Control The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 21

#CTG21 Chapter 21

"Kinds of independent civil action?"

My eyes focused on the book in front of me. I refused to look at Iñigo. Ni hindi ko nga siya magawang tignan kanina nang pumasok ako sa room... but even then, I still managed to feel his eyes on me... as if he was questioning me... na kung bakit ganoon ang tingin ko sa kanya.

It wasn't something I could control. All my life, I worked for everything that I got—everything. My Dad's rich... but he wasn't very generous. Growing up in my family, we weren't handed everything. Kung may gusto ko, pagtrabahuhan mo. You got low grades? Expect a verbal lashing, lower allowance, and being ignored during breakfasts.

"Violation of civil rights, violation of political rights, defamation, fraud, physicial injuries, and neglect of public officers," Iñigo answered.

"Example?" Atty asked.

"Examples, Sir, would be Articles 32, 33, and 34 of The New Civil Code, Article 135 of The Labor Code, and Section 5 of the Anti-Sexual Harrassment Act," he answered. "The underlying concept of this consideration, as provided by The Civil Code Commission, is to allow the citizen to impose his rights in a private action brought by him regardless of the action of the State Attorney. While the State is the complainant in a criminal case, the injured individual is the most concerned because it is he who suffered injuries. He should be allowed to demand reparation for the wrong which particularly affects him."

The recit dragged on longer than usual. Sa bawat tanong ni Atty, nakaka-sagot si Iñigo. It began to feel like Atty was testing kung hanggang saan ang sagot ni Iñigo... and he had an answer for everything.

I wanted to be impressed—he was impressive...

Maybe if this did happen before, my lips would part and I'd admire him even more... But everything was already marred by the thought that what if he already knew the questions prior? I'd always have that thought.

"That will do," Atty said. I looked at my watch. The recitation took 45 minutes. It usually lasts for 10 or 15 minutes—depending on the question and how the student phrases his answer—if it would require follow up questions.

Because Iñigo's recit took most of the time, konti na lang ang natawag pa. Nang i-dismiss kami, nakita ko na kinausap lang niya si Katherine bago mabilis na lumabas. I focused my gaze back to my things. Why was I even surprised? Our last conversation wasn't nice. I was expecting this... Heck, I even asked for this. Kasi hindi ko alam kung paano siya kakausapin. I didn't want to talk to him because I didn't want to say the wrong words. I wanted to be careful with my words.

He's smart, that's a given, but that doesn't excuse what he did. Hindi lang naman siya ang pagod. Lahat kami dito pagod—pero hindi lahat kami ginagawa iyong ginagawa niya. That's our difference.

And honestly, that's an irreconcilable difference on my part.

* * *

I decided I didn't want to wallow about something I didn't have control over. I'd just end up frustrating myself and that's not something I could afford lalo na ngayon na halos patapos na iyong first sem...

This time next year, I'd be taking the BAR.

I needed my whole attention on that and that alone.

I made a mental computation of my grades and I was pretty sure that I'd pass on all of them. Maayos naman lahat ng quizzes at recit ko sa review class dahil doon halos napupunta lahat ng oras ko. Iyong sa Torts, I just needed to maintain my standing para sigurado na papasa ako. I was well-aware that my midterm standing wasn't up to par because of some of my quizzes. But I was sure I'd pass basta wala akong sobrang mababang score ngayong finals.