Chapter 5

“Woahhhhh” The audience shouted all out, it’s so loud that I can’t even heard anything elese but their cheer and clap. This is what I’ve always hear after I perform in the stage. the stage if filled with money from this nasty pervert guys who was mesmerize by my body.

I step out of the stage and go inside the staff room, where Erille’s waiting for me. “You are so good Louen, you are nostalgic when you move those hips. It’s an amazing” she said as she hugged me so tight and shiver a little bit, I smile and hugged her back, my fear and the nervousness that I’ve been feeling a the whole time disappear, and change it into astonishing satisfaction inside of me. So, this is what it feels? My heart is pounding so fast because of it.

“El” we both stop hugging each other when Ma’am Cherille step inside and call my name.  “This is what you get tonight, a lot of guys out there reach their satisfaction through your dance, you work well, this is your money, I already get my share from this. The 5k is mine and all of this are yours. Good start.” she said and handed me the money. 

My lips parted as I hold this money on my hand, “35k is all you got just from dancing tonight, work even harder to earn bigger cash from them, see you tomorrow.” she said and leave. I can’t believe that I earn 35 thousand pesos just for one performance. And the money is in my palm bear and fresh from the stage. I stared at it for a moment and this just feels so right.

In just one performance I earn this kind of money, no way… I think I love this idea already.

“Woah! That is so amazing Louen, you are so good for a first timer. Here have a seat and wait for me here. I’ll just work” Erille said and she let me seat in front of the mirror then leave, while I was left here alone and still can’t sink everything of this in my mind. I really have my own money in just a snap.

I looked at myself through the window and again to the money that is in my hand. This is crazy! I can’t believe this is this really my own money. Slowly I urge a small smile of fulfillment and look at the money. I could feel the happiness I felt while dancing and earning this money at the same time. This is way more different from dancing inside the university practice room.

I didn’t expect that this night would be as great as this, I smiled and hugged the money and looked at myself. This is my new world. 

After Erille’s performance she also earn a big amount of money and both went home with an exploding wallet. As we arrived home, we take a rest and wake up after a nap. Decided to take a shopping and spend our money with our for house supplies and for our needs and wants.

While buying some sort of things that we think we will need, my feelings is bursting out of happiness, because spending your own money feels better, feels powerful, feels so right. I just felt so proud of myself knowing that I’m not spending my parents’ money, because this if from my hard work.

I will prove to them that I can stand on my own. Now that I’m earning money like this, I can surely live without them. 

“Louen this suits you well, look.” Erille handed me a red sexy dress that I could wear on performing, “Try it in the dressing room, faster” she said and push me to the dressing room, we tried a lot of dress and other clothing and bought it like a mad rich people.

It’s so satisfying, we laugh and have a real fun time together, after that we decided to attend our classes and head to the university, we attended our classes and practiced some tricks on the practice room. I have been enjoying this new life of mine with her. 

At Least, this time I have someone who is true to me, and I know that I’m safe in her hands. she accepts me for what I’m and what is my mental health is. After the practice we both ate dinner before leaving the house and went to the club.

“Hi El, for you” Six just pop up out of nowhere as we enter the club staff entrance, he handed me a box of Ferrero Chocolate, that’s why I gaze at him with frowned bros, what is this for? For me?

“Thank you Six,” I said, even though I don’t understand why is he giving me this. “Where’s mine?” Erille ask him with her hands crossed over her chest. “You don’t need one, you’re going to be fat and ugly, blehh” Six teases her and stick his tongue out in front of her, making face that would make Erille irritated. Six, face me and wink at me before he heads back to the DJ spot. Erille and I just continue walking to the dressing room.  

“Rie” I called her, making her face me while putting down her bag in her locker. “Why?” 

“Here, you should take this, you know, I’m not really into sweets.” I said and give her the chocolates Six gave me. She looks at it, I smile at her and head to the changing room to change my clothes. I wear the dress that we bought this morning because I just felt so inspired to dance right now. It’s a nude two piece top with beige short dress, I also bought a beige sexy lingerie mask to pair my dress.

I just put on some makeup, and let Rie fix my hair. Then I step on the stage. 

People loud cheer and shouted is all I hears as I stand in the middle of the stage, I smirk and dance with the pole and set the club on fire. 

As weeks passed by, I started loving my job and always giving my best, so I also earned a lot of money just for a week. I have been sustaining my need just like what I was before. 

Now I open my eyes and stand off the bed, and go inside the bathroom to wash my face. I have an early morning class today so I wake up as early as I can.

I step out of the room and saw Erille seating on the couch, resting her head on the headrest and she looks so pale and weak. “Rie are you ok?” I ask her and walk toward her place. 

She slowly opens her eyes for me and slightly cuff in sniff. “Louen I’m not feeling well today,” she said in a rugged voice. I touch her neck and forehead to know her temperature.  

She’s burning hot, “You’re sick,” I said and help her lay on the bed inside the room, “I would not be able to attend my classes for today, I’ll just inform my prof about this, I’ll just rest for today so that I can attend work later.” She said and frowned a little bit.

“Ok, ok,” I said and bring everything that she might need, a towel, a bowl of warm water and water to drink, also her food. 

“I’ll be going to the university and attending my morning classes. Don’t worry I’ll be back after lunch; my classes are just half a day so I’ll be here to take care of you this afternoon. Wait for me ok.” I said and put the wet water on her forehead before I leave the place. Like I’ve said, I attended my early morning classes and comply some of my accounting activities sheets.

After that I head straight home, I take care of Erille the whole afternoon. But sadly, her fever just didn’t go down, and she’s not in the mode to eat anything.

“You’re not going to work tonight, I’ll just say that you’re not in the condition to work and dance tonight to Ma’am Cherille. I’ll tell her that you’re not feeling well.” I said making her look at me, “So, you’re telling me that you’re going to work without me tonight?” she asks while I was wiping her arms using the wet towel.

I nodded that quickly made her speak, “No, you’re not going to that club without me, something might happen while I’m not there with you. Just stay her and I’ll just call mamo on my own.” She said as her face is filled with worried emotion written on it.

I smile at her and said, “Hey, hey, don’t worry. I will just do my work there, I’ll dance and that it nothing else. Nothing bad will happen I promise you. If I didn’t go to work tonight it would be a waste of time because we need to pay our electric bills tomorrow. I will earn the payment for that tonight. Promise nothing bad would happen, I can do this.” I said and smile at her with assurance. 

“I’m not sure about this Louen, I feel bad about this, don’t go. Something might happen while I’m not the--- “ I cut her and say, “Rie, I’ll go, trust me on this nothing will happen. Don’t worry just take a rest please.” I stared at her and smile, a gentle smile that shouts assurance. She fights with my stare for a couple of minutes before she nodded and sighed. “Fine, just remember this, call me if you feel that something is gonna happen. Promise me that!” she said and close her eyes as a headache attacked her. 

“I can do this, I’ll take care of myself, now you have to rest” I utter and grab my bag before I gaze at her and fix the brim of the blanket before I leave the house. 

I ride a tricycle vehicle as I left, and went to the club. Before I enter the club, I decided to stop by the drugs store to buy Erille some medicine, so that after work I’ll just head straight home. As I enter the club entrance, Six showed up and I greeted him.

“Good evening Six,” I said and he instantly face me with a bright wide smile on his lips. “Hi Louen” he smiled at me so charmingly, but he stopped when he didn’t see Erille beside me. “Where’s Erille?” he asks with a confused expression throughout his face.  

“She’s sick, that’s why she’s not going to work tonight. How ‘bout you?” I ask, even though I know that his work is done and he’s already out. “I’m supposed to go home now since my duty is done,” he said. “Great! Great! Can you stop by our place and give this to Erille, so that she can drink her meds already and she would feel better as she sleeps, and she has no one with her tonight can you stay there for a little while?” I said and quickly handed him the meds I bought.

“But----” I cut him before he could complain and pouted my lips in front of him. “Please, Six” I held his hands and caress it gently, please say yes. He looks at our hands before he nodded and say, “Ok” I smile at him, “Thank you so much” I said before I head straight to the staff room, go for a change. 

I wore the see-through red dress that Erille choose for me when we have shopping. I top it with a black lingerie cover up then underneath it you can see my hot red dress and paired it with a red mask.

“El ikaw na sa stage” one of our co-dancers said and I nodded at her, taking a last glance at the mirror. I give my song to the Dj and step on the stage with rousing feelings.

“Insane, inside the danger, gets me high, can't help myself got secrets I can't tell I love the smell of gasoline, I light the match to taste the heat” the music is hitting up my whole system, I sway my hips and roll my body on the pole, tilting my head and seducingly walk around the pole. 

I lift up and hit a fire trick together with the music, “I've always liked to play with fire” I whisper together with the music. 

I undress in front and lay my body above a dozen of money on the stage. 

I smirk as I end the music and step out of the stage, I walk to the staff room and when I was about to remove my mask, Ma’am Cherille called my name. “El” she said and walked towards my place. 

“Yes?” I ask and face her properly, she suddenly held my hand and said, “You have a VIP client tonight.” What?! My eyes immediately widened as she said that, I can’t go there, Erille said that I can’t go there. “I’m not allowed there Ma’am, didn’t you and Rie talk about this already?” you can hear the nervousness is very visible in my voice.

“Someone pays for you a big amount of money, so we have to go. We can’t let the VIPs wait for long,” she said, she didn’t give me time to speak a word and instantly pull me out of the stock room and headed to the second floor where the rooms are located.

My heart is pounding against my chest, it feels like a terror walking up to the staircase. Every step adds a heavyweight on my chest and the lights up here are red that makes the place even scarier for me. I feel anxious as I take every step closer to the place.

This is what Erille’s talking about the ‘something might happen thing’. I should have listened to her, for everything she said because she knows this place better than me. My heart is racing to hell, as we walk closer to the VIP room. A big matte black door that stands out in all the doors it. Their a VIP gold plate in the middle of it, and seeing that just make my soul out of my body.

“Ma’am Cherille, please I can’t be here, I’m not selling my body, please. This is not what we’ve talked abou----” she didn’t finish my sentence and face me; she fixes some strands of my hair and spoke. “This man paid 150,000.00 just for you, whatever happens inside. Think about the money that you’ll be bringing home after 45 minutes. It’s not that hard,” she said and open the door for me. 

my lungs turn dry, as the door opens in front of me, and the dark aura inside touches my body. This room is the end of me.

“Go now,” Ma’am Cherille said and gently pushed me inside as she closed the door. 

My knees were wobbling and my hands were shaking as I take my first step inside this room. My heart won’t stop pounding as I felt that heavy feeling through the atmosphere inside of here. I can’t even move my whole body after that step. I became hard as ice.

I was filled with regret right now; I should have listened to Erille. I started to have teary as fear runs into my whole system.

I look at this guy facing the glass window of this room, a tall and masculine body of a man showed up. He has long legs and a great body built and posture. 

He’s wearing a black matte long sleeve shirt, folded the sleeve up to his arms, and black pants and oxford shoes. His hair is black as a raven. Making him look scary and powerful. 

Who will pay a hundred thousand for a stripper? 

I feared, even more, when I think about the possible thing that might happen tonight, I can’t help but to slap into my mind the thought of staying with Erille tonight, then I won’t be here in this situation. If only I’d listened to her. I can’t even call her for help, I left my phone in my locker, and Six wasn’t here either.

I’m hopeless, no one will help me now. I need to face this.

This is the end of me, 

“What’s your name?” I almost lose my breath when this guy speaks, his voice sounds so pure and powerful. 

It sounds so dark and dominant… 

“E-El” I said and then he faced me, with his hands in his pocket. I purse my lips because I feel so powerless by his presence and stare. His thick brows, long lashes and his hazel eyes, thin lips, and pointed nose with a well-shaped nose bridge. 

His face shouts so much perfection that I can’t take my eyes on him, “El” he utters and grins slowly before he walks close to my place. 

I almost fall and lose my balance because my knees are weak and wobbly, but he quickly wraps his arms around my waist and helps me to stand up. His scent smell so good, it’s a tempting and hypnotizing scent.

“You're shaking” he whispers into my ears before he looks at me and touches my mask. 

“Please n-no” I whisper with a whimper of fear, I know he heard it and that causes him to move his face even closer to mine.

“I won’t bite” he whispered and teasingly touched the tip of our nose before he moved away and let go of my waist. 

“I just called you out here to personally know your name, El, I love it,” he said before he opened the door and glanced at me. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said and leave. 

I slowly seat on the floor with a weak soul and body, who is that guy? who in the hell would pay 150,000.00 pesos just to know a stripper’s name.

This is insane, I don’t like to play with fire if he’s the fire. 

“I’d rather not” I whispered weakly.