The Only Exception

CHAPTER 9

Napatingin ka naman sakin it's like you're telling me na ako na bahala magpaliwanag since it was my idea afterall kaya napabuntong hininga naman ako.

"The idea was mine—"

"Spill." seryoso namang tugon ni Jennie pero inirapan ko lang siya.

"Don't cut me off." sagot ko naman.

After ko ikwento sakanila ang buong pangyayari, nginitian naman nila ako ng  nang nakakaloko.

"See?" sabi ni Jisoo.

"Ikaw Lisa ha. I didn't know you're like that." nakangising sabi ni Jennie.

What now?

"Sus not only that. Ito ha, diba we all know naman kung pano ka ayaw ni Lisa ng napaka-touchy? Like, hindi nga yan nag papayakap unless matagal kayong hindi nagkita."

"Yeah, I still remember one time when we went to watch concert ng Lany, syempre siksikan talaga nun kaya napasiksik ako kay Lisa but then, this idiot just push me a little sabay sabing, "too close." grabEe? you know the amount of irritation arised inside of me that night? Gusto ko nalang siyang sapakin sa mukha." kwento ni Jennie.

"Well mine was like, nung first hangout natin together. I was about to hug her pero she stopped me by holding both of my shoulders tsaka bumeso. Hindi pa dumikit yun." natatawa namang dagdag ni Irene.

Why the hell are they exposing me?!

"Sus, hindi nga nagpapayakap samin ni Seulgi yaan! Akbay nga lang tinutulak pa kami." reklamo naman ni Jisoo.

"For someone who's small as you, bakit naman ako magpapa-akbay?" pangbabara ko naman sakanya kaya binato ako ng takip ng bottled water.

"Wala sus ka lang talaga. Imagine? Roseanne can literally cling on her all day and she won't even complain." sabat naman ni Seulgi.

"No shit?" tanong naman ni Jennie at tumingin kay Roseanne na ngayon ay namumula na.

"Meron pa one time, nagsabi kasi kami ni Jisoo na makikitambay din kami sa bahay nila Roseanne kasi we're bored. Tapos pagdating namin dun we found them sleeping beside each other tapos ang higpit pa nung yakap ni Rosie. Now tell me, who wouldn't find that suspicious? Isn't that gawaing mag-jowa?"

"But we're not mag jowa!" "Hindi kami mag jowa!" sabay na sabi natin.

"Hmmmm. Ganto Lisa, tell my why do you think you're letting Rosé do all this thing with you?" tanong ni Irene.

Napaisip naman ako. Bakit nga ba?

"Anytime now?" atat naman na tanong ni Jennie.

"I.... I don't know." I truthfully said.

"You don't know?"

Napatingin naman ako sayo at halatang worried ka naman sa panggigisa nila satin kaya nagsalita ka.

"Let's just drop this topic guys. Let's just not put meaning into this, baka kasi we're making Lisa uncomfortable—"

"And you're not?" pagputol sayo ni Jennie at umiling ka naman.

"Honestly? No. Unlike Lisa, showy naman kasi talaga ako. I admit na I'm a very clingy person. Nataon lang si Lisa una naging friend ko." kalmadong sagot mo.

"Ang dami niyong ebas. We're running out of drinks. Babe, wanna come with me?" Jisoo interrupted.

"Yep. Rosé come with us also, nasabi mo kasi kanina na you're good at picking drinks and I wanna try them. Let them na gisahin si Lisa jan." aya ni Jennie sayo, you smiled at me bago tumayo at sumama sa dalawa. Now I'm only left with Seulgi and Irene.

"Come on now, Lisa. Answer my question."

"What do you wanna know ba?"

"Why do you think you're doing all of these stuff with the girl? I may not know you fully enough kasi you never really tell us a story but I heard a lot about you from your friends. Plus, I already consider you as one of my close friends so you can tell me anything."

Napaisip ako. Bakit nga ba?

"Stop being so hard on yourself, Lisa? It's too obvious na you like the girl, you just don't want to admit it to yourself." I looked at Irene.

"Isn't it too fast for me to like her in an instant? It's been only a what? Half a year. What if I only find comfort in her? What if—

"What if you like her?" pagputol ni Seulgi making me roll my eyes in them.

"Sige nga, since you keep on pushing this "me liking Roseanne" agenda, tell me what are the possibilities na I like her." I said with a hint of challenge.

"Easy. She's the only exception." mabilis na tugon ni Irene making Seulgi slam the table in front of me.

"Bingo."