"A-ANONG GINAGAWA mo dito?"

I can't help but stutter. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako biglang kinabahan habang kaharap ko si Jayden ngayon. I'm scared that he will make a scene here just because I haven't paid him.

I don't want any attention and I don't have any plan on running away from him.

Konting panahon lang ang hinihingi ko sakaniya, pero mukhang wala talaga syang balak na pagbigyan ako.

He grins wider. He started walking towards me. I swallowed the lump inside my throat. My palms were starting to get sweaty from nervousness.

"Why didn't you take my call?" he asked when he stopped right in front of me.

May mga ibang napapalingon sa pwesto namin ni Jayden. He's getting a lot of attention from the other students and I don't like it... I am better off as a loner and not the talk of the school.

Ako na nga ang pinag-chichismisan sa barangay namin, pati ba naman dito sa school e ako pa rin ang magiging topic nila!

"Sorry... pwede bang mamaya nalang tayo mag-usap? May klase pa—"

"You'll talk to me now or..." he paused for a second before he lowered his face, "I'll expose you here," he whispered.

I felt a shiver down my spine. Hindi lang dahil sa paraan nang pagkakabulong niya sakin, pero dahil sa mismong sinabi niya.

My heart is beating wildly inside my chest. He'll expose me?!

Does he know?!

My eyes widened when I realized what he had just said...

I slightly pushed him because a lot of students were really gawking at us now. We are in the middle of the hallway.

I took a deep breath before holding his hand and pulling him behind the building where no one could see us. Ayaw ko nang pinagtitinginan kami lalo pa't maraming babaeng studyante ang napapatingin sakaniya dahil para siyang modelo. I could see them eyeing Jayden like a feast.

I let go of his hand when we got behind the building. He chuckled, as if he was really enjoying this.

"Oh, Lindsey..." he called out my name in a merry tune. This guy is a complete jerk!

"Hindi naman kita tatakbuhan, Jayden! Just give me more time and I promise I'll pay what I owe you." I exclaimed. I'm really getting annoyed by his mere presence.

Hindi pa nakakatulong na parang pinaglalaruan niya ako sa mga sinasabi niya. Tapos pumunta pa siya dito! I don't even know how he found out that I study here!

Ano pa bang alam at nalalaman niya tungkol sakin?

"You know what's funny?" he said while staring playfully at me. The side of his lips rose. "I don't really want your money... Do you know what I really want?" he sneered.

His eyes didn't leave mine when he walked towards me. He tilted my chin using his thumb and index finger. His face was a few inches away from mine. His deep brown eyes pierced into my soul.

I gulped. "To be honest, I'm more interested in your body than anything else." His voice easily made me shiver in fear.

Ramdam ko iyong pagtaas nang balahibo ko sa katawan. Why is he doing this to me?!

I pushed him away, but he wouldn't budge. He just started walking closer and closer to me until I felt the cold wall against my back.

Natatakot ako sa paraan nang pagtingin niya sakin. He put both his hands against the wall, caging me between his arms. Tinulak ko siya ulit para makaalis ako, pero wala ring silbi dahil mas malaki at malakas sya kaysa sakin.

"Hindi kita babayaran gamit ang katawan ko!" I yelled at him.

"Really?" he mocked.

"May naipon akong pera at babayaran kita. May dalawang linggo pa akong natitira, Jayden. Hinding-hindi mo makukuha ang gusto mo," I spat in his face.

I gathered all my strength to say that into his face, kahit na nanginginig na iyong mga tuhod ko dahil sa takot.

"Weren't you working as a stripper for four years now?" I gasped. My eyes widened. His eyes look very amused.

How—

"What's the difference between working as a stripper in a club and being my hooker for a day?"

"P-Paano...Paano mo nalaman?"

"I have my ways baby..." I flinched when he brushed his finger against my cheek.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't speak.

And I couldn't even think straight... My mind is clouded with so many negative thoughts!

What if he exposes me?!

No... Hindi pwedeng mangyari iyon!

Siguradong magagalit si Papa at baka atakihin siya ulit kapag nalaman niyang ganon ang trabaho ko! No... Hindi pwede!

Nagsimulang mag-tubig ang mga mata ko. Iniisip ko palang iyong pwedeng mangyari ay natatakot na ako.

"Jayden please..." I beg. My tears start falling.

I clutched into his clothes. "Please don't expose me... Babayaran naman kita. Pangako!" punong-puno nan ang luha iyong mukha ko. I can't even see his face clearly because of my nonstop tears falling from my eyes.

He sighed deeply before taking a step back, away from me. I sharply wiped my tears away. I need him to promise not to tell anyone about my job.

Hindi ako natatakot sa sasabihin nang iba. Wala akong pakealam kung anong magiging tingin ng ibang tao sakin. Pero...mas natatakot ako sa pwedeng mangyari kay Papa kapag nalaman niya 'to. Pinakamahalaga ang pamilya ko sakin at ayaw kong may mangyari sakanila. Okay lang na ako basta huwag lang sila.

Hindi ko alam kung anong pwede kong gawin kapag nalaman kong pati sila dinamay...

Hindi nagsalita si Jayden. He just stood there while I kept on crying.

"Dalawang linggo... May dalawang linggo pa ako, Jayden. Ibibigay ko sayo iyong gusto mo kung hindi kita mababayaran makalipas ang dalawang linggo." I sobbed.

I hate this guy... Hindi ko alam kung bakit ganito siya sakin. Wala naman akong ginawang masama sakaniya. Hindi ko naman siya tinakbuhan at wala akong balak na takbuhan siya dahil hindi ako ganong klase nang tao.

Babayaran ko naman siya, e...

I don't know why he is so cruel to me...

"Just keep your promise. I'll see you in two weeks," he said before he started walking away.

Pag-alis niya ay tuluyan na akong napaupo dahil kanina pa nanghihina at nanginginig ang mga tuhod ko. Kanina ko pa gustong bumigay, pero pinigilan ko lang ang sarili ko...

I need to be strong... not just for me, but for my family's sake.

I can't be weak when it is just me that they have.

***

Hindi ako nakapasok sa una at pangalawang subject namin. Dalawang major pa naman iyon kaya nanghihinayang ako. Nasa likod lang ako nang building at pinapakalma ang sarili.

Mugto pa rin iyong mga mata ko at hindi ako pwedeng makita ni Lara nang ganito. Siguradong magagalit iyon at baka sugurin niya pa si Jayden. I can't involve her in this mess.

May sariling problema si Lara at ayaw ko nang dumagdag pa doon.

Hindi ko rin pwedeng tanggapin iyong inaalok niyang pera sakin dahil alam kong iniipon niya iyon para sa pag-aaral ng kapatid niya.

Nakasandal lang ako sa pader habang nag-iisip nang pwedeng gawin para kumita nang pera. Kahit anong trabaho papasukin ko basta mabayaran ko lang si Jayden.

...I'm afraid he'll tell anyone I'm a stripper, and he hasn't promised to keep it a secret. Paano kung may makaalam na ibang istudyante? Paano kung makarating sa Dean's office? Baka mapatanggal ako sa pag-aaral! Hindi pwede mangyari iyon dahil isang sem nalang at makakapag tapos na ako!

Pakiramdam ko mababaliw na ako sa dami kong iniisip...

"Lindsey?"

Nagulat ako nang may tumawag sa pangalan ko.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito, Micko?" gulat na tanong ko. Nakakunot iyong dalawang kilay niya habang nakatingin sakin. Nagtataka siya siguro kung ano bang ginagawa ko mag-isa dito sa likod nang school building.

"What are you doing here alone?"

I bit my lower lip. Naglakad siya palapit sakin. Mas kumunot iyong noo niya nang tumigil siya sa tapat ko.

"Did you cry? Why are your eyes so red? Did someone hurt you?" sunod-sunod na tanong niya. Hinawakan niya ako sa magkabilang psingi habang chine-check iyong mukha ko kung may nanakit ba sakin.

Tinanggal ko iyong pagkakahawak niya sa mukha ko at naglakad palayo sakaniya. Baka may biglang makakita samin dito.

I forced a smile. "Okay lang ako... napuwing lang ako kanina bago ka dumating," pagsisinungaling ko.

Halata sa mukha niya na hindi siya naniniwala sa sinabi ko. Sino nga bang maniniwala na napuwing lang ako e sobrang mugto nang mga mata ko.

He just stared at me as if he's inspecting my every move.

I let out a laugh, "Wag ka ngang tumingin nang ganyan sakin. Okay lang talaga ako,"

"Who made you cry, Lindsey?" he said in a very cold tone. His face looks very serious. I saw him clenching his fist as if he is ready to punch someone in the face.

"Wala nga..."

"Then what are you doing here alone? You skipped two major subjects today,"

"Bakit mo alam?"

"I talked to Lara," he answered. Mariin akong napapikit. Pagmulat ko nang mata ay seryoso pa rin siyang nakatingin sakin.

Hindi ko mabasa iyong itsura ni Micko. Actually, hindi ko alam kung anong tumatakbo sa isip ni Micko.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit niya ako hinahanap...

Hindi ko alam kung bakit ang bait niya sakin.

Minsan hindi ko tuloy maiwasang hindi pagdudahan iyong pagiging mabait ni Micko sakin. Pakiramdam ko may iba siyang balak sakin.

I sighed.

Why is it so hard to live peacefully...?

Hindi ko namalayang nakalapit na pala si Micko sakin at mabilis niya akong niyakap. He wrapped me inside his arms, and I lost control of myself and just let him comfort me while I was sobbing so hard.

He consoled me and let me cry in his arms.

"Everything will be all right..." he said in a very gentle way while patting my head.

I broke the hug when I calmed down. Pinunasan ko iyong luha sa mata ko at bahagyang ngumiti kay Micko.

"Salamat... Hindi mo naman ako kailangang damayan dito," sabi ko sakaniya. He has this look on his face like he sympathizes with me.

And I don't want sympathy...

I already feel small because of my job. Mas lalo ko lang nararamdaman na ang liit-liit ko kumpara sakaniya kapag kinakaawaan niya ako.

"Pwede mo namang sabihin sakin kung may problema ka, Lindsey," he said, still with that look on his eyes.

"Hindi ko kailangan nang awa mo, Micko. Kaya ko namang mag-isa... Nakayanan ko nga nang apat na taon na mag-isa," medyo inis na sabi ko. Halatang nagulat sya dahil sa sinabi ko dahil nagbago iyong expression sa mukha niya.

"Iwanan mo nalang ako Micko... Kaya ko na 'to," madiin na sabi ko sakaniya bago siya tinalikuran. Hindi ko na nakita iyong expression sa mukha niya.

Hindi ko na siya narinig pang magsalita kaya akala ko umalis na siya, pero nagulat ako nang bigla niya akong yakapin sa likuran ko. I tried to push him off, but he just hugged me tighter.

"You don't have to do this alone, Lindsey... I'm here and I can help you if you just let me."

Sobrang lakas nang tibok nang puso ko. Halo-halong emosyon na ang nararamdaman ko ngayon. Nalulungkot ako na naiinis na kinakabahan. Ewan ko na...

"Alam kong kaya mong mag-isa, pero hindi mo naman kailangang gawin 'yan nang mag-isa... I'm here now. You can depend on me," sabi niya at mabilis niya akong iniharap sakaniya.

He's staring intently into my eyes like he's melting me.

"I'm here now, Lindsey," he repeated before lowering his face and gently kissing me on the lips.

WHATYASEY