[A/N: so that is the end of the flashback. I have made some modifications in the first few chapters for it to be congruent and cohesive, you might want to check them out and if you find something out of the context, please let me know. I don't have an editor so there really are things that I will not be able to correct. Thank you for all your comments, they are very helpful for me to improve this. This will be a short story only as I don't want to have a very long, winding story. I hope that you will be with me till the end of Joseph and Christine's journey. XOXO]
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"I am really sorry for what happened", Jolo replied looking directly in her eyes.
"Me too. But what really happened back then?'', she asked him.
"It was my fault that you were sent away", Jolo confessed.
"Who brought the drugs on your birthday. Was it you?'', Christine asked in a low voice, afraid that someone might hear them.
"It was Marlon. It was all his idea and we were just curious but unfortunately, we got caught and it implicated you. and I am really sorry for it", Jolo said apologetically.
"I was so scared at that time. I was scared of what Joseph will do to Marlon but I did not expect that you will take the responsibility. I regret every single day for being a coward and for letting you down", he sincerely declared. He took her hands and held them.
"I don't know what has gotten into me that time why I took the responsibility. But when I looked at you and the fear I saw on your face, I just knew that I had to do something. Marlon did not admit to it and we cannot force him, especially that his dad was the chief of police and they were quite influential", Christine explained.
"Yeah, I know what his dad was capable of, they are quite notorious and I did not want to have any problem with them", Jolo agreed who was still holding her hands.
"After that, Joseph sent me to boys town in C City but before that, we had a talk. It was like a week after you left. He asked me again about what happened", Jolo said. He stood up sat beside her in the swing and because he was heavy, they were pulled to the center of the swing which was made of rattan.
"And...?", Christine wanted him to continue.
"I just told that it was not you but I did not tell him that it was Marlon, VJ or Raffy. He did not ask again after that", he continued and laid on the swing which also pulled Christine down and she landed beside Jolo which made her shrill. Jolo immediately covered her mouth.
"Sssshhhh", Jolo was covering her mouth with his hand.
She giggled and remove his hand that covered her mouth and acted as if she was about to vomit.
"You are overreacting, my hands are clean for your information", he jokingly tried to put his hands on her mouth again while Christine struggled to avoid it and eventually got out of the swing. Because she lost her balance, she fell on the ground with her butt first. She giggled even more and tried so hard to suppress her laughter.
Jolo helped her to get up and patted her butt to remove some dust. This is how they normally are when they are together. They laugh at nothing, they play like kids and they always have fun.
"Now, let us get to business again", Jolo went back to being serious again.
"I totally understand it now. I did not blame you, well sometimes", she sheepishly smiled.
"I was just hurt because you never reached out to me in those five long years, my God you are something!", she pretended to be angry.
"I tried so many times but I get coward all the time, I am sorry. Will you forgive me?'', he knelt down, put his palms together and with a puppy eyes, he looked up to her.
"Doesn't suit you, you know!", Christine was laughing at him. He looked so cute and adorable.
"It feels so good to hear your laughter again. It feels so good to have unloaded all of these. I have been carrying this every single day.", he confessed while he was still on his knees.
"Get up, you silly!", she tried to pull him up by holding his shoulders.
"You have to say you forgive me first", he was still on his knees, palms together, and with puppy eyes.
"I forgive you in one condition", Christine said and she played along.
"What is it? I will do anything to make up to you", Jolo felt happy
Christine pretended to think about it, she really is enjoying it finding Jolo so cute. He has matured a little, he is cute. Compared to Joseph, he is fun to be around with that even if she is so mad, she will melt when he does this puppy eyes. He is tall but Joseph is taller. He got his complexion from his mother, he looks caucasian without the freckles and colored eyes because he has these big brown eyes. Joseph has darker skin, maybe he got it from his father. As they grow older, Joseph and Jolo's appearances and personality became so distinct from each other. Jolo is the playboy-next door type while Joseph is the man-of-my-dreams, stick-to-one type.
"Hey, don't keep me waiting please!", Jolo interrupted her line of thoughts.
"You will give me those John Grisham collections of yours", she smiled like a sheep and mimicked Betty Boop's eyes. She has been begging him since she first saw his collections.
"What?!!!!'', Jolo exclaimed, overexaggerating. He knew it. She did not forget about it. She became addicted to it when she happened to borrow one of his books out of boredom. Since then, she has been borrowing it.
"Cant you buy yours?", Jolo asked.
"I did but it is not complete so I am only going to get the ones that I don't have yet. That is if you want to be forgiven", she pouted her lips and smiled sheepishly.
"Alright, you got it!", he had to agree because his knee hurt and his legs are already numbed.
"Deal!", Christine extended her right hand.
"Deal!", Jolo accepted her right hand made a handshake.
However, since his legs were numbed, he lost balance and in an attempt to restore it, he tried to hold onto her hand. Christine was caught off guard, she lost her footing and they both fell on the ground. Jolo was on his back and Christine was straddling him, it was such an awkward position. Especially that at the same time, Joseph came out of the terrace.
Joseph went to her room but she was not there. he also checked Jolo's room and they were not there. He decided to check the balcony, and true enough, they were there. He was standing in an angle where it looked like Christine was kissing Jolo.
"Uhrmm!", he cleared his throat to make his presence known. Christine and Jolo froze. Like in a slow-motion movie, they turned to look at Joseph who's face was as dark as a black hole. The temperature on the balcony dropped to beyond zero.
"Can't find a suitable room for you?" he said in a cold voice, his face so dark.