Chapter Twelve
Spencer was stressing out. The deadline for the film festival submissions was fast approaching and she still didn't know which one of her shorts she wanted to submit. She even contemplated on filming a new one entirely but she would absolutely have no time to edit it. Plus Spencer didn't think she could pull an idea out of her ass on a moment's notice.
She sighed as she slammed her laptop shut. All her shorts seemed so mediocre at the moment. From her documentary on the homeless in L.A. to her 14 minute short film about a junkie locking himself in a room for a month straight trying to get clean. Everything seemed cliched and boring. Spencer was two seconds away from just forgetting about the film festival when she remembered one documentary she filmed a while ago. She opened her laptop again and searched through her files. It needed a little tweaking and she was going to add another segment but it was the one she wanted to submit.
Spencer was just rewatching it when her phone vibrated. She flipped it open and rolled her eyes when she saw that it was a text message from Ashley. The past week, Ashley had been sending her more gifts whether it be in the form of flowers, candies, or a huge teddy bear holding a heart with the words "I Love You" on it. That was currently sitting in the foyer and Glen would kick it every single time he'd trip over it. She wasn't kidding when she said that Ashley was the most determined person she knew but right now, Ashley's determination was pissing her off. She was still mad at Ashley and all her over the top gifts in attempt to get her back was not appeasing her anger at all. Spencer wished that Ashley would just leave her alone for a bit.
She thought about whether just deleting the text without actually reading it but her curiosity got the best of her.
Turn on 102.7
"What?" Spencer reached over to her clock radio, turned it on, and then switched it to 102.7. The last few seconds of a song were just ending and the DJ came back on.
"Alright, we have a dedication. This one's from Ashley to Spencer. Here's Kelly Clarkson's latest single 'My Life Would Suck Without You'...."
The opening riff of the song started playing and Spencer fell face forward on her bed. "Oh my God," she said annoyed. She blindly reached over to her radio and tried to turn it off just as the chorus started. "What is she doing?" Spencer asked her room. That was it. Spencer was completely fed up.
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Ashley stared at her phone expecting it to ring. The song was almost over and she was almost positive that Spencer got the message. She just thought it was appropriate to dedicate a Kelly Clarkson song with the title "My Life Would Suck Without You." Hopefully Spencer knew exactly how much her life did suck without her. Spencer hasn't been very receptive to any of her gifts but hopefully that would change. She couldn't ignore her forever. Right?
The song ended and Spencer still hadn't called. Ashley threw her phone on the couch and let out a long sigh. Maybe Kyla was right. Maybe she should just leave her alone and give her some space. But then Spencer would have that time to move on and forget about her. Ashley didn't want that. No, she was going to keep trying until Spencer talked to her again.
At least one thing in Ashley's life was going well. The promotion has been treating her very nicely. People now went to her for song approval and she got to choose what artists she would like to work with. She brought home a bunch of demos of some recently signed artists to see which ones she'd like the best. Those demos were currently sitting in a pile in her room. She didn't have the time to listen to them because she was too busy trying to get Spencer back.
Figuring she should actually try to listen to those demos, Ashley started to make her way to her room when a loud knock came from the door. She furrowed her eyebrows as she answered it and was nearly trampled over when a very angry-looking Spencer came barging in carrying a box of things.
"Spencer," Ashley said, her face lighting up.
"Stop it," Spencer said coldly staring her right in the eyes.
"Stop what?" Ashley responded dumbly.
"This." She shoved the box into Ashley's hands and Ashley almost dropped it. Ashley looked inside and saw it was all the flowers and gifts she'd been sending Spencer.
"Spencer, these are yours." She tried handing them back to her.
"I don't want them. Stop it, Ashley. Stop with the flowers, the candy, the giant teddy bears, and the lame ass song dedications!" She ran both hands through her hair. "Just stop, Ashley."
Ashley swallowed and set the box down. "Spencer, I just wanted you talk to me again."
"With all this? Just leave me alone, Ashley."
"I can't. I need you."
Spencer let out a long breath. "I just need time, okay? Can you at least give me that?" She didn't wait for a response and left without looking back.
Ashley stared at the box completely dejected. She kicked it all the way to her room and then collapsed in her bed. Could she give Spencer what she wanted? Time? How much time?
"I miss you," Ashley said out loud. She was about to start another round of her "woe is me" tangents when her phone rang from the living room. She went to retrieve and smiled when she saw Kyla was calling. "Hey, sis."
"Hi, you sound cheerful."
Ashley had perfected feigning happiness every single time Kyla called. She didn't want to be that selfish girl who only talked about her problems so every single time Kyla called, she focused all her attention on her sister. The only time Ashley brought up Spencer was when Kyla asked and even then she kept it short.
"It's the weekend. I have no work. The sun's shining..." Ashley sat down on the couch.
Kyla chuckled. "Well, the sun never stops shining here, but the mood couldn't be any more somber," she said sadly.
"Still no change then?" Ashley asked sympathetically.
"No, we've been doing the Fatima by her bedside every night though."
Ashley bit her lip confused. "The Fatima?"
"Yeah sorry. Really religious Filipino Catholic thing," she clarified.
"Ah, I see. Well I miss you like something fierce."
"I miss you, too. How's everything Ms. Promotion?"
Ashley smiled. "Good. Feels weird to have people working under me. I have to sign things. I'm one of the youngest people on my floor. I feel like a kid."
"A very talented kid." Ashley smiled again. "So how are other things?"
Ashley found it adorable that Kyla would never actually say Spencer's name. Like it would hurt her if she did. "You mean Spencer? I think I'm going to give her that space and time that she wanted."
"Really? What happened? Last time I checked you were willing to rent out the Kodak Theater and throw a concert for her."
"No, well she came over today with all the stuff I gave her," she said sadly.
"Oh."
"Yeah, and she told me she wanted me to leave her alone. And I was thinking I should give her what she wants because I don't want her to hate me." God, did she not want Spencer to hate her.
"I think it's for the best, Ashley. Just give her some time."
"And after I give her that time, what next? You think she'll still want me?"
There was long pause before Kyla answered again. "I can't answer that."
"I know. I just don't know what I'm going to do. I'm nothing without her, Kyla."
"You're not nothing, Ashley. It just feels like that right now. Listen, I have to go. It's five in the morning over here so I'm going to go back to sleep."
"Okay, I'll talk to you tomorrow."
"Mahal kita, Ashley."
"Mah hall kih tah? Heh?"
Kyla laughed. "It means 'I love you' in Tagalog." There was another pause. "It also means 'you're expensive,' which is also true," she said laughing.
"Haha, love you too, crazy girl. Bye."
Ashley hung up the phone with a genuine smile on her face. It felt good to smile. It was something she didn't think she could do ever since Spencer broke up with her. But if Ashley was going to make this work, she had to do was Spencer wanted. What Spencer deserved. She deserved the world. Hopefully Ashley could still give it her.
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Spencer rubbed her temples as she was re-editing her documentary. She forgot how annoying it was to work on her laptop. It was actually Glen's old laptop since she didn't have the money to buy a new one. Everything was so slow and Spencer was two seconds away from throwing it out her window. She usually used Ashley's computer when she edited her videos but that wasn't currently an option. She finally got the editing program open when someone rang the doorbell.
"Are you serious?" Spencer asked annoyed. She was home alone so she had to answer the door. She begrudgingly got out her bed and went downstairs. Apparently whoever it was became a little impatient and rang the doorbell again. "Alright, I'm coming!" Spencer opened the door and got even more annoyed when she saw Ashley standing on her front step. She didn't say anything as Ashley stood there nervously.
"Look, Spencer, I'm sorry," Ashley started.
"Here we go again," Spencer said exasperated.
"No wait. Please hear me out."
Spencer took a deep breath and stood in the door frame, crossing her arms.
"I'm sorry for thinking I could buy back your affections. That was really stupid of me and you deserve better than that. So I'm going to give you that space you wanted. I'll stop bothering you." Ashley stared at her feet. She's never been so unsure of herself.
"Thank you," Spencer said quietly, softening a little. She's never seen Ashley look so defeated.
"You know I'm here," Ashley said looking up. "If you ever need me. I'll always be here for you."
Spencer bit her lip. "Okay."
Ashley nodded. "Goodbye, Spencer." She turned around and walked back to her car. It took all her strength not to look back but she did it. This is what Spencer wanted so this is what she was going to give her. Even if it did kill everything in Ashley, she wanted nothing more than for Spencer to be happy.
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