"Kill Me, Attorney." (Law Series #3)

PART SEVEN: CRACKING THE DARK AGENDA

"MISS ME?"

I bit my lower lip and closed my eyes.

I sighed.

Kung ilang beses ko na ba itong pa ulit-ulit na ginagawa ay hindi ko na rin alam.

Required bang matulala sa kisame bago matulog?

Niyakap ko nalang ang unan ko nang mahigpit.

Ilang oras na ang nakakaraan simula nang mabigyan kami ng offer na magtrabaho sa napakalayong lugar. Mayroon lamang kami hanggang umaga para mag desisyon.

Sa totoo lang, wala namang problema sa 'kin dahil lugar namin 'yun. Kinalakihan ko na 'yung lugar na 'yon. Ang problema nga lang ay ang kikitain ko.

Sa ilang taon ko sa propesyon na 'to, halos hindi rin ako maka-ipon. Bukod sa kailangan kong makihati sa bills dahil nakikitira lang naman ako, may binabayaran pa 'kong student loans.

Kung tutuusin, napakahirap at napaka gastos mag law. Bukod sa oras at utak, kailangan din ng pera.

Hindi naman ako magaling. Hindi rin katalinuhan. Hindi rin mayaman. Ang mayroon lang ako that time ay determination para sa pangarap ko. Kaya kailangan ko magsipag hindi lang doble, kung hindi triple. Kung hindi, mapag-iiwanan ako.

Ni-hindi nga alam ng tatay ko na kumuha ako ng student loan na hanggang ngayon hindi ko pa rin tapos bayaran. Ang akala n'ya, nakakuha ako ng scholarship.

Napakarami nang problema ng pamilya. The fact that my dad raised me alone was enough responsibility to carry.

Napabuntong hininga nalang ako.

Naalala ko nanaman tuloy kung bakit ako nag law. It was during our career consulation in high school...

"ARE YOU SURE?"

I looked at the woman in front of me. Kita sa mukha n'ya ang pagtataka.

"Yes, ma'am," I said, feeling the awkwardness swallowing me now.

Tiningnan n'ya ang paligid. She was making sure that no other counselor in the guidance room will hear us.

"Months from now you'll be in your senior year," she said. "Are you sure?"

I nodded.

"Yes ma'am," I said. "There's nothing definite on my mind on what career I should take."

"Alright," she said while writing something on my evaluation paper. "You know how to draw, can you perhaps, consider animation or something related?"

"I'll think of it po," I said.

"Oh, you're part of the school publication. How about journalism?"

"Pag-iisipan ko po."

"Oh, it says you can set up a website. How about programming?"

I smiled weakly. "I'll think of it po."

She smiled.

"Siguro nga iyan na ang magandang gawin," she said. "Think and evaluate."

Tiningnan n'ya ko sa mga mata.

"You have many potentials, Neska. Just choose what you're highly passionate about. Once you've decided, let me know."

"Okay, ma'am," I said.

"Call the next student."

"Opo," I said. I stood up and walked out of the room.