"I Will Still Love You"

Chapter 2

Flashback - January/95

Back in Orlando...

Joanna tried, but it was impossible. She couldn't forget him. Justin. She spent hours looking at their picture and remembering the incredible moments they had shared. Moments of magical happiness. And all she wanted to do was cry. Cry. Cry because they were apart and she never heard from him again. She called him once, but the lady who answered the phone said that they moved to Florida. She didn't know the exact city or their new phone number. Joanna was devastated. Her only way of finding her love, her only way of finding herself again was useless. Suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by someone calling her name:

"Joanna, could you come down here, please?" - her mother asked

"Be right there..." - she answered, running down the stairs of the house

"Dear, could you pick up your sister at Mrs. Harless' house? Let's say, around 7?" - her mother said

"Yeah, ok..."

"Thank you. I'm leaving now with dad. We are going to the company's reception and we'll be home by 11. You know where to reach us, right?"

"Yes, mom."

"Ok, bye sweetheart."

"Have fun, mom."

Joanna's parents were the best. They gave her everything a daughter could ever ask for. They gave her love, attention, support and material things, as well. Sometimes they were over-protective, but that didn't bother her. She knew they wanted what was best for her. Beatriz was her little sister, she was only four years-old. Joanna still remembers the day her parents told her she was going to have a baby sister. She was nine, almost ten years-old. She says it was one of the happiest days of her life.

She fell in love with Beatriz since the first time she carried her in her arms. Joanna said she would never let anything bad happen to her sister. She was hers to take care and love. And she did a great job.

The Harless were their front-door neighbors. Paul, Lynn and two sons. They had moved to Orlando two weeks ago, and became good friends with Joanna's parents. One of the boys was five-year old Jonathan. Beatriz and him became best friends instantly. They went to school and played together everyday. The other boy Joanna didn't know, in person that is. Lynn always talked about him, how sweet and wonderful he was. All that Joanna knew was that he was in some Disney show which required him to be on the road very often. She didn't care much though. All she could think of was of her love, her Justin.

The clock stroke seven times...

"Sh**, I have to pick up Bia." - Joanna said to herself.

And she left the house. Little did she know what she would find, what destiny had planned for her...