His Virgin Stripper

04

V

I lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, but my mind was far from here. Still stuck on her words. 'You're not free to do whatever you want.'

I reached for my phone, but it felt like a lifeline I wasn't even sure I needed. I opened the messages from last night, seeing her reply. You did a good job. Now you can look for a job... at night only.

At night only. It echoed in my head, but it didn't make any sense. Pinagmumukha nila akong trabahador.

I threw the phone back on the bed, frustrated. Bakit ba kasi ganito siya? Bakit ba kasi sakanila pa ako napunta. I'm living in a shadow.

I stood up and walked to the mirror, my eyes scanning my reflection like it was someone else. Another day. Another set of rules. Another part of me that felt like it was slowly slipping away.

Sighing, I opened the door and stepped outside. Ang lamig ng hangin at madilim na. Walang tao. No one to stop me.

I needed a moment to breathe. To think.

I walked down the gated property, my thoughts all over the place. I turned back to see a car following me. It was  a black BMW 5.

It stopped in front of me, and I didn't even have to look. I already knew who it was.

"You're not going out alone," he said from the driver's seat.

I stopped walking, hands in my pockets. "I wasn't planning to."

His voice was flat, but there was no mistaking the order in it. "Get in, Ms. Celestine."

I hesitated for a second, but then I opened the door and slid in. Bakit ba ganito ang buhay ko? Feeling ko wala man lang akong choice.

I glanced at him, and he just raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to say something. But I had nothing to say. I was already in too deep.

I sighed, slumping back against the seat. "Look at him, bodyguard lang naman pero mukhang baklang nagtataray," bulong ko sa sarili, rolling my eyes.

Agad siyang lumingon, one eyebrow raised. "Anong sabi mo?"

Napakurap ako. Shit. Did I say that out loud?

I cleared my throat, looking straight ahead as if wala akong sinabi. "Wala po."

"Wala?" He scoffed, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. "Aba, mukhang lumalakas na loob mo ah."

I crossed my arms, not in the mood for this conversation. Naiinis pa rin ako. At lalo na ngayong meron akong bodyguard para bantayan ako, parang nagpapaalala lang na kahit may 'freedom' daw ako, meron pa ring tali sa leeg ko.

"Ang tahimik mo," he said, glancing at me.

I exhaled sharply. "Ano bang gusto mong pag-usapan? The Weather?"

He chuckled. "Wala. Gusto ko lang malaman kung plano mong tumakas."

Napalingon ako sa kanya, my forehead creased. "Ano?"

He smirked. " Akala ko tuloy may balak kang takasan ako kanina."

"No, as if I can" I groaned.

I turned back to the window, jaw clenching.

A few seconds passed, then he sighed. "Ms. Celestine hindi ba't dapat mo akong pasalamatan?."

"Good?" I repeated, scoffing. "Paano naman ako magpapasalamat kung may nakabuntot sa akin 24/7?"

He leaned back against his seat. " 'Wag ka mag alala ma'am kakampi mo ako" He smiled.

"Kakampi?" I let out a humorless laugh. "May kakampi pa pala ako sa lugar na ito."