed, my mind wandering as I scrolled through old photos of me and Jovana. The pictures brought back memories happy moments when we were inseparable, our smiles captured in candid shots, the warmth of our love in every frame. I smiled at the memories, reconciling them with the reality of where we stood now back in each other’s lives, rekindling what was lost.

Just as I got lost in the nostalgia, the door to my room creaked open. I looked up, and there was David, walking in with his usual cheerful demeanor. But the moment he spotted the vase of flowers on the table next to my bed, his smile faltered.

“Hey,” he greeted, though his eyes were fixated on the pink tulips. “Ah, Serena. Nasan na yung mga red roses na binigay ko sayo? And... who gave you these pink tulips?”

Before I could respond, I heard a familiar voice from the doorway.

“It was from me,” Jovana said, her tone calm yet firm. She walked into the room, her presence filling the space with a quiet confidence. “Hindi ba sinabi sayo ni Serena na pink tulips ang paborito niya at hindi red roses?"

David’s face grew tense, his confusion apparent. "Bakit mo naman binigay sya binigyan ng pink tulips?" he asked, turning to Jovana with an almost accusatory tone. “You’re her doctor, right? She’s your patient—there’s nothing special between you two, right?”

Jovana paused, her eyes never leaving David’s, and for a moment I could feel the tension building between them. But then she smiled, that soft, knowing smile she always had when she knew something the other person didn’t.

“Well,” Jovana said, her voice calm but pointed, “maybe you should ask Serena if there’s something special between me and her.”

Her eyes flicked to me for a second before she turned back to David, her smile unwavering. “Anyway, I’ll be back later, Ms. Suvillan,” she added, addressing me more formally, though her tone held a familiar warmth.

I watched as Jovana gave me one last smile before leaving the room, the door clicking shut behind her. The air in the room suddenly felt heavier. David stood there, looking bewildered. His curiosity burned in his eyes, and I knew what was coming.

“What was that?” David asked, his voice laced with confusion. “Is there something going on between you and your doctor?”

I took a deep breath, knowing I needed to be honest with him. “Yes,” I said, my voice quiet but steady. “Actually, Jovana and I... we got back together.”

His expression shifted instantly, his face a mix of shock and hurt. He stared at me for a moment, his silence louder than words. Then, after a pause, he finally spoke.

“Paano naman ako, Serena?”

I blinked, unsure of what he meant at first. “Huh? Anong ibig mong sabihin?" I asked, my heart sinking a little.

David’s eyes were filled with a sadness I hadn’t noticed before. “I thought you liked me too... you know, with the way you acted around me, how close we got. And you agreed to let me court you.”

The shock of his words hit me like a wave. I hadn’t realized he’d misinterpreted our interactions. I felt a knot of guilt tighten in my stomach. “David,” I began softly, trying to choose my words carefully, “my actions toward you were friendly gestures nothing more. I’m sorry if I gave you the wrong impression, but I never saw us as anything more than friends.”