End Game

Chapter Five

Habang nanananghalian ay nagpatuloy ang usapan ng mga ito. Katabi ko si LA sa aking kanan, sa kaliwa naman ay si Zero. Sa harap nito ay si Tiger, ang sa akin naman ay si Paeng, tapos si Saint naman ang sa tapat ni LA. Nasa kabisera si Tita Gabby, eleganteng sinasabayan kaming kumain at pinapangunahan ang usapan. Her presence seemed to command the room, though not in an overbearing way—she was elegant, always poised, but still warm and inviting. Siguro dahil nanay siya kaya natural na iyon sa kaniya.

Pasimple ko siyang pinagmasdan habang abala na nakikinig sa kung anong kinukuwento ni Tiger bilang sagot sa isa sa mga tanong niya. I'd known Tita Gabby for years, having spent so much time at the De Salvo household, but even now, I couldn't help but be in awe of her beauty. Her striking features and graceful posture made her seem like she'd just stepped out of a magazine. And, well, that wasn't too far from the truth. I'd heard the stories—how she had once been an international supermodel, gracing runways and covers all over the world. Pero nang magpakasal sa daddy nina LA ay pinili niyang dito na sa Cebu manirahan, leaving the glamorous life behind to build a happy family with her husband and their three sons.

"Ikaw ba, Drew?" Tita Gabby turned her attention to me, may magaan pa ring ngiti sa mga labi. "Have you thought about what course you'd like to take in college?"

I saw LA immediately perk up beside me, his eyes lighting up as if he already knew what I was going to say. On the other hand, Saint's gaze remained fixed on me. Parang hinihintay niya ang aking sagot dahil gusto niya rin iyong malaman. Pero bakit naman?

I took a deep breath, pushing down the sudden wave of nervousness. "Katulad pa rin po ng dati, Tita. Gusto ko pa rin pong maging lawyer..."

Tita Gabby nodded knowingly. She had known me since I was a child, at alam niyang gusto kong maging abogado mainly because my mother was a lawyer before she died. "Have you thought about what pre-law course you might want to take?"

Hindi ako agad nakasagot dahil hindi ko pa talaga napapag-isipan ang bagay na iyan. Although, I knew ever since that I really wanted to become a criminal lawyer. Kaya malamang kukuha ako ng kurso na related doon.

Nilingon akong saglit ni LA bago siya mismo ang sumagot ng tanong na iyon para sa akin. "We've still got two years before we have to decide, Mom. But Drew and I are leaning toward something related to criminal law."

Yes. LA wanted to be a lawyer, too. Hindi na ako magtataka because his grandfather, Exodus De Salvo, was a defense attorney.

"Iyon po ang gusto namin pareho," determinado pa niyang dagdag.

He said it so confidently, as if it were already decided, like we were on this path together. Napangiti ako dahil totoo naman. Sa halos lahat ng bagay ay pareho kami ni LA ng gusto. Malaki man o maliit. Para bang iisa lang palagi ang takbo ng isipan namin. LA had always been my biggest supporter, too. Even when I doubted myself. It was nice to have someone who believed in me so much. And because of that, we were best friends.

"Both of you?" Sarkastikong sumingit si Saint, nang mapabaling ako sa kaniya ay mabilis niya akong inirapan na para bang asar na asar siya sa akin kahit wala naman akong ginagawa sa kaniya. "What are you, soulmates and shit?"

Tita Gabby gently placed her fork down and turned toward Saint. Kalmado pa rin kahit halatang hindi nagustuhan ang sinabi ng anak. "Language, Saint,"

Saint merely shrugged, his smirk faltering slightly, but he didn't apologize. Masungit na muling bumaling sa akin. Ano 'yan? Galit ba siya sa akin? Bakit? Anong ginawa ko sa kaniya?

Ngumiti si Tita Gabby at muling binuhay ang usapan, binalingan niya kami ni LA. "It's nice to see that the two of you are really thinking about your futures and discussing the paths you want to take. That kind of focus will serve you both well. Tama kayo, may panahon pa para mapag-isipan ng husto ang mga desisyon na iyan. But whatever it is that you both want to pursue in the future ay suportado namin kayong pareho ng Daddy mo, LA."