Control The Game (COMPLETED)

Chapter 41

#CTG41 Chapter 41

I remained silent as I was trying to fix my top. I could hear Iñigo trying to buckle his belt. Naka-tingin lang ako sa harapan ko. I wanted to speak up about what he's doing—about him getting out of his way to... punish me. But this was what I signed up for.

Nakita ko siyang tumingin sa relo niya.

"Lunch time's almost over."

I grabbed the bag from the front seat bago ko binuksan iyong pinto. I dusted myself before I made my way towards work.

Pagdating ko sa trabaho ay mabilis na nawala sa isip ko si Iñigo. I was drowning in things that I needed to read that the thought of him quickly vanished...

And it certainly didn't help that he's always kicking me out of his car every time he'd get off. He's just trying so hard at being an asshole.

"Guys..." pagtawag ni Wilson. Agad kaming napa-tingin sa kanya. "Lumabas na 'yung result nung appeal..." he continued. We were all looking at him, waiting for him to say something, anything. "Na-grant 'yung appeal."

Mabilis akong naka-rinig ng sigawan ng mga tao. Granted there could still be an appeal to the SC, but this was still a win... And every little victory deserves to be celebrated. Hindi pa ako masyadong matagal dito pero nararamdaman ko iyong saya nila. I knew that with every case, they invest everything they got... Kasi hindi lang naman simpleng papel ang hawak namin—we, somehow, control people's lives... and that's pretty scary, but that's what we signed up for.

After congratulating Wilson, mabilis kaming bumalik sa trabaho. There were still people that needed defending—and that's what we're here for.

Nang papatapos na ang trabaho ay nakita ko na nagtext sa akin si Iñigo. He was asking me if I was free after work—which was weird because he basically made it his mission to only see me during lunch time para isang oras lang kaming magkasama. He's really taking the parameters I set way too seriously.

I was about to text him that I was free when Wilson asked me kung gusto kong sumama sa kanila. They'd be having a dinner in order to celebrate the granting of the appeal. I pursed my lips. I wanted to see Iñigo... but I also wanted to celebrate with them...

To: Mr. Borromeo

Sorry. Work.

"Okay," I told Wilson before hitting send.

Nang matapos na kaming lahat sa trabaho—matapos ang pilitan dahil may iba na ayaw sumama dahil mas gusto nilang tapusin iyong ginagawa nila, which was impressive because their commitment to this cause was something—naka-rating na rin kami sa resto. It wasn't some expensive restaurant. There wasn't even a menu handed out—kinailangan pa naming pumunta sa harap para basahin kung ano ang meron and we had to individually place our orders.

But it was a nice change of pace.

The people I work with now were much simpler... dahil halos wala na rin naman kaming sinu-sweldo. Almost all the cases we handle were pro-bono.

But they're really nice and helpful people and I respect them all so much.

There was a pares available and I got that. At least kahit hindi ko kasama si Iñigo ay parang nandito na rin siya.

While waiting for the food to be served ay nag-usap sila tungkol sa isang case na hindi ako masyadong familiar dahil matagal na nilang inaayos 'yun bago pa man ako pumasok. But I sat there, listening to all their opinions... They're certainly smart people. If they wanted, they could definitely land high paying corporate jobs. Pero nandito sila.