Chapter 11

“Here listen to this,” Josh announced when he entered the kitchen, his father behind the stove, making him breakfast as usual. He looked over his shoulder for a moment as Josh began reading.  

“Joshua Chasez has officially been acquitted of rape. Ashley Lewis who claimed she’d been raped by Mr. Chasez was proven wrong by a tape who recorded her statement, saying he hadn’t raped her, she made the whole thing up because he rejected her which made her seek revenge. Joshua Chasez was put on trial for the accusation but when the new evidence came in, charges were dropped and Ashley Lewis was charged with falsely accusing the young man. The case against her will start end of the month and the young man who was falsely accused of raping her can go on with his life. Justice serves…..” Josh finished with a smile on his face.  

His dad turned down the gas and walked over to his son, “Congratulations son” he said hugging him close.  

“Thanks dad” Josh said leaning into his hug.  

“Dad?” Josh addressed his father, pulling back slightly.  

“Yes?” Roy asked pulling back as well so he could look at his son.  

“Thank you,” he said sincerely.  

“Thank you for not turning your back on me dad, thanks for sticking by me, I love you” Josh said leaning back into the hug.  

“I love you too Josh, I’d never turn my back on you, never” he hugged his son close to his chest, grateful his prayers had been answered, grateful the truth did come out in the end. 

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“Hey Josh!” a voice called for him and he turned with Robin under his arm.  

“I’m glad this messed is cleared up” Alex said sincerely extending his hand.  

“Thanks” Josh said hesitantly shaking his extended hand.  

“I hope we can be friends again” Alex said cautiously looking down at his shoes. Josh’s eyebrow furrowed,  

“What?” he asked incredulously.  

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, I hope we can be friends again” Alex apologized.  

“Maybe….” Josh said thinking it over, Alex had dropped him once he heard about the accusation was he expecting he would just forget about something like that?  

“Look Alex, I’m not going to lie to you. You dropped me without even listening to my side of the story, without giving me a chance to explain you believed everybody else. I thought you were supposed to be my friend and I thought friends supported each other, not only when things went right but also when it went wrong” Josh said looking Alex in the eye the entire time and he saw regret, he saw Alex regretted the fact that he believed other people, mainly his dad, instead of his friend.  

Josh could see he hated himself for it but that didn’t make it right, he still allowed people to shove their opinion down his throat when he should have known better and should have believed his friend.  

“And things went wrong but you were no where to be found, so forgive me if I don’t see you as my friend right now” Josh finished, now it was Alex’s turn to talk,  

“I know Josh and you are right, I was a jerk and I should have believed you but everyone told me what to think before I even had a chance to make up my own mind. I didn’t believe you would do something like that, I didn’t believe it when I first heard about it but…” he sighed, pausing for a second, thinking what he could say to make it up to him.  

“I know I can’t make up for what I did but I hope that in time you’ll be able to forgive me and that we can be friends again, I missed that” he said with a smile. Josh nodded, he missed it too but it still hurt that Alex had turned his back on him like that, that wouldn’t go away right away.  

“I don’t expect you to answer right now, just think about it and just give me a call when you’re ready” Alex finished with a hopeful smile,  

“I’ll see you around” he said when he saw Josh nodding in response, it would be ok.  

“Bye Robin” Alex said before he turned around and walked away.  

“Bye” Robin waved, while she wrapped the other arm around Josh’s waist, kissing his cheek,  

“You okay?” she asked gently.  

“Yeah” he smiled wrapping his arm around her shoulder.  

“We beat it….” he said proudly, happier than ever.  

“Together” Robin finished, a huge smile passing her features.  

He looked at her before leaning in for a kiss, it would be ok because after all they got through it together and they’d always have each other.  

The rest would come with time.

The End

 

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