Waiting For You

Chapter 8

Chloe just stared at him tila pinagiisipan kung sasagutin ang tanong o hindi. But Spencer knowing her, didn’t need the answer from her mouth. Tingin palang nito alam niya na ang sagot.

“So yun nga yun?” Ulit ni Spencer. Still no answer.

“I’m going back to work” Maikling sagot ni Chloe then tried walking away pero hindi siya binitiwan ni Spencer. Napapalingon lingon na si Chloe dahil they are starting to create a commotion. Hindi lang naman sila normal na tao na nagLLQ, mga anak lang naman sila ng boss na nagLLQ.  At napansin na rin naman ni Spencer ang atensyon na nakukuha nila.

“Let’s go to my office” Casual na bulong nito sa kanya.

“Finally” Chloe sighed in relief

Pagdating nila sa office ni Spencer ay nilock niya ang pinto at pinaupo si Chloe sa swivel chair sa harap ng table niya. He stood beside it.

“Chloe, hindi ka aalis dito ng hindi tayo nagkakaayos. Nakakabaliw na ang pagiwas mo sa akin. Again tell me what’s the problem??” Pagulit ni Spencer sa tanong niya mula kanina pa

“Akala ko ba alam mo na ang sagot?” Balik tanong nito sa kanya

“So yun nga yun? Nagkakaganito ka just because of a kiss?” Frustrated na tanong ni Spencer

“Just because of a kiss?” Inulit ni Chloe ang sinabi ni Spencer with a sign of disbelief

“Chloe, it was just a kiss! Normal lang naman sa mag-asawa yun ah!” Depensa ni Spencer “As if di natin ginagawa yun.”

“Not us! And not definitely on that occasion or that time of the day! At baka nakakalimutan mo inakala mong “tulog” ako nun it was taking advantage pa nga” Katwiran ni Chloe

“I can’t believe we are having this argument Chloe. Parang may ginawa akong napakalaking kasalanan to deserve this treatment.” Napaupo nalang si Spencer sa upuan not knowing what to do

“At ano naman sayo kung hindi kita pinapansin? Or tinataguan kita? Hindi ba dapat okay lang sayo yun?” Tanong ni Chloe

“kelan pa naging ok na hindi mo ako pinapansin? Dati pa Chloe hindi mo lang ako kibuin di na ako mapakali eh taguan mo pa kaya ng isang linggo?” Tuloy na sagot ni Spencer

“I think you are over crossing some boundaries here.” Finally Chloe dropped her bomb. Kaya siya nagkakaganun dahil natatakot siya sa inaasta ni Spencer. Natatakot siya sa mga ginagawa ni Spencer for her. Tila wala na sa usapan nila yun. Out of the contract. And she’s not liking it.

Spencer paused for a while. Contemplating on what she had just said. “Tingin mo Chloe?” Binalik niya ang tanong sa kanya

“Hindi ka dapat ganun sa akin. May mga bagay kang ginagawa na hindi dapat. Hindi ka dapat sweet sa akin, hindi mo ako dapat pinagsisilbihan, I shouldn’t affect you. Magkaibigan tayo diba? Ang magkaibigan hindi naman dapat ganun eh…”Chloe finally starting to open up. “Natatakot ako sa mga nangyayari”

“Bakit ka natatakot sa mga nangyayari? Things are exactly the way they should be. I don’t see anything that is out of the way.  At regarding sa mga dapat kong trato sayo, hindi ba nasa sa akin yun? I treat you the way I think I should. You’re not just my friend, you’re also my wife.” Spencer tried explaining to her

“Mali talaga eh, wala sa usapan to. Hindi dapat mangyari to. Hindi dapat masanay na ganito. Spencer we were fine sa simula ng set-up na to, bakit bigla nalang nagbago? Tapos parang ang bilis bilis pa. Pakiramdam ko…” Pinutol naman ni Chloe ang sasabihin niya when she realized what she was about to say

“Pakiramdam mo..?” Spencer trying to get her to continue but she didn’t. Then at this time Spencer realized what is happening to her.  Her commitment issues are starting to get onto the way again.  Every time that her relationship with anyone is about to flourish, a ghost from the past comes haunting her again.

“Chloe this is not about Miguel again?” Spencer decided to ask, pinipigilan ang galit sa tono ng boses niya mentioning that name again.

Flashback

It was a beautiful Sunday evening and everyone is gathered in a hotel banquet hall for a special event that day. The music were all playing, the lights were dancing to the beat and everyone is happily chatting with each other.

“Chloe will you stop pacing around! Nahihilo na ako sayo!” reklamo ni Spencer while taking a sip of his cup on the room she was staying

“Sorry, di lang kasi talaga ako mapakali eh. anong oras na ba? kanina pa siya tumawag na papunta na siya ah.” Chloe ignoring his command and continued pacing back and forth.

“Eh bakit hindi mo tawagan?”tanong ni Spencer

“I already called him pero out of reach siya. Ang huling usap namen is kaninang hapon after ng meeting niya.” She replied.

“Baka natraffic lang, tsaka di ka na nasanay dun laging late.”Naiinis na komento ni Spencer

After few more minutes ay pumasok na ang mommy at daddy ni Chloe. “Chloe, nacontact mo na ba si Miguel? We should start naiinip na ang mga bisita. Pati mga parents ni Miguel hindi ko pa rin nakikita?”tanong ni Mommy Rachel

“Tinry kong tawagan ang daddy niya pero hindi sumasagot, and her mom’s line is busy.” Dagdag pa ni Daddy Richard

Spencer who was just listening on the background felt alarmed. He felt that something wrong is about to happen. He looked at Chloe who was still pacing around with a panic faced on. Feeling unease in the situation he decided to go out of the room. Lumabas siya hanggang labas ng hotel para silipin to see any sign of him.

Hindi pa siya nakakalabas tuluyan ay nakita niya na ang sasakyan ni Miguel nakapark sa main entrance. Agad agad niya naman sana pupuntahan ito ng makita niyang bumukas ang passenger seat at may lumabas na galit na galit na babae.

“Hindi ka na dpaat pumunta dito! hayaan mo na lang siya maghintay!” Sigaw ng babae sa kanya

“Babe, I just can’t do that. Kahit papaano may utang na loob pa rin ako kay Chloe sa mga ginawa niya. If I just think I should explain to her” Sagot ni Miguel trying to calm her down

“So tinubuan ka na pala ng konsensya ngayon? You cancelled our date tonight for this? Wag mo sabihin nagbago na isip mo itutuloy mo na tong engagement na to?” Galit na tanong na babae sa kanya

“Of course not! Pumunta ako dito para magpaalam ng maayos. So if you could just calm down, go back inside the car and give me a few minutes!” Sigaw ni Miguel sa kasamang babae and this time she followed then he made his way to the entrance. Nagulat pa siya ng makita niya si Spencer sa entrance.

“Spencer” gulat niyang tawag “Bakit ka andito sa labas?” Casual niyang tanong. Sasagot palang sana si Spencer when they hear Chloe calling his name.

“Hon! Finally you’re here!” Tuwang tuwa lapit ni Chloe kay Miguel.  Nakuha pang humalik ni Miguel and gave her a smile.

“Di ka pa ata nakakapagbihis?” Gulat na tanong ni Chloe ng mapansin ang suot niya “Pero sabagay mabilis nalang yun. Sige na mamaya na tayo magusap bihis ka na muna” Tuloy tuloy na sabi ni Chloe

“Chloe wait” Pigil ni Miguel sa kamay ni Chloe na hihila sana papasok sa kanya sa kwarto

“Yes?”tanong ni Chloe sa kanya

“I have something to tell you..” Dahan dahan na sab ni Miguel

“Chloe, let’s go umuwi na tayo. Walang engagement na magaganap ngayon!” Spencer breaks off his silence. He doesn’t want to hear him explain.

“Spencer! Ano ba pinagsasabi mo!” Galit na saway ni Chloe

“just trust me this time? You don’t deserve to be with this beast. Tara na umuwi na tayo” Spencer trying to calm himself down, when he tried reaching for her she slapped his hand away.

“Ano ba pinagsasabi mo? Miguel?” Naguguluhan tanong ni Chloe at mas lalong naguluhan ng hindi man lang pigilan ni Miguel si Spencer

“Miguel! Babe! Ang tagal naman ng minutes mo!” Someone shouted from the entrance and started storming her way to them

“This is just great!” Hindi makapaniwalang komento ni Spencer.

“Oh..hi you must be Chloe! Maganda ka nga kaso sorry mas maganda ako sayo, thank you nga pala sa lahat ng tulong na binigay mo sa amin ni Miguel ah. It was more than enough” Biglang singit ng babae sa usapan.

“Babe! Ano ba! sabi ko sayo sa sasakyan ka lang maghintay eh!” Saway nanaman ni Miguel sa babae. Unknowingly he even used the word of endearment “babe” infront of her supposed to be fiancée.

Now slowly Chloe is starting to get the picture. Tears were just free falling from her eyes. Anger in her heart. Betrayal in his eyes.  She slowly moved from where he is standing and gave him a slap. That’s it just one slap.  No words, no explanations. Turned her heels towards the entrance and ran away.

“Chloe!” Spencer tried shouting but she was to engulf with all the emotions to even hear him. He wanted to kill  him that very moment but he chose to ran after her leaving all the commotion behind.

End of Flashback

“Do you have to bring that up?” Chloe asked him accusively

“Kasi naman you are being haunted by him again!” Spencer accusingly replied

“No I’m not. And this has nothing to do with him” Sagot ni Chloe

“It does, at kahit hindi mo sabihin I know that it does every single time” Spencer stated a matter of factly

“What do you mean every single time?” Tanong ni Chloe and this is Spencer’s turn to not answer the question.

Every single time that she feels an advancement on any of her relationship her past would come haunting her. Pero sino nga ba naman hindi. For two years, her world revolved in a man who didn’t just use her for money but also gave her empty promises. Ever since then, she would have commitment issues that’s why though she had quite a number of relationship after Miguel it never flourished into something good.  She seemed unable or too scared to trust again.

“Alam mo ang labo mo rin eh, nasayo ang problema tapos binabalik mo sa akin?” Galit pa rin na tanong ni Chloe

“Okay I’m sorry for bringing him up, pero I really think that you should let him go. Don’t let him to continue ruining your life.  And about my actions, no I’m not sorry for them. I know what I am doing, I don’t see anything wrong or “crossing boundaries” that is happening so sorry but I think kung ano man meron tayo ngayon you should live with it. You may now leave if you want.” Spencer explaining himself.

“And what made you think that I didn’t let him go yet, he was long gone in my life” sagot ni Chloe before standing up to leave the room “May lakad ako mamaya don’t wait for me”

Later that night Chloe met up with Janelle sa isang bar, lasing na lasing na si Chloe at hindi na alam ni Janelle kung ano ang dapat niyang gawin.

“Hon! Anong ginawa mo dyan!” Napakamot ng ulo si Ricky ng makita ang lasing na lasing na si Chloe sa table nila

“Wala eh di ko mapigilan. Alam mo naman yan pagproblemado bottomless ang tyan sa alak.” Sagot ni Janelle

“LQ ba?”tanong naman ni Ricky

“Ay nako komplikado!  Hindi ko pwede ikwento papatayin ako ni Chloe!” Natatawang sagot ni Janelle

“Kahit sa akin di mo pwede ikwento?” Kunwaring tampo ni Ricky

“Lalo sayo! Anyway tulungan mo nalang kasi ako” Utos ni Janelle

“Eh bakit hindi nalang asawa niya ang tinawagan mo kaya para mas mabilis noh?” Hirit ni Ricky

“So nagrereklamo ka nyan?” Pananakot ni Janelle

“Eto na po tutulungan na” Sunod naman ni Ricky.

Tinawagan naman nila agad si Spencer ng nasa daan na sila para maabangan sila. Pagkapark palang nila ay lumabas na rin agad siya para salubungin sila.

“Wag mo akong tatanungin anong ginawa ko sakanya dahil ikaw ang may kasalanan niyang lahat!”  Inunahan na agad ni Janelle si Spencer

“Defensive tayo hon ah” Natatawang hirit ni Ricky

“Eh totoo naman. Kung di ba naman sira ulo nitong kaibigan mo na sabihan na ilet go na ni Chloe si *restricted* at wag na magpaapekto sa kanya eh” Walang prenong hirit naman ni Janelle

“Seriously bro?” Di makapaniwalang tanong ni Ricky

Hindi na sila pinansin ni Spencer and just attended to Chloe. “Thank you sa paghatid babawi na lang ako sa inyo” Paalam ni Spencer habang buhat buhat si Chloe

Buti nalang at tulog na ang mga parents ni Spencer so he doesn’t need to explain to them what happened to Chloe. Dinerecho niya na lang eto sa kwarto nila at inihiga. Tinggal niya ang sapatos nito para mas komportable ito.

“Chloe..”sinusubukan niyang ito gisinging para magbihis “Chloe..”

“Spencer..”tawag ni Chloe sa kanya habang tulog.

“Yes?” Agad niyang sagot

“Hindi pwede” Malabong sagot ni Chloe sa kanya

“Anong hindi pwede?” Tanong ulit ni Spencer sa kanya

“You cannot…”sagot pa rin ni Chloe

“Cannot what?” natatawa na naman si Spencer sa sinasasabi ni Chloe

“You cannot fall in love with me” this time nakumpleto na ni Chloe ang sasabihin niya before going back to her deep slumber.

Nangiti naman si Spencer sa sinabi ni Chloe. “Good night Chloe”