The Only Exception

Chapter 25

Magmamahal ka, nang walang hinihinging kapalit. Hindi mang hihihingi ng kahit ano pabalik dahil mahal mo siya. Yun lang dapat.

We give love not to be loved back. We give love because we are in love. That's it.

"You deserve someone better than me, Conrad."

"I don't need someone better, you're more than enough for me." this time ay kumalas na siya sa pagkakayakap sa akin.

"But I am not who you want."

Pareho kaming nakatayo sa harapan ng isa't isa. Looking at each other's eyes. May kung anong kinuha siya sa bulsa niya.

It's a grey ring box. I panicked at the sight of that. Tumingin ako sa palagid ko at halos manlaki ang mata ko nang may iilang nakatingin sa amin.

I saw my friends watching too.

Mapait siyang napatawa nang makita ang reaksiyon ko.

"Don't worry, I am not proposing..." he said. I was relieved with what he said.

He opened the box inside of it was a ring with a little heart shaped with a arrow pierced to the it. Hindi siya iyong parang engagement ring. Cute ito at mas papasa bilang isang promise ring.

"Paalam sa 'ting huling sayaw...may dulo pala ang langit..."

"Do you remember when I brought you to the mall. Dinala kita sa isang jewelry shop, right?"

Tumango ako.

"Kaya't sabay tayong bibitaw...sa ating huling sayaw..."

"And then nagalit ka sa akin kasi ang akala mo I left you on purpose."

He chuckled.

"I did not leave you, totoong may nakalimutan ako sa kotse noon, and then I was about to go back, when I remember you looking at something at that shop."

Napatingin ako sa kanya. Tumigil na ang tugtog ngunit hindi kami umalis sa kinakatayuan namin, Some were already murmuring but we didn't mind them.

I want Conrad to open his heart and lay all his thoughts to me. No more secrets, just the truth.

"Nagtagal ako sa shop kasi hindi ko maalala kung ano ang exactly tinititigan mo. I saw how your eyes sparkled while looking into it."

"And when I saw this, it immediately caught my attention. I am sure this is what you are looking at that time."

"I promised myself that I'll give this ring to you as a symbol of my promise that I will only love you, at the right time. Kapag pwede na. Kapag mahal na natin ang isa't isa, because Curns, I was already in love with you before I could even brush my lips to yours."

Umiling ako at halos maiyak sa narinig. I thought he purposely left me for hours there.

Tumingin ako sa hawak niyang kahon ng singsing. Bahagya akong nailing, dahil alam ko kung ano ang tinitingnan ko noon. It was the bracelet, not the ring.

Bahagya kong hinawakan ang bracelet na suot ko.

"But, shit happens." natawa niyang sambit.

"I was already preparing myself for the confession. I practiced for weeks, so it would be perfect. But mama dropped the bomb." mapait niya akong tiningnan.

"We are leaving, Curns. One or two years from now, and mama said there is a big chance that we are not coming back."

Napatitig ako nang matagal sa mga mata niya. My jaw dropped at what he said.

Is this...is this why he rejected me? Pero bakit? Noon handang handa akong tanggapin ang pag alis niya... I could bear a long-distance relationship with him, but why?