OBSIDIAN ISSUE #1: PUSHED

THIRTY

Pinipilit ko pa rin sa sarili na bangungot lamang ang lahat at masuwerte ko itong natakasan. Ngunit ang hapdi sa aking mga mata ay isang nanunuot na alaala. I could feel my bones turning soft to exhaustion. Ang kirot na kinakapitan pa rin ang puso ko...the wake of the last three yesterdays.

"May I have a minute with Ms. Jacquez, Attorney?"

Kuryosidad na lang ang tanging tumutulak sa akin na mag-angat ng tingin kay Levi. He is leaning against the wall staring darkly at the prudent woman in front of me. Dahil sa lutang pa nga ako sa nangyari, kanina pa yata ang bangayan ng dalawa. I can only remember vague details on how I was brought in this secluded room with a single table and two chairs alone.

"I haven't started with the client, Mr. Guadarrama. You, as the prosecutor, won't faze me a bit. If you want to talk to her, maghintay ka muna sa labas or better yet, you could have gone straight to the accused," the woman striked haughtily.

"I need to talk to her," Levi pressed a darker tone this time. Umigting ang panga nito pagkatapos ng pagdiriin.

"Anything you have to say should be disclose within the presence of Ms. Jacquez's advocate or counsel. Therefore, within my presence, Mr. Guadarrama," she pointed. 

Napabaling ako sa tapang na pinapakita ng babae sa harapan ko. I was beyond breaking that a slight force from anyone disturbs me easy.

I don't know her name, o siguro nakalimutan ko lang sa dami ng iniisip ko. Pero gaano man kahigpit ang kapit sa akin ng kahapon, the thick tension fostered by the ego of these two helped a bit of tuning me in to the present moment.

Levi' s heavy sigh announced his irritation. Kumawala siya sa halukiphip at mabigat na tinulak ang sarili paalis sa abong pader. Dahil wala nang silya ay umupo siya sa dulo ng mesa namin patagilid, nakaharap ang madilim na mukha sa akin.

I didn' t allow my sight to abandon him. Nanatili ang alingawngaw ng pandinig ko sa sinabi ng abugada.

"You're a prosecutor?" I couldn't reign in the accusation.  "Akala ko pulis ka? You lied."

"Does that bother you?" Nagtaas siya ng kilay. "And I didn' t lie, Ms. Jacquez. I assumed you've met my brother."

My brows fused together. The woman beside him huffed.

"Anong..." Nagpalipat lipat ang tingin ko sa kanila, hoping they'd fill me in.

"Atty. Martell will serve as your advocate, Rosephine, " the prosecutor who didn't answer my question. "Bonifacio Diaz entered a not guilty plea to drug trafficking charges during his arraignment so the court scheduled a pre-trial hearing. Do you approve to testify against your father in the event that this proceeds to trial?"

"Step father," I corrected. "And yes I will stand as witness, I've already told y-your...brother...about that. " Kumunot anng noo ko, still hung up from what he's previously stated.

"Sa kaso ko naman, I will plead guilty to my offenses as well but with a plea bargain."

Nagkabalingan ang dalawa. Atty. Martell looks so puzzled as oppose to the man's firm certainty and ruthless determination. I want to refer to him as Levi, pero pinigilan ako ng pauna nitong pahayag; The other guy?

Tinitigan ko siyang mabuti. I noticed something unfamiliar which offered me a lonely conclusion. This is not the man I met at Azriel's house. But might as well I'd call him Levi number two dahil magkamukha naman sila.

Habang nagpatuloy ang pribado nilang bulungan ay hinila ako sa pagtatahan ko sa sarili at iyon ang isipin na malapit na akong hatulan. The three days worth of pain is already too much to take. I couldn't carry another day more. Gusto ko na lang ay ang magpahinga talaga. Even if the rest I'd have for later or tomorrow in a cell isn't giving me a much comforting thought, if it's the punishment I deserve then, so be it.