Rich Man's Dancer

"Ethel, we need to pay for our monthly rent for this week. Do you think we can pay then?"

This is what my 'good morning' greeting from my mother is. Though, I don't think I can change the way she treats me anymore. The moment she discovered my job, it felt like she lost all the respect she had for me. For me, it's quite understandable. I'm a harlot, what could I do?

On the contrary, I never wanted this job. Of course, who in the world would want to sell her dignity for a thousand peso or less? Well yes, it's not like I'm selling sex to men but I'm selling every part of my body by showing it publicly while dancing naked under the neon lights.

I wanted to graduate from my dream university. I wanted to work a decent and good-paying job instead of what I have right now, but I just can't. I couldn't even afford a decent and enough food for dinner, what more a tuition fee for college that costs around a hundred thousand pesos or even more?

"Ma, I'll see what I can do about that-"

"Oh, Ethel! I need a new uniform and phone or maybe a tablet this month, online class matters. You know what I mean," my sister cut me off.

Emilia Alonzo, Miya for short, is my younger sister. She is my mother's daughter with my step-father who happened to have another family aside from us and just left us hanging, and starving. She isn't using his surname for her legal wife forbid Miya to bear his last name, that's why she uses my mother's maiden last name.

My father on the other hand is a gentle and caring man, sadly he died due to a heart attack. His blood rose and experienced extreme hypertension when he caught my mom doing the did with Miya's dad. He died on the spot and my mother didn't even cry in his wake. She abandoned the man who took care of her for 20 years for a man that made her a mistress.

Yeah, I know. My life is so full of rainbows.

"Miya, stop playing bitch with me. Carla had a new iPhone that's why you wanted to have a new gadget too. May I remind you that we're poor and they aren't? Just study, don't be such a social climber," I rolled my eyes to her.

Miya is studying Education in a local college. It doesn't look like it, but Miya is a dean's lister and that makes her a scholar. I only need to pay the half price of her expenses. Also, Carla Madrigal is her social-climbing friend.

"My dear, I need it too," she even pouted her lips like a duck. "Just give it as a gift."

"A gift? For what?"

"I got a straight uno average for this sem! You should at least reward me!" She grunted like a child.

Look how natural we talk to each other unlike how I interact with my mother who is now inside her room. Sleeping, for sure. Another thing, she'll come out once I leave.

"We barely even have money for food other than sardines and you want a gift, a pricy gift from me?" I mocked her.

"Ate--"

"Op op! Don't call me sister when you need something!" I cut her.

"Fine! Ethel, give me a new phone. Pretty please!" She begged.

"Tsk! Do you think I'm a millionaire or what? Do I look like I earn millions in every dance I do on Artemis?" I lectured her.

It doesn't look like it but believe me, Miya is a good sister of mine. Maybe, sometimes she's spoiled because we still have money to buy more than what we needed before but now? She's trying her best to adjust and understand our situation.

"Fine! but! Promise me to buy me a new phone once you earn money, okay?" she hopefully asked.

All I can do is nod. I don't know when that time will come, but I hope sooner.

I walked out of the house while holding a piece of pandesal. This is my breakfast, and of course a stack of blue cigarettes. Yes, I smoke. I learned to smoke while working in the Artemis. It helps me stay calm and it helps me boost my self-confidence which I need the most for this job.

And even outside my job. I'm living in a compound where judgemental and close-minded people live. They even called me a prostitute sometimes, even catcalled me. I can't stop them so all that I can do to pull myself together is to blow off steam by blowing a cigar.

"Ethel! Where are you off to again? To Artemis? Whoo! See you later!" Ernesto Mandallo, also known as Toto in this compound. He is a regular customer in our club and he, of course, saw me dance naked countless times before.

The truth is, I'm not going to Artemis yet. It's only nine in the morning and the club opens at six in the afternoon so what am I going to do in the club, huh?

I'm going to my other business to mind. I'm going to my vocational short-term school. I'm learning things that can help me to get into decent jobs. Did I already tell you that I have a dream?

I want a normal and comfortable life. I want to leave Artemis as soon as possible. I don't have plans in staying longer because I don't want to depend on the club. I don't want to be a prostitute later on.

I believe that my body is my temple, and only one disciple is allowed to enter.

"Vergara?" the professor called me for attendance.

"Present, sir."

And he called other names as well.

This is my everyday life. I wake up, I smoke. I go to school, and I go to the club to be a harlot.

Nothing really interesting. Just a repetitive life cycle of a choiceless poor woman.