Justice

48

Lia's point of view

Nagring ang cellphone ko kaya kinuha ko kaagad ito.

"Hi!" masigla kong bati.

'Ali,' my daddy called me. 'I have a great story you can have.'

He caught my attention so I placed my phone between my shoulder and ear. Minsan lang niya ako kausapin tungkol sa ganito.

I placed both my hands on the keyboard.

"I'm listening." I said.

'I already set everything about you and your fiancee--'

"Ano?" Hindi ba talaga siya titigil? "Hindi ako interesado." tanggi ko bago ibaba ang tawag.

Aish. Nakakainis na dahil ito na naman ang sinabi niya.

Ibinaba ko ang cellphone ko at magbrowse na lang sa laptop ko. Ilang sandali ang lumipas bago ako tawagin ng isang officer.

Nakangiting lumapit ako at inihanda ang ballpen at notepad ko.

"Pwede mo ba kaming ibili ng kape?"

Hindi ko ipinahalata na naiinis ako sa sinabi niya. Sanay na akong tagadala ng kape at wala akong magawa.

"Okey." nakangiti kong sabi bago tumayo. Dinala ko ang cellphone at wallet ko bago lumabas.

Nakasimangot akong naglakad hanggang sa makarating sa coffee shop kung saan bumili si Trevor ng kape dati. Naupo ako sa isang bakanteng upuan habang hinihintay ang order ko.

"You should not be doing this."

Sandali akong natigilan ng marinig ang boses ni Trevor pero nagpanggap akong hindi siya narinig.

"We talked this before that we are not going to give special treatments to the reporters who will be assigned in the station. Not even the sister of the other officer. I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do about this. I'm really---"

I stood up when the number on my paper was called by the guy on the cashier. I'm not in the mood to talk to Trevor right now. But I understand his claims.

"If you need something to report, sakin ka magtanong, I'll give you details about everything that is going---"

"Akala ko ba walang special treatment?" I asked without looking at him.

"Yes, that's right." he agrees. "But it is you and you are special enough to deserve news worthy stories." he said before he paid the coffee on the cashier.

Kinuha niya ang kape at naglakad na. Sinundan ko lang siya bago ako huminga ng malalim. This is about your work, Malia. You should set aside you jealousy right now.

"Okey, Sir." I cheerfully said, like how I talk to other officers. "May reports ba kayo na natanggap na worthy ilagay sa news?"

He stopped and looked at me.

"Yes," he answered. My eyes widened in Joy. "There is this one woman who has been ignoring me for a week." he directly said.

I pout before I walked away from him. He is just talking about me. I don't want him to know the real reason. I don't think I am ready to tell him. But can't I?

He told me his biggest secret so why can't I tell him mine?

I don't know.

Pagbalik namin sa station, nagtaka kami dahil busy ang mga police na naiwan namin kanina.

"Trev, may aksidente sa main road." sabi ng isang officer.

Nagmamadaling kinuha ko ang gamit ko nang makita na kinuha ni Trev ang susi ng sasakyan niya. Sumunod kaagad ako sa kanya at sumakay sa sasakyan.

"Alam mo ba kung saang road nangyari yung aksidente?" nagtatakang tanong ko.

Sobrang daming main road malapit dito. Ganon ba siya katalino para malaman kaagad ang ibig sabihin ng kasama niya?

"Main road 1768, black street. Isang pick up truck at container van. Plate number V1---"

"Wait lang!" I stopped him. "Pano mo nalaman ang mga yan?" Walang ibang detalyeng ibinigay sa kanya bukod sa sinabing may aksidente. Wala rin akong narinig kung sasakyan o tao ang naaksidente.

"May note sa table ko nung dumating tayo. I memorized it the moment we arrived." he seriously said.

I let my mouth shut open.

"Wow. Ang astig," bulong ko habang isinusulat ang balitang sinabi niya.

Hindi na ako nakapagsalita pa dahil hindi rin nagtagal, nakarating na nga kami sa area. Medyo traffic pero may enforcer at mga ambulansya na agad.

Naging busy kami pareho ni Trevor. He is helping and talking to the other officers. While I am asking for informations to the people around the scene.

Isa sa mga gulong ng pick up truck ang na-flat sa main road kaya nawalan ng control ang driver at nabangga ang van. That's what happened.

Ilang oras ang lumipas bago tuluyang nawala ang bigat ng trapiko at natanggal na nila sa kalsada ang mga sasakyan.

Wala namang nagtamo ng major injury pero may ilang nasaktan. I sent the informations I gathered to GKN in-charge. Wala ring ibang news reporter ang nagpunta at siguradong ngayong tanghali nila ipapalabas ang aksidente.

I closed my eyes when I entered Trevor's car. I sighed when I felt hunger and tiredness.

"Ayos ka lang?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Trevor.

"Hmm." I answered without opening my eyes.

"If you need anything, let me know. I'm worried." he sincerely said and I just nodded.

The car moved and few minutes passes by when it stops. I opened my eyes and saw the station in front of us. Bumaba ako at kaagad na pumasok sa loob.

"Trevor," I called his name without looking at him. "Tawagin mo ako kapag may bagong report." I said before I get back to the bench where my stuffs are on.

Nahiga ako sa bench without thinking what they will say. I don't know what happened to me but I really felt sick.

Hindi ko namalayan na nakatulog ako and I opened my eyes when I felt something touched my hair.

I saw Trevor's worried eyes.

I get up and fixed myself. Pero bigla akong natigilan ng mapansin ang paligid. Nanlaki ang mga ko ng makita na madilim na sa labas.

"Anong oras na? Bakit hindi mo ako ginising? Anong nangyari---"

"Hey," he stopped me before he sit beside me. "Nothing special happened. How do you feel? You had fever so I didn't bother to wake you up." he said.

I pout before I nodded. Inayos ko ang gamit ko bago tumayo.

"Uuwi na ako. Bukas na lang, officer." seryosong sabi ko bago lumabas.

Naglakad ako papunta sa malapit na bus station pero naisipan kong kumain muna sa isang food court. Nagugutom na talaga ako.

***
Resacoya
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Happy reading!!!