Chapter 41

"You're smoking again."

I just looked at Lui. I was still at work. Kanina pa tapos iyong work hours, pero nandito pa rin ako. Marami akong kaibigan na gusto ng trabaho sa gobyerno kasi pagtapak ng relos sa alas cinco, pwede ka ng umuwi. May work-life balance ba...

For me? I felt guilty... so guilty that I have this need to render unpaid overtime para ma-compensate iyong pagkukulang ko. That if I can't save her, then I must save more people... like that would right the wrong that's been done.

It didn't really make sense, but in my head, it had to.

Lui stood beside me. I offered him a stick dahil hindi naman ako bastos. He just shook his head.

"Dinner?" he asked.

Umiling ako. "May tatapusin pa ako."

"We can just have food delivered," he said. "Or I'll cook. Do you want anything?"

Umiling ulit ako. "Not really in the mood to eat," I sincerely told him. Wala talaga akong ganang kumain.

"You still should eat," sabi niya.

"I know."

"Then let's have dinner."

"Seriously, Lui, I can't. Marami akong ginagawa."

Why was he even here? Narinig niya ba iyong semi-meltdown ko sa labas nung office nung head? Siguro. Kasi mukha akong tanga doon na naka-tayo habang nangingilid iyong luha dahil hindi ako makapaniwala na ganito pala iyong kalakaran. I had idea... but I really didn't think that it'd happen right at my face.

Like I'm being taunted...

That no matter how much I wanted to do the right thing, at the end of the day, both my hands are tied.

And it's as if I could hear them laughing and pointing their fingers at me and calling me delusional for thinking that I even had the choice.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

We're still together. We still say good morning and good night every day na para bang welfare check iyon na kami pa rin.

"I got a new case," sabi niya sa 'kin.

"Did you not hit someone again?" I asked, half-joking. Lui's lips were pressed in a thin line. He obviously didn't appreciate my joke. Umayos ako sa pagkaka-tayo. "Sorry. Go on. Ano'ng kaso?" I asked.

"People v. Revilla," he said.

Napa-kunot iyong noo ko. "What?" I asked, remembering kung anong kaso 'yo. It was murder case—one that I was certain that I'd win dahil malakas iyong kaso.

"Thought I should let you know," he said instead. Humithit ulit ako ng sigarilyo. I briefly closed my eyes. "I don't want us to argue about this," he continued like he was already on the defense. "I was assigned the case—I didn't purposely ask for it."

"I know," I replied. "Wala naman akong sinasabi."

"Okay."

"It's just work."

"It is," he said.

"Retainer fee must be high siguro? I mean, I'm pretty confident that I'll get conviction," I said to lighten the mood. I looked at Lui's face. It did appear that I didn't exactly lighten the mood. I tapped his cheek. "Lighten up, Atty. Valladares. Nagjojoke lang ako," dugtong ko tapos ay pinatay ko na iyong sigarilyo at itinapon iyon.

I said goodbye to him tapos ay naglakad na ako papunta sa sasakyan ko. He called my name kaya naman napa-hinto ako at napa-tingin sa kanya.

"You're making me worry," he said.

I looked at him and smiled. "I'm fine," I told him. "I'm just finally disillusioned—like how you always wanted me to be," I continued bago ako muling tumalikod at naglakad palayo.

* * *

I did my work, kept my head down, and avoided any social functions. I was just finishing my contract here. Alam ko na para akong tanga kasi ang daming naghahangad na mapunta dito sa posisyon ko, but tama naman si Atty. Arnaez... hindi ako pang office politics. Masyado akong maldita para doon. Hindi ko kayang manahimik kapag nakaka-pikon iyong kausap ko. Kaya nga ako mukhang tanga na naiyak sa labas nung office dahil hindi ko maatim na may ganon pala talagang tao na garapal.

Besides, I asked my Tito kung okay lang ba na magresign ako kung sakali. Sabi niya ay okay lang naman daw. Kuha lang daw ako nang kuha ng experience saka 'wag akong magstay sa trabaho na ayaw ko. Masyadong maraming area ang law para magstay ako sa area na ayoko pala talaga.

The thing is, I actually love litigation... I just abhor office politics.

Kaya habang nandito pa ako sa prosecution, kapag may free time ako, inaayos ko na iyong sa certification ko for arbitration. I really needed money to fund my passion.

Ang hirap talaga kapag 'di pinanganak sa generational wealth!

'See you later.'

Napa-tingin ako sa message ni Lui.

Mamaya na nga pala iyong unang hearing namin. I try to give all my cases my equal attention because that's what everyone deserves, but I have to admit that I gave this one more attention. Probably because the accused is a son of a mayor and he's a smug son of a bitch who thinks he's gonna get away with this because his daddy can afford fancy lawyers from fancy firms.

Also buti hindi siya galit. I thought I pissed him off nung hearing para sa bail. I thought I kinda went overboard para lang masigurado na hindi mabibigyan ng provisional liberty iyong client niya.

I read the discoveries like it's a bedtime story. I flipped through the pages of the information and watched all the footage and looked at the photos from the crime scene.

I am prepared.

I arrived at the court a few minutes early. Nagtext na sa akin na nandito na iyong witness ko. Nung mga unang beses na pumupunta ako rito, sobrang aga ko. I would pace back and forth and practice my arguments. Halos parang mamamatay na ako sa sobrang kaba dahil ayokong masigawan o mapagalitan ng judge.

Pero tama nga sila—practice makes perfect. With every mistake I make, I get better. Lagi kong tinatandaan para hindi ko na mauulit sa susunod.

"Kanina ka pa?" I asked nung makita ko si Lui na naglalakad palapit sa akin. May hawak siyang kape at inabot niya sa akin. "Thank you."

"Medyo," he said. Napa-tingin siya sa hawak ko na briefcase. "Yan lang ang dala mo?" he asked.

I nodded. "Everything I need is here," I replied as I pointed at my brain.

Bahagyang napaawang iyong labi niya at natawa. "You're right," he said.

"I'm kidding. My files are here," sabi ko sabay pakita sa may briefcase ko. Napa-tingin ako sa sasakyan na nagpark. I immediately threw the coffee he gave me. Nakita ko na bahagyang napaawang iyong labi niya sa ginawa ko. "Nandyan na si Judge," I said. "Best of luck," I added before I hurriedly went inside dahil papagalitan kami kapag mas nauna pa si Judge sa loob.

I got inside and greeted the staff of the court. I settled on my corner at saka nilabas iyong mga gamit ko. My client is already dead. Wala na rin siyang pamilya bukod sa lolo at lola niya na hindi ata interesado sa kaso na 'to. I felt like no one cared about my client but me...

"We request the first witness on the stand," I said.

My witness went to the stand and took his oath to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

"Paki-sabi ang pangalan," I began.

"Michael Flores po," he replied.

"Saan ka nagta-trabaho?"

"Bilang street vendor po sa may Cruz St., Pasig City."

"Nasaan ka nung bandang ala-una ng madaling araw ng June 5?" muling tanong ko sa kanya.

"Nasa trabaho po."

"Tama ba na ng ala-una ng madaling araw ng araw na 'yon, biglang huminto ang sasakyan ni Stephen Revilla, lumabas siya sa sasakyan, biglang hinatak ang biktima na si Ruby Reyes, sinuntok ito at sinipa hanggang sa mamatay?" diretso kong tanong.

"Objection, Your Honor," biglang sabi ni Lui.

"On what ground?"

"Assumes fact not established, Your Honor."

What? I mean, I knew he'd object, but if it were me, I'd use a different ground to overthrow my question.

Whatever.

"Overruled," sabi ni Judge. "Paki-sagot ang tanong."

My witness answered my question. I continued with my direct-examination. Lui, bless his heart, tried his best to object, but most of his objections were overruled. He's just doing his job... plus I learned from my past mistakes to always frame my questions correctly dahil ayaw na ayaw kong na-su-sustain kapag may nag-o-object sa tanong ko.

Then it was his turn to cross-examine my witness.

'Objection—question calls for hearsay evidence, Your Honor.'

'Objection—the question is leading, Your Honor.'

'Objection—vague question, Your Honor.'

'Objection—the question is argumentative, Your Honor.'

'Objection—question calls for a conclusion of fact not established, Your Honor.'

Halos hindi ako matapos sa sinusulat ko na notes dahil lagi akong nag-o-object sa mga sinasabi ni Lui. I saw him getting pissed at me; I ignored him. What? Trabaho lang naman. Saka siya rin ang nagsabi sa akin na 'di niya papakielamanan ang trabaho ko.

Then Judge Marquez gave us a 15 minute recess. Agad akong tumayo at saka lumabas. Paglabas ko, naabutan ko na nag-uusap—or more like nagtatalo si Lui at iyong kliyente niya.

"I strongly advise against this—"

"Makukulong ako dahil sa 'yo! Just put me on the stand!"

"Once again, if I put you on the stand, it means that she can question you, too. Do you understand that? Whatever you say on the stand can be used against you."

Well, at least Lui's right on that. I'd do the same if I were in his position. I wouldn't put on a stand a person who's clearly guilty. He'll do more harm than good.

"My family's paying you a lot of money tapos ganito lang ang gagawin mo?!"

"Exactly. I'm the lawyer here. Can you just let me do my job?"

"You're pretty shit at your job!"

This fucking prick.

Alam niya ba kung gaano kahirap iyong kaso niya? There's literally a CCTV footage of him committing the crime. Kahit hindi si Lui iyong abogado niya, sigurado ako na hindi siya ma-a-acquit. Malas niya lang talaga na kumalat sa social media iyong ginawa niya kaya 'di siya mailigtas ng tatay niya.

Minsan talaga may magandang dulot din 'yang Facebook, e.

Dahil ayoko naman na dito lang ako sa CR hanggang matapos iyong break ay wala akong choice kung hindi ang lumabas.

"Excuse me," sabi ko habang dumadaan. Napa-tingin sila sa akin. Mukhang gusto na akong sakalin nung kliyente niya. He should definitely try para madagdagan pa iyong kaso na isasampa ko sa kanya.

Pagpasok ko sa loob, binabasa ko na iyong notes ko para sa ibang cases ko. I just quietly did that hanggang sa magresume na ulit iyong hearing. Napa-tingin ako sa gawi ni Lui. If he were smart, he wouldn't allow his client to be put on the stand because I swear to God, I'd bury him alive and make him cry because apparently, I have a personal vendetta against rich kids who think they can get away with anything because of daddy's money.

Then I was asked if I wanted to re-direct. Lui did a pretty bad job at his cross, so I didn't see the need to do a re-direct. Then we were told the next date for the next examination of the witness. Great.

Agad akong lumabas dahil may susunod pa akong pupuntahan. Napa-tigil ako nang marinig ko iyong boses ni Lui.

"What?" I asked. "May next hearing pa ako."

"Did you really have to do that?"

"Do what?" I asked, looking at him with my brows furrowed.

"Object to everything I said."

"Not my fault," I replied. "You gave me plenty of opening." Tumingin ako sa relo ko. "It's just work, Lui. Don't take it personally," I added before left him and went my own way.

The days went on and I was just counting the days until I could be free from this job... but days before the next direct examination, I received a message saying that my next witness died in a hit-and-run accident.

And I hated the fact that my mind automatically thought that Lui had something to do with this. 

**

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