1 ◣A Natural Prey
Chapter 1: A Natural Prey
With the deafening silence devouring the entire room, a treat of devious nightmare was standing in front of us with his steely eyes and stature. His eyes roamed around, searching for a lamb in the den of wolves.
As our eyes met, my heart wouldn’t stop beating real fast. And for some reason, I wanted to throw up—real damn hard. His lips gradually curled, and his slow show is killing us every second. As if he was doing it on purpose. He was teasing us.
My eyes drifted to the humongous smart television in his back. All the details about the victim are already given, and we only need to start an argument to prove her appeal. I roamed my sight and noticed the confident looks of most of my classmates, everyone has already built their arguments, and we are just patiently waiting for the beast to call our names.
“Ms. Devora?”
Saglit akong nakaramdam ng gaan sa aking dibdib nang tawagin ang babae sa aking likuran. Tumikhim siya’t hinanda ang sarili na makipagbakbakan sa propesor sa aming harap.
Ang lahat ng tensyon na namumuo sa buong paligid ay natipon sa babae. Ang lahat ng kaba at takot na makain nang buhay sa klaseng ito ay nagkumpulan sa kaniyang direksyon.
Muli akong sumilay sa mga impormasyon na nasa aming harapan, isa itong kaso ng battered wife incident. Ngunit hindi niya makasuhan ang kaniyang asawa dahil sa kakulangan ng ebidensya na nagpapatunay sa kaniyang apila. Ito ay kaso ng kaniyang kasulukuyan na kliyente ngunit hindi ko alam kung bakit palagi n’yang kinukuha ang ganitong mga kaso’t ginagamit bilang teaching material.
Ibig sabihin lamang, isang maling argumento at ang kliyente niya ang makakasuhan ng libel.
“As a legal wife and as a woman, she has the right to leave through an abusive marriage by appealing the Republic Act 9262: Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004—”
“But was there any evidence to prove that Mrs. Enrile was really in an abusive relationship? No bruises? She’s not even sexually force?”
“Republic Act 9262 shall be filed because…”
Mrs. Allaine Enrile claimed that she’s been suffering an abusive relationship, wherein her husband, Mr. Dominique Enrile, had been stalking her for almost a year. But not a single hard evidence to support her claim was provided, especially that the husband contended that his wife had been experiencing psychological episodes because of infertility.
And the case was almost dismissed because of that. It was always the lack of evidence that destroys someone.
“It shall be file, because?”
“Because…”
In the middle of a battle, someone suddenly stood mightily in the corner and simply stealing all the attention towards the lamb and the wolf. Dwayne Asher Perez. He cleared his throat and grabbed our professor’s attention, who is now loyally looking at him.
“Republic Act 9262 is not only limited to Physical and Sexual abuse. Consulting a psychiatrist can provide us a shred of hard evidence that can tell that the victim’s psychological episode wasn’t because of her infertility issue but because of her husband’s stalking. And accumulating that, Republic Act 9262: Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 will be used in terms of Psychological and Economic abuse.”
Our professor’s brow suddenly raised, “Why is Economic Abuse included in the appeal?”
“Economic abuse refers to acts that make or attempt to make a woman financially dependent, which include ‘controlling the victims’ own money or properties or solely controlling the conjugal money or properties.’ And if we can’t use Battery and Battered Woman Syndrome against the victim’s husband, then we can use stalking as the primary basis.”
“What made you think that we will win the case because of your answer, and she wouldn’t be sue because of libel?”
Asher smiled, “Prenuptial Agreement.”
And then, it actually hit me. Mula sila sa parehas na mayamang pamilya ang dalawa bago pa sila ikasal kaya’t natural lamang na magkakaroon ng ganoong kasunduan at kahit pinagbabawal ang divorce sa bansa, pinapayagan ang prenuptial agreement sa Pilipinas.
“The—”
“Gather your team Mr. Perez, and prove your worth to me. Find the written agreement.” Our professor interrupted. After that, he faced with his contented expression, “See you tomorrow. Dismissed,” he announced.
Buntong-hininga akong tumayo sa puwesto ko’t umalis sa classroom na ‘yo dahil pakiramdam ko kahit wala na si Atty. Salvatore ro’n ay feeling ko’y makakain pa rin niya ako ng buhay.
“Hoy.” Mabilis naman akong napatigil sa paglalakad ako nang mapalingon ako sa aking likuran, isang ngiwi lamang ang aking binigay sa kanya dahil nasusuka pa rin ako dahil sa kaba, “Ba’t ka umalis ka agad do’n? Nagbigay si Perez ng challenge sa mga gusting sumali sa study group n’ya.”
“I’m not that interested, Ethan.”
His forehead suddenly creased while looking at me, and when we began to walk side by side, he spoke, “Dude, it’s sayang. Dwayne Asher Perez is the wolves among wolves, and being by his side means the professors will be interested in you.”
“I don’t want his spotlight besides, I don’t think that he can lead with his arrogance—”
“I’m arrogant, huh?” Both Ethan and I halted when we heard his voice.
Asher cunningly intertwined between us, and with eyes wide open, I slowly shifted to him. He was smirking at me as his eyes scorch liquid fire while amusedly looking at me. With us, stealing the crowd’s attention in the hallway, he slowly stole my hand and placed a crumpled paper on it.
My mouth gaped when Asher suddenly leaned towards me, making Ethan’s eyes grew confused and dazed, “Welcome to my team Dela Vega,” he whispered.
“What? Wait—what the fuck?”
Bigla na lamang niyang tinapik ang balikat ko’t ngumiti ng buod na tamis na tila ba ay nais niya akong inisin at asarin. Matalim ang mga mata niyang tumingin kay Ethan at muli siyang bumaling sa akin.
“You heard what I’ve said.” At walang pasabi siyang umalis sa harapan namin.
At dahil sa munti niyang entrada, nakuha namin ang buong atensyon ng halos lahat ng estudyante sa hallway na ito. Nang mahina akong tinulak ni Ethan ay muli kaming naglakad at hindi na inalala pa ang bulong-bulungan sa paligid dahil sa katangahan ni Asher.
“What did he told you?”
“A stupid remark,” I mumbled.
Nang makarating kami sa canteen ay mabilis kaming kumuha ng aming puwesto, hindi naman ganoong marami ang tao rito dahil mas gusto ng mga estudyante na tumambay sa library or sa common area kung saan tahimik.
At dahil isang cute at mabait na kaibigan si Ethan, siya na mismo ang nagprisinta na bumili ng aming lunch at dahil do’n nagkaroon ako ng tyansa na silipin ang binigay na papel ni Asher.
Agad na kumubra ang isang ngiwi sa aking labi nang makita ang numero ni Asher.
+639307762169—call me.
Am I obligated to call this arrogant bastard? For all I know, he is just mocking me because of what I’ve said against him. And while I was in a mental argument with myself, my phone suddenly rang, which made me flinched.
Ilang segundo kong tinitigan ang cellphone ko dahil taong tumatawag do’n. Hindi ko alam kung dapat ba akong matuwa o mainis dahil tumatawag siya lalo na’t siya ang dahilan kung bakit ako nag-aaral ng kursong ayoko naman talaga.
“Is that Senator Dela Vega?” Wala sa sarili kong ni-reject ang tawag dahil sa biglang pagsulpot ni Ethan.
At habang nakasilip siya sa akin ay pinapatong niya ang tray na hawak niya sa lamesa. Pairap akong umismid sa kanya at inalis ang lollipop sa kanyang bibig.
“Savory first, before sweets.” I glared.
“Tumatawag ulit ang papa mo.” Pagnguso niya sa cellphone ko. Malalim akong napabuntong-hininga dahil do’n, saglit akong nagpaalam sa kanya’t tumungo sa labas ng canteen saka sinagot ang tawag.
“What do you want?” I asked.
The old man let out a soft chuckle, “I’m just checking on my daughter. Is that a bad thing?”
“Is that it? Then, I will end—”
“Alithea,” he warned. I anxiously sighed and rested my back on the wall, and silently listened to his upcoming bickering, “I heard that Salvatore is working on the Enrile Case.”
Mapait akong napangiti lalo na’t alam ko na kung saan tutungo ang usapan namin na ‘to. Hindi ako pepestihen ng taong ito kung wala siyang kailangan sa akin. He’s not like other dads who are genuinely concerned with their kids. He is just a man, a man who raised a child for his own comfort and publicity.
“I don’t want to meddle with—”
“So, you’re going to disappoint me again, huh? Why don’t you be just like your older brother—”
“I’ve never dreamt of being your dog!”
“Alithea! I am warning you! Don’t you dare oppose me with my—”
I was suddenly flustered when someone unexpectedly stole my phone from my grasp. He suddenly hushed me and winked.
“This is Dwayne Asher Perez, Senator Dela Vega… Yes, he is working on that case.” He was nodding while preventing me from speaking, “Alithea and I are in the group study under him. Yes, she will,” he mumbled.
After ending the call, Asher suddenly invade my phone, making me felt pissed, “Hey! Ibigay mo sa akin ‘yan!” Singhal ko sa kanya.
“Just wait, moron…” Hinarang niya ang kanyang kamay sa aking mukha at hindi pa siya nakuntento ro’n dahil pinisa niya pa ang buong mukha ko, “Here. Call me.”
Nang binigay niya sa aking cellphone ko ay agad ko siyang tiningnan nang masama, “Asa ka! Ulol!”
“Aren’t you getting tired of being compared to your brother?” He asked. Asher’s playful and annoying presence changed into a serious one as if we are in a court and his questions were cornering me.
I avoided his drowning eyes and leaned my back to the wall, “N—no… I don’t mind at all…”
“Liar,” he brooded, “You’re a liar, Alithea Dela Vega.”
Asher’s sudden seriousness flustered my entire system. He slowly lifted my chin with his hand resting on the wall beside me. He leaned, turning my world upside-down.
“What the hell are you doing, Perez?” I asked, making him smirk.
“Be my prey,” he stated, “Be my prey and use me with your heart’s content to prove your worth, Dela Vega.”
#
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top