Chapter 1
Wonderwoman
Labas ka.
I hit sent!
Saan?
Slow. Umirap ako sa sarili ko.
Dali na! Baka ma-mark ako as late. Para makapasok ako sa loob ng classroom.
Havriel will laugh at me, and will tell me that he's right and dapat ay sumabay na lang ako sa kanya pagpasok. But I guess he's right. Kung nilunok ko na lang sana ang pride ko at sumabay sa kanya ay hindi ako natatakot ngayon na magkaroon ng late mark. It's literally the first day of school and my first day in college! I am so dumb!
Please, Hav?
Nagtext ako ulit. Tanaw ko siya mula sa labas. I watched as he sighed and stood up from his seat before going out. I smiled at myself as I watch him stand up and slowly went out of the classroom.
Havriel opened the door. Pinanlakihan ako ng mata habang ako ay natatawa sa kanya. Yumuko ako upang makapasok sa loob ng classroom at pasimpleng umupo sa pinakamalapit na bakanteng upuan. I sighed in relief. Muntik na ako doon.
Nakakahiya naman kung magkakaroon ako ng mark na late.
Katulad ng sinabi ko, it's our first day in college. Hindi lang iyon. I am also a scholar of the Diaz Law Firm, which means I am not the one paying for my education. Kahit singko ay wala akong binayaran dito sa Ateneo de Manila University. Ang kapalit naman noon ay ang pag-aaral ng mabuti.
The owners of the Diaz Law Firm are the same people that my mother is serving. Matagal nang nagtatrabaho si Mama sa kanila, bago pa ako ipanganak. I lived with them since I was six years old and it's the same household where I met one of my best friends.
Havriel Justin Diaz.
That's right. That annoying guy who went out so I could enter the classroom today.
Havriel and I are both taking Political Science as our pre-law. Siya, dahil iyon ang gusto niya at iyon ang kinalakihan niyang industriya. Both of his parents are lawyers. Not just lawyers but bigtime lawyers who are incredibly amazing in their jobs. Ako, dahil sa mga natutunan ko habang lumalaki.
My mother met a korean national when she was young and had me. But after a year, he left. Iyon ang dahilan kaya magkaiba kami ng apelyido kahit na hindi ko naman talaga kilala ang tatay ko. I grew up in a not-so-fair life, witnessed how the law can be bent so it benefits the privileged. May mga magsasabing bata pa ako at walang alam sa mundo pero ang totoo ay hindi naman hadlang ang edad sa mga ganitong bagay.
Kahit ilang taon ka pa, injustice is injustice. Unfairness is unfairness. And I know what I am seeing. I am not dense. Kaya gusto kong kumuha ng law, dahil gusto kong lumaban para sa mga hindi kinakampihan ng batas. It may sound ideal today but I swear to God that I will fight for those people someday.
"Alright." Our professor stood up from his chair. Tumingin ako sa pinto dahil hindi pa bumabalik si Havriel, "Please lock the doors. After the 15 minutes grace period, no one will be allowed to enter the classroom."
Nanlaki ang mata ko. Si Havriel! Gago, lumibot pa yata sa Ateneo bago bumalik dito!
Tumayo ang mga kaklase ko at agad na sinara ang mga pinto. Kinakabahan na ako. Hindi nga ako nagkaroon ng late, baka siya naman ang malagyan ng absent. If this is high school, I'll just laugh at him. But this is freaking college and Havriel isn't taking this as a joke.
