Control The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 36

#CTG36 Chapter 36

"Bakit ka laging nandito?" Iñigo asked when he found me on the rooftop again. Naka-upo lang ako sa isang sulok habang naka-tingin sa langit. I merely looked at him and shrugged, but truth was, I just didn't like seeing him in the office. Not that I hated seeing his face, but more like I didn't want to be reminded of what he does for a living.

I felt like a hypocrite for being so bothered dahil alam ko na trabaho lang naman 'yun... That if not him, may iba pa rin namang gagawa... But no words could make me feel less bothered.

"It's quiet," I replied.

He sat beside me and I could feel his eyes on me. Nanatili akong naka-tingin sa langit sa harap ko. Then I felt him resting his head against my shoulder.

"Pahinga muna ako," mahinang sabi niya.

Tahimik kaming dalawa. I could feel how tired he was. Nakaka-pagod naman talaga. Nakaka-pagod iyong trabaho na napili naming gawin. Maybe I was part of the lucky ones... I was only dealing with papers. I was only dealing with words and not people. I never got the chance to deal with the other side of this work.

Maybe someday I will.

But not now.

I didn't have the stomach for it yet.

"Why did you study law?" I asked.

"Bakit interesado ka bigla?" tanong niya habang naka-sandal pa rin sa balikat ko. Hindi ako sumagot. I wouldn't lie if I could afford not to. I believe that lying would result to more lies and frankly speaking, my brain's already at maximum capacity. Ayokong tandaan pa iyong mga kasinungalingan na sasabihin ko.

"Pumasok ako sa law school kasi galit ako nun," he began. "Sobrang minaliit kasi ng mga kamag-anak ko 'yung buong pamilya namin kasi nga namatay si Papa tapos puro utang iniwan sa 'kin. Alam ko naman 'di perfect si Papa pero syempre tatay ko 'yun... Mahal ko 'yun kahit ganon..."

I silently listened to his words and I was reminded again that this was Iñigo. He's not evil... He's just human. He's flawed. His flaws made him more endearing to me. His flaws reminded me that he's real.

"Gusto kong maging lawyer kasi gusto kong patunayan sa kanila na pina-laki ako nang maayos ng magulang ko. Na may mararating ako sa buhay. Kaya kahit nahihirapan na talaga akong mag-aral at magtrabaho ng sabay, ginagawa ko pa rin."

Inalis niya ang pagkaka-sandal at humarap sa akin. I was still facing front. I didn't want to look at his face because that would heavily cloud my judgment.

"Ikaw?" tanong niya. "Bakit gusto mong maging abogado? Isa ka rin ba sa tulad ng iba na pumasok kasi gusto nilang baguhin 'yung mundo?"

I shrugged.

"I don't think so..." I replied. "I went to law school because I know I'd be good at it."

Hindi ako kagaya ni Jax na pumasok sa law school para gumawa ng mabuti. I went to law school because I knew that I'd excel in this field... So, why was I heavily bothered when I, too, didn't go to law school with the best of intentions?

"And you're good at it," Iñigo said.

"I know," I replied, to which he laughed. Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko na tumingin sa kanya. He looked so good when he's laughing. Para kasi siyang walang inaalalang problema kahit na alam ko na malayo doon ang totoong nangyayari.

"Are you disappointed?" he asked.

"Saan?"

"Na hindi ako... idealistic?"