Lawful Hearts (Law School Series 1)

23

I've been dreading for doing the same mundane tasks ever since I came into the consciousness that I am alive... that I have to survive.

Paulit-ulit na gawain, aral-aral dito trabaho doon, tanggap ng deals dito gawa ng bagong projects doon. It's like my life was fixed into one great timeline and I don't want to create mistakes. Because if I ever did, my whole life would be ruin.

But that's when Janella came.

She came into my life with less expectations that I would meet a woman like her. She's couragous, brave enough to face the conflicts in front of her, while she battles her life alone.

I could never be like her. Hindi ko alam kung papaano niya kinakaya ang lahat. I wouldn't know how will I survive if I were her.

Her brother is imprisoned abroad, her father is drunked and abusive, her mother couldn't do anything to stop her pain, her studying law school while working at a university, she barely even meet her friends. And now, she lost her brother.

I don't know what to do. How could I possibly be enough to comfort her.

All I could do is try. Subukan na maging matapang at malakas para sa kaniya.

Because of her, I wasn't afraid to create mistake. She made me braver.

She was like a lightning that struck me when I all my life I've been colorless and dying. I wanted more of her, that's why I wanted to do better things for her.

Ilang beses ko nang sinusubukang magluto pero hanggang ngayon ay nahihirapan pa rin akong kuhanin ang timpla ng mga paborito niyang ulam.

The month before the accident happened, I invited her to stay in my condo. Naghanda ako para sa kaniyang promotion sa university kung saan siya nagtratrabaho.

I put down all my readings and cooked almost the whole day just so I could assure that all the foods were great from appetizer, main dish, until dessert.

"You cooked all of these?" she was surprised when I took out my hands from her eyes.

Kinamot niya ang kaniyang mata dahil sa pagkakatakip ko sa kaniya. Amoy toyo pa ata ang kamay ko dahil sa hindi na maalis ang amoy nito nang magmarinate ako kanina.

"Mm," I nod.

I invited her to take a sit and pull the chair for her. Suot ko pa rin ang apron nang ihain ko sa kaniya ang mga pagkain.

Maingat kong pinagmamasdan ang bawat nguya niya sa unang subo ng aking niluto.

"Ang tamis naman ng menudo mo," she said making a weird facial reaction.

"What?! Really?" napatayo ako at tiningnan.

She began laughing.

"That's the adobo," I sighed from a relief that she was just teasing me.