" FIWMMB"/COMPLETED/TAGLISH

47: THE TRUTH

FREEN'S POV

The sight of Becky's car in the garage filled me with a fleeting sense of warmth, a flicker of hope that she was already home.  But as I stepped out of my own car, the joy turned to a cold knot of apprehension.  This was the first time she'd done something like this, and it had left me reeling, unsure of how to navigate this new, unfamiliar terrain.

I parked my car, my heart pounding with a mix of anxiety and apprehension.  I looked at the front door, afraid of what I might say or do.  As I reached for the handle, my phone buzzed.

"Unknown number? Whose number is this?" I muttered, a knot of unease tightening in my stomach.

I opened the message and was instantly slammed by a wave of icy dread. It was a video.  Becky was in it, and she was being held by a man.  My breath hitched in my throat, my eyes stinging with unshed tears.

"What is this?!" I whispered, my voice barely a raspy croak. My hand slammed down on the steering wheel, the impact echoing the pain that was ripping through me.

I frantically dialed the number that had sent the video, but it went straight to voicemail.  I watched the video again, the sight of Becky in the arms of another man a physical blow to my gut.

"Why are you doing this to me? How could you do this?" I choked out, my voice laced with anger and hurt.  I took a deep breath, trying to regain control, before throwing open the car door and storming into the house.

Becky was sitting on the sofa, a serene smile on her face that made my blood run cold.  She looked up, her eyes bright and innocent.

"Where have you been, Freen? I've been waiting for you here for a while. Why didn't you tell me where you were going?" she asked, her voice light and carefree.

I didn't say anything.  I went straight to the kitchen, needing water, needing to cry, but not in front of her. The way she was acting, like nothing was wrong, like she didn't see the pain in my eyes, was the worst part of it all.

"What the hell, Freen! Don't turn your back on me when I'm talking to you!" she snapped, her voice rising in frustration.

I set the glass of water down with a thud and turned to face her, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest.

"What do you need from me? You're not happy! You're not satisfied? What else do you want?" I spat, the words bitter and laced with hurt.

Becky's eyes widened in surprise and confusion. "Ahh- What are you talking about, Freen?"

"I want to rest! Do what you want, and I'll do what I want. So don't stop me, okay?"

As the words left my mouth, I felt a piece of my heart break. I didn't like the anger I was unleashing, but I was hurting, and I didn't know how to express it any other way.

"What is your problem, Freen? Why are you acting like that? Did I do something to you? Is it because I left and didn't take you with me? Is that why you're angry with me... PLEASE tell me, I want to know why you're like this?"

I glared at her, my anger growing.  "Please stop it, Becky! Let's not fool around here. You didn't go to your classmates to do something about your school, right? You went to the BAR, right?"

The shock on Becky's face was palpable.  She was silent, her eyes wide and pleading.

"A--are you following me?" she stammered.

"I didn't follow you! But I hope Becky, you're thinking of me. It's fine with me if you have fun with your friends. Even if I'm not with you, but I hope you didn't do anything that you knew would hurt me."

I threw my phone in front of her, the video flashing on the screen, and slammed the door behind me, leaving her standing there, speechless.

"Freen, come on! I'm not doing anything, please let me explain..."

Becky followed me outside, trying to reason with me, but I was too consumed by pain and anger to listen.

Becky's POV

"Freen! Come on... Can we stop this fight? I swear I didn't do anything. Yes, I lied because..."  Her voice cracked, her eyes pleading for understanding.

"Because of what, Becky?!" Freen's voice was sharp with pain.

"Because I'm jealous! I'm annoyed... I want to hate you. I want you to be mine, just mine. Freen! But I can't..."

I took a deep breath, trying to find the words to explain.  "Freen, please... I'm not doing anything wrong.  I just... I'm so jealous of you, and I don't know how to handle it."

Freen's face softened slightly.  "You're jealous?"

I nodded, tears welling up in my eyes.  "I'm so afraid of losing you.  I want you to be mine, completely mine.  But I know that's not fair.  I know I can't control you.  I just... I need you to understand how I feel."

I reached out and took her hand, my fingers intertwining with hers.  "I love you, Freen.  More than anything.  And I'm so sorry for hurting you."

I looked into her eyes, searching for forgiveness.  "Can you forgive me?"

I waited, my heart pounding in my chest.  I knew I had messed up, but I hoped, with all my heart, that she could see how much I loved her.

Freen's POV

I stared at Becky, her words hanging in the air, a strange mix of confusion and understanding swirling within me.  I had never thought of her being jealous, not in the way she was describing.  It was a new facet of her, a vulnerability I hadn't seen before.

"You're jealous?" I repeated, the question echoing in my own mind.

She nodded, her eyes welling up with tears.  "I'm so afraid of losing you.  I want you to be mine, completely mine.  But I know that's not fair.  I know I can't control you.  I just... I need you to understand how I feel."

Her words, raw and honest, pierced through the anger that had been clouding my judgment.  I saw the fear in her eyes, the vulnerability that made her act in a way that hurt us both.

I reached out and took her hand, my fingers intertwining with hers.  "I love you, Becky.  More than anything.  And I'm so sorry for hurting you."

I looked into her eyes, searching for forgiveness.  "Can you forgive me too?"

I waited, my heart pounding in my chest.  I knew I had messed up, but I hoped, with all my heart, that she could see how much I loved her.

Becky's POV

Freen's gaze held mine, a mixture of concern and understanding flickering within its depths.  My heart ached with the weight of my actions, the realization that my jealousy had driven me to a point of irrationality.

"I'm sorry, Freen.  I know I messed up.  I let my jealousy get the best of me.  I was so afraid of losing you, of someone else taking your heart away from me, that I acted like a complete fool."

My voice cracked, the words tumbling out in a rush of remorse.  "I didn't mean to hurt you.  I just... I panicked.  I'm so sorry."

I squeezed her hand, my own heart aching with the pain I had caused her.  I wanted to erase the video, the hurtful words, everything that had driven a wedge between us.  I just wanted to hold her close and make things right.

Freen's POV

Becky's words, filled with remorse and sincerity, washed over me, melting away the last vestiges of my anger.  I saw the pain in her eyes, the genuine regret that mirrored my own.  I couldn't stay mad at her, not when her heart was so clearly laid bare before me.

"I forgive you, Becky," I whispered, my voice softening with tenderness.  "But we need to talk about this.  We need to be honest with each other, about our feelings, about our fears.  We can't let jealousy tear us apart."

I pulled her into a hug, her warmth a welcome comfort against my chest.  "I love you, Becky.  And I don't want to lose you."

Becky's POV

Freen's embrace was a balm to my soul, a reassurance that our connection ran deeper than the hurt we had inflicted upon each other.  I clung to her, my heart overflowing with relief and gratitude.

"I love you too, Freen," I whispered back, my voice thick with emotion.  "More than words can say."

We stood there for a long moment, holding each other, the weight of our emotions settling between us.  The video, the jealousy, the anger, all faded into the background, replaced by the comforting certainty of our love.

Johvie's POV

I stood outside Freen's house, the doorbell echoing in the quiet evening air.  My heart pounded with a mix of anxiety and hope.  I had been a traitor to the gang, a betrayal that had cost me dearly.  But Freen had helped me get out, and now, I was free.

I saw them, Freen and Becky, laughing together, their happiness a stark contrast to the turmoil I had experienced.  My heart sank, but I knew I had to face them, to apologize for the pain I had caused.

Freen approached me, Becky trailing behind.  I wanted to turn and run, to hide from the judgment in their eyes, but Freen's hand reached out and gently took mine.

"Just wait, Johvie?" she said, her voice soft and understanding.

I slowly turned to her, bending down, unable to meet her gaze.  "I'm sorry, Freen.  I'm really sorry!  I know I don't have the right to face you anymore, but I hope you can forgive me!  I just want my sister to be safe."

Tears streamed down my face, my voice cracking with emotion.  I had been a traitor, and I knew I didn't deserve her forgiveness.  But to my surprise, she pulled me into a tight embrace.

"It's good that you're freed, Johvie!" she said, her voice warm and comforting.

She patted me on the back, and I was stunned.  Wasn't she mad at me?  Wasn't she going to slap me?  Why was she still kind to me after what I had done?

"Johvie, the gang misses you so much, and we both miss you," Becky added, her smile genuine and reassuring.

She patted me on the shoulder, and I sat down on the pavement, slumping my shoulders as I watched the two of them.  "Did I dream?" I mumbled, my voice barely a whisper.

They approached me and helped me stand up straight.

"I know everything, Johvie! Your sister told me everything that happened.  I'm sorry I didn't know your reason right away.  So we made a way so that you could be freed from the custody of the police and be able to study again.  It's a pity that you won't graduate from high school with us, but don't worry, okay?  Now that you're out, you can study again."

Tears welled up in my eyes again, this time with gratitude.  Freen had helped me, even though I had betrayed her.  She had never given up on me.

I immediately stood up and hugged Freen and Becky tightly.  "I miss you so much!  Not a day goes by that I don't think about you.  Thank you, Freen.  Thank you so much!"

"We miss you too, and even though you were inside, we couldn't forget you, especially your sister," Becky said, her voice filled with warmth.

"Stop crying, okay!  Maybe others will think that we're fighting with you," Freen said, her smile a ray of sunshine.

I immediately wiped my tears and smiled at them both.  "Thank you so much!"

Nop's POV

I kicked the wall in anger, the sound echoing through the prison cell.  "Johvie is free!  That bastard is really draining my patience!!"

I won't allow you to be the only one happy outside, Johvie!  But go ahead... because a few days from now, I will destroy all of your lives!!!

I punched the wall furiously, my fist connecting with a sickening thud.  The pain was a welcome distraction from the rage that consumed me.

"I will kill you, Johvie!  And I will kill you next, Freen Delrosario!!"

My life is totally ruined!  And all the people who are important to me are gone.  If you can't be with me, Becky, it's better for you to die.  I will NOT let you two and Freen be happy while I suffer because of you!  I will kill you, all of you!!  I will kill everyone who gets in the way of my plan!

I punched the wall again, making the police who were guarding me look at me angrily.  But I didn't care.  My anger was a consuming fire, and it wouldn't be quenched until I had my revenge.