It Should've Been You: Book One

Madeline

I swipe away yet another text from Ellis. Dude. Don't you get that I've fallen in love again? And it's not with you.

It's with the man who walks out of the firehouse that stands by our university. Who would have known that we were so close all this time?

He comes out with his....police uniform?

I furrow my brows at the badge on his chest. "Weren't you a firefighter?"

"A rookie firefighter. I actually started as a cop, but I decided to go to school for the fire."

He lays a soft kiss on my lips and I run a hand up his chest. "I'm not complaining here," I playfully say. He puts his hand on my waist and warmly smiles down at me.

"Hey, rookie!" We look over at a man in a baggy fireman suit coming out of their garage. "You're with us tonight!"

"Alright!" Mateo says to him with a wave. He looks back at me and says, "It seems like someone's in their uniform as well."

I look down at my scrubs and say, "I have clinical hours tonight."

"Hopefully, I'll get in another blazing fire and see you?" I give him a playful punch on his arm and he laughs. "One of these days, I'll go visit my doctor without any wounds. I promise."

I give his lips another kiss and say, "I don't always spend time in the ER. I hate it when I have to treat children at the clinic."

"You spend more time at the clinic?"

"Most of the time. It's rare when I'm at the ER. But hopefully..." I give him an excited smile as I explain to him what Dr. Leblanc and Dr. Bloom said to me the other day.

His eyes grow wide as he sits on a bench with me. "That sounds like an amazing opportunity! I think you should take it. Plus. You'll be able to do two jobs if you want just like me!"

I laugh at this. "Unfortunately, I don't have the time to do two jobs at the same time."

Mateo takes my hand and gives it a sweet kiss. "Well. If I don't see you tonight or tomorrow, would you like to go to the movies on Thursday?"

I do a quick run through my mental agenda and smile. "I'd love to..." I give him a sweet kiss on his lips. It's the first time since I've ever kissed a guy this gently. It's what makes it so special with him.

"Castillo!" We both look up to see a police officer frown at him from afar. "Stop kissing your girlfriend and come help us out! You said it would only be ten minutes!"

"I gotta go--"

"Don't worry. Go ahead." I stand up with him and he gives me a sweet hug. Sweet shivers go down my spine from his embrace and it ends too soon as he runs back inside. Something within me cries out to have him back in my arms, but I ignore it as I make my way back to the university.

When I'm finally on campus, my eyes land on Hazel from afar. She puts a hair strand behind her ear and smiles at someone. When I continue walking straight, I now see that she's smiling at Noah. I roll my eyes at this. She won't listen that he's not the best person to fall in love with.

"Madeline?!"

I stop in my tracks when I recognize that stupid voice.

I turn around and see my brother walking up to me with his surprised face on. "Madeline!" He hugs me and I quickly tap his back.

"Hey," I say. I don't even know if I should speak in French since he's lost the accent a lot. But he does a small laugh and says in French, "I haven't seen you since you arrived! You keep rejecting my calls and--"

I raise my hand for him to stop and respond to him in French. "That's enough. I'm aware that I've been rejecting you."

"But why?! What did I do to you?"

"Shall I remind you that when I most needed you, you left?"

His dark blue eyes show guilt and regret in them. It doesn't convince me to let down my anger towards him. He lets his expression fall and he sadly says, "I know I should've been there, but you...I...I wanted to be there."

"Why did you even come? Because of you, Mom and Dad sent me here. I hate it here!"

Anger makes his jaw set. "Then if you hate it here, why won't you go back home? I'm here to complete my dreams!"

"Can't you do it back home?! What did they offer here that France can't give? People die to go to France to study!"

"I came here because I was offered a full ride. You did, too! Why are you complaining?!"

"Because I miss home. I miss the weather. I miss the streets and the food. It's not home here. I want to hold our parents once again but I can't."

"You can in Christmas Break. I'm glad you rejected my calls because it seems like all you want to do is argue."

I scoff. "As long as you stay away from me, we'll be fine. Looking at you reminds me of...Never mind! Don't call me or text me or appear out of the blue!"

People passing by stare at us due to our argument in French, but I don't care as I walk away and hear my brother yell out, "Fine! But if you ever need anything, you know where to find me!"

"Of course I do...nerd," I say under my breath and enter the elevator door with burning ears.