Mixture of liquor, smoke, sweat, and other substabces come together in my nose. Looking from afar, I saw my co-workers having fun at the dance floor while I'm here sitting, thinking of what next move I should do.
"Come on, Bri! Loosen up! Masyado mong iniisip 'yang mga kaso. Marami pang time!" ani Rachell. Isa sa mga co-lawyers ko sa firm.
"Ikaw nga, tigil mo na 'yan, mahuli kana naman ng asawa mo, hoy!'' sita ko naman sa kaniya.
''As if he cares!'' and sipped on her glass of vodka, ''Nag-pakasal lang naman kami dahil sa sex.'' and continued flirting with the man she's next to.
Napa-iling na lamang ako sa kaniya. Andito kami ngayon, nagce-celebrate dahil may natapos na naman kaming kaso. Sa kaso nila, gusto nilang ipahinga muna ang mga sarili nila, tulad ni Rachell. Lumalandi kala mo single eh kasal na sa sugar daddy niya.
''T'saka, girl! You're twenty-four already! Hija, oras na para mag-enjoy and diligan ang kipay mong tuyot!'' asar pa niya sa'in.
I laugh monotonously, ''Nah, it's disgusting.'' I answered back and smiled bitterly.
"Asus! Alam ko namang you handle rape cases girl, but sex is different! It's pleasure, lusts--''
''Cut the crap, Rachel. Tanggalan ka sana ng lisensya.'' baling ko naman sa kaniya at inirapan niya naman ako.
I won't lie. I also want to know how their life flows. By what I see, they can have fun and be serious at the same time. Bagay na sobrang tagal ko nang hindi nararanasan.
My life hasn't been the same eversince my sister died, no she was killed. At some point, I wanna be wth her, but then, I need to give justice for her death.
Many years, I've been trying to look for clues and leads on how shall I start, I can't find any witnesses, nor evidences that may somehow lead me to the culprit.
Every year, I would return to the same place whre I experienced wrath of so many people just to look for even a very little piece of clue, but still none.
I am already twenty-four, as per said Rachel, whose a little bit older than me, and she see's me as a very serious person. Well, almost everybody.
I've been a lawyer for three years after passing the boards, got a high score and even topped the bars, it gave me so much credentials that even law firms from other countries are offering me jobs.
"You know, you could actually accept the offers, Bri.'' my roommate encouraged me.
''I don't know, I wanna stay here. '' I bit my lip.
''Pero sayang rin, malaki ang kikitain mo ro'n.''
'''Di naman kasi ong pera ang problema ko, second lang yon, mas prina-prioritize ko na ayusin ang justice system dito sa bansa. Dami na kayang kurakot ngayon!''
Tumango-tango naman siya bilang pag-sangayon.
--
Ngising ako nang may masakit na nararamdaman sa ulo. Marahil medyo naparami ang inom ko kagabi. Palibhasa napilit ako ni Rachel.
Lumingon ako sa desk ko at parang lalo akong nagka-sakit nang makita ang pile ng files na naghihintay sa'kin ro'n. Kailan ba 'ko mag-kakaroon nang pahinga?
Dali dali naman akong bumangon upang mas maaga kong masimulan ang torture of the day.
Half bath lang ang ginawa ko. Hindi naman ako kailangan sa firm ngayon. Pero marami pa rin akong kailangan gawin. I-me-meat up ko pa mamaya ang isa sa mga kliyente ko.
Umupo ako sa swivel chair at saka binuklat ang laptop ko. I browsed through evidences which were gathered for my client.
On her case, she wants to sue the woman her spouse cheated on with, who turned out to be their neighbor, her co-nurse, and a friend of hers. And she also wants to push annulment.
