Chapter 5| The Searching

"Big sister, I'm hungry..." Maymay said while sobbing. She sat on the floor while holding her aching stomach. I approached her gently and bent my knees in front of her to make eye contact.

"Uhmm... Maymay, wait a minute. I'm waiting for your Auntie Bel's reply," I explained to her. I turned my attention back to my phone and fiddled with it.

To Bel:

Bel, can you lend me ten dollars? We just wanted to buy something to eat for tonight. I ran out of money.

Sent!

This was the third time I texted Bel, but there was no reply. 

What happened to that woman?

I stood up and went back to the kitchen. I massage my temple out of frustration.

My boss didn't give me my salary from the club for this month. This was how they work. They treated me like that. Just one complaint, someone will point a gun at your forehead and you will receive all kinds of insults but—I worked for that money. I worked for it but they didn't give it fully.

"Big sister..." Maymay called while crying at the salas.

"Maymay, can you please stop! Your voice is annoying!" Kokoy shouted. He was lying on the mat.

I immediately left the kitchen and approached Kokoy.

"Kokoy, don't shout at your little sister," I reprimanded him.

"She's noisy!" he irritatingly answered while covering his face with a pillow.

At that moment, I sighed. Even if he acted like that, I know he was hungry too. He just vented through annoyance and anger. We haven't had food since lunch and now... it was already dark.

"Big sister, I'm really hungry..." Maymay cried again. Her tears flowed from her eyes which she immediately wiped away with her small hands.

Honestly, I wanted to cry too. I was hungry too but I could endure it, but them? I felt sorry. I felt sorry for the kind of lifestyle we had. They had a prostitute sister. Because of my profession, I knew they got bullied in school. Fortunately, they didn't think about leaving someone like me.

I gently approached Maymay.

"Sssssh... Stay here. Big sister is going outside to get some food, huh? Just wait for me." I smiled at her and wiped the tears streaming down her face.

"Really?" she surprisingly asked.

"Of course, little sis. So, stay here, huh? Don't leave the house. I'll be right back," I answered gently and kissed her on the forehead.

"Kokoy! Watch your sister! I'll just go outside," I requested. I took a jacket from the cabinet and wore it.

Kokoy nodded in response.

After seeing it, I quickly left the house.

* * * *

"Hello?" I called in front of the store. I rubbed my two palms because of the embarrassment and awkwardness I felt.

"Hello?"

"Wait!!!" I was startled and shut my mouth after hearing a person inside the store. I patiently waited and puffed out an air that came from my chest—just to take off the nervousness I felt.

"Oh? What brings you here, Angge?" The owner of the store addressed me by my nickname.

"Uhmm... Can you kindly lend me—"

"Oh my gosh! I don't have sales today! It's already late night, Angge. Not tonight!" She pushed me away from her store.

"Please... Please... Lend me some food. I promise I'll pay you once I receive my salary from the club. My siblings are really hungry—just only for my siblings—”

She cut me off by raising her right hand. I didn't finish what I was supposed to say.

"Oh my gosh, Angge! Do you know how much your debt is to my store?" she exclaimed and raised her drawn eyebrow. I looked at my feet out of embarrassment.

"Please... Lend us some food. I'll pay all my debts soon. I will pay in installments," I whispered but I know she heard it because she sighed and stared at me intently.

"Fine! What are you going to owe? F*ck this life!" she irritatingly said while saying those words. I smiled upon hearing it and took a deep breath.

"One can of sardines, one kilo of rice, one garlic and msg," I replied. The old lady quickly complied.

"Here!" A large bag containing food was handed to me.

"Thank you very much!" I said happily to the old lady.

"Don't say thank you! That's a debt! You should pay for it!" she shouted in front of me.

"Yes, I'll pay for it," I answered right away and smiled. Even if she was shouting at me, it was okay. The important thing was we already had food tonight.

"Go ahead! Go away!" she waved her hands and massaged her temple as if her head was aching.

Now, I was relieved to be back at home.

* * * *

Kokoy opened the door for me when I came home.

"Wow! Big sister!" Maymay shouted happily and hugged my right thigh.

"Wait, Maymay... I am going to cook our food first," she immediately removed her grip on me and nodded with a smile. 

I walked to the kitchen hurriedly.

"Bel?" I was surprised to see her when I reached the kitchen.

"Hey, Angela. I'm sorry. I read your text message late. By the way, take this," she handed me a paper. Money to be exact.

"No, no, no, no... We have food already. I've found a way," I smiled and put down the food I owed to the store.

"Come on, Angela!" she ranted and stomped her feet on the floor. I looked at her in surprise.

"How about breakfast for tomorrow? So, take this! Don't hesitate to ask for help, okay?" she insisted and pulled me closer to her. She forcibly put the money into my pocket.

At what she did, I breathed deeply.

"Thank you, Bel," I said and my eyes started to become teary. Bel pulled me closer to her and hugged me.

"Oh! First things first! Where did you come from? Is it a debt to the store again?" she asked as she helped me to cook.

"Yeah..." I shortly answered.

"Angela! Before I forgot!" she said sharply as if she suddenly remembered something.

"Some men came here earlier in the house. Three men in a black suit are looking for you," she said after she sprinkled the msg on the stewed sardines.

"Me? They are looking for me? What time?" I asked in surprise and leaned against the wall.

"It's been a while. When you came, they just left a couple of minutes ago. Seriously, friend, they're scary so when they asked me if you live here, I lied. I said that Angela didn't exist here. At first, it seemed like they weren't convinced and their gaze wandered inside your house."

I fell into silence at what she said.

Me? They were looking for me? Who was the one who would do such an effort to find a prostitute like me?

I couldn't help but feel nervous and at the same time scared.

"Uhmm... Bel, why didn't you tell them I live here?" I asked in curiosity and started to put the dishes on the table.

"Of course! I'll hide you! What if those are syndicate groups? Or another prostitution? Or maybe your big-time demon clients who are looking for you? Most likely, I will hide you. It's enough to entertain one club," she explained.

After hearing it, I shrugged my shoulders and shook away the thoughts inside my head.

I just called my siblings to eat dinner.