✓ | 𝐀𝐒 𝐈𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒 ; joseph quinn

chapter fourteen

FOURTEEN

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"I'm sorry."

"No, no. It's fine." Joseph said, gathering his bags. His voice cracked and it was almost so obvious that he was on the verge of tearing up. It's not everyday where you're leaving the love of your life while being a whole ocean apart. Especially on the days where they needed each other the most. "This is just how it works, right?"

Jonalynn nodded, her eyes glued on the ground. "Yeah." She said quietly.

"Are you sure you don't need me to come with you? Joni, I can stay i-"

"No. Joe, it's fine. You have to do this. And like you said. I need time alone."

"Right." Joseph's head dropped in disappointment. He didn't want to believe it but if it was what was for the better. Maybe this was the break she needed.

Just a few days ago, after the big breakdown Jonalynn had in front of Joseph, she had filed and informed her management that she was going to be on hiatus for an undecided amount of time. And just like that, they let her go for the time being. Now Joseph was on his way to London to do his duty for further press junkets for Stranger Things. It was already oversold so Jonalynn knew he couldn't just back out of it now.

Since then, the couple was alright but Jonalynn knew there was always going to something wrong. Not with the relationship but with her. It was like she convinced herself that she was the core of all her own problems. The reason why she couldn't work anymore.

"Hey, hey." Joni grabbed the sides of Joe's face to make him look at her. "I am going to be fine. Okay?" She affirmed.

But the question Joe had was if he was going to be okay.

"Yeah." He said, still unconvinced. He was second-thinking this break of hers. He didn't want to make her do anything she'd regret. But this hiatus of hers was on the top of his list of worries. He knew this break is not going to end well for her and their relationship. He was scared, that's all.

He had never thought in a million years that this is what their relationship had come to. A break. Joni had already told the rest of the world that they were okay, but in reality, it was only them two that knew the truth.

The truth was that it wasn't perfect. They're weren't as happy as much as they convinced themselves they were. He wanted to be with her, always. But he knew he couldn't give her that right now so they both decided that a break was best for the two of them.

Jonalynn and Joseph had already signed the NDA with her management that allowed for them to not say anything about the real reason why she was going on a break. Surely, she talked about the state of her mental health but not the real reasoning behind it. Hell, not even Joseph knew about the real reason. If there even was a real reason in the first place.

"Are you sure this is even the best idea?" He asked. He may have already this question more than fifty times in the past few days but even with the answer Joni was giving him, he knew he was getting the wrong one. 'Yeah.' was all she would say.

But this answer this time was different.

"Uh," She started. "I guess we'll see."

The two of them continued to walk in the extremely long halls of the airport until they got to their gates.

"Okay, well." The couple stopped walking as they reached the part in the airport with different terminals. Joseph looked to his right as to where Jonalynn would be heading. "This is where we separate I guess."

"Huh. Yeah." Joni sighed, looking up at the terminal signs. Joe was supposed to be heading towards Terminal 2A, while Joni was at Terminal 10B, on opposite ends of the building.

Joni felt sick to her stomach again. That same nauseous feeling that she felt that night out with Joseph's costars, that evening in Central Park when he showed her the stuff on social media, and that same night she had the talk with him. It was all in one week she couldn't really contain anymore.

"You're gonna be fine, okay? Just call me whenever." Joseph grabbed the girl's shoulders to pull her into his arms and planted a kiss on the top of her head. "I'll pick up."

Joni nodded in silence even though she knew it wasn't true. He was going back to London to do more work and press. There was no way he will pick up at every single time she called.

Joe looked at her, noticing the girl's features that weren't obviously indicating her mood was down. He pulled her into a hug that only she could recognize as his.

"I don't want to leave you." He whispered in her ear that was hidden in her poorly brushed hair.

Joni just shook her head 'no,' before she looked up at him in smiled, still wrapped in his arms. "It's fine." She let out, weakly.

"No. No." Joe repeated for further emphasis. "It's really not."

Joni was already looking at him, so his change of expression and tone was clear as day about the situation. She saw everything through him. The watery eyes, the expression drop, the pursed lips. All that indicated that he wasn't fine with the situation.

"I'm sorry." She tried saying again.

"No. It's okay. You don't even need to apologize. It's just that- This," He gestured to the bags, which represented the entire 'break' situation they were in. "Th-is is not." His voice cracked in between words.

Joni looked at him, her eyes attentive to his features. He was finally being clear and honest about his feeling about the idea but it was too late to accommodate anything for the couple.

Joe took a deep breath to stop him from saying anything that he would make him regret the situation even more. "Sorry. I mean, we will be fine. Just call me. Please." He repeated the idea of calling for affirmation towards the girl.

"I will." Jonalynn smiled at him as the two shared on final kiss on the lips before they both had to gather their bags. It was finally time to part ways.

"I love you." was the last thing to slip out of his mouth before he made his way to his terminal.

"I know you do." was the last thing to slip out of her mouth before she made her way to her terminal.