Chapter 10
Chloe had decided she had enough of being cooped up in her room, and had decided to step outside for some fresh air. She was now sitting on the porch steps enjoying a beautiful summer day. Of course, what happened with Brady upstairs had definitely increased her need for some fresh air. Yeah, what was that? she thought. Brady kissed me, plain and simple. Okay, not that simple. Admit it, Chloe, you enjoyed it. And that just complicated things even further, didn't it? I'm not ready for another relationship right now, I can't even get closure on the one I was in less than 24 hours ago. Tooooo soon.
Chloe sighed, closed her eyes, and let the soft cool breeze hit her face. She then heard a noise, almost a whisper carried to her from the wind.
"Chloe...I'm so sorry."
Chloe opened her eyes and saw Phillip standing in her front yard. She immediately stood up and crossed her arms.
"Phillip. Go away...I'm not really in the mood to hear again what a slut I am, or how you regret ever going out with me. Oh wait, and while you're here maybe you can tell me that you don't love me anymore. That would be just great."
"Chloe...wait. I just...I want to apologize."
"Right, I bet."
"Chloe, please, I'm begging you. Hear me out."
"Fine. Go ahead. I'm standing right here."
"Chloe...I'm sorry. I know that saying that isn't going to cut it. I don't expect you to forgive me either. I don't deserve your forgiveness after what I've done."
Chloe paused and pursed her lips together, "Alright, and what made you come to this realization?"
"Shawn. He told me that it was Jan & Mimi. He told me the whole story. God, Chloe, I've been such a jerk. I should have known better. I should have trusted your love, and I didn't. I know that I've hurt you in every possible way, and I'll never forgive myself for that."
Chloe stood there stonefaced for a moment and finally nodded in agreement. "Good. I'm glad you feel that way, Phillip. I hope it hurts."
Chloe stepped closer to him and noticed that there were a few tears welling up in his eyes.
"Chloe..."
"No, Phillip. Listen, what I just said. I didn't mean it for the sake of being cruel. I just think it's time that you understand what the rest of us feel like when we hurt. You've spent so much time being wrapped up in yourself, that you haven't bothered to pay attention to the pain that other people are having. And, not just me. What about your mom? You're so busy protecting your own image, you don't realize how much pain she might be in too."
"You don't know how right you are, Chloe. And, I am hurting now. But, I know that I deserve to feel this way. I threw you away, and tossed you aside. You were the best thing I"ve ever had in my life, and I was too blind to protect what we had. I'm going to try and change, because I know that I have to. If I don't wake up and pay attention, I'm going to spend the rest of my life alone."
"Well, at least you're beginning to see the light."
Chloe leaned forward and wiped the tears off of his cheek for him. At her touch, Phillip reached up and clasped her hand in his.
"Chloe...where does this leave us now?"
Chloe squeezed his hand and brought it to the side of them.
"I don't know, Phillip. I accept your apology, but I don't forgive you. There's a difference. Give me time. Maybe we can still be friends after all."
"Just friends?"
Chloe nodded, "Yeah. I do still love you, Phillip. I always will too. But, I think that part of my life is over. I need closure now. Even though two people love each other...sometimes it's not enough to just love each other. I don't think we can fix what's happened enough. We're just not meant to be, Phillip. Two people who have a future need to trust each other, and I don't see us repairing that. I'm sorry. I just can't be with you like that again."
"I understand. I do. You need to find someone who can love you the way that you need. It's not me, I can accept that, I guess. I don't deserve to have you anyway. "
Chloe gave a slight smile, "Wow. Phillip. I stand here looking at you, and I can't believe how much you have matured in 24 hours. Keep it up, okay?"
"Thanks Chloe. Thanks for listening."
Chloe leaned forward and took the intiative to take Phillip in her arms and hug him tightly. Phillip quietly whispered into her hair, "I'm so sorry..."
Chloe just whispered back, "Thank you..."
They broke off the embrace and Phillip smiled and turned away, hoping that maybe now they could begin to heal. He would move on, he was a Kiriakis after all.
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Chloe had decided she had enough of being cooped up in her room, and had decided to step outside for some fresh air. She was now sitting on the porch steps enjoying a beautiful summer day. Of course, what happened with Brady upstairs had definitely increased her need for some fresh air. Yeah, what was that? she thought. Brady kissed me, plain and simple. Okay, not that simple. Admit it, Chloe, you enjoyed it. And that just complicated things even further, didn't it? I'm not ready for another relationship right now, I can't even get closure on the one I was in less than 24 hours ago. Tooooo soon.
Chloe sighed, closed her eyes, and let the soft cool breeze hit her face. She then heard a noise, almost a whisper carried to her from the wind.
"Chloe...I'm so sorry."
Chloe opened her eyes and saw Phillip standing in her front yard. She immediately stood up and crossed her arms.
"Phillip. Go away...I'm not really in the mood to hear again what a slut I am, or how you regret ever going out with me. Oh wait, and while you're here maybe you can tell me that you don't love me anymore. That would be just great."
"Chloe...wait. I just...I want to apologize."
"Right, I bet."
"Chloe, please, I'm begging you. Hear me out."
"Fine. Go ahead. I'm standing right here."
"Chloe...I'm sorry. I know that saying that isn't going to cut it. I don't expect you to forgive me either. I don't deserve your forgiveness after what I've done."
Chloe paused and pursed her lips together, "Alright, and what made you come to this realization?"
"Shawn. He told me that it was Jan & Mimi. He told me the whole story. God, Chloe, I've been such a jerk. I should have known better. I should have trusted your love, and I didn't. I know that I've hurt you in every possible way, and I'll never forgive myself for that."
Chloe stood there stonefaced for a moment and finally nodded in agreement. "Good. I'm glad you feel that way, Phillip. I hope it hurts."
Chloe stepped closer to him and noticed that there were a few tears welling up in his eyes.
"Chloe..."
"No, Phillip. Listen, what I just said. I didn't mean it for the sake of being cruel. I just think it's time that you understand what the rest of us feel like when we hurt. You've spent so much time being wrapped up in yourself, that you haven't bothered to pay attention to the pain that other people are having. And, not just me. What about your mom? You're so busy protecting your own image, you don't realize how much pain she might be in too."
"You don't know how right you are, Chloe. And, I am hurting now. But, I know that I deserve to feel this way. I threw you away, and tossed you aside. You were the best thing I"ve ever had in my life, and I was too blind to protect what we had. I'm going to try and change, because I know that I have to. If I don't wake up and pay attention, I'm going to spend the rest of my life alone."
"Well, at least you're beginning to see the light."
Chloe leaned forward and wiped the tears off of his cheek for him. At her touch, Phillip reached up and clasped her hand in his.
"Chloe...where does this leave us now?"
Chloe squeezed his hand and brought it to the side of them.
"I don't know, Phillip. I accept your apology, but I don't forgive you. There's a difference. Give me time. Maybe we can still be friends after all."
"Just friends?"
Chloe nodded, "Yeah. I do still love you, Phillip. I always will too. But, I think that part of my life is over. I need closure now. Even though two people love each other...sometimes it's not enough to just love each other. I don't think we can fix what's happened enough. We're just not meant to be, Phillip. Two people who have a future need to trust each other, and I don't see us repairing that. I'm sorry. I just can't be with you like that again."
"I understand. I do. You need to find someone who can love you the way that you need. It's not me, I can accept that, I guess. I don't deserve to have you anyway. "
Chloe gave a slight smile, "Wow. Phillip. I stand here looking at you, and I can't believe how much you have matured in 24 hours. Keep it up, okay?"
"Thanks Chloe. Thanks for listening."
Chloe leaned forward and took the intiative to take Phillip in her arms and hug him tightly. Phillip quietly whispered into her hair, "I'm so sorry..."
Chloe just whispered back, "Thank you..."
They broke off the embrace and Phillip smiled and turned away, hoping that maybe now they could begin to heal. He would move on, he was a Kiriakis after all.
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