Atty. Christine Villeza
"Sinasabi ko naman sayo eh! Makapal ang mukha ng bugok na iyon!" Jelsey shouted as she was pouring beer on her glass again. "I should have never liked that son of a bitch. Social climber ang puta!"
"Calm down, Jelsey----!"
"Why would I?" Jelsey said, halting Charisse. Uminom muli ito ng beer kahit na namumula na ang kaniyang mukha sa kalasingan.
All of us right now were drunk. Para na kaming mga buntis sa kabusugan pero patuloy pa rin kami sa pag-inom ng beer dahil kaya pa naman namin. All of us looked like pregnant, except Severina, of course. Kahit na gaanong karami ang kainin at inumin, sexy pa rin.
We were now here at the sofa in front of the TV, surrounding a glass table. Hindi naman kami sa sofa nakaupo kasi nasa lapag kami. It's 3 o clock in the afternoon and were still waiting for our another set of beer to be delivered. Si Jelsey na ang nag-order. Hindi naman namin pinigilan dahil nagwawala na siya at nang-aaway na. She also talked about the foolishness of Jeffrey when Charisse asked how did we know that she was discharged the other week. Nalaman na ni Charisse na si Jeffrey ang may gawa no'n.
When she asked who's Jeffrey, Jelsey got the spotlight and told her how wicked that damn reporter is.
"He's now fucked up, Charisse. Ang laki ng pinagbago niya since 2 years ago! Natapos lang yung kaso ni Anthony, aba mas mabilis pa sa alas-cuatro bumaliktad sa amin." Jelsey added and drank her beer. Magsasalin na naman 'yan.
Si Charisse ay tahimik lang na nakikinig sa kanila. I don't really thinks that she's already drunk. She still sips the glass of beer with class.
"Kahit naman hindi mo sabihin 'yan, mukha pa rin naman siyang siraulo." Katerina mentioned. "He once took a picture of my undergarments when we were at the last Sandoval-court-trial 2 years ago."
"What?" Severina blurted out.
"Just kidding."
"Putangina ka." Severina retorted and heaved a heavy sigh.
Well, I can't blame her. She's just protective of her sister so she reacted that way. Napakagaling din naman kasi mang-asar ni Katerina sa kapatid niya. Kaya madalas ay hindi sila nagkakasundo.
"Jeffrey's toxic personality didn't change at all, though. Noong si Heubert Marquez, yung pinakulong kong congressman, ang sikat. . . doon siya kumampi. Noong bumagsak, sa atin siya nagsumiksik para maibalik siya sa kasikatan. Tapos ngayong nakalaya na yung ex-convict, doon ulit siya sisipsip na parang linta." I said and drank my beer. Isang bote na ang hawak ko ngayon dahil nakakapagod magpasalin-salin sa baso. "Hindi na nadala yung mokong na 'yon."
"He must expect defeat." Jelsey seconded. "I feel like Heubert Marquez will seek revenge anytime soon. We must be prepared. All of us."
"Bakit ako nasama diyan?" Charisse asked and laughed. "Nakikinig lang ako sa problema niyo ah. Ba't nadamay na ako bigla?"
"H'wag ka ngang kill joy! Para na nga tayong powerpuff girls nito eh." Jelsey argued and opened another bottle of beer again. "Lima nga lang tayo. But it's okay. We can initiate a new version of powerpuff girls."
"Cringe." Katerina commented. Binatukan naman siya ni Severina na katabi lang niya.
"Baka dahil influencer ka kaya nasabi ni Jelsey 'yon." I explained to Charisse who's now sitting beside me. Nakapaikot kami sa bilog na lamesa kaya magkakalapit lang talaga kami. "You know, we can persuade the media." I added.
"Correct." Severina seconded.
"Syempre bukod kay Charisse the vlogger, nandito rin si Severina na nagpapatakbo ng detective agency. Mas makakagalaw na siya ngayon at may access pa ng mga importanteng data sa gobyerno. Kapartner ba naman ng NBI ng Pilipinas at FBI ng US." dagdag muli ni Jelsey sabay tingin kay Severina.
Severina's eyes twitched. "I'm not working the way I worked before, bitch. Dahil bulgar na akong tagapag-imbestiga ngayon, I have to follow the legal proceduces while doing the mission. Nakakadena pa rin ang kamay ko sa gobyerno."
"Edi hindi ka pa rin malaya." Jelsey uttered. "Mas lumawak lang yung kulungan mo."
"Fuck you, bitch lawyer." sagot ni Severina na hindi naman pinansin ni Jelsey.
Jelsey continued on what she was saying earlier. "Aside from Katerina being a great lawyer. . . we, Christine and me, can still fight as the YinYang of court trials! Sino bang makakatalo sa atin?"
"Kalmahan mo lang ang pagyayabang, bestie." I commented. Inirapan lang ako nito't nagpatuloy muli sa pag-inom niya. "And besides, we're not really sure if Jeffrey and the ex-convict Heubert will avenge. Let us not be paranoid."
"Why don't we divert the topic?" Charisse sugggested and put down her glass of beer. "Nagkakainitan na kayo eh."
"Anong topic?" Severina asked.
Katerina's eyes gleamed as if she got an idea on what's our next topic. "Lovelife."
"Ay out ako d'yan. Focus ako sa career ko." Severina told us and drank her glass full of beer straight.
"Masaya kaya magka-boyfriend, Ate." Katerina said as she was daydreaming while holding her glass of beer. "Mas magiging inspired ka to achieve your goals."
"Maharot ka kasi." Severina side-commented.
"Well, Katerina was somewhat right." Jelsey murmured but we managed to hear this. "Gusto ko rin magkaroon ng someone na I can rely on."
Charisse chuckled and agreed. "You're right! I prefer someone who's tall, handsome, a businessman, and someone who will take care of me. Syempre aside sa physical attributes, gusto ko yung mabait rin by nature."
Napatingin ako kay Charisse not because she suddenly spoke Filipino, but because I was thinking if we had the same person in mind when she mentioned her ideal type. Natatawa lang ako kasi medyo napaparanoid pa rin ako na baka may gusto pa rin siya kay Anthony. But she already denied it few times so I don't have to worry. Baka dala lang ito ng kalasingan.
"Speaking of dark, tall, and handsome. . ." Jelsey bulged in again and drank her beer. "Did you all know that I had sex with Dark the other day ago----!"
"WHAT?" We all shouted, except for Charisse, of course. Hindi pa masyadong kilala ni Charisse si Dark, aside from the fact that the latter was the prosecutor before.
Napanganga kaming lahat at tila gulat na gulat, lalo na si Severina. "Something's not clicking, Jelsey. Anong katangahan 'yan?" Nabatukan pa ni Severina si Jelsey dahil na rin siguro sa kalasingan.
The latter didn't mind it and just went on storytelling. "Dark's character development was quite impressive. He went from being a badass to an angel real quick. And besides, he's the one who seduced me that day. Hindi ko naman basta ibinuka yung hita ko, ano!"
Lahat kami'y nagtawanan dahil sa mga sinasabi ni Jelsey. Nang maubos na ang mga alak na nasa harap namin ay napasandal na lang kami sa sofa. Kahit na halos mamatay na kami kakatawa ay hindi pa rin kami tumigil.
Pagkatapos ng ilang segundo ay nagawa ko na ring tumigil sa kakatawa. "So do you love him, Jelsey?"
"Not yet." Jelsey straightforwardly answered. "But I'm entertaining my feelings for him now. Sana lang ay hindi mapunta sa kawalan ang nararamdaman ko kay Dark. I hope he won't go like the asshole reporter."
"Let's all hope that." Severina commented and sighed. Tumingin naman ito kay Charisse at ngumisi. "Ikaw, Charisse? Kailan ka magbo-boyfriend?"
"Wala pa sa plano ko eh. I have to totally recover and adjust first. Ang dami nang bago dito sa labas, baka hindi na ako maka-keep up." natatawang tugon ni Charisse at huminga nang malalim. "I'll focus on myself first. Ikaw, Christine?"
Nang tumingin sa akin si Charisse ay agad akong napaisip. "Well, masaya naman ako sa love life ko ngayon. Anthony has been taking care of me very well. I was living nicer than I anticipated after I got discharge from the mental hospital a few months ago."
"Good for you, Christine." Charisse muttered and grinned. "It was nice that Anthony has been taking care of you. I don't want him to hurt you because you're my friend."
"I know this is awkward to talk about----!"
"Not really." she cut me off. "He was just a friend to me now. An old friend. Nothing more, nothing less." Tumingin siya sa akin nang seryoso at ngumiti. "I already moved on, Christine. You don't have to worry. We can now move forward together."
"Good for us." I commented and chuckled. I held her hands as I felt like I was gonna fall over. Lahat sila ay nakatulog na, maliban sa amin ni Charisse. We both stared at the blank ceiling and heaved a heavy sigh. We can now stop living with the past. . .
. . . and is now ready to conquer the present as we make our own futures. "Good for us, Cha--!"
I didn't know what happened, but I felt comfortable while lying on the cold tiles. I must have fell asleep.