The Only Exception

CHAPTER 7

"Good morning ma'am, do you need any help?" tanong ng isang sales lady.

"We can try whatever naman diba? We're trying to find something she could wear kasi for our acquaintance party." sagot mo.

"Yes ma'am, you can try everything you want, doon po sa left corner yung dressing room."

"Okay, thank you!" masayang tugon mo and pulled me to the other side where the long sleeves are displayed.

"What color do you want?" tanong mo habang busy na inisa isa yung nga nakadisplay.

"Black or white will do. Mas neat siyang tignan." sagot ko.

"Aha!" sabi mo tsaka kinuha yung 2 tone long sleeve polo. It was a white suit with black smoke-like design covering the lower part of it.

"OMGG this would totally suit you, I can already imagineeee." di mapakaling sabi mo. "Oh waitt, this one looks good din." dagdag mo when you picked up a split two tone long sleeve.

I silently nod my head naman for agreement. Yeah I could totally pull those two off.

"Taraaaa let's get you try it on." sabi mo tsaka hinatak ako sa sa dressing room.

I stared at myself at the mirror after putting on the first one, it's the split two tone. I turned to my side giving myself a full view of it and it wasn't that bad so I shrugged and opened the door for Roseanne to see.

"So?" tanging tanong ko.

The girl observed me carefully habang naka kunot ang isang kilay with her thumb resting on her chin.

"It actually looks good, pero I realized, if you're gonna wear a tie edi kailangan split tone din siya?"

"I can just wear a plain one. Isang color lang, like a black tie and a white suit." I suggested.

"Hmmm. You're right. That would do, pero try the other one parin, I wanna see something dali." sabi nito tsaka marahang tinulak ako pabalik sa loob ng dressing room.

Napabuntong hininga nalang din ako at sumunod. After a minute of changing, lumabas naman agad ako.

"You know what, I think I like this better—"

"AAAAAHHHHHHH OMGGG." pagtitili nito tsaka lumapit sakin tsaka pumalakpak pa.

"Omg this one looks better! I mean, same lang naman sila ng fit but this one hits different!" natutuwang sabi mo.

"That's what I'm trying to say." sagot ko.

"Wait, put this on, I actually thought of it kanina, parang mas better if you wouldn't have to top your long sleeve with a suit when I saw your first fit, kasi matatakpan lang din naman yung design. So instead, you just have to put on a tie. And seeing you in this fit right now, I can totally imagine how good you would look like." and you handed me a black necktie.

Nilagay ko naman agad yung tie sa may leeg ko at ipinaloob sa colar ng suot ko. I tried tying it pero it just won't work.

"Wait, don't you know how to tie a tie?" takang tanong mo.

"Obiviously." sagot ko naman kaya napailing ka tsaka lumapit sakin.

"Ano nalang pala gagawin mo without me." sabi mo tsaka inayos ang tie.

Instead of looking at what you're doing, sayo ako napatingin. I just watched you having that serious look on your face while doing your thing and not a few seconds later, napatingin ka rin sakin at tinaasan ako ng kilay and mouthed me "what?". Napatikhim lang naman ako tsaka umiwas ng tingin.

"There. Done." sabi mo at ngumiti. "OMG, I knew it!

Agad mo naman akong hinarap sa may salamin. I looked at our reflection and the first thing I noticed is how we are standing next to each other. You, right behind me, both hands placed on my arms while you're smiling from ear to ear.

"You look good. I'm proud... ay teka, let's take a picture." dagdag mo at nilabas ang phone mo tsaka ito tinapat sa reflection natin sa salamin.

Pansin ko namang you are struggling to get the best angle kaya I pulled you closer to me and wrapped my hand around your waist.

"Yan, better. Now bilisan mo, take a pic so we can pay this sa counter na." sabi ko pero bakas parin ang gulat sa mukha mo. "Anytime now?" pagpukaw ko ng atensyon mo because you're still not doing anything. You looked tensed.

"Ito na ngaaaa." sabi mo tsaka bumalik sa wisyo.

"Okay, in 3.. 2.. 1—"

"Avocado." pagputol ko sayo and I saa how your smile went wide.

After several takes, agad mong chineck yung pictures natin while I changed back into my clothes na. When I came back, you showed me one of our picture and you look so happy about it.

"Look oh, we look so good together—" I saw how your eyes went wide when you realized what you just said. "I— i mean, you look good sa suot mo! tara na ngaa bayaran na natin yan." natataranta mong sabi tsaka nagmamadaling naglakad papuntang counter.