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

PART TWENTY-ONE: FLIPPED

"I like your friend. I like Casper..."

Beat.

I wanted to smile but I can't. I wanted to show that I felt dumbfounded but for unknown reason, I just can't. Animo ako nanigas sa pagkakahiga at walang pumapasok sa utak ko. 

Ngumiti nang maluwag sa 'kin si Aubrielle. Bakas sa mga mata niya na nanghihingi ito ng reaksyon mula sa akin.

"What do you think?" she finally asked. 

I gulped. 

"B-Baliw ka na ba?" ang tanging mga salita na lumabas sa bibig ko. 

"I thought so," she said. "I mean, kung nasa tamang pag-iisip ako, 'di ko naman s'ya magugustuhan, 'di ba?"

My jaw literally dropped. 

"So you really like him?!" I exclaimed. "As in, totoong totoo?!"

She nodded with a smile on her lips.

I cringed. 

"YUCK!" sigaw ko. "OF ALL PEOPLE?! AUBRIELE?!" 

She laughed. 

"Why not?" she said. "Ang guwapo kaya niya not to mention his humor. Family-oriented pa at workaholic. Who wouldn't fall for him?"

"Ako," I immediately said.

 Napabalikwas ako ng bangon at nakangiwing tiningnan siya.

"Seryoso talaga 'to? As in, si Casper talaga?!"

"Girl, stop giving me that kind of look," she said. "Ganyang ganyan reaksyon ko nang malamang pinatulan ka ni Cliford. So what's the difference if I'll like Casper?"

I gave her a sharp look.

"Ano bang nagustuhan mo sa kanya?" tanong ko. "I mean, ano ba? Ang gulo, wait! Ayaw mag sink in sa akin, Aubrielle!"

She laughed hard. 

"That, bitch, is our reaction with your current relationship with Judge Blake," she said. "But you can't blame me for liking Casper, though. I mean, he, other than Judge Blake, was the first man I felt so thrilled and challenged." 

Napangiwi ako.

Seryoso ba talaga 'to?! Aubrielle being in love?!

"Kaso, wala yata akong chance," she said and smiled weakly. "He's already waiting for someone."

I looked at her, concerned. 

"Kilala mo ba kung sino 'yun?" tanong niya.

Napa-iling ako. "Hindi. Ayaw nga niya sabihin sa 'kin." 

"Hinihintay daw niya bumalik sa lugar nila. So most likely, dito iyon nakatira at umalis lang," she looked at me. "Any idea?" 

Napa-isip ako at wala talagang pumapasok sa utak ko na kahit sino.

"Wala talaga," sabi ko. "Sa Maynila ako nag-college, 'di ba? Malay natin kung kaklase niya iyon n'ung college then lumuwas para doon mag-trabaho." 

"Hmmmmm," pag-iisip ni Aubrielle. "Ang sabi, first love daw. So, baka before college pa 'yun. Sabi ni Avery, hinihintay niya bumalik kaya taga rito lang iyon na lumuwas talaga. Then, according to Mr. Dahmer, pinuntahan niya iyon noong umuulan. With that, ibig sabihin, narito na siya. Then that rainy night, he went to her and got into an accident and he was late on top of it." 

Tinitingnan ko lang siya habang nagsasalita siya at nakatitig sa kisame.

"Magkababata kayo. Lumuwas ka sa Manila to study. You came back few months ago. I told Newt about the dark agenda of our superior, and Newt was with Casper that time. The moment Casper heard it, he ran away. He got into an accident in the place near you and Andrius. Andrius came there even before Casper did. Wait!"