The Only Exception

CHAPTER 6

"Tama naman 'to, I guess." sabi ko sarili ko at pinindot ang doorbell.

Hindi naman ganun katagal nang may isang guard na lumapit para pagbuksan ako ng gate.

"Hello po, sino po hanap nila?" magalang na tanong nito.

"Uhh, is this where Roseanne Park lives?" alangang tanong ko.

"Ah si ma'am Roseanne po. Opo dito nga po, sino po pala sila?" Bago pa man ako makasagot ay meron namang middle aged man, which I thought is the same age as my father lang din ang lumapit sa guard.

"What is it?" tanong nito sa guard.

"Ah sir, may naghahanap po kay ma'am Roseanne." napatingin naman sakin ang lalaki at napansin siguro yung logo sa blazer na suot ko kaya sinenyasan na ang guard na bumalik sa pwesto.

"Pasok ka, hija." aya nito sakin kaya sumunod naman ako.

"I never saw you before, but base on your blazer, you must be her schoolmate. May I know what brought you here?" tanong nito.

"Yes. We're actually blockmates... and uhh, friends?" nag-aalangang sabi ko at nangiti lamang ang matanda. "I'm actually here to see her kasi she's been gone for 3 days and I heard na she got sick, so I just wanna know if she's fine." pagpapaliwanag ko.

"You could've just texted or call each other." natatawang sabi nito habang inalalayan naman akong pumasok sa loob ng mansion nila.

"That... I- uhh don't have her contacts."

"But I thought so you said you're friends? unless you don't have a phone?"

"I do have a phone but it's not really my thing to ask for someone's contacts. Plus, we're always together naman inside the school premises and we're also seatmates so I never really bother and thought about how important that is not until now." pagpapaliwanag ko.

"You sure are pretty interesting." sagot nito at huminto sa tapat ng isang pinto. 'Di ko namamalayan na we're right here in front of Roseanne's room na pala.

Kumatok naman ito sa pinto at nagsalita.

"Honey, you have a visitor." narinig ko naman ang pagsagot sa kabilang dulo ng kwarto.

"What? But I didn't invite someone over naman po! Can you tell me whoever that is?"

"Hija, what's your name nga pala?" tanong ulit nito sakin. "Lisa." maikling sagot ko.

"She said her name is Lisa!" agad naman akong nakarinig ng ingay sa loob ng kwarto and not long enough, bumukas na ang pinto showing a messy Roseanne. Yep, she's a total mess.

She's only wearing a pair of PJs and a blanket wrapped around her back. Her hair is ruffled and there are bags under her eyes. Suminghot pa ito nang makita ako.

"LISA??!? What are you doing here?! Wait, how did you even know my address????" sunod sunod na tanong nito.

"Well, maiwan ko na kayo girls, I still have somewhere to go. Rosie baby, just call manang if you need anything okay? I'll be right back after dinner na siguro. Your ate went back to her dorm na and your mom will not be home until tomorrow. Call me if you need anything else okay?" sabi ng matanda at humalik sa noo ng babae sa harap ko.

"Sure dad. Ingat ka!"

"Will do. Don't forget to eat your meal so you can drink your meds later, okay? I'll get going na. Bye, princess. Mauna na ako, hija." paalam nito at tumango lang ako.

"Halika, pasok ka muna sa room ko." aya niya sakin kaya sumunod naman ako.

(time skip)

"...so that's how I get sick." pagk-kwento niya.

Tinanong ko kasi siya pano siya nag kasakit and why the hell is she so clumsy.

"Do you need a new driver? I can get you one." sabi ko kasi base sa kwento niya, kasalanan naman pala ng driver to why she got soaked in rain. Late daw kasi itong dumating sakto naman umuulan that time and wala siyang masisilungan.

"Wow, ang haba ng sinabi ko tapos yung driver lang talaga sinisi mo." di makapaniwalang sagot nito.

"Because it was his fault."

"No. Don't blame it to the driver, inosente yung tao."

"He was the one to blame kasi if he only arrived a little earlier you wouldn't have to get soaked in the rain, hindi ka sana magkakasakit, and you wouldn't have been in this situation sana." I argued back.

"Yieee feeling concerned siya." she teased me kaya napakunot naman ako ng noo.

"Hindi ako nagf-feeling concern, I am concerned." seryosong sabi ko which caught her off guard.

"Wait. Did you just admit that you're actually concern about me?"

"Hell yes I'm mad concern about you because I care for you!" naiinis na sagot ko.

"You care about me?"

"Paulit ulit, puta. Bingi ka ba? Kakasabi ko nga lang diba?"

"Don't curse ngaa!" suway niya sa'kin.

"Eh kasi naman! do I even need to repeat it for you? I care for you, you idiot. Because you are my friend. And your health should always come first. Napaka clumsy mo pa naman kaya tignan mo kung anu-ano nangyayari sayo." pagalit na sabi ko sakanya.

Unti-unti naman itong nangiti at tumingin ng nakakaloko sakin.

"Ano nanaman?!"

"So I'm your friend now?" nakangising tanong nito.

"Do I really need to repeat everything every now and then?" I'm really pissed right now.

"Yieeeeee wag ka ngang ganyan, baka kiligin ako!" sabi nito at pinalo palo ang braso ko. Putangina?

"Can you not?!" galit na sabi ko at inilayo ang braso ko.

"Eh ikaw kasi ih. You're making me soft! Parang kailan lang inis na inis ka pa sakin tapos ngayon ang sweet sweet mo-"

"Is this actually what being sweet is, to you?? I'm literally pissed at you right now alam mo ba yon?!" humagalpak lang naman ulit ito sa katatawa kaya I looked at her in disbelief.

May sakit ba talaga 'to? parang wala naman. Sakit sa utak siguro, oo.

"Teka, since you're being sweet naman, why not lubus-lubusin ko na." sabi nito at kinuha ang kung ano sa bedside table tsaka lumapit sa tabi.

"I am not being sweet." matigas na pagsalungat ko sa sinabi.

"Yeah, whatever makes you sleep at night." sagot niya tsaka pinag-link ulit ang mga braso namin.

She really is indeed a clingy person. Is she a half koala?

Tinapat naman nito samin ang camera ng phone niya tsaka ngumiti.

"Smile ka rin bilissss." sabi niya.

"Bat ka ba nagp-picture. Ibaba mo nga yan." pagtanggi ko.

"Ihhh sige naaaa, ip-post ko to sa gram ko dali."

"Ano? ayoko nga. Ie-expose mo pa ko."

"Sige na kasi minsan lang naman to, napaka-arte mo." pamimilit niya.

"Ayoko nga. Isa." pagsaway ko sakanya. Pero hindi ko alam kung saan ba 'to pinaglihi, sobrang kulit niya. Siya na ata yung pinaka-makulit na tao na nakilala ko. No one comes close, not even Seulgi.

"Ganto nalang, if you agree to have a picture with me right now, I'll do whatever you want me to do." See? ang dami niyang alam.

"Ano naman ipapagawa ko sayo?"

"I don't know? anything, as long as I can do it. No problem. Basta you'll agree to take a tons of picture with me for today."

Bahagya naman akong napaisip. Ano naman ipapagawa ko? Then an idea suddenly popped inside my head, tsaka ko nalang sasabihin. For now, I have to deal with her annoying ass.

"Fine." agad naman siyang napatili at tinapat na ulit yung phone niya sa amin.

"In the count of three. 1... 2... 3... say AVOCADOOOO."

"say what-"

*camera shutters*