"SORRY, LARA..." malungkot na sabi ko sakaniya. Ilang araw na naming tinatawagan si Miss Sweety para kausapin, pero hindi namin siya makontak. Kinausap ko na rin si Blake para kausapin ang nanay niya, pero miski siya ay hindi matawagan ang nanay niya.

Sayang lang kasi kailangan rin ni Lara iyong perang makukuha doon. Kahit na gusto kong ibigay sakaniya iyong trabaho para silang dalawa nalang ni Veena ay hindi pwede dahil pangalan ko ang nakalagay doon sa files.

Ayaw ko ring magalit pa lalo sakin si Miss Sweety. Bumabawi palang ako sakaniya kaya sobrang ingat ko na hindi siya suwayin.

Lara tried to smile, but it ended up being weak.

I sighed.

"Okay lang... Bawi nalang ako sa susunod," sabi niya. Agad ko siyang nilapitan at niyakap. Nakatingin lang samin sina Marv at Veena.

Bukas na iyong sa bachelor's party kaya nag-paplano na rin kami ni Veena ngayon. Mabait naman siya, pero mas komportable lang talaga ako na kasama sa trabaho si Lara. At saka, mas kabisado ko rin kasi iyong mga ginagawa namin ni Lara kaya mas madali sana kung siya ang kasama ko, kaya lang biglang naging si Veena na ang kasama ko at wala na kaming magagawa pa.

Nakakapagtaka lang talaga na nasaktuhan pa na umalis si Miss Sweety ng mangyari 'to. Kaya kahit na gusto naming i-confirm sakaniya ay hindi namin magawa.

"Kamusta ang internship mo?" Veena asked while we were planning what we were going to do tomorrow. Inaayos na rin na iyong mga susuotin naming damit at props para bukas.

"Okay naman... nakakapagod, pero worth it naman. Kailangan ko kasi iyon bago gumraduate. At saka, mas marami akong natututunan dahil ako na mismo ang gumagawa," sagot ko sakaniya.

"Nakakainggit naman..." malungkot na sabi niya.

"Makakapag-aral ka rin. Wala namang imposible," nginitian ko siya, "Kung talagang gusto mo, gagawa at gagawa ka ng paraan para makuha mo iyon," sabi ko sakaniya. Napabuntong hininga siya bago seryosong tumingin ng diretso sakin.

"Lindsey... Ikaw ba? Kaya mo bang gawin lahat para sa pangarap mo?" tanong niya. Sobrang seryoso ng mukha niya.

Sandali akong napaisip dahil sa tanong niya.

"Siguro?" I gave her a shrug.

"Kahit may mapahamak na iba gagawin mo pa rin?"

Bahagyang kumunot iyong noo ko, "Depende Veena. Lahat naman tayo may hangganan kung anong kayang gawin. Hindi ko lang kayang ipahamak iyong iba para lang may makuha ako. Hanggat maaari, gusto ko sa tamang paraan ko matutupad iyong pangarap ko at walang ibang madadamay na ibang tao." sagot ko sakaniya. Bahagya ko siyang nginitian.

Hindi na nagtanong pa ulit si Veena pagkatapos noon. Tahimik lang sya habang pinaplano iyong gagawin namin para bukas. Naisipan namin na mag-costume ng superheroes tutal may costume na kami ng Wonder Woman at Black Widow. Si Veena ang magsusuot ng Wonder Woman tapos ako naman si Black Widow dahil magpo-pole dancing daw si Veena at baka mahulog lang iyong kulay pulang wig kapag sya ang nag Black Widow costume samin.

We practiced the routine that we would be doing. We organized the costumes and props that we will bring. We also have a huge box na pagtataguan ko bukas bago magsimula ang party. And we were able to settle everything.

"Good luck satin bukas," I told Veena. She just gave me a small smile.

She became awfully quiet after our talk a while ago. Hindi ko tuloy alam kung may nasabi ba akong masama o kung na-offend ko ba siya. Sinagot ko lang naman iyong tanong niya. It was my personal opinion. Kaya, I don't think I said anything offensive.

Micko came by the Btch Valley at eksaktong katatapos lang namin ni Veena.

"Hi," bati ko ng nakangiti. We sat at the bar counter.

He smiled back, "Hi, how was your day? Sorry late na akong dumating," sabi niya.

"Okay lang. Busy rin kami ni Veena kanina sa pag-aayos para sa bachelor's party bukas,"

Nakita ko kung paano nagbago iyong reaksyon sa mukha ni Micko bago siya bumuntong-hininga. "Please always take care, hmm?" He has a worried look on his face.

I reached for his hand and gently squeezed it. "Okay lang ako, Micko. Apat na taon ko na 'tong ginagawa. Hindi mo kailangang mag-alala," bahagya akong ngumiti sakaniya, pero nakatingin lang sya sakin habang seryoso ang mukha.

I sighed. Naiintindihan ko naman na nag-aalala siya sakin, pero trabaho ko 'to, e. Bago pa niya ako makilala ito na ang hanap buhay ko. Hindi ko naman pwedeng itigil ang pagiging stripper dahil lang ayaw niya.

"Micko—"

"Can we please just not talk about it?" he cuts me off. I sighed deeply before nodding my head.

Nag-usap lang kami ni Micko tungkol sa mga nangyayari sa pagiging intern namin. Simula kasi ng magstart ang internship madalang na lang kami magkita ni Micko dahil sobrang busy sya. Sa family company nila siya nag-iintern kaya parang tine-train na raw sya para after niyang gumraduate ay diretso na siya sa pagtatrabaho.

Nabanggit niya na marami silang business. Like hotels, restaurants and other businesses pa dahil sobrang business minded ng Tatay niya.

Naalala ko tuloy iyong kinwento niya tungkol noong bata sya na wala siyang kasamang magulang habang lumalaki siya.

It's just sad that his father chose to focus more on making his businesses grow rather than watching his son grow up.

"Micko, pwede ba akong magtanong?"

"Of course." he instantly replies.

I took a sip from my cocktail first before looking at him. I've been meaning to ask this of him, but I just couldn't find the right moment to ask. And it's been bothering me for a while now.

"Tungkol kay Jayden..." I trailed off. He automatically clenched his jaw upon hearing his stepbrother's name.

"What about him?"

"Curious lang ako. Bakit hindi kayo magkasundo? Para kasing ang laki ng pinag-awayan ninyong dalawa." He took a deep breath and took another shot of tequila.

He sighed once more. He clutched my hand even tighter, as if it were his life support.

"He... He slept with my ex-girlfriend," My eyes grew wider.

"We were getting along when Dad introduced Tita Jade and Jayden to me. They were both actually very nice, especially Tita Jade. She's a wonderful stepmother to me. She treated me as if I were her biological son." He took a breath and paused for a moment. A sliver of pain flashed across his eye.

"However, things quickly escalated after that. Jayden began to treat me like a jerk. I tolerated him at first because I assumed it was just a matter of time, and I still respected him because he is older than me, regardless of what he was doing."

"He, on the other hand, just keeps going... Then I discovered that he was only after Tita Jade's attention, which is why I kept my distance from Tita Jade. It's best if I'm the one who separates myself from them because I'm not her biological son."

He took another shot before continuing. Nakatingin lang ako sakaniya at nakatuon ang buong atensyon ko sakaniya habang nag-kwekwento siya. Hindi ako makapaniwala na sobrang dami palang nangyari talaga sakanila.

"I asked my dad if I could have my own condo, and he was fine with it. Jayden and I grew increasingly estranged, and I began to avoid him. But then I discovered that he had met Scarlet in a bar and that they had slept together."

After he said that, he clenched his fist in rage.

"Scarlet denied it, but 6 months ago, someone took a video of them kissing–again–in the school parking lot, and that's why Scarlet and I broke up."

I couldn't say anything because I was speechless.

Micko asked for another shot of tequila. Naubos ko na rin iyong cocktail na hawak ko dahil sa mga nalaman ko.

Wow.

Kaya ba ganon nalang ka protective sakin si Micko kapag nandyan si Jayden? Iniisip rin ba niya na gagawin ko iyong ginawa ni Scarlet sakaniya?

I reached for his face and caressed his cheeks. I stared intently into his eyes. I want him to know how much I really like him.

"Ikaw lang ang gusto ko, Micko..." I genuinely said to him. I saw the side of his lips rise. Thanks to the alcohol, I feel brazen about telling him that without averting my gaze.

"At kung natatakot ka na baka gawin ko iyong ginawa sayo ni Scarlet, nagkakamali ka. Magkaiba kaming dalawa... I want you to trust me because I really trust you and I like you so much, Micko."

After I said those words, he immediately captured my lips and started kissing me full on the lips.

I answered his kisses with the same intensity. I want him to know how much I'm into him... How much I like him and that I will never do what Scarlet did to him.

Sakaniya lang ako naging ganito at hindi ako tanga para gawin sakaniya iyon... Kitang-kita ko sa mga mata niya kanina kung gaano siya nasaktan sa ginawa ni Scarlet. And I don't know, I feel a little bit jealous because I realized that he did truly love Scarlet, because he wouldn't be this mad if he didn't really care for her.

I was gasping for air when we pulled away. I bit my lower lip because I just realized that Marv was right in front of us while we were making out.

"I really like you too, Lindsey," he said before intertwining our fingers.

Nakangiti lang kami habang nagtititigan at naputol lang iyon ng biglang tumikhim si Marv sa harapan namin.

Natawa lang kami ni Micko. "Marami namang available na room sa taas. Doon nalang kayo kaysa nang-iinggit kayo ng single dito," sabi ni Marv.

Mas natawa kami lalo ni Micko at sinabing bigyan pa kami ng alak.

Happiness is something that money can't buy.

Money is necessary for survival, but it will never be enough to make us truly happy. Love is...

***

"Lindsey, tumawag sakin kanina iyong client at sinabing sa Marble Creek Hotel na raw ang venue,"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko dahil sa sinabi ni Veena. "Ha? Bakit raw?!" tanong ko at hindi ko maiwasang hindi magtaas ng boses!

Bakit naman sa Marble Creek Hotel pa! Ang dami-daming ibang hotel bakit doon pa nila nilipat!

"Hindi ko rin alam, e. Tumawag lang sila kanina at iyon ang sinabi,"

Napapikit ako at napahilot sa gilid ng ulo ko.

Doon ako nag-iinternship at sigurado akong tatanggalin nila ako kapag nalaman nila na stripper ako. Hindi maganda sa reputasyon ng hotel nila iyon!

Pero wala akong magagawa dahil naka-ayos na lahat... Hindi ako pwedeng basta nalang mag-back out dahil sigurado akong magagalit si Miss Sweety kapag nalaman niya 'to.

I took a deep breath.

"Sige. Tara na," sabi ko kay Veena, bago ako nag tungo sa sasakyan namin.

Sobrang lakas ng pintig ng puso ko habang nagmamaneho papunta doon. I just need to leave quickly as soon as we are done with our job. Wala dapat makakakita sakin doon.

I need that internship. I can't risk it, but I can't also just quit this job...

Mababaliw na ako sa mga nangyayari!

Pagdating namin doon mabuti nalang at alam ko na iyong mga daan at pasikot-sikot sa hotel. Si Veena ang inutusan kong kumuha ng key card namin at ako naman ay dumaan sa back entrance ng hotel kung saan walang masyadong empleyadong dumadaan.

Dalawang magkatabing room ang naka-book. Iyong isa para sa mismong party, at iyong katabi naman ay para samin ni Veena dahil dito kami mag-me-make up at magpapalit ng damit.

Nagsimula na kaming mag-set up sa kabilang kwarto kung saan gaganapin ang party. Inayos namin lahat ng decorations at props na gagamitin namin. May mga pagkain na rin na naka-handa sa loob na galing yata sa isang catering.

Mga bandang 8:30 PM ay natapos na kami ni Veena at 30 minutes nalang at magsisimula na ang bachelor's party. At dahil ayaw kong lumabas masyado, kaya si Veena ang lumalabas para kausapin iyong nagplan nitong party. Naka-suot na ako ng costume ko na Black Widow at iyong pulang wig. My clothing is very fitted and hugs my curves perfectly.

"Good luck, Lindsey," Veena said when I got inside the big box, and they transferred me to the other room.

"Thank you, Veena." I smiled at her, but she just looked away. Siguradong kinakabahan rin sya kaya hindi ko na pinansin.

Naramdaman kong gumalaw na iyong cart at saka ako nilipat sa kabilang kwarto. Wala akong naririnig na nagsasalita dahil mukhang so-sorpresahin nila iyong ikakasal. Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero sobrang lakas ng tibok ng puso ko sa kaba.

Nagsimula ng tumunog iyong kanta at iyon ang signal na lalabas na ako sa loob ng karton para bigyan ng lap dance iyong groom.

Before standing up and exiting the box, I mentally count to 1 to 3.

The room was dimly lit. I couldn't see the other guests, but they could be hiding somewhere in the room. I just kept doing my sexy dance towards the guy in the wooden chair in front of me.

While dancing, I began grinding my hips and biting my lower lip seductively.

I couldn't see the groom's face, but the smile on his lips indicated that he was having a good time. However, as I got closer to the groom and saw his face clearly, I had to stop dancing as my eyes widened in shock.

Anong ginagawa niya rito?

Hindi ako makagalaw sa pwesto ko habang nakatingin kay Jayden na may malaking ngisi sa labi niya.

"Why did you stop, Lindsey? I'm still enjoying your sexy dance..."

WHATYASEY