Chapter One

[Enna's POV]

"Amega, anong gagawin ko dito sa pill?" tanong ko kay Mikey while looking at the pill na kakaabot lang niya sa'kin.

"Ay, ipapalunok mo sa dayday mo, Enna!"he said while rolling his eyeballs. "Syempre i-inumin mo 'yan! Kaloka ka. Maganda ka sana kaso wala ka talagang common sense!"

Napa pout ako. "Anong mangyayari sa'kin pag ininom ko 'to?"

"Tutubuan ka ng pakpak tapos magkakaroon ka ng sungay tapos tutubuan karin ng buntot!" He moved from the driver's seat saka ako marahang tinuktukan sa ulo. "Amega, pakipulot nga ng brain mo! Nahulog na yata sa ilalim ng dayday mo! Syempre, gaganahan ka sa sex! Sex pill 'yan! Ano ba ang pinaguusapan natin? Diba magpapatira ka ngayon? Kailangan mo 'yan!" sabi niyang kumukumpas kumpas pa ang maarteng kamay.

"Tayo nalang kaya? Tutal bestfriend naman kita. Tsaka lalaki ka naman. Parang hindi ko kaya sa iba."

Tinuktukan niya muli ako. "Gaga ka! Over my dead body, no way! Kahit maghubad ka sa harap ko ngayon hindi kita mapagnanasaan. Alam mo namang girl rin ako!"

"I don't know, Mikey."

"Anong I don't know?! Next week na ang engagement mo, Amega, tapos kasal na ang susunod. Gusto mo bang maging asawa ang matandang panot nayun?"

I shook my head at napahilig sa balikat niya. "Ayoko. Magpakamatay nalang kaya ako?" I pursed my lips.

"Kailan mo gusto? Para mahanda ko na ang kakailanganin mo bago ang burol mo?"

I strike Mikey's arm. "Baliw ka talaga!"

I pulled him to a hug at nagsumiksik ako sa d****b ni Mikey. I just got out of college and I'm too young to be engaged at nineteen. I was unfortunate to belong to a traditional Chinese family. I was not allowed to choose kung sinong lalaki ang papakasalan ko. Since my birth, I was already tied to be married to the Chiu's eldest son Ashton Chiu, was according to my Papa na kamakailan ko lang nalaman. I didn't know that they've already picked a guy for me behind my back.

Maganda lang ang pangalan niya but he was already a thirty five year old balding man. He's not that bad looking naman. Hindi ko lang talaga siya type. His father, Vicente Chiu, owns an extensive chains of malls over Visayas and Mindanao. Isa sa pinakamayaman ang mga Chiu dito sa Cebu. And me, being a Gachalian is no different from them. My family is also in the same business as theirs.

Napahiwalay ako kay Mikey na busy na sa pagti-text ngayon. I opened my car window then I took my purse on top of the dashboard and fished out my pack of cigarettes inside. I took a stick and lit it saka ko iyon hinithit. I need to find a guy tonight to pop my cherry.

The Chiu wanted me to be pure before marriage, ang sabi naman sa'kin ni Ate at ito lang ang alam kong paraan para putulin ang kasunduan ng mga pamilya namin. Sana pala ay ginawa ko na 'to noon sa mga naging patagong ex-boyfriends ko. Kaya lang kasi natatakot akong mabuntis. And my dad, Fernando Gachalian, is someone I wouldn't want to mess with. Iba kung magalit si Papa.

Pero ngayon, wala na talaga akong choice kundi gawin 'to.

"Ay nag text na ang contact ko, Amega. May customer daw siya ngayon pero may iri-recommend daw siya sa'yo. Fresh pa daw etech. Let's go to the club!" He took a bottled mineral water from inside of his bag at inabot sa'kin. "Inumin mo na yung pill para pag dating natin dretso na. Mas mabuti na yung maka siguro. Mamaya aatras kapa."

"Mikey..."

"Anong Mikey?! Huwag kanang mag inarte! Akin na nga!"

He took the pill from my hand and forcibly put it inside my mouth and made me swallow it.

[Mikho's POV]

"AT LAST! It had been forever bago muli ako mabibinyagan!" Kiko said after we've all went down the taxi. "Mukhang high class nga 'to mga P're."

"Naman! Hindi na namin ipagkakatiwala ang buhay namin sa'yo. Hindi naman club yung pinagdalhan mo samin noon, perya! Wala akong napulot na matinong babae," Cholo answered and the guys roared in laughter.

Kiko snorted. "Wala lang nagkamali sa'yo rung maganda."

"Wala talaga. Mas type kasi nila dun ang may exotic looking face na kagaya mo."

"Gago!"

"Tigilan niyo na nga 'yan. Pumasok na tayo at hanggang four am lang ang curfew natin. Malalagot tayo 'pag lumampas tayo sa oras. Nag kwa-quarter check pa naman ng alas kwuatro si Father Jules," sabi ni Keil.

I shook my head and sighed, looking at the red light and the bold letters in front of us that says HOT LEGS.

Napa-sign of the cross ako at sandaling napadasal. Lord, forgive these guys for they don't know what they're doing.

Evo snapped at me.

"Mik, kanina ka pa walang imik. Huwag mong sabihing hindi ka magpapabinyag? It's long time overdue, P're. Kawawa naman iyang birdie mo. Hindi naman masakit magpadivirginized. Masarap," he grinned.

Napailing ako at hindi siya sinagot. I know what they'd tell me kapag sinabi kong hindi ako sasama sa kalokohan nila. I'd rather stay here and wait for them. Wala talaga akong planong pumasok at manood na naman ng mga babaeng n*******d habang nagsasayaw o 'di kaya ay makipag usap sa mga babaeng nagpapatable. Though I knew the guys won't settle to pay for those girls. They're here because they'd hook up for babes who'll be willing to take them to bed for free. Kuripot kaming lahat kaya alam kong hindi sila maglalabas ng pera para magbayad ng babae. And who knows what disease those girls will bring us? I'd rather be sexless than acquire AIDS or STDs.

"I'll stay here. Dito ko na kayo hihintayin," sagot ko sa kanila.

"Ang KJ talaga nito. Anong silbi ng pagsama mo dito? Pakinabangan mo naman iyang gandang lalaki mo," naiiritang sabi ni Kiko.

"Alam niyo ang dahilan kung bakit ako nandito. I wouldn't be here kung hindi niyo ako na-blackmail."

"Ginagawan ka nga namin ng pabor. You're too old to be sexless. Ilang taon kana ba, Bro? Six months nalang ordination na natin. We deserve to sin a little before that big day. Don't deprive yourself. I knkw you have the urge to get laid as much as we do. Loosen up! Papatawarin ka parin naman ni Lord," pangungumbinse ni Evo.

"I don't need sex and I'm not depriving myself. Hindi ako kagaya niyo. Your heads down under are larger than your brains. And don't use God's forgiveness like a game, you already knew what is right from wrong. "

"Says the man with the little head down. That's actually a compliment, Bro. Thanks!" Evo said with an edgy sarcasm."Tayo na nga. Susunod rin 'to sa loob. Takot lang niyang mapagtripan ng mga bakla dito sa labas," he tapped my shoulder. "Enjoy!"

Nauna nang naglakad papasok si Evo kasunod ang dalawa. Nagpaiwan si Cholo para muli akong ayain pero tumanggi muli ako at sinabing susunod nalang.

I gasped when the guys were nowhere out of sight at naupo sa isang pahabang bench sa tapat ng club. Sa totoo lang, I have a need like any man does pero kailangan kong isipin ang katungkulan ko sa Diyos.

But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death...

God's message to me earlier reflects the consequence that I'll have to pay if ever I'll be a slave of temptation.

"P're, gusto mo?" The guy sitting next to me offered his pack of cigarettes and his gas lighter.

"Thanks." I took a stick inside at inabot ang lighter para iyon sindihan. I coughed out at my first sip, not really knowing what to do. I haven't tried this before. And I don't know what came over me but I sure have to do something to get rid of the filthy things that I have in mind. I couldn't help but think of women and what paradise they can offer if I'll do the deed.

God forgive me...

"First time?" tanong niya matapos kong iabot sa kanya pabalik ang lighter.

Tumango ako.

"Masasanay karin kalaunan. Ganyan talaga sa umpisa, kabado kapa."

I don't exactly know what this guy was talking about. Did he just mean of the cigar?

"Ma prinsipyo ako noon. Sabi ko, hindi ako papasok sa ganitong kalakaran. Pero kapag pamilya mo na pala ang nangailangan matitibag rin pala ang prinsipyo mo gaano man iyon katayog. Hindi ko rin 'to gusto noon pero wala akong choice. Kailangan kong tustusan ang pag aaral ko at ang pag-aaral ng mga kapatid ko. May sakit ang nanay at ako na ang tumayong padre de pamilya simula ng mamatay ang tatay ko. May matino akong trabaho noon pero hindi sapat ang sahod ko para tustusan ang araw araw naming pangangailangan. Kaya heto ako ngayon. Medyo tumagal tagal narin sa ganitong kalakaran. Sanayan lang naman. Tiba tiba rin kung may mapera kang customer."

Muli akong napaubo habang tuloy parin sa paghithit. This guy must have mistaken me for a call boy. I simply looked at the entire bench at ngayon ko lang napansin na puro pala kami mga lalaking nakaupo rito. Lahat sa kanila mukhang may hinihintay.

Was this their pick-up place?

"May customer kana ba?"

Hindi ko alam ang sasabihin kaya napailing nalang ako. I don't want to offend him. Gustuhin ko mang kausapin siya tungkol sa salita ng Diyos pero wala ako sa posisyon para siya pagsabihan at husgahan.

Pinili ko nalang na manahimik at sinubukang ibaling ang atensiyon ko sa ibang bagay.

"Uy, andito na pala ang customer ko. Mauna na ako sa'yo, P're." He stood up and tapped on my shoulder.

"Salamat sa sigarilyo," sabi ko.

Tumango naman siya at tinungo ang nakaparadang puting CRV sa tapat namin.

Maya maya ay nagdesisyon narin akong tumayo. I was planning to take a walk to kill past the time when a weird-looking black custom-made car pulled over in front of me. The car was painted with skulls and corpses and there was a smiling face of a black SpongeBob at the center of the hood. Bumukas ang pinto sa driver's seat and a weird-looking guy came down from it. His hair was red and there was a serpent tattoo on his left arm.

Hindi ko napigilang panayuan ng balahibo. Agad akong napa sign of the cross. I was determined to leave when the guy approached me.

"Ay ang cute naman ng call boy natu, relihiyoso," he said in a gayish womanly voice and smiled. "Ikaw siguro yung guy na naka pink na sinabi ng contact ko. Perfect na perfect ka para sa Amega ko. Fresh na fresh at sobrang gandang lalaki!"

I almost choked my own saliva. "I'm not what you're looking for. Nagkakamali ka," I said as politely as I could though I had goosebumps at the back of my nape. I simply breathed out and took a step to leave but he cut me off.

"Taray! Englisero! Hindi naman nangangain yung kaibigan ko. Maganda yun kahit na may pagka tanga, hindi ka magsisi. Magkano ba ang kailangan mo?"

Do I look like one of those paid gigolos?

"Mikey!!!I can't take it! Maghuhubad na ako!" came a woman's voice that made me turn my head.

A live barbie was now standing next to the weird-looking car's passenger door, wearing only but her red lace pair of underwear. Her face resembles the replica of the barbie dolls my sister had in her room. Her hair was glossy blonde and she had a little charming face. I swallowed a load when my eyes averted to her body. Her body looks like a blessed holy place you'd love to dwell in. It was far from perfection.

Good God, what am I thinking?

"Si-ya naba...yung sinasabi mo...Mikey?" she shot me with a groggy look and started walking sluggishly towards me. She moved her hands to the straps of her bra, struggling to take it off of her velvety shoulders.

"Amega, huwag dito!" her gay friend shrieked.

Instinctively, I ran to her side to stop her from doing it and tried to cover her body. A group of men was whistling kaya agad ko na siyang binuhat at pinasok sa sasakyan. Walang babaeng dapat binabastos. This woman might be passed out drunk and unsober but that doesn't give any man the permission to disrespect her.

"Uhmmmm...." she softly mewled and pulled me to her while I fixed her in her seat. Napapikit ako at napalunok. I tried so hard to ignore how soft her skin felt against my skin and how deliciously sweet she smells.

"Pakitanggal na ng panty ko..." she whispered and I opened my eyes, meeting her droopy little eyes. " 'Di ko na kaya..."

"Naiihi ka ba?" tanong ko.

"Ay ano bayan! 'Di ko alam na ganito pala kabilis ang epekto ng gamot!" Her gay friend was now on the side of the driver's seat. May kinuha siyang bag at may perang inilabas doon saka iyon inilapag sa upuan. "Ikaw na ang bahala sa babaetang 'yan. Dalhin mo kung saang hotel mo siya feel dalhin. Mukhang katiwatiwala naman ang kapogian mo," he said and pointed the ignition. "Marunong kabang magmaneho?"

Wala sa loob naman akong napatango.

"Ay perfect! Dahan dahanin mo lang 'yan, ha? Ang mga mukhang baby face na kagaya mo pa naman ang mahilig sa hardcore. Enjoy!"

After having said that, he took a picture of me and walked out, leaving me speechless and without any choice but to be with this woman.