Afflicted (TLS #3 - COMPLETED)

A R T I C L E 3 - S E C T I O N 1 9

I WAS walking like a zombie on my way to the visitation room to see Lauren.

It was way past the visitation time but I figured it wouldn't hurt using some of my inborn privileges as a Lopez from time to time.

On my way here, I was so determined to talk about everything I've learned with Lauren. I'm not sure if she already knows but I wanted to tell her, regardless of her knowing it or not.

"Nasa loob na po, Attorney," tumango ako sa officer at nagpasalamat bago tuluyang pumasok sa loob ng visitation room.

Agad siyang tumayo mula sa pagkakaupo at nag-aalalang tumingin sakin.

"Hey," bati ko sa kanya kasabay ang isang pilit na ngiti.

"May problema ba? Gabi na ah?" she asked worriedly.

I sighed and stared at her for a while before finally walking towards the seat across hers.

"I . . . I needed to talk to you about something." She stared at me, waiting for me to say whatever I needed to say. I sighed after a few minutes of silence and gathered enough courage so that I could finally speak to her.

I reached for her hands and clasped on it tightly.

"Whatever this is, please know that you'll always be Lauren. Our Lauren. Hmm?" I reminded her.

This could cause her more confusion. Knowing that she's not the person who she thought she was? How could all these things happen to her at the same time?

"Ano bang sinasabi mo? Pinapakaba mo naman ako eh," reklamo niya.

I gulped and took a deep breath before finally starting to tell her the truth behind her true identity.

"W-What?" she said and was about to take her hands away from my hold but I held on them tightly.

There's no way I'll ever let go of her hands again. I did it before and she fell on a deep pit of hell. I won't let her fall alone this time.

"S-si T-tita K-katya? A-ano bang pinagsasabi mo, Jasper? H-hindi . . . hindi totoo 'yan. That's not true!" her voice was slowly breaking as she keeps on denying it, kung sa akin o sa sarili niya ay hindi ko na rin sigurado.

"Why . . . Why would she even do that? Hindi 'yan totoo! Ang sabi ni Roselle—" biglang nagpantig ang tainga ko nang marinig ang pangalan ng demonyitang iyon.

"What did she told you?" mariin kong tanong sa kanya pero mabilis na kumuyom ang mga palad niya at agad siyang nanahimik.

"Lauren," tawag ko sa kanya pero pilit lang siyang yumuyuko habang iniiwas sa akin ang tingin niya.

"Lauren," muli kong tawag sa kanya bago ko inabot ang baba niya at pilit siyang pinaharap sa akin.

"Tell me. What was the real reason you left years ago?" I saw how she started to tremble and how her eyes suddenly brimmed with tears.

"I . . . I'm sorry . . ." she said instead of answering.

Gusto kong mapikon.

Gusto kong isumbat sa kanya kung bakit hindi niya masabi-sabi ang rason niya. All I wanted was her explanation!

Pero hindi ko na pinilit pa.

I understand that she has more pressing issues than the history we shared before.

Huminga ako ng malalim bago tumango.

"I understand that you don't want to talk about it for now." And just like that, she looked up to me voluntarily.

I smiled.

"I know this is all too much for you to take. But I just found out that this case had a lot of connection from whatever happened in the past." I watch her wiped away her tears while attentively listening. "And I hate to fight it out this way, but digging the past would be our only chance of winning against them."

I've been looking for evidences that can be used against the Quintos' but Roselle already took care of those. The only possible lead we can find is in that SD card. But that would be useless too until we found Russel's notepad.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"The first hearing of your case would be on Friday. Hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin namin nahahanap ang notepad ni Russel, we needed to buy time. Opening holes and throwing the suspicions back to the Quintos' would give us a bit more time to search for the notepad."

"Pero wala tayong ebidensya na nandoon si Roselle at si—"

"Do you trust me?" putol ko sa sasabihin niya.

Matagal siyang tumitig sa akin bago muling nagsalita.

"I trust you as a lawyer, alam kong wala akong masasabi sayo pagdating sa trabaho mo. But I don't trust your decisions that involves me, Jasper," ani niya bago huminga ng malalim at inabot ang mga kamay ko. "You are losing all your rationality everytime I'm involved. Alam ko 'yon. Kaya natatakot ako sa mga posible mong gawin mailabas lang ako dito. Kasi, Jasper, mas gugustuhin kong mabulok dito kaysa mapahamak ka dahil sa'kin."

I stared at those eyes. Those eyes that stole my heart years ago and until now, she still has it.

Isang malalim na buntonghininga ang pinakawalan ko bago ko pinagsiklop ang mga kamay namin. I needed assurance that she's with me—that she's fighting with me.

That's the only way I can win this war.

"I promise to keep my eyes open, Lauren. Hindi na ako ang Jasper na papanuorin ka lang na humakbang palayo, hindi na ako iyong Jasper na magpapanggap na hindi ka nakikita habang umiiyak sa waiting shed. Hindi na ako 'yon, Lauren. I grew up. We both did. And this time, lalaban tayo. Hindi lang ikaw, hindi lang ako. Tayo." I licked my bottom lip bago muling humugot ng malalim na hininga.

"Hindi ako gagawa ng mga bagay na ikakapahamak ko. I wanted to be the first person you see outside of this hell, Lauren," dagdag ko at doon ko lang nakita ang pagbakas ng ginhawa sa mukha niya.

"Now, do you trust me?" tanong ko ulit sa kanya and this time, she finally nodded.

"You ready?" tanong ko sa kanya at bahagya pang pinisil ang mga kamay niya habang naka-upo kami sa defense area at hinihintay ang pagdating ng judge.

I felt her tremble when she saw the Quintos' entered the court. Matalim na tingin ang agad na itinapon ni Mrs. Quintos sa pwesto namin bago siya inalalayan ng gagong gobernador paupo. 

Acting like a gentleman as always.

Saglit lang na nagtama ang tingin namin ni Senator Russiana Quintos, the victim's older sister. Her eyes were cold and expressionless before she sat down beside her parents.

A few minutes later, the judge arrived and all the formalities were done. The judge asked us of our plea.

Sandali kong binalingan ng tingin si Lauren sa tabi ko, she was still trembling but the determination in her eyes showed when she nod at me. I nod back before facing the judge.

"The defendant, Ms. Lauren Ignacio, pleads not guilty, your honor."