My Only Exception

Chapter 15

"Raffy, please... I'm begging you. Wag ka ng umalis," he cried.

They were at the airport and she already had her bags with her. Her parents gave her some time alone with Ethan.

"I'm sorry Ethan but I already made up my mind."

"Ano pa bang dapat kong gawin wag ka lang umalis? Nagmamakaawa ako sa'yo. Wag mo ako iwanan. Hindi ko kaya," he said. He looked bad. Starting with his eye bags, his red eyes, his unwashed hair, his growing beard, his drunk state, she knew he was having a hard time dealing with the situation. It made her want to stay but she thought of herself.

"I can't let this pass. Kung ayaw mo akong mawala sayo, pwede mo naman akong sundan pero hindi ko bibitawan ito," she told him and remained strong.

"I can't do that. Para saan pa na inayos ko yung takbo ng business ko, bumili ako ng bahay para sayo kung iiwanan ko lahat yun?"

"I do not care what you bought and what you will buy me. Ibenta mo kung gusto mo. Aalis ako dahil gusto ko. I love you Ethan but I want to see myself grow too. You can't just confine me with you all the time," she said.

"So ganito na lang? Tatapusin mo lahat ng pinagsamahan natin? Hahayaan mo na lang? Hindi ba yun mahalaga sayo?" he was crying.

"Hindi kita hinihiwalayan. All I asked of you is to let me do this for myself. For you to let me grow on my own," she said stiffly. "Pero ayaw mo."

"Ako ba o yang trabaho na yan?" he asked. "I can give you all the things that you want and you need."

"I'm not a Cinderella, Ethan. You know how independent I am. Kahit wala kang maibigay sa akin, it doesn't matter at all," she answered. "Mahalaga ka sa akin but if I have to make a choice right now, I'm sorry but I choose to go."

He wiped his tears. "Ganyan ka na ba talaga katigas?"

"This is what you made me become."

She took a step inside.

"Consider us done if you take another step going in," he told her. "We would never cross paths again after this."

She smiled bitterly. "If that's what you want," she said and checked in her baggage.

He got himself drunk in the next days that passed by after she left. Walang nakakausap sa kanya ng matino, not even his parents. He didn't look at other girls kahit na madaming lumapit sa kanya. He only wanted Raffy and kahit na sinabi nya na hindi nya na babalikan ito, he knew deep inside him that it was only a lie, a threat. Akala nya, she would choose him but he was wrong. He lost her.

Raffy on the other hand was the strongest yet numbest woman at that point. Hindi nya alam kung paano nya nagawa na hindi umiyak at bumalik kay Ethan when he begged her to stay. Ayaw nya na umalis but the desire in her to leave was too strong and she obeyed it. Pagdating sa Maryland, Seff was at the airport to fetch her.

And that was when reality sank in that she no longer has Ethan.

Then she cried.

••

Hinatid sya ni Seff sa bahay na tutuluyan nya for the meantime. He offered his place at first but she declined so he rather helped her find a house that was near her workplace. Yun na ang bagay na pinagtalunan nila ni Ethan and she did not want to give him reasons to believe further the lies he himself created kahit na magkalayo sila. A part of her was wishing he would come knocking on her door eventually. Kahit na wala na sila, alam nya sa sarili nya na she would never love anyone the way she loved him. If she would, it would take time.