When Destiny Misfires

Kabanata 2

Chapter 2: Charity

After we finished dinner, he invited me to go up to the rooftop. I didn't even know how he managed to convince me that easily. All I knew was that I was already standing beside him inside the elevator, heading to the top floor of the restaurant.

A cool breeze greeted us the moment we stepped out. It was refreshing, calming... enough to make me forget for a moment why I was even here. I instinctively wrapped my arms around myself as I walked closer to the railing, wanting to get a better view of this beautiful place.

I smiled when I saw the crescent moon above us. It reminded me of my sister. She used to love the crescent moon because she said it symbolized womanhood, fertility, intuition, psyche, and empowerment.

We used to mark our calendars for the days it would appear, so we wouldn't miss it.

Isang taon lang ang pagitan ng edad namin kaya sobrang lapit namin sa isa't isa. She wasn't just my sister, she was my best friend too. Kaya nang mawala siya, pakiramdam ko, dalawang tao ang nawala sa buhay ko. Ang kapatid at kakampi ko.

"You look sad... is something wrong?" his voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

I shook my head. "Nothing. I just remembered something," I answered. He nodded slightly and smiled before shifting his gaze to the moon.

I found myself staring at him again. I wanted to ask him why. Why did he do it? Why did he take my sister away from me? But I held myself back because I didn't want to ruin this night.

"Did you know I once dreamed of becoming a lawyer?" he said, breaking the silence again.

I turned to him in surprise. "Then why didn't you pursue it?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow and chuckled, amused by my sudden curiosity.

I pouted and rolled my eyes. "Come on, tell me."

"I guess I'm too old now. I'm already twenty-eight. Maybe I should focus on our family business instead."

I narrowed my eyes and gave him a teasing grin. "Bakit ayaw mong ituloy ang pagiging lawyer mo? Ayaw mo bang ipagtanggol ang sarili mo? Pati na rin ang mga katulad mong... mamamatay-tao?"

His smile faded. I saw the sadness in his eyes and immediately felt guilty for saying that.

"I wanted to be a lawyer for the poor," he said, turning back to the moon. "Sabi nila, justice is only for the rich. But what about those who are poor? Those who never get their justice just because they can't afford it? I wanted to change that. I wanted to fight for them. Because in my eyes, rich or poor, we should all be equal."

My heart clenched at his words. I didn't know whether to believe him or not. A part of me wanted to trust him, wanted so badly to believe that maybe... just maybe, he was telling the truth this time.