The Only Exception

Chapter 12

"Come on, naghihintay na pala ang kapatid mo sa'yo—ang mama mo...ayaw mo bang makita? Magtatampo iyon sayo, sige ka." Si Mei habang hinahaplos ang buhok ni Cian nang bumalik sila kanina rito.

"Don't worry, Cian. We're here with you naman. We'll go there para may kasama ka," Nikhaule said. Tumango kaming lahat sa narinig.

"Let's go there tomorrow, okay?" Leesh assured her that it will going to be alright.

"I will go... thank you so much, guys." Cian said.

We all gave her a tight embrace and tapped her shoulder for assurance.

Kaya naman pagdating namin sa harap ng memorial chapel kung saan nakalamay si Tita Kiana kinabukasan ay agad naming inalo ang naiiyak na si Cian, because like any moment, she will fall down her knees.

"Come on, stay strong. Don't be afraid." Si Yngrid.

Nanginginig na binuksan ni Cian ang pintuan ng chapel. All the heads turn to us.

"Mama..." bulong ni Cian saka nag-umpisang humagulgol sa tabi namin.

Naiiyak rin akong sumulyap sa kaibigang nagdadalamhati. Her brother and little sister run towards her and hugged her.

"Kuya, I'm sorry..." ani Cian sa ginta ng kanyang mga iyak.

Dinala siya ng kapatid niya sa harapan at doon nag-usap. We sat in the middle on the vacant seat and just watched our friend. Mabigat ang puso kong lumingon sa kaibigan na hindi man lang tinapunan ng tingin ng kanyang ama.

Malamig ang trato nito sa kanya. Nagtagal kami roon dahil nga ayaw naming iwanan ang kaibigan.

"Is that de Stefano, Curns?" Nikhaule said and pointed the guy with glasses on—si Rafael. Nasa kabilang parte ito ng mga upuan at seryosong nakatingin sa harapan.

"Oo."

Bigla itong lumingon sa amin kaya nahihiyang ibinaba ni Nikhaule ang kanyang daliri.

"He's so weird...and nerdy." komento pa nito saka inirapan ang wala namang kasalanan na si Raf.

Sinaway ko si Nikhaule sa ginawa niya. "You're not supposed to do that." I said. She just makes face at me.

I looked at Raf apologetically. Ngumiti naman ito sa akin.

"Are you friends with that geek na ba?" muli ay bulong nito sa tabi ko.

"Raf is a good guy." I said. She just rolled her eyes on me.

It's already noon when we bid goodbye to Cian. Nasa harapan niya kami kasama ang kanyang pamilya.

"Will you be fine here?" si Mei sa nag-aalalang tono.

"Why will she not be fine?" sagot ng kapatid nito kay Mei.

"Nag aalala lang para sa kaibigan ko." Iyon ang sagot ni Mei na hindi man lang tumingin sa lalaki.

"I won't let anything bad happen to my sister, If that will what makes you sleep at night," Cian's brother scoffed at Mei who's not even glancing at him.

Ciara assured us that she will be alright. Isa isa niya rin kaming hinagkan at niyakap ng mahigpit. She thanked us for being there with her.

That's the purpose of having a good friend, to lean on their shoulder when life gives us all the dilemmas we could not even carry. They will help us lift it.

"Curns," Cian called me. Humarap ulit ako sa kanya. "Thank you..."

"No problem..." I said and smiled at her.