"Catch Me, Attorney. (Law Series #4 || Season 1 & 2)

PART THIRTEEN: "The Witch Hunt Starts"

"Never mess with a Heimsworth..."

I gulped.

Lyle's warm breath touched my ear and I felt a sudden goosebumps.

I had never felt this thrilled yet scared before.

After whispering that warning on me, Lyle stood up with his hands inside his pockets still. He looked at my face and stared at my eyes intently.

"Remember that..." mahina niyang bulong at nagsimulang tumalikod pa-alis.

Napangisi ako out of frustration. Lumalabas na ang tunay na kulay niya at hindi ko iyon dapat palagpasin.

"Never mess with a cheap scheme of Heimsworth, you mean?" ganti ko dahilan para huminto siya sa paglalakad.

"Really, Lyle? Dahil lang sa research paper, i-a-out mo ang taong nagsisimula pa lang?"

Hindi siya kumibo. Kahit lumingon ay hindi niya rin ginawa.

"Alam mo man lang ba mga hirap ni Nash para marating kung nasa'n siya ngayon? Mas matagal mo na siyang kilala kaya dapat mas alam mo," matalim kong sabi.

Hindi pa rin siya kumikibo. Nakatalikod lang siya at nakapamulsa.

"Lyle..." bulong ko. "Gaano ka kababa?"

That's when I heard him scoffed as he looked down. "You said it. Mas matagal ko na silang kilala. Between us, it is me who knows well what they deserve and what they don't."

Maang na tiningnan ko siya. "Huh?"

"Alam ko ba mga hirap na dinanas nila?" ulit niya sa sinabi ko at bahagya siyang ngumisi. Kitang-kita ko ang repleksyon niya mula sa salamin sa dingding. "Ako ba, alam mo ba ang hirap na tiniis ko dahil sa kanila?"

I felt a bang in me.

Lyle's voice was full of bitterness and threat.

"Anong sinasabi mo?" tanong ko at nanlalaki ang mga mata. "Gumaganti ka ba sa kanila?"

That's when Lyle looked back and faced me. He took a step causing me to step back.

"You know nothing," he said and his usual emotionless eyes were glaring. "So you have no right to judge me and my actions."

He took another step and once again, I stepped back with my heart pounding hard.

"They're only paying the price of their sins," he said fiercely. "And the interest is not yet included."

I tried to compose myself, not showing any sign of fear in front of him.

"So it's really you?" I asked. "The one who leaked the photos."

Instead of answering it directly, Lyle smiled slyly. "What is it to you?"

"I'm his friend," matalim ko ring sagot.

"12-A doesn't know what friendship is so stop deluding yourself," Lyle said. "You're not part of the problem so do what's the best thing to do."

Laking gulat ko nang biglang hatakin ni Lyle ang I.D lace ko dahilan para magdikit ang katawan namin. Ngumisi siya nang makita ang takot sa mga mata ko.

"Sit back, be a spectator, and enjoy the show..."

We exchanged fierce eye contact until Lyle  turned serious. He let go of me and walked out of the room later on.

Nang ako na lang ang natira ay huminga ako nang malalim at napasandal sa dingding. Mariin akong napapikit.

Ibang klase.