Time vs. Effort

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

She was still speechless, she couldn’t bear to think about what she had found out about Clarence, she was still concerned about him because a tiny portion of her heart was still his, and he still occupied her mind. “Am I regretting all this? Being with Abra?” she thought to herself.

She looks at Abra, who was so busy fidgeting her phone, she couldn’t go back to him just yet, she needed more time to be alone, to think about things.

She sits down somewhere farther from Abra because the memories were flooding back at her; she was finding the reason, the reason why her love for Clarence had died. Why she was with Abra and not him at the moment.

She thought of all the possible things they would be doing if she didn’t pick Raymond over him. Probably, they would be happy in Clarence’s condominium, maybe watching tv? Or they could be dating in their favorite restaurant? Maybe they would be doing something they used to do together, like play video games, play Wii …

They would both have been thinking about things, siguro they would be thinking about their future? Think about their marriage, how they’ll both grow old together? Or think about family planning? Having kids, maybe?

She was still curious, finding answers in her head … the repeating question … “Bakit ko ba siya iniwan in the first place?”

She realized it was all in the back of her head, she remembers all the things he had done when he had neglected her for almost 4 months. She reminisced how he had pushed her to the wall when he refused to listen to her about going to her house to meet her mother.

Her head hurt, and so did her chest, remembering those painful moments made it ache even more.

“Why are you so mad at me? Ano ba ginawa ko sayo?” Beth cried and kneeled down on the floor, picking up the broken pieces of the vase she had brought to the condominium. “I’m just tired, okay? I’m not ready to meet your mom, I’m feeling pressured, pwede ba, just leave me alone!” Clarence slammed the door.

It wasn’t just that, there were even times when Clarence would refuse to let her come into his condo because he was busy.

“Baby, please, papasukin mo ko, I brought food, just let me in,” Beth knocked. “Go away, may ginagawa ako, okay? Pwede ba sa ibang araw ka na dumaan?” he yelled, Beth heard the door click, he had double locked the door.

More and more memories flood into her mind, she thought of the days when it rained and nobody could pick her up, her only hope was Clarence.

“Hello, Baby? I need-“, she wasn’t even done with what she was going to say to him, he had already end the call. The rain got even heavier and the way back home felt further as she felt her heart sink in, it was unbearable, she felt like nobody was there for her, literally, nobody was, the weather was her only friend, who showed the same feeling.

Her tears fell hard on the ground, her body felt cold as she remembers that memory, but there was more …

“Baby, darating mommy mo, so I think we should do some fixing here,” Beth rubbed the coffee table which was dusty. “Ano ba pakialam mo kung uuwi sila? Actually, I don’t even know bakit andito ka in the first place, alam mo na nga na darating na si mommy, andito ka pa, kung sa tingin mo ipapakilala kita, don’t hope for it,” Clarence walks away and slams his bedroom door shut. Beth sighs.

He had done so much to hurt her, but why didn’t she leave him earlier?

“You can leave if you want, I’m not forcing you to stay here,” Clarence says, packing his things, he was going to leave for Singapore that day. “Pero, why didn’t you tell me you were leaving? Basta basta ka nalang umaalis,” Beth was tearing up. “I don’t understand you, but fine, stay here if you want, kailangan ko naman ng may magbabantay ng condo na to’, just don’t touch some of my confidential stuff, alright?” he throws the keys on the bed. “You can’t just leave, baby,” she holds on to him, then hugs him, crying. “Bitawan mo ako,” he yanks her hands away from his body. “I love you, Clarence, and pagmamahal ko sayo di basta basta mauubos pero ang pasensya ko, konte konte nalang!” she cries, Clarence just walks out of the apartment and slams the door.