"The jury is thanked and excused. Court is adjourned."

Matapos sabihin ng judge kung anu-ano ang dapat gawin ng prosecution at iba pang mga kailan sa trial, nag-dismiss na ito at ang lahat ay nagsi-tayuan.

Bago pa man ako makatayo  upang pumunta sa lalaki na ngayo'y nagmamadaling dalhin ang mga gamit n'ya ay ramdam ko na agad ang pagkahilo. Nang makita ako ay mabilis pa sa alas kuwatro itong tumayo at naglakad papalayo.

"OY!"

I kept on calling him but my every call was like a booster for him to walk faster.

Ah, that ghoster!

The moment I stood up, I immediately sat back as the whole place seemed like revolving around me.

Bwisit na soju bomb!

"Here."

Napatingin ako sa nag-abot ng candy. It was Aubrielle.

I immediately get it and ate it.

"Sa susunod, kung iinom ka, uminom ka nalang at 'wag maging sagabal sa korte."

I looked at her. She was smiling.

"Masyado kang pabigat."

My eyes widened.

"Alam mo ba kung gaano kasakit ang likod ko ngayon sa pagbuhat sa 'yo ngayon sa trial?"

I scoffed.

Here comes this bitch with her entitled behavior.

"Eh kung sinabi mo sa 'kin mga nalaman mo kagabi, eh 'di sana nakatulong ako," I said. "Naka focus ako sa pag pro-prosecute tapos ikaw sa pag dro-drop ng charge. We were not in the same wave."

She laughed.

"Anong focus sa pag pro-prosecute eh dalang-dala ka nga sa nang ghost sa 'yo. Ang pangit n'on, iniiyakan mo? Sabagay, basta desperada kahit sino papatusin."

My eyes grew bigger.

"Hindi mo ba alam na nakaka-offend ka na?!"

"If the truth hurts then it must be real," she said. "Ano bang ininom mo? Don't you know that could be a malpractice?"

"FYI, hindi ito intentional," pagklaklaro ko.

She sighed.

"By the way, kagabi ko lang din nalaman 'yung mga sinabi ko. Bintana pala ng kwarto mo 'yung binasag ko."

"ANO?!" I exclaimed. "BAKIT KWARTO KO?!"

She looked around and people were one by one leaving the court.

"Ang lakas ng boses mo," she whispered.

"EH BAKIT NGA KWARTO KO?!"

"Alangan namang kwarto ko?" she asked back. "Nakikitira ka lang naman sa 'min."

I gave her a sharp look.

"Anyway," she said. "Ako na bahala sa bagong charges. Wala ka namang maitutulong. Kaya nga dalawa tayong prosecutor sa kaso na 'to 'di ba? Kasi they don't trust you'll win."

I was about to say something but someone approached us. It was the judge.

"Job well done," he said, smiling at us. "Sometimes, the prosecution's mind is to prosecute the suspects because that's their job. But with you, Prosecutor Aubrielle, you're upholding the law and justice regardless of your job. I'd like to commend you for that."

"O-Oh," Aubrielle said, smiling shyly.

Ang pabebe.

"Hindi naman po ako lang ang mag-isa doon," sabi n'ya at tumingin sa 'kin. "Prosecutor Harriett helped me a lot and I have more things to improve pa po."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko.

Aba'y kanina lang sinosolo n'ya ang credits for this trial?!

"Look at you," the judge said to Aubrielle. "You're way too humble. I can see a great future ahead."

They laughed.

Nagpapa humble pa para mapuri lalo. Grrr!

"I'll go ahead, then," said by the judge and we just smiled at him as he walked away.

"See?" Aubrielle said. "Kahit judge nagagalingan sa 'kin."

She looked at me.

"When will you?"

Bago pa 'ko makapagsalita ay ngumisi na s'ya at umalis.

Napaka hipokrita talaga nitong babaeng 'to.

Kung close lang kami ni J.K Rowling, co-contact-in ko talaga s'ya para lang mag request na dugtungan ang Harry Potter Series. After the Harry Potter Deathly Hollows, dapat gawan n'ya ng novel inspired by Aubrielle ang ang bagong story sa series.

Ang title?

Harry Potter and The Audacity of this Bitch.

When I made sure I was well enough not to stumble, I stood up at nagsimula nang maglakad dahil ako nalang halos ang tao.

Aubrielle is actually my cousin. Nang lumuwas ako mula sa 'min ay sa kanila ako nakitira. Noong una, magkasama kami sa kwarto. Pero gabi-gabi kaming nag-aaway. Madalas na pag-awayan namin ay 'yung hindi pagpatay ng ilaw, hindi pagsasara ng pinto, paggamit ng mga damit ng isa't isa nang walang paalam. Minsan nga, sinasadya nalang namin sa sobrang inis sa isa't isa.

Pareho kami ng university na pinasukan at pareho rin ng course na kinuha. Sa school, hangga't maari hindi kami nagkikibuan dahil ayaw namin malaman ng iba na mag kamag-anak kami. Ganun namin kinamumuhian ang isa't isa.

Sa mata ng lahat, Aubrielle is that woman who embodies women empowerment. Aside kasi sa s'ya halos presidente ng mga organizations sa college noon, consistent dean's lister pa s'ya. Napakaraming lalaking umaaligid d'yan noon.

Tapos, excellence awardee pa s'ya for leadership. Puring-puri rin sa values. Pero hindi nila alam, gabi-gabi sa kwarto tina-trashtalk sila ng babaeng 'yan.

Kesyo ang pangit ng trophy, ang pangit nito at ni ganyan, hindi nagtuturo itong prof na 'to, ganun.

Hanggang ngayon sa trabaho, ganyan s'ya. Pinupuri ng lahat at parating nakangiti na akala mo shy ghorl. Pero ang totoo, bitchesa pa 'yan sa bitchesa.

Nang makalabas ako sa courtroom ay napansin kong napakarami kaagad ng tao sa labas. Siguro, may trial na magaganap ilang minuto mula ngayon.

I sighed heavily.

Naalala ko nanaman tuloy 'yung mokong na nang ghost sa 'kin. Hay, buhay. Ayoko na mag dating app!

Nagsimula akong maglakad nang walang anu-ano'y kabigla akong mapahinto.

In a sudden, all noise from the crowd faded and everything zoomed out. Wala akong marinig aside from my heart beating faster than it usually does as my eyes got fixated at the man coming nearer and nearer.

As I observed him, he was wearing a formal suit and on his left hand was his robe. He has a thin black hair and wearing a round eye glasses.

I bit my lower lip as I touched my chest.

Be still, my heart.

In a blink, our eyes met.

Did he...

Just...

Looked at me?!

I felt my cheeks were burning. Kung dahil ba sa tama sa 'kin ng alcohol o dahil sa kanya, hindi ko na alam.

Then it hits me.

Ang haggard ko!

Of all time na makakatitigan ko s'ya, bakit pa sa time na napaka haggard ko?!

He was then coming nearer.

What should I do?

Should I greet him?

Should I just smile awkwardly?

Should I say hi?

Should I—

"ANO 'TO, SAHIG?!"

From that moment, I found myself touching the floor.

I closed my eyes as he walked passed me.

Phew!

Hindi ko talaga s'ya kayang titigan o kausapin manlang!

Alam kong lahat ay nagtitinginan na sa 'kin pero wala na akong pakialam.

I then stood up.

"JUDGE CLIFORD ANDRIUS BLAKE!"

I felt like I got frozen when someone called out his name.

From then, like a magical moment it was, he looked back.

Our eyes met.

His eyes were inquiring.

Everyone was looking at us.

My eyes widened.

"H-Hindi ako 'yun," I defensively said. "Promise 'di ako—"

Just then, a guy approached him. Hinihingal ito.

"Nakalimutan n'yo po pirmahan," sabi nito.

Without any emotion on his face, he looked at the paper and signed it without uttering anything.

"Thanks, Judge!" sabi nito bago umalis.

Neska, ano ba! 'Di naman halatang paranoid ka 'no?

He then threw one final glimpse at me before walking inside the court room.

Some people outside the court room giggled. I mean, I can't blame them, though.

He's one of the youngest judge in history. Not to mention na napaka lakas pa ng appeal dahil parating naka polong puti at nakasalamin. Lalo pa s'yang pinaputi ng itim na itim n'yang buhok at lahat ng susuotin ay bumabagay sa kanya dahil maganda ang katawan at may katangkaran.

Just like how I saw him in the MRT years ago.

Nothing changed.

I still feel the same.

Simula nang mangyari ang sa MRT, hinanap ko na s'ya sa social media. Nang kumalat ang video at naging viral, madali ko s'yang natunton. Pero pahirapan nga lang sa pag stalk dahil naka private account.

Halos mawalan na 'ko ng pag-asa that time, not until I saw him in the same class as I was.

Akala ko nga, nasa medicine-related field s'ya kaya laking gulat ko nang malaman kong kaklase ko s'ya sa ibang subjects.

Ewan ko, pero sa lahat ng crushes ko, s'ya itong may pinakamakakas na impact sa 'kin. Like, s'ya 'yung main crush tapos the rest subcrushes.

Sa college, I had fun observing him. Hindi kasi ako 'yung tipo ng taong nagpapapansin kapag type ko. Tahimik lang ako sa gedli na nagmamasid, waiting to attack 'pag sad s'ya. Alam n'yo na, comflirt-comfort kunwari pero ang layunin i-flirt.

Pero ayun na ata ang pagkakamali ko. Napaka independent n'ya sa buhay na ultimo group projects kaya n'ya gawin mag-isa. Naaalala ko tuloy n'ung nag drop out 'yung pair n'ya sa thesis, s'ya lahat gumawa at nag defend at s'ya pa may highest grade.

Hindi rin s'ya palakibo. Kapag nga lang ata s'ya kinakausap ng prof sa klase tsaka lang s'ya magsasalita. Kaya nga kapag nag re-report s'ya, lahat nakikinig. Halata rin kasi sa way n'ya ng pananalita na matalino s'ya.

Syempre, pati si Aubrielle na challenge sa kanya. Isang araw nga ay sinubukan n'ya itong tabihan at kausapin sa library pero nagsalpak lang ng earphone at hindi s'ya tiningnan kahit isang segundo lang. Iiyak-iyak si gaga sa kwarto kinagabihan eh.

Minsan ko na ring makita s'yang tumawa. Kadalasan kapag kasama n'ya 'yung pinsan n'ya na nasa Engineering department.

Kaya naman sobrang saya ng college life ko kahit sasabog na utak sa course ko. Ewan, bukod sa mga kaibigan, crush life lang at siomai rice bumuhay sa 'kin.

Nang mag law school, sinundan ko pa rin s'ya syempre. Doon ko na realize na hindi sapat na may pangarap ka lang. Dapat may sipag. Kasi sisipain ka talaga ng realidad ng mundo na mas maraming mahusay kaysa sa'yo. It's just a matter of how passionate you are.

Doon ko napagtanto na life is indeed, an ocean. It's either you sink or help yourself and swim.

Noong mga panahong graduating na kami, laking gulat namin nang ma-amend ang Constitution. Isa sa naging malaking pagbabago ay ang pagtatalaga ng mga judges in lower courts. Noon, dapat 30 years old ka at may more than 5 years of experience in the field of law. Pero nang mabago, kahit isang taon lang ang experience at qualified to be one, maitatalaga na.

Pero syempre, mahigpit ang proseso. Kinakalkal ang lahat mula sa'yo. Kaya nang matapos mag-isang taon si Andrius in the field of law, he was appointed.

No wonder, top performer din kasi.

I sighed as I continued to walk. But then I got distracted by loud noise coming from two woman approaching the court room. One was wearing a prosecutor robe and the other one was wearing a formal attire.

"Ano ba, suportahan mo nalang kaya ako?!" sabi ng naka robe.

"Girl, paano kita susuportahan, eh mukha kang tanga? Tignan mo nga 'yang robe mo, napakahaba! Mukha kang choir. Ay hindi, mas mukha kang saranggola."

They looked familiar...

Until it hits me.

THE ONE WEARING A ROBE WAS COURTNEY SPENCER AND THE OTHER ONE WAS AVERY HEIMSWORTH!

At hindi lang ako naka realize n'un. Some even approached them to greet them.

Wow.

They looked...

Ah, just wow.

LOOK AT THE POWER THEY HOLD!

But then the smile on my face faded when something came on my mind.

It was the first time that Avery went to court room after Prosecutor Tyler Scott died. Ang alam namin, they were facing a serial killer in a far away city and Tyler Scott died while capturing the culprint.

His death was a national topic. He was regarded as a hero. Alam ko nga, may mga libro na ring naisulat patungkol sa kanya. Nakakapang hinayang.

At ang nakakatakot?

Lugar namin 'yung pinangyarihan ng krimen. Pero natigil na ang mga patayan pagkatapos n'un. Nakakalungkot lang that someone sacrificed his life for other people's justice.

Simula noon, hindi na nakita pa si Prosecutor Avery Heimsworth sa publiko. Hindi na rin ito tumatanggap ng law-related jobs. At ang alam namin, nililibot nalang nito ang mundo.

Ganoon ata talaga when you are missing someone who's no longer alive. Their every memory will haunt you forever.

Avery and Courtney then went inside the court room but before they totally went inside, Avery stopped and looked back.

"Stop staring at me, honey," she said.

Halos mapatalon ako sa takot nang bigla niya akong harapin. Tiningnan niya ako at ini-abot ang bag kay Courtney.

She then took off her sunglasses and smiled at me.

"DO YOU WANT AN AUTOGRAPH?"