Avery and Prince [2]

[4 years ago]

She walked out of the trial court as they received the verdict. For the first time, Prince had lost to a woman. Rob shrugged it off and said that it's no big deal. He still had a lot of trials when he's a junior, and some of them, he lost it. Now that he's a senior, the trials will double once again.

It's the peak of sexual assault. Some of them are begging the lawmakers to have a divorce.

Still, Vasteria wouldn't allow it. It will pass for so many years in a while. But now, they have to lay low.

As Avery shook her hands to the parents of the defendant, Rob and Prince stood by the hall's door frame, holding the pile of statements and evidences they presented but was found useless.

Avery has a little chit-chat with them for a while as Rob nudged on him, pertaining, "We have to deal with a lot of defense counsels in the past, but Avery was the most intelligent one. She's clever, Mr. Gomez. I wouldn't be surprised to see her getting a top position on a law firm."

Prince stared at Avery's smile. It got him irritated, as usual. For sure, Avery hadn't taken any bribes to win the case. She was just a mere intelligent lawyer who has a lot of brain cells to process everything and put it down in the table all at once.

Prince hadn't comprehended for a while, but Avery knew how to play the game. In that case, Prince would have a hard time reading her for the few months to come. Still, he gave a heads-up to Bryce that they have a year to examine what kind of people they were.

He sighed, answering, "I wouldn't be surprised to see her in another trial with an influential person. She's good at defending, and no one can scrape off that fact from her."

Rob patted Prince's shoulder, and left him alone there. He sighed, whispering, "Avery De Leon, you're clever, huh?"

…

As Prince bought a soda bottle down the canteen, a familiar woman's voice came at her side, ordering a can of the same brand he was holding. She gave two coins and retrieved the can from the server's hands.

Prince looked at her. Avery sensed the man had his eyes on her, so she suddenly shifted, and Prince got surprised he didn't even back down. Both of them stared at each other.

"Mr. Prince Gomez. I'm glad running into you here."

She bowed down a little as Prince opened up the soda, and drank from it. He nodded, giving her a smile after he swallowed down the fizz.

"You won the trial earlier, right?" It's the start of their conversation. Prince had to do it, or else, he'll not get closer to her.

Avery was the one who turned her heel around, walking down to the front tables, and sliding in a seat in front of his meal. Prince only had a biscuit earlier, but his appetite has long gone. Avery picked up the chopsticks and started eating.

She was alone inside the Vasterian Supreme Court. There was no colleague roaming around to give her a pat on the back or even join her on a meal.

Prince darted his eyes everywhere, wondering if there was any, but no one inside the cafeteria even pointed at her direction. He asked, "Excuse me, Ms. Avery De Leon. Is there any of your colleagues are around?"

Avery swallowed the whole lot of egg rolls in one munch. She tasted its saltiness and right amount of spice while Prince was watching her mouth chewing it whole. Avery stared at him while she does that, which made him a little disgusted.

Avery fired back another question. "Why are you asking me that? It's pretty obvious, Mr. Prince Gomez. No one is here to acknowledge me by winning the case. All of you here are either a prosecutor or a lawyer, but no one from my firm has taken a case that deals with the upper people."

Prince doesn't have any idea what to say in return. He stayed silent, nodding. Avery turned back to her meal once again as he laid down his head, propping his chin at the top of the table, looking at her. She got annoyed for a while, leaving her hand as it was.

"What are you doing? Aren't you going to eat?"

Prince shook his head a little. Avery rolled her eyes, and picked up her spoon. She sipped the soup for a while.

"How are you doing with your life, Ms. De Leon?" Prince unknowingly asked that question.

If he introduced himself for the first time, he's not going to back out from starting a conversation with Avery.

He had to catch her comfort. In that way, Prince would be able to fool her for the years to come.

Avery finished off her bowl, and sighed. Her tummy was now full. She turned at him, shutting him off, "Can you please stop bombarding me with senseless questions? I'm not interested with you, either."

She hitched the soda bottle away from the table, and left. Avery slung her bag right on her shoulder.

Prince stared at the space, and scoffed.

"She's trying hard not to bait the hook." It made him laugh.

Prince watched as she stomped out of the cafeteria.

…

He wouldn't give up. Based on the information he retrieved from his men, Avery De Leon was working at this particular law firm that isn't as popular as the rest. He climbed down his car, looked at the name in the paper, and held it close to the building name.

J. Hall Street. Elsewood Law Firm.

Avery must be busy with upcoming trials she has. Well, Prince had to bombard her for a while.

Prince jumped off to the information center, and showed the receptionist the details. He was sent on an elevator and found the floor. As soon as he got out, a familiar figure of a woman showed up midway of the corridor, might be walking back to her office.

The elevator door closed, and as the woman looked up, he was the first person she saw.

Prince adjusted the button of his coat, and smiled a little to Avery. She widened her eyes, and didn't move at all. What is a prosecutor doing at a law firm?

No one initiated a move right away. They must have stared for whole 10 minutes before Prince initiated a step. Avery didn't budge. She's waiting for Prince to say what his business was.

Prince closed the gap, about a meter, and smiled at her.

"What are you doing here, Mr. Prince Gomez?"

Avery was still leading the conversation to a formal one. Prince should change it first-hand.

"Can we drop the honorifics while we're at it?" Prince suggested.

Avery didn't know what Prince had in mind. She crossed her arms.

"Mr. Prince Gomez. What you are suggesting is a disrespectful attitude towards our etiquette as law workers."

Prince shrugged, tucking in his hands inside his jeans, and cleared his throat.

"I think it wouldn't be disrespectful if we get along pretty well, and had dinners for quite some time."

Avery lifted her eyebrows. He's asking for dinner, is it right?

"We have worked on a case, and I lost to you. As a junior, I should be crying in the corner, questioning the lack of my capability. But the way you stood there as a lawyer couldn't get out of my mind, Ms. De Leon."

Prince had to hit the right spot. If she's confounded about his presence here, it would stir emotions at the right mix. Prince knew he had that blow a point for his charisma.

"What are you suggesting now?" Avery doesn't seem to get it. She's a lawyer, but she's not pretty good with the man's love language and playful words.

"Let's have a dinner, five times. If you don't get along with me after five times, I'll stop here," Prince offered.

Avery loosened her arms on the side.

"You want to eat with me?"

Prince quivered his lip. "Yeah."