Ballad of the Street Lamps (Landmark Series 1)

Chapter 2

Tamsin's

"GIRL, BAKIT KAPAG NASA IBANG PROFESSORS KA, para kang pusang hindi maihi pero kapag nasa class naman ni Atty. Villasis, mukha kang palaging naghahamon ng away sa kanya?" tanong ni Leto habang ngumunguya ng fries na binili nito.

"Simple. Naiinis ako sa kanya," sagot ko naman sa kanya then I rolled my eyes. Nandito kaming dalawa ngayon sa Coffee Plus. Paboritong coffee shop ni Leto. She brought me here to study. Sunday kasi ngayon and I could not study in my condo kaya sumama ako sa kanya when she texted me.

"Nakakatakot kaya si Attorney! My god! Sa tanang buhay ko, sa klase lang niya ako nagdasal ng maraming beses," Leto said with her hands on the both sides of her head. She looks stressed. I just shrugged.

"I don't know. He does not look scary to me. His face annoys me. Anyway, let's just study," I just said and opened my MacBook. First month of my law school was hell! Damn. Professors were all scary, except the "not the Saint". I am not afraid of him. Naghahamon palagi yung mukha niya when I am in recitation unlike sa ibang professors na tinitingnan ka like they're gonna eat you alive. We also have tons of cases to digest, especially Consti. Mabuti na lang at yung sa subject ni Atty. Not-So-Saintly ay for the whole semester na ang mga cases, so I have nothing to worry except finishing the book, making my notes neat, and then review na lang.

I really felt like I was being tortured in his class. I was always called during recitation and I've been on deck more than twice! I was told na once or twice ka lang maging on deck but he's a jerk because more than twice na akong on deck. Feeling ko talaga pinagtitripan niya ako because of what happened during first day. This is one of the reasons kung bakit naiinis ako sa kanya.

"Sayonara, mi amiga," I said to Leto then put my earphones. This just meant that we are banned from talking with each other and gonna get down to business.

"Bye," she replied and did the same.

Tahimik kaming dalawa. The last time I am this serious was the time when I have to showcase my work through fashion show, which is part of my final requirement to graduate.

"Haaaahhh..." daing naming dalawa ni Leto at sabay na tinanggal ang earphones namin. Mahigit tatlong oras na kaming non-stop sa pagbabasa.

"Ang sakit ng utak ko!" madiing sabi ni Leto while putting both of her hands on the sides of her head. I found out that it's her mannerism when she's stressed. "Anong case ka na sa Consti?"

"Tapos ko nang basahin lahat ng cases sa State Immunity from Suit. Kakastart ko lang sa Principles and State Policies," I replied. Our reading based on our syllabus is from Immunity from suit up Principles and State Policies.

"Ang bilis mo naman! Sana all diba?! Republic vs. Sandoval pa lang ako! How to be you po?"

I just flipped my hair and muttered, "Small things."

Inirapan lang ako ni Leto. We decided to have a 30-minute break. Nakakadrain din kasing magbasa ng mga cases.

We are busy discussing the cases that we have read when someone approached our table.

"Uy, mga dsai!" that someone greeted us and tapped me in the back.

"What the actual frog—" I shrieked kasi nabigla ako.

"Kakape mo yan," Leto said while laughing at me.

I just glared at her and then looked at the person who tapped my back. My left brow automatically raised nang makilala kung sino ang salarin.

"Santi number 2," I acknowledged him. He just laughed and removed my bag from the vacant chair bago umupo.

"Hindi ko alam na may balak ka pa palang pumunta dito? Akala ko kasi nalunod ka na sa alak kagabi," tinapik ni Leto ang kamay ni Santi #2 na may bala sanang maki-inom sa kape nito.