What laws usually people abide? Kadalasan ba ay inaayon talaga nila sa kung anong nakasulat sa batas? Or they just end-up doing what other people secretly do? Paglalagay ng batas sa kanilang sariling kamay?
The rule of law is the principle that no one is exempt from the law, even those who are in the position of power. Because the rule of law can serve as a vanguard of safeguard, just as laws ensure that rulers do not become corrupt. With this existing laws, we can protect ourselves, be guided of what’s moral and what’s not, and rule of order in the society.
Minsan kasi nasasanay iyong mga tao sa pribileyo dahil may mga kakilala silang nanunungkulan sa itaas. Pinaniniwalan na kapag malapit ka sa mga taong nasa itaas, the more privileges and programs you’ll get ahead. Pero madalas naman kasi ay nasa pag-iisip talaga ng tao at pangangailangan.
I know it’s unfair, so much unfair because other people had to crawl more to get something while others can just easily call their amigos and Amiga’s to get something for them. I know it’s a toxic culture that tolerates privileged people, but what we can do? It’s really up for the people if they live that way.
Kaya noong tinanong ako one time sa isang gathering ng pamilya, I get asked if I’ll pursue something after college – it was a tough question but answerable lalo na kung alam mo naman talaga ang mga plano mo sa buhay. And I said, I wanted to be a lawyer, someone who can stand-up and fight for the people.
And now, I get to live with it – fortunately. Because I had the privilege.
It’s saturday, sakto at wala naman akong lakad ngayon. Tapos ko naman kasing asikasuhin ang papers ko para makapag-transfer ng school. My law school life from Lacson is great, but my mom keeps on saying to me that Brent Law School is much better and it's just near my condo unit, just a 10 minutes’ drive kaya hindi magiging hassle for me.
Today, I decided to buy groceries kasi malapit nang maubos ang stocks ko. I just wear my wavy green short and partnered it with a white shirt and my flat sandals at nilugay ko na lang din ang buhok ko.
I didn't put anything on my face because as much as possible I wanted to look natural and make-up doesn't really interest me that much. Minsan kapag lalabas kami ng kaibigan ko or may simple dinner, liptint lang din ang gamit ko because I don’t want to do much. And it’s handy, so it’s good.
Hindi na ako nagtagal pa sa pag-aayos at lumabas na ng condo at dumiretso na sa parking lot. I wanted to be an independent woman since I’m a law student already, ibig sabihin I am big enough to do things on my own. So I suggested to my mom if I could have a condo, medyo matagal pa bago ko siya napapayag but with the help of my dad, sa huli ay pinayagan niya din ako, but of course may mga conditions that I have to do.
After minutes of driving, nakarating na din ako sa mall. I immediately got inside of the grocery section and find a cart. Dahil baka humaba ang pila. I got myself a pack of oatmeal, cause this is one of my favorite lalo na if wala na akong time para magluto. Habang tinutulak ko ang cart, suddenly my phone vibrated.
A call coming from Jia.
"Hello." I greeted her.
"Amara Miles! Gossh!" she screamed out of her lungs which is the reason why I kept my phone distant on my ear. Ang sakit sa tenga ng sigaw niya.
"Please lower down your voice." I laughed a little.
"Care to explain bakit 'di mo sinabi na magta-transfer ka na pala sa Brent?" masungit na pagkakasabi niya. Oh shoot! I forget to tell her. Am I really too busy to even tell her that I was about to transfer?
"I'm sorry. I've been very busy taking care of my papers. Nakaligtaan kong sabihin, sorry." I said with a pleasing tone.
“Dapat lang bruha ka! I have some errands pa. I just called for a better confirmation, love you." She said on the line.
"Ok, ingat ka. Love you too, please do drive safely." I ended the call and flash a smile to the man smiling at me.
"Kuya 2 kilos po rito,” I said saka tinuro iyong karneng baboy. “Saka same rin sa chicken, pero breast part lang lahat. Thank you." I added.
My family said na mas naging inosente daw ako tapat dahil sa boses ko? I find it weird kasi for me my voice is normal naman saka hindi naman ako mahinhin. Tingin ng tingin pa rin si kuya sa akin habang nakangiti while doing his work. Hindi rin naman ako nagtagal roon at umalis na papuntang counter.
Mabuti na lang at wala pang masyadong pila kaya madali lang at hindi hassle. It was my turn na sa counter, pagkatapos kong ilapag ang mga binili ko ay kinapa ko ang sling bag ko habang nag-iiscan pa. Only to find out na wala doon ang wallet ko. I panicked to death habang inaalala na nilapag ko ang wallet ko sa shotgun seat.
I interrupted the cashier who's scanning on the groceries I've got. Madali lang naman kunin if I ran papuntang parking lot.
"Uhh— miss excuse me, naiwan ko kasi wallet ko sa kotse. Can you please continue scanning? I'll be back after, I promise." I plead the cashier habang nakakunot ang noo niyang napatingin sa akin.
"Maam sorry pero—" Hindi niya na natapos pa ang sasabihin dahil may isang lalaki na ang naglahad ng credit card sa kanya, which I myself was also startled.
"I’ll pay for her." isang malamig at malalim na boses ang agad na lumitaw. Nilingon ko ang lalaking naglahad ng credit card niya.
"T-Thank you. Babayaran kita promise naiwan ko kasi ang wallet ko sa kotse." I exclaimed while biting my lips dahil sa kahihiyan. Buti na lang at walang masyadong pila at mga tao. Damn! Baka akalain nilang mambubudol or magnanakaw or something. Tumingin naman agad siya sa akin matapos niyang maibigay ang card niya kaya natanaw ko ang buong mukha niya.
"It's okay." He immediately said and looked at me after while waiting.
"No. I owe you. Utang ko yon." Dagdag ko pang sabi sa kanya.
He pursed his lips. I sensed his aura. I don't know but I feel like it's a good one even if it's dangerous. Just by looking at his figure, he has a very nice toned body, ang ganda din ng shape ng jawline niya, his lips were heart shaped. I can also see his biceps.
Damn what am I even thinking?
Really alliyah? In the middle of this situation? Nilipat ko nalamang ang tingin ko sa cashier na nakangiting masigla na. Nakakita lang ng gwapong mukha nagpacute na. What? What did I say gwapo?! Well fine! Pogi naman talaga.
"Hi sir. E-eto na po yung c-card niyo." Why this cashier girl keeps on stuttering? Napaghahalataan ha!
Maybe she was mesmerized by the good deed of this man behind me or the face itself? Well it's catchy. Nang matapos na ay agad agad namang umalis ang lalaki. Ibinilin ko muna sa cashier ang binili ko and run towards him as fast as I can and grabbed his arm because of the fact na hindi pa ako nakakapagbayad sa kanya.
"Holy shit." He muttered a curse in front of me, nagulat ko yata siya. My bad.
"Hala, sorry 'di ko sinasadyang magulat ka." I said to him looking apologetically.
Binitawan ko rin agad ang braso niya ng mapagtanto kong medyo nagtagal ang pagkakahawak ko sa kanya. I gulped before I finally mutter a word.
"Sorry talaga. I ran kasi hindi pa ako nakakapagbayad sayo diba, bigla-bigla ka kasing umalis eh." He didn't say a thing for about 2 seconds and he just looked at me, but then he broke the silence between us.
"I said its ok miss. Don't argue with me anymore." He said with finality. Ang sungit naman nito. Gusto ko lang namang magbayad, masama ba yon?
I couldn't say anything. Walang lumalabas sa bibig ko. I was stunned there. Magsasalita na sana ako nang lumapit ang isang lalaki sa kausap ko.
"Hoy Lucas tangina mo! Nandito ka lang pala kanina ka pa namin hinahanap ni Dom dahil gutom na kami!" Pagrereklamo niya sa lalaking kaharap ko. Bored lang siyang tiningnan ng kaharap ko.
Nang mapansin niya ako ay nanlaki ang mga mata niya at tinuro-turo pa niya kaming dalawa ng pabalik-balik. He’s…weird, but his reaction was cute though.
"Bro. May girlfriend ka na? Bakit mo sinekreto to sa amin ni Dom? Wala kang kwentang kaibigan! You are too secretive." Umarte pa siyang umiiyak sa harap namin. Ang cute!
He continuously rant over his friend which named Lucas daw. Nangunot bigla ang noo ko at napatingin sa kanya.
"Uhm, I'm not her girlfriend though." I said correcting him and tell him the whole story so he wouldn't imagine things like that. Ano 'yon? Nag-grocery lang ako nagkaboyfriend na? That’s super impossible! Parang ang dating ay easy to get naman ako.
"Oh! I'm sorry. Best in good deeds ka pala ah. Edi ikaw na rin magbayad ng lunch natin." He chuckled. Tiningnan na lamang siya nito ng masama at binatukan.
"Fuck you." He said with irritation in his face.
"Binibini kung okay lang sayo ay pwede bang malaman ang iyong pangalan? By the way I am Arthur, hindi Arthur Nery ha dahil malayong malayo ang boses ko roon, kaya Art na lang for short." Pagpapakilala niya. Mukhang harmless naman ang mga itsura nila kaya naman hindi na ako nagpaligoy-ligoy pa, it’s just the name.
"Yeah sure. Miles Gomez." Ako na mismo ang naglahad ng kamay ko for shake hands.
"Nice meeting you, Miles." He said with a sweet smile showing his cute dimple. I wanted to pinch him but we're not close at kakakilala pa lang namin. Baka ma-weirduhan siya sa akin.
"Nice meeting you too Art and Lucas right?...." tumingin ako sa kanya, trying flash my genuine smile to him. “I just heard him called you that kaya I assume, Lucas is your name?” sabi ko pa. Nakita kong siniko siya ng kaunti ni Art sa braso.
"Magpakilala ka naman bro. Para kang tuod, awit ka ha." Bulong niya pero naririnig ko naman, umiling-iling pa ito. Agad niya namang binalik ang all smile niya kanina sa akin kaya napa-smile na lang din ako, nakakahawa ang ngiti niya.
"Sorry. Ganyan kasi talaga siya, masungit at suplado pero mabait to promise." Tinaas niya pa ang kanang kamay niya looking like he's persuading me.
"Lucas Agustus Zamora." He extended his arm to me signalling for a hand gesture. Tinanggap ko naman agad iyon at nakipag-shakehands din sa kanya. Paano ko kaya siya mababayaran? Kanina ko pa talaga kasi ‘yon inaalala.
"Yung bayad ko pala." muling pagpapa-alala ko sa kanya. Nangunot bigla ulit ang noo niya. Showing a bit of frustration. Hala bakit? Did I say something wrong again to cause him that reaction? Mainitin ang ulo nito, for sure.
"I said its ok, kulit mo." He said to me using his masungit voice.
"Fine, if that's what you want." I said giving up na mababayaran ko siya. Mas okay na rin para tipid. Bahala siya dyan.
"Bye Miles. We'll see you around." Art suddenly said while looking at his phone and then gazed at me with his dimples again.
"Okay. Thank you." Hindi ko na sila hinintay pa na umalis at nauna na ako tumalikod. Pero bago ako tuluyang makalayo sa kanilang dalawa ay narining ko si Art.
I smiled in my thoughts with just what happened a while ago. Umuwi na lang ako agad sa condo at naghanda ng makakain.