Chapter 13

I danced to the rhythm of the music, hindi alintana ang mga tao sa paligid. I can smell the smoke from the cigar, the smell of different kinds of wine also did not escape my senses. After a few minutes I felt someone dancing behind me so I faced him, I was surprised to see Ethan.

"what are you doing here?" I asked while still shocked by his presense "I thought you didn't want going to clubs"

"I don't want to go but because you're here I have no choice" tumigil ako sa pag sasayaw upang maharap siya ng maayos "kailangan kitang bantayan"

"You're not my guardian so stop watching over me" I rolled my eyes as I walked to the sofa where I left Jenny drinking "hey bitch pang ilang bote mo na yan"

"Don't you dare stop me Annie, I want to drink until I forget everything!" napailing nalang ako ng matantong lasing na nga siya

"you know what? forget about Alvin my gosh it's been years"

"will you forget Jonathan when I tell you to forget him?" I looked at her, speechless. "see? you won't right? so let me tell you this, it's been twelve years and yet you can't even forget his kiss, do you think I can forget Alvin in just two years?"

yeah it's been twelve years pero ultimo boses niya ay hindi ko pa rin makalimutan, I don't know if it's really hard to forget him or I really don't want to forget him. I shook my head to get rid of the clutter in my mind. It's not really healthy that I think of him.

"take her home" sabi ko kay Ethan habang naka tingin pa rin kay Jenny

"what? paano ka?"

I rolled my eyes as I look at him "I'm not yet drunk, I can still drive"

"No, iuuwi ko kayong-"

"Please Ethan" he looked at me as if it would change my decision.

He sighed as he realize that he can't stop me from doing what I want "okay, take care"

"thank you Ethan" I said with a sweet smile on my face

sinusundan ko ng tingin si Ethan palabas ng club na akay si Jenny ng biglang mag ring ang phone ko.

I answered it as I walked out of the club "Hello?" lahat ng mga kilala kong bumabati ay nginingitian ko lang but I stopped when I saw a familiar pair of eyes. pumikit ako at medyo kinusot ang mga mata atsaka dumilat muli, ngunit pag kadilat ko ay wala na ito. "i think I drank a lot"

imposibleng makita ko siya rito

"attorney?" I heard my secretary's voice on the line

"oh yes I'm sorry, what is it?" binuksan ko ang kotse ko at pumasok rito.

habang pinapakinggan ang sinasabi ng aking secretary, hinilig ko ang aking ulo sa manibela "may meeting po kayo bukas attorney"

"what time?"

"seven thirty in the morning po attorney"

"oh please cancel that" dahil panigurado tulog pa ko nun

"pero Attorney important client po ang-"

"Jasmin naka inom ako, you probably don't want me to face a client when I'm still drunk, do you?" sabi ko habang ini-start na ang engine ng kotse

"but Attorney-"

"no buts Jasmin, cancel it" I hung up the call and threw my phone on the passenger seat as I started driving.

habang nag mamaneho naisip ko nanaman siya, kung kamusta na kaya siya? masaya ba siya sa pag iwan sakin? may girlfriend na kaya siya? perhaps asawa? I shooked my head

why do I always keep thinking the person who doesn't even care about me.

"hello" I answered the call with a lazy voice. Unti-unti kong idinilat ang aking mga mata at nakitang umaga na pala.

"A-Attorney your client is here"

I looked at the clock and saw that it was only seven in the morning "I told you to cancel that meeting"

"kinancel ko naman po attorney pero makulit po ang client, gusto daw po talaga kayong maka-usap"

"sabihin mo sakanya na kung gusto niya talaga, mag set nalang siya ng another meeting kasi wala ako sa mood mag trabaho ngayon."

"pero Attorney-"

"No buts Jasmin" as always, I hang up the phone and threw it on the other side of the bed. Pumkit ako at sinubukang matulog muli ngunit hindi na ko dinalaw ng antok "arrrgghhh!! I wanna sleep!!"

wala akong nagawa kundi bumangon nalang at lumabas ng kwarto. I saw some food on the dinning table with notes and a piece of white rose

dinalhan kita ng pagkain kasi alam kong tatamarin ka nanaman mag luto dahil sa hangover, drink medicine after you eat.

-Ethan

hindi na ako nag taka kung paano siya naka pasok sa condo ko alam niya ang pass ko para daw kapag may emergency ay makakapasok siya agad. napangiti ako ng mabasa ito, without him I don't know what to do. Nang iwan ako ni Jonathan pag katapos sabihin na mahal niya ko si Ethan ang naging sandalan ko, nang mag breakdown ako dahil akala ko hindi ako makakapasa sa Law nandyan siya para sakin, nandyan siya sa bawat pag tawa at pag iyak ko sa loob ng halos labing dalawang taon at alam ko kung bakit,that's because he likes me, but even if I want to like him too, I just can't because my heart has been full for a long time.

Ano ba naman yan Annie sa bawat araw nalang lagi mo siyang naaalala paano ka makaka move-on niyan?

who am I kidding? who said I want to move on? and even if I want to I just can't

fuck life

"Hello?" again I answer the call with a lazy voice

"did you eat the food I brought?" I heard Ethan's voice

"not yet"

"bakit?

"kakagising ko lang"

I heard him laugh on the other line "tulog mantika ka talaga kahit kailan"

hindi pa nga dapat ako magigising kung hindi pa tumawag ang secretary ko

"kung tumawag ka para lang laitin ako pwes ibababa ko na ito at ng makakain na ko"

lalo siyang natawa dahil dun "sige na nga bye, eat well and drink the medicine for hangover"

"okay daddy" I joke

"the fuck Annie" I just hang up the phone while laughing, lagi siyang naiinis kapa tinatawag ko siyang daddy at ako naman ay tuwang-tuwa

I sighed "I really don't know what to do without Ethan baka nabaliw na ko kung pati siya ay iniwan ako" napangiti ako at sinumulan ng kumain, I bet he bought this because he doesn't know how to cook.

sinalubong agad ako ng secretary ko pag kapasok na pag kapasok ko palang sa firm ko. two years palang ang law firm ko kaya hindi pa gaanong malaki pero marami-rami narin ang aking impleyado.

"Good morning Attorney"

"Morning ma'am" bati ng mga impleyado sakin

I looked at my secretary as she spoke "ma'am yung client niyo po na dapat ay ka-meeting niyo kaninang seven ay nandyan pa rin po"

"anong oras ang next meeting ko sa susunod na client?"

"eleven po Attorney" I looked at my wrist watch and I saw ten thirty, may thirty minutes pa ko para mag handa.

"okay"

"Attorney paano po yung client niyo na nag iintay?" napa tingin ako sa lalaking naka upo sa sofa, naka talikod saakin.

"is that him?

"Yes Attorney'

"Tell him to go home, mag set nalang siya ng another meeting"

"Pero kanina pa po siya nag aantay ma'am"

I looked at her badly "sinabi ko ba na mag hintay siya?"

"B-But ma'am-"

"No buts Jasmin" I said as I walked towards my office.

Mabait naman talaga ko sa mga kliyente ko ayoko lang talaga na mag trabaho ng mas maaga sa nine kasi lutang pa ko nun, aish naalala ko tuloy nung pinilit ko ang sarili na makipag meeting sa isang important client.

"Ikaw ang pumatay!"

"what? ikaw ang attorney ko kaya dapat ako ang kinakampihan mo! anong klaseng... boom! pwe-pwe! fire in the hooollee! qsdwfifknfk!!!!!!!"

And after that I never tried to work too early again.

"Attorney nandyan na po si Miss Dela Paz"

"hi good morning Attorney" bati saakin ni Miss Dela Paz

"hi, have a seat" umupo naman siya sa upuan na nasa harap ng table ko

"Attorney I want to file a case with my husband"

"why what happened?" my number one rule for my clients is that they should tell me the truth para alam ko kung paano sila ipag lalaban sa korte . After that mind blowing case I resumed my work and some meetings when my secretary suddendly entered.

"Ma'am umalis na po yung client niyo na nag pa-sched ng seven"

"I don't care" busy ako sa pag babasa ng iilang mga kaso ng may maalala "Wait Jasmin"

"Yes Attorney?"

"Anong pangalan nung client na yun?" tanong ko dahil na-curious ako kung sino ang kliyente na mag iintay ng ilang oras kahit kanina ko pa kinancel ang meeting, kadalasan sa mga ganun ay nag wawala na.

"Ah si Mr.-"

"hi!"

"Ethan!" I approached him to kiss him on the cheek, wala ng malisya samin yun dahil friendly kiss lang naman ito

"why are you here?"

"I brought you lunch" sabay pakita ng apat na tupperware

"bakit parang ang dami naman?"

"sasabay akong kumain sayo, bakit bawal?"

"ah ma'am si Mr.-"

I faced my secretary "oh forget about that Jasmin sabihin mo nalang mag set siya ng panibagong meeting at wag above nine ang oras okay?"

"pero ma'am-"

"No buts Jasmin"