My Only Exception

Chapter 10

Akira took a paperbag from her closet.

"I don't know how you will bring this home without him noticing too much for you two to argue," she said and handed her the paperbag.

Raffy opened it and saw a Coach bag. "He knows what would make me drool."

"He does," Akira laughed. "So how will you bring it home?"

"I don't know," she laughed with her. "I guess Seff's having a good time in Colorado."

"Colorado? No. Didn't Seff tell you? He was moved to Maryland - "

"Wait, Akira..." she stopped her. "Did you say Maryland?"

"Yes. Why? Didn't Seff tell you? I doubt if Ethan did," Akira said.

"No. No one told me. So Ethan knows? Since when has he been based there?"

"A month ago I guess? That's why he has visited four states in a short time. Colorado, Arizona, Utah, and now Maryland. Lucky bastard," Akira laughed.

She didn't hear the rest of what she said.

••

"Why are you quiet?"

They just back home after their bountiful lunch. "Are you okay?"

She didn't answer.

"You're not carrying anything inside you, are you?" he asked her and she answered with a stern look. "You want me to buy you anything or go somewhere?"

Raffy shook her head.

"Are you sick Love?" he asked. He walked up to her and tried to touch her forehead but she leaned away from him. "What's wrong?"

"Alam mo naman pala na nandun si Seff kaya ganun naging reaction mo nung sinabi ko na sa Maryland ako pupunta?" she burst out.

He took a deep breath.

Now she knows, he thought.

"Kelan mo pa balak tapusin magpanggap na pinag-iisipan mo yung pag-alis ko?" she asked with sarcasm.

"Now you know. I don't have to break your heart by giving you my answer," Ethan answered coldheartedly. He was getting water from the fridge.

"Oo, dahil hindi ko naman kailangan ng sagot mo!" she shouted at him and started crying. She felt like a fool for believing him. She felt used. She immediately went inside their room and took her luggage. She took her clothes from the rack and put it inside.

"What the f-" he said angrily and took the clothes out of the luggage.

She pushed him away from her. "Stay away from me!"

"No one's leaving Raffy!"

"I will leave whether you like it or not. I have my visa - "

"What?! Since when?! Di ba sabi ko sayo na hindi ka aalis?!"

"Wala na akong pakialam sa sinabi mo. Hindi ikaw ang masusunod. Punong-puno na ako, Ethan," she cried. "Ayoko na. This is too much. You are destroying me. You're not the same guy I've known before."

"Walang iba sa akin. Ikaw lang ang nagbago," he said.

"Ako pa ang nagbago? Sino ba ang nawalan ng oras? Ako ba? Sino ba ang laging nagpapadala ng proxy sa lakad natin? Tapos pinagisipan kami ng masama? Kami pa ba nagkamali sayo? Hindi pa ba sapat yung relasyon namin sayo para paniwalaan mo kami na magkaibigan lang kami? What kind of explanation do you need? Pasok sa tenga, labas sa kabila! Why don't you make it pass through your brain? Baka sakaling maisip mo na mali yung iniisip mo?"

"Hindi ako tanga. Nakikita ko sa inyo yun. Mas masaya ka na sa kanya. Mas gusto mo na sya kasama!" he said and sounded so jealous.

"Ang kitid ng utak mo," she sobbed and wiped her tears away. "You can't stop me. I would leave you whether you want it or not."

She continued packing her things while he remained seated quietly on the bed, just watching her. When she was done, she took her personal bag and the one from Seff.

"Kapag lumabas ka sa pintuan na yan, hindi mo na ako makikita ulit," he threatened her.

She only paused but stood up strong.

"Kukunin ko na lang pag wala ka dito yung natira kong gamit para di na tayo magkita," she said and pulled her luggage with her.

"Raffy!" he called her but she didn't look back.

••

"Are you sure of this?" Amanda asked her. They were seated on the family's bakeshop having coffee. She has booked her flight and would be leaving the following day.

"Yes, Tita," she smiled bitterly. "I'm sorry I told you just now. I didn't want anything or anyone stop me from doing this."

Ethan's mom took a deep breath and held her hand. "I don't know what went into Ethan for him to stop you. I reminded him multiple times that he's starting to neglect you. I understand that he wanted to marry you and give you a good life but he seemed to be so focused achieving it that he had forgotten the person behind all that he had been doing."

She held his mother's hand. "I love Ethan Tita. It would never change. I am not leaving this place to find someone else or for me to be with another person. If he could bear it and wait for me, I'll go back to him."