#CTG34 Chapter 34

Everyone around me was crying.

I hated this part.

"Attend tayo sa thanksgiving mass?" Jax asked.

I looked around and saw families hugging. I saw a lot of mothers crying as they held their child who just finished an excruciating month of BAR exam.

"Uwi na muna ako," I replied. I was happy for my batchmates because their families were here to welcome them as they finished the BAR... But I couldn't help but feel sad. Wala man lang sumalubong sa akin nang lumabas ako kanina. I mean, the school did, but family's still different.

I said goodbye to Jax's parents. Pinilit pa nila ako na magstay at magdinner daw kami sa labas, but that would feel like an intrusion. Pati nga si Rory biglang nawala. But she sent a text saying na uuwi muna siya sa Pangasinan para puntahan iyong tatay niya. She promised that she's okay... Kinabahan kasi talaga kami ni Jax after nung first Sunday. She was a wreck. She was crying so hard na akala namin 'di na siya tutuloy sa exam... Only after Yago told us na hindi na siya aattend ng second Sunday namin naconvince si Rory na magtake ng exam.

My forehead was creased when I saw Iñigo inside my unit, holding a bunch of silver and gold balloons, standing near the table that was full of food.

"Congrats, Atty. Viste," he said, smiling.

"Akala ko may inuman kayo mamaya?" I asked, putting my transparent backpack on the sofa. Sabi niya sa 'kin kaya 'di niya ako nasalubong kanina ay dahil marami siyang gagawin sa frat dahil may position yata siya 'dun. 'Di ko naman siya tinatanong dahil 'di ako interesado sa frat niya.

"Habol na lang ako mamaya," sagot niya. "Gutom ka na?"

I shrugged as I walked closer to see what he got. There was a platter of rice, a big bowl of pares, and a plate of crispy pata. I secretly smiled. Gutom na ako.

"Nasa fridge 'yung ice cream," he continued. "Kain na tayo, Cha?"

I nodded. Uupo na sana ako kaya lang sabi niya 'wag muna. Lumapit siya sa akin at mabilis akong niyakap. Hinalikan niya iyong tuktok ng ulo ko.

"Sobrang proud ako sa 'yo," bulong niya.

"Thank you," I said, meaning it because... it felt nice hearing someone say that to you. Bihira kong marinig 'yun. My Dad never told me that he's proud of me... He just told me that I always needed to be better. I never heard that I was actually enough.

I looked up to him and smiled.

"Ngayon lang yata kita nakitang naka-ngiti!" he said, his eyes widened. I rolled my eyes. "Wait lang, picture tayo! Remembrance!"

Iñigo forced me to have a selfie and to smile, but the moment was gone. Tinukso niya na ako na first time ko ngumiti kaya hindi ko na inulit. Tawa lang siya nang tawa at nagsosorry kasi nagulat daw talaga siya. Hindi nga siguro talaga ako madalas ngumiti. Pero ngumingiti naman ako kapag may dahilan... Tulad nito.

After we ate, we sat on the sofa and watched some random sitcom.

"Ano 'yan?" tanong ko nang may iabot siyang paperbag sa akin.

"Ref magnets," he said.

"Bakit?"

"Wala lang... Tuwing umaalis ako, binibilan kita," he continued. "Si Mama kasi dati palaging bumibili niyan."

I looked at the content. There must've been at least 15 magnets inside. Kung saan-saang sulok talaga ng Pilipinas yata dinadala siya ni Atty. Buenasher. No wonder 'di ko siya nakikita nitong November unless weekend dahil sa frat naman siya may ginagawa and dumadaan lang siya sa hotel room ko para magbigay ng pagkain at materials.

"Kung ayaw mo—"

"Binigay mo na," I said, holding the paperbag close.

He laughed. "Okay," he said, smiling. Lumiit iyong mga mata niya

sa pagngiti niya. Hinigpitan niya iyong yakap sa akin at naramdaman ko na hinalikan niya na naman iyong gilid ng ulo ko.

I couldn't remember how and when, but I did fall asleep. Paggising ko, nasa kama na ako. I looked to check if Iñigo's around, but he left a note on the sidetable saying na umalis na siya dahil may trabaho pa raw siya sa firm.

I spent a good hour staring at the ceiling. Wala na akong kailangang reviewhin. I was... done. This was weird.

Naglinis ako ng condo at inayos iyong mga review materials ko. I put them all inside a box. Sana hindi ko na siya kailanganin next year dahil gusto ko na talagang maging abogado. After that, nagsaing ako ng bigas. I wasn't a good cook, but I felt like I owed Iñigo a dinner dahil buong November, he made sure that I wouldn't starve.

I went to the grocery store and got ingredients for sinigang kasi sabi niya iyon ang paborito niya. I really planned to prepare dinner, but I was so bored so I cooked it for lunch. I wanted to text him, but I decided against it dahil baka tuksuhin niya ako. Kaya naman nandito ako sa firm, dala iyong thermal container niya. Kapag tinukso niya ako, iiwan ko na lang 'to dito at bahala na siyang kumain.

Dumiretso na ako sa loob at hinanap si Iñigo. He wasn't in his cubicle. Naglakad-lakad ako doon at napa-hinto nang makita ko na nasa loob siya ng conference room. Baka may meeting na naman. Naupo muna ako sa cubicle ko. May apat na araw na bakasyon pa ako bago ako bumalik dito... And then I'd wait until my contract is over and decide kung saan magta-trabaho. I still wasn't completely decided. I wanted to work in a firm because that would give me more experience, but I needed more money now. Maybe I'd try being a legal counsel in a company. Bahala na.

I was watching the people in the office when the door in the conference room swung open. Lumabas doon si Iñigo kasabay ang dalawang babae. The woman looked old and sickly at kasama niya yata iyong anak niya. They were talking about something and the woman was crying and holding on to Iñigo's arm. I watched Iñigo's face. He was... stoic. His face was hard and impassive.

Ilang segundo pa akong nanood ng mga nangyayari. Napaawang ang labi ko nang lumuhod iyong babae. Biglang may dumating na security para ilabas siya. Iñigo just went back to the conference room like nothing happened.

"Hey..." sabi niya nang lumabas siyang muli at nakita ako. "Sa isang araw pa 'yung balik mo, ah?"

I nodded, still thrown off by the scene that I just witnessed.

"Sino 'yung kanina?" I asked.

"Yung sa isang case," he said so casually.

"Bakit umiiyak?"

"You know I can't talk about work," he said, and then looked at the thermal back that was on his desk. "Dala mo 'yan?" he asked and I nodded. A smile formed on his face. "Nice... Nagluto ka, Cha?"

Tumango ako. Hinihintay ko na tuksuhin niya ako dahil ganyan naman si Iñigo. Hindi yata matatapos ang isang araw na hindi niya ako iniinis.

"Tara, sa labas tayo kumain," he said. Sabay kaming naglakad palabas. He was silent for a change. Natigilan lang kami sa paglalakad nang biglang may nagtapon ng kung ano sa kanya... at dahil magkatabi kami, natapunan din iyong kalahati ng damit ko.

"Mga abogado kayo! Mga sugo ng impyerno!" sigaw nung babaeng nakita ko kanina. Her eyes were red with anger and she was shaking with fury. "Buhay pa kayo sinusunog na 'yung kaluluwa niyo sa impyerno!" she shouted before spitting right at Iñigo's face.

Shit.

What... the hell?

The guards quickly pulled the lady away from us. I looked at Iñigo who was quietly standing there. He got his handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to me.

"May extra akong t-shirt," he said. He was acting nonchalant. Madalas bang mangyari 'to sa kanya? Ano ba'ng trabaho niya dito sa firm? Bakit umabot sa ganitong punto? O normal ba 'to kapag nagtatrabaho na? Dapat bang maghanda na rin akong masabuyan ng kape at maduraan sa mukha?

"What the hell?" I asked, unable to contain myself.

"Sorry nadamay ka."

"Why was she so angry?"

"Work—"

"I know," I answered. "I'm sorry," I continued. I knew that he's not allowed to talk about the cases he's working on. But I was just... shocked. Nasa loob lang ako ng building lagi at nagbabasa ng mga contract. Si Iñigo ang nasa labas palagi kasama si Atty. Buenasher. Ano ba ang ginagawa nilang dalawa para may magalit sa kanila nang ganito?

"Balik na lang tayo sa condo mo," he said, hailing a cab and getting us back to my condo. Iñigo took a quick shower dahil buong mukha at katawan niya iyong tinamaan nung kape. I changed my clothes tapos ay inayos ko na iyong lamesa para makakain na kami.

"Out of court settlement," Iñigo said. "Yan lang pwede kong sabihin."

I nodded. "Okay," I replied. Ayokong makialam sa trabaho niya. That's work.

"Cha," he called. "Tagaytay tayo sa weekend? Bago ka bumalik sa work?"

My mood lifted up. "Baka busy ka—"

"Gusto mo rin, noh?" tanong niya sabay halakhak. "Alis tayo ng Friday after ng work ko tapos balik tayo ng Monday ng madaling-araw?"

"Okay," I said, forcing myself to stop smiling.

"Mag-eenroll din ako. Samahan mo ko?"

"Bata ka ba? Bakit kailangan magpasama?"

Tumawa na naman siya. "Sungit talaga," sabi niya. "After na lang ng enrollment ko punta tayo sa mall? Tapos nood tayong movie?"

"Di ako mahilig sa movie."

"Kain tayo sa resto?"

"Dito na lang para—"

"Hirap naman ayain nitong magdate!" he said, cutting me off. My eyes widened. "Date tayo sa Monday, Cha?" he asked. My eyes were still wide. "Ayokong tanungin 'to sa 'yo nung BAR pa kasi ayokong mahati 'yung attention mo... pero okay lang ba sa 'yo na i-date kita?"

"Sine-sex mo na nga ako tapos nahihiya kang ayain akong magdate?"

Tumawa na naman siya. He ran his fingers through his hair again.

"Mga salita mo, Viste, ha," he said. "Masyado ng nagiging bulgar 'yang bibig mo. 'Di na kita hahalikan."

I rolled my eyes. "Nakaka-hiya naman sa 'yo. Akala mo ang wholesome ng vocabulary mo."

He laughed again. "Pero ano nga? Sa Monday?"

"Di pa ba date 'yung gagawin natin sa Tagaytay?"

"Hmm..."

"Ano ba'ng balak mong gawin natin sa Tagaytay?"

He wiggled his eyebrows. I rolled my eyes. He laughed and stood up and hugged me from behind. "Sungit talaga nito," he said, kissing my cheek. And then my neck. And then back to my lips. I kissed him back but then I remembered na babalik pa siya sa office dahil lunch break lang naman kaya kami nandito.

"May pasok ka pa—"

"Ikaw muna papasukan ko," he said as his hand began to wander its way inside my shorts. His fingers strummed and I couldn't help but bite his lower lip at the sensation that he was giving me.

"Inigo—"

"Ten minutes, promise, mabilis lang," sabi niya bago ako binuhat at dinala papunta sa sofa. He quickly unbuttoned his pants and pulled out his member. My breathing deepened at the sight of him. God, this was a dangerous thread I was walking.

I felt my throat tightening as I watched Iñigo fondle himself. He got out a condom from his pocket and opened it with his teeth.

"Paki-hubad na 'yung panty," sabi niya.

I threw him the pillow. Tawa siya nang tawa.

"Ikaw nagsabi na papasok pa ako, e! Pakibilisan naman, Cha, at magta-trabaho pa ako," he continued.

God, I wanted to punch him sometimes!

"You know, you're so annoying sometimes."

"Ganon talaga. 'Di pwede na cute ako palagi," he said, laughing as he parted my legs and positioned in between. "Next time ikaw na sa taas. Nakaka-pagod kaya," he continued. I pulled his hair and he shouted in pain.

"Asshole."

He planted a kiss on my lips.

"Your asshole," he said as he slid in me and all my arguments were forgotten.