The Only Exception

CHAPTER 5

Sakit talaga sa ulo 'tong babae na to. She's always got a lot of energy sa katawan and if I try to argue with her more, mas lalo lang ako maiinis kaya I just let her be.

"So, ice cream ha? Wag ka nang tumanggi kasi wala ka rin namang magagawa for I will surely drag you with me naman."

Napabuntong hininga nalang ako.

We're now sitting on one of the benches sa park malapit sa school namin with a come of ice cream on our hands.

I'm busy licking on my ice cream when this girl beside me spoke again. Gosh, 'di ba to nawawalan ng sasabihin? Napakadaldal.

"I'm really curious." pagsisimula niya ng topic at bored ko lang siyang tinignan.

"Ano nanaman?"

"Strawberry? seriously tho, such a girly pick for someone who have such a strong personality like you."

"Do you seriously have to judge my taste in choosing a flavor for ice cream?"

"Hindi naman, pero kasi, that's you eh. You're Lalisa Manoban, tapos yung flavor mo ng ice cream, strawberry. It doesn't just sit well with me. Do you get me?"

Napapikit naman ako ng mata at pilit na kinalma ang sarili. Calm down Lisa, it's just an ice cream. You don't have to snap at her for that simple reason. Inhale, exhale. Sigh.

"Does that really have anything to do with my personality?" tanong ko. "...sabi mo nga kanina diba? it's just an ice cream. Why are you trying to make a big deal out of it?"

"Eh kasi ngaaaa—" seryoso lang naman akong nakatingin sakanya with my brows, creased kaya napatawa nanaman ulit siya.

Is this girl really trying to make fun of me?

"Stop laughing nga, nothing's funny." inis na pagsaway ko sakanya.

"*chuckles* hindi, kasi ganto eh, I thought you'd be choosing something like, chocolate or mint chocolate—"

"Mint chocolate? ain't no eating something that taste like shit. That flavor literally taste like toothpaste, I'm good with strawberry." pagputol ko sa sinasabi niya at mas lalo pa siyang natawa.

"Seriously tho, if you don't stop laughing, I'm leaving you here." pagbabanta ko at nag-akmang tatayo na rin kaya natahimik naman siya at tinaas pa ang kamay.

Silence.

"Can I say something?" pagsisimula niya ulit.

"What?"

"I still really can't get over with that strawberry—"

"That's it, I'm leaving you here—" but before I could even stand up, hinawakan na niya ang braso ko at hinila ulit para umayos nang upo.

"I'm just saying, you don't look like someone who likes girly stuffs." page-explain niya.

"And strawberry is one basis of being girly?"

"Well, it's pink. And pink goes something like princesses, you know? like those being previewed in disney—"

"I like princesses." I cut her off again and this time she looked at me with wide eyes.

What?

"You actually do????!?" she asked na parang hindi siya makapaniwala sa narinig.

"Yeah? Who doesn't love disney? I grew up watching disney." seryosong tugon ko at mukhang hindi parin siya makapaniwala sa nalaman.

"You actually watch disney princesses???" tanong niya ulit.

"Oo nga. Paulit ulit naman, nakakabobo ampota." inis na sagot ko.

"Wow. T—that's new. I mean, bagong kaalaman ko about you." and this time she's genuinely smiling.

After a few more minutes of silence, she finally spoke again.

"I actually thought you're gay." sabi niya without looking at me and she's just there licking her ice cream.

"What makes you think I'm gay?" tanong ko pero natawa lang ulit ito.

I really can't with this girl's. 'Di naman halatang napakamasayahin niyang tao no? Kanina pa siya tawa ng tawa eh. I seriously can't understand with how I'm still coping up with her.

"Okay, so this is not to offend you pero kasi yun yung sabi ng radar ko. Plus, with how you act and stuff kasi."

"What do you mean stuff? Like, you mean with how I dress?" takang tanong ko.

"No. I didn't mean with how you dress, I mean, look at me, ako nga I like girly stuffs but I myself is gay." pag g-gender reveal niya.

Okay?

"That doesn't make you uncomfortable naman, right?" pag-aalangan niyang tanog after realizing what she had just reveal.

"No, not all." I reassure her and she only smiled.

"That's it. I mean, basta ganon. Teka, ha? ano? ahh ang gulo wag mo nalang pansinin yung sinabi ko." she said as she starts rambling.

"Yeah, whatever." tanging sagot ko.

"Anyway let's change the topic na nga. Ito na seryoso na, why did you do that?"

Ito nanaman siya.

"Did what?"

"You know, "that". she said emphasizing her last word.

Mukha namang na-gets niya na I'm not coping up with what she's trying to point out kaya napabuntong hininga 'to.

"Hayaan mo na nga." pagsuko nito.

"You mean, that thing with Taehyung?" I asked.

"Yeah, that."

Napaisip naman ako sandali. Bakit nga ba? She looked me seriously this time bago magsalita.

"Kasi diba, you snapped at me before that happened tapos out of a sudden, you helped me get away with that guy. Keep me wondering, nag-aadik ba?"

I take it back. No, this girl doesn't know how to be serious. What did I even expect?

"Gago ka ba? What makes you think, I'm taking drugs?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko at humaglpak nanaman ito sa kakatawa.

"Baliw ang tangina." inis na sabi ko sayo and this time, tumayo na talaga ako at napagpasyahang iwan ka. I really can't stand you, para akong may kausap na galing mental.

Patuloy lang ako sa paglalakad nang bigla itong sumigaw na napaghinto sa paglalakad ko.

"Thank you!"

Lumingon ulit ako pabalik, para tignan ka.

"Despite of every bad things I heard about you, you showed me otherwise, that day. People are saying that you don't have any care for other people but yourself but you proved them wrong the moment you stood up in front of me and beat the hell out of the guy when you felt that I'm already feeling uncomfortable. You really ain't as bad as they describe you, you are not just showy with your actions which makes other people misunderstood you that's why you're keeping your walls up high because you feel that no one's gonna understand you anyway, and that's fine."

I saw you smiling while saying those things, and this time, at least this very one moment, I saw seriousness in your eyes and that what you are saying is sincere and genuine, because I felt move about it. Slight.

Bahagya naman akong natawa and that's the very first time you ever saw me laugh kasi sabi mo nga puro nalang pagsusungit ang ginagawa ko sayo.

"You laugh! na touch ka no?!" natutuwang tanong mo.

"Yeah, whatever." I muttered at tuluyan nang naglakad papalayo.