Bab 319: Curious
Chapter 4. Curious
"AMININ mo nga, Rellie, dahil ba mas sumisikat ka sa mga iyan kaya pinu-push mo?"
Naningkit ang mga mata ni Rellie sa sinabi ni Hapi. "What? Of course not. But I doubt you'll believe me when it's obvious you already accused me of taking advantage of what I want to try to do. And for the record, Manarang," she called the latter's surname. Then, she continued, "I'm in love with this kind of artwork now so don't say I'm only pushing through it for fame. Because I don't care if I become well-known in this field or not. I will continue doing what I love without pleasing the people and following their so-called standards." She still had lots of things to say but she halted. It's a waste of time. She noticed the latter was taken aback; slightly confused. But eventually stared at her indifferently.
"Kahit hindi mo naman gawin iyan, sisikat at sisikat ka dahil kapatid ka ng nag-iisang Arc Prietto."
This time, she rolled her eyes to show that she's really pissed off. May ugali talaga itong hindi kaaya-aya. "And why is that?"
Nagtaas lang ito ng kilay.
She defended, "Hindi totoo iyan dahil nakagawa na ako ng sariling pangalan sa modeling industry."
Fifteen years old siya noong magsimula sa pagmomodelo. Lalo na noong tumuntong na siya sa legal na edad at tumanggap na ng offers internationally. She did all of that while home-schooling, and of course, with the full support of her parents especially her mom who became her manager at that time. She only chose to pause some of her activities now because she actually wanted to go to school before everything was too late. At, na-focus nga siya sa pagpipinta. Bonus na lang na sikat sa larangan ang kuya niya at nakilala rin siya.
"Hindi ko ginagamit si Kuya para lamang makagawa ng pangalan sa pagpipinta kasi kaya ko namang gawin," she added confidently.
"Duh! You're brother is a renowned in the field, and you, having the same theme with his artworks, are making other people talk about you more. But you know what? Kahit anong gawin mo, basta dumikit ka lang sa kuya mo ay sisikat ka na. I know what you did there." Patuya siya nitong nginisihan.
Disgusting. Because she just learnt the possible reason why was she suddenly befriended by the Vice Governor's granddaughter.
"Natameme ka? Tama ako, 'no?"
"Kaya nilalapitan mo si Kuya para madikit ka sa kanya't pag-usapan ka, ano? Sabagay, sabi mo nga, basta dumikit lang kay Kuya ay sisikat na." Tiningnan niya ito mula ulo hanggang paa saka umiling-iling. Sa loob niya, sana ay mali ang kutob niya dahil kahit may kagaspangan ang ugali ng huli ay maayos namang kasama.
"How dare you—"
"Why? I was just asking you. Bakit, totoo ba?"
"H-hindi!" She stuttered. "I like him. That's all." Nag-iwas ito ng tingin.
Tama nga yata ako, Dismayadong-dismayado siya sa naisip.
"Look, Rellie, you don't have to be offended. I was just stating my opinion." Nag-iba ang tono ng pananalita nito. Parang hindi alam kung magsusungit o hindi.
"But you sounded as if that is the truth."
"Hindi ba?"
"Kahit ba sabihin kong hindi, maniniwala ka?"
"See? Simpleng oo o hindi lang, ang dami mo pang kinukuda," puna nito sa sinagot niya.
"Bakit ba ganyan ka kung mag-isip, Hapi?" nanlulumong pansin niya rito.
"What?" She defensively raised an eyebrow.
"Ang toxic."
"Ako pa ngayon ang toxic? Nagsasabi lang naman ako ng opinyon ko!"
Paulit-ulit. Tinalikuran niya ito at umalis na.
"Aurelia!" naiiritang tawag nito sa kaniya.
Hindi siya lumingon at pinigilan ang pamumuo ng luha sa kaniyang asul na mga mata. Tatambay na lang siya sa isa sa mga kiosk para panoorin ulit ang second trial ni Candace Ferrer sa kanyang cellphone. Kailangang maibaling niya ang isipan ngayon dahil kung hindi, hanggang mamaya ay maiisip niya ang bangayan nila ni Hapi. Unti she would start to doubt herself for thinking what if the latter was right? That she's just loving the limelight now that was why she wanted to pursue painting with a different theme?
Umiling siya. There's no room for her to doubt herself. Kung hindi siya magtitiwala sa sarili ay walang mangyayari. Hindi niya kailangang magpa-apekto sa opinyon ng ibang tao lalo pa't kung hindi naman totoo iyon. At alam niya sa sariling may kakayanan siya.
Napabuntong hininga siya at binaling na ang atensiyon sa naka-play nang video sa trial ng kasong sinusubaybayan ngayon. The best dahil nawaglit sa isip niya si Hapi at ang mga sinabi nito.
Pinili niyang panoorin iyon para siyempre, nang makasipat siya hinahangaan niyang abogado ng akusado. Admiring the defense lawyer was making her want to take law now, too. Ganoon katindi ang epekto ni Atty. Dennis Hipolito—na mas kilala sa mga malalapit dito bilang Sinned, base sa nabasa niya sa social media—sa kaniya ngayon.
Joke lang! As if kaya ko, eh, palakol nga ang grades ko. The reason why she's not excelling academically was because her focus was on the other things. Lalo pa't hindi na siya nag-home school, nasabik siyang mag-explore sa mga bagay-bagay.
Nabalik ang atensiyon niya sa video kung saan natutok ang camera kay Attorney.
"Napakatapang na abogado," manghang komento niya. Dahil iyon ang unang kasong hinawakan nito mula nang maging ganap na lawyer. Hindi biro ang mga kinabangga nitong kalaban, kung sakaling konektado nga ang kasong iyon sa bigating mga personalidad.
She didn't know who he was before, or even when he passed the bar excellently. Ang alam lang niya'y galing sa University nila ang isa sa mga nag-topnotch noong nakaraang Bar examination. Na si Atty. Hipolito pala.
"Impressive..."
She came to know about that 'mukhang masungit' na lawyer when she accidentally played one of the videos taken in the court room by the media. It was during the first trial of the case and he looked so dashing wearing his coat and tie. Kaso nga lang, hindi palangiti. O baka dahil nasa korte kaya laging seryoso? Ni hindi ngumingiti.
Ngumisi pala ito ng isang beses nang unang trial at nanghilakbot siya dahil tila napakaraming nakatago sa ngising iyon.
She really couldn't ignore that case and she got so curious, so she immediately acquired some information available on the Internet and/or the tabloids, even some of her schoolmates from the College of Law building.
She's curious about that lawyer's enigmatic aura. She's curious about how he looked so confident in winning that case. She's curious if was he really an excellent lawyer just as how his grades were back when he's studying? She's curious if how would he win the case, too.
And, she's just so curious about that sinfully hot lawyer.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
jadeatienza
jadeatienza Prietto Siblings:
Archibald Arthur "Arc"
Aurora Aurelia "Rellie"
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone