Only Exception (UNDER REVISION)

13

Sinara ko ang glass door. Nakasandal ito sa railings habang nakatingin sa kalangitang puno ng tala. Tinapik ko siya sa balikat pero hindi pa rin nito inaalis ang tingin sa kalangitan.

"Alam kong may problema ka at hindi na kita tatanungin kung ayos ka lang dahil alam ko namang hindi" seryosong pahayag ko sa kaniya habang tinatapik ang daliri sa metal na railings.

"You know the feeling. . . like your own parents don't love you?" ah so yun pala? Tinatak niya pala talaga ang mga salitang binitawan ni Tito sa kaniya.

"Kj. . . sometimes I feel likemy own family hates me. . . you know, when I was a kid I really used hate myself. I used to say why did they let me grew up? If they will just throw hurtful words to me every single mistake I make, they always compares me to my other cousins and it's really frustrating" ramdam ko ang tingin nito na para bang nandalawang isip pa.

"Your friends wanted to be you because of what you are. We both grew up together but you didn't tell me about these things" I rolled my eyes at him.

"Khalil, my other friends hate me and I know that. They just stuck around because of my surname." I let out a bitter laugh

"No one knows the pain I was keeping because I don't want to be a burden to others, they have their own life but last year I started seeing the therapist twice a month when Marianne found out about my suicides attempt" I can feel the tears trying to escape my eyes but I kept my eyes shut.

"I just want to tell you that your parents love you so much. Maybe they're just not that showy and I know tita and tito, they're kind and I can tell that they are great parents." I told him as I patted his shoulders.

Inalis ko ang kamay sa balikat niya at binalik ito sa railings. Tahimik ang paligid. Tanging pag-ihip lang ng hangin ang pumapagitan sa aming dalawa. Ramdam na ramdam ko na rin ang malamig na simoy nito. Napatingala ako sa kalangitan.

"There comes a time that I hate her. . . my mother. She's really good at taking care of kids but she can't even take care of her own daughter. It really hurts but I know that it's for my own good too" napangiti ako habang nakatingin lang sa kalangitan.

"So don't ever underestimate the love of a parent walang tutumbas dun, walang makakatiis sa anak nila" napakagat ako sa labi ko. Knowing that his next question would be about him.

"Even your father?" tumingin ako sa kaniya. Nakatingin naman na ito sa akin at para bang alam na niya ang magiging sagot ko ay tungkol sa pambabara pero he was taken a back by what I said.

"Even him" I smiled at him. Umiwas na lang ako ng tingin sa akin. I'm unsure of my answer but I can't deny the efforts that he's been putting so that I can accept him in my life.

Nililipad ng hangin ang buhok ko. Kitang kita ang kabuuan ng mukha ko at ramdam na ramdam ko ang mga matang nakatingin sa amin. Tumingin ako sa entrance ng bahay namin. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay pero seryoso lang itong nakatingin sa akin.

Tumingin ako kay Khalil na mukhang hindi naman niya nakita si Eli. Nakatingin lang naman kasi si Khalil sa harapan. Ano nga bang ginagawa ni Eli dito? "Halika na?" Tumango lang ito at umuna na sa paglalakad.

Tiningnan ko ulit si Eli at nakita kong nag-uusap na sila ni Kuya. Nakita ko pang napatingin ulit ito sa akin bago pumasok ng bahay.

Nang tumalikod na ako ay nakita kong parang natigilan si Khalil kaya tiningnan ko kung ano ang nangyayari sa loob. Nanlaki kaagad ang mga mata ko sa nakita.

"What the fuck?" mahinang mura ko na narinig ata ni Marianne kaya mabilis nitong natulak si Tanner.

Gulat silang napalingon sa amin. Mabilis namang bumangon si Tanner at ganun na rin si Em. Gulat pa rin akong nakatingin sa kanila. What rhe fuck happened?