5 Chapter 4

Griselda wasn't totally convinced, but she rethought of it and concluded that what she said may have been true. Angelica is the kind of person that can't keep a secret from her. Griselda trusts her best friend, so she couldn't think that she talked to her missing boyfriend and hid it from her. However, her instincts were telling her the opposite. Though Griselda didn't know anything, her senses were right.

Angelica didn't do anything wrong, she didn't talk to Jonathan at all, yet he did. When Griselda thought that he left her, she changed her life radically, her phone number, and her social media accounts as well.

Angelica didn't answer him yet, she just bet that he would tell her that regret is eating him, and he wants to make things up with her. She was afraid that Griselda will get hurt again if they would know why he disappeared. Even though he is Angelica's childhood friend, she is angrier for what he did than Griselda. It was an unexpected thing from him, especially a nice guy like him and with a girl like her. She always kept thinking that something is wrong, and it's so impossible that Jonathan would do such a horrible thing like that.

Two days later, Angelica was still trying to forget about Jonathan's message, and preventing herself from talking to him to not mess things up more than they already are. Eventually, she decided to talk to him and try to understand what happened, before telling Griselda anything.

She was confused and didn't know how to talk to him, whether yelling at him or comforting him. She decided to be normal to make him explain first, then deal with him according to his excuses; hoping that his alibi would be convincing enough to help him make Griselda forgive him.

· JONATHAN: Hey there Ange! I tried to contact both of you so many times, but none of you is reachable. I talked to Mom, and she told me that neither of you comes very often to visit back home. What's going on? Call me when you get this.

· ANGELICA (on the phone): I seriously tried to understand your situation. But, after reading your message now, you just sentenced yourself to death.

· JONATHAN: Wait, what? Hello to you too. What have I done?

· ANGELICA: You disappeared! Not only for days but months.

· JONATHAN: But I did explain my situation in a brief, which I sent two months ago.

· ANGELICA: Yes! I believe you.

· JONATHAN: You have to. I'm serious... That explains the unread messages.

· ANGELICA: We cut you out of our lives. And for your information, we live in the 20th century! Technology area. You could've called as you did with your mother.

· JONATHAN: I can explain, just tell her to answer me.

· ANGELICA: You seriously better not. Also, I am not telling her that I talked to you. You must come clean first, and I need to hear your side of the story.

· JONATHAN (serious tone): Ange, you need to believe me. You know that it was all new to me. New country, new people, even new life. I was all alone and lonely; I didn't tell anyone about what happened. Moreover, I called my parents so they won't feel that something is wrong. In the letter, I wrote to Grise that I would call her as soon as my situation is fine... Angelica, I did some illegal things to finance my studies.

· ANGELICA (speechless): Define illegal!

· JONATHAN: I am not telling you now or maybe never for both our safety. Maybe in person, but I really need to fix things with Griselda.

· ANGELICA (after a long moment of silence): In one condition.

· JONATHAN: Anything you can ask for.

· ANGELICA: Don't talk to her until you show up in front of her. That's maybe the only way she can talk to you or forgive you. If you tried to talk to her on social media, she's not going to answer you. You can try, but trust me, your chance is in honestly face her.

· JONATHAN: But I have a problem.

· ANGELICA: what problem you have other than this?

· JONATHAN: The University knew about what happened, someone snitched me. And probably who snitched me is the same person who set me up in the first place. So, I am obliged to finish my probation work for six weeks, and the attending is obligatory.

· ANGELICA: Okay, now that's another problem. And that's a sign of how much careless and selfish you are. Since you know that whatever illegal thing you have done IS illegal, you shouldn't have done it. You knew that you would pay the consequences no matter what.

· JONATHAN: I thought he was a friend. Turns out he hates me for taking his scholarship. I didn't have another choice.

· ANGELICA: CHOICE, yeah I heard that plenty of times since the day you were born. Your father is a doctor, you didn't need that scholarship anyways. Why competing with someone who needs it more than you, and paying the price for something you didn't have to.

· JONATHAN: The truth is, my parents didn't agree on the idea to go and study abroad. Therefore, I had to finance all of my studies alone. That's dad's punishment for not following the legacy and take his place in the university.

· ANGELICA (in a comprehensive way): I see, and I know how sensitive your father is concerning this. We were surprised that he let you go. Anyways, I'm not going to do anything more than explain to her your situation, which I still have no idea what it is except the illegal thing.

· JONATHAN: Fine, I appreciate it. I wish I can talk to her now, but since she changed everything means that she wants (saying it with a down sad voice) to forget about me.

Jonathan wasn't ready to tell her what happened to him yet; he was either being ashamed or afraid. Angelica didn't push him harder too. However, she felt his honesty. No matter how much Angelica was trying to be cold and rude, she felt sad for him. After their phone call, from his voice, she knew that he is not lying, and something bad happened broke their love's wings.

Angelica has never mentioned to Griselda that she talked to Jonathan. Time goes by, but things didn't change that much for Griselda. She has never forgotten about Jonathan; she always remembers him in every tiny thing.

The days were unusually cold for California. The thing is, were they really cold, or is Griselda freezing from loneliness? Jonathan's presence by her side was the perfect thing for her, to calm her, comfort her, and push her one percent negativity she has.