AGS 3: The Stag Party (PUBLISHED)

4. Forced

TRIGGER WARNING: SOME SCENES MAY DEPICT VIOLENCE, DRUGS, AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

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HE WAS mad.

Leo was mad . . . and irritated . . . and he sounded so annoyed.

Dinala niya ako sa table nila. And that was the only table na walang white powder na nakalinya or smoky and smelled like weed, unlike the other table.

Pinaupo ako roon sa isang dulo ng couch habang sobrang seryoso nila.

Ronie was there, standing behind the couch, looking out for everyone in the room. William and Clark weren't comfortable in their seats. Nakailang inom ng beer si Clark habang paulit-ulit niyang sinasabi na, "Dapat talaga hindi na tayo sumama, e."

Patrick was silently crying in the corner while covering his whole nose and mouth. He was coughing, probably because of the smoke around us.

I really thought Patrick was just behaving like a kid kaya sila unease, but then Ronie spoke.

"Miss, may phone ka ba?" mahinang tanong sa akin ni Ronie.

Umiling lang ako kasi bawal kaming magsalita.

Hindi allowed ang phone dito. Sa entrance pa lang, kinukuha na ang mga phone or camera. The management said that was for security. But the truth was that they didn't want someone to take some evidence na may drug den dito. Masyadong delikado.

I was aware of it, but I couldn't do anything. May backer sa authorities ang owner dito kaya imposibleng makatulong ako.

"Dapat kasi hinayaan mo na lang ang treynta mil mo kay Elton," paninisi ni Calvin kay Leo.

"Gago ka ba? 80k ang utang niya sa 'kin. Kalahati n'on, allowance ko for the whole February and March. May tatapusin pa akong machine, saan ako kukuha ng funds?" naiinis na sagot ni Leo habang dinuduro ang table.

"Sabi ni Duke, stag party lang, di ba?" Will said. "Hindi ganitong stag party ang ine-expect ko."

And so am I.

Well . . . we entered a drug den and a human trafficker's hub.

"Miss, nakakalabas ka, di ba?" Ronie asked again. "Can we ask you a favor?"

I nodded at him.

"Wala kasi sa amin ang mga bag namin. Kinuha nila. We're not bad guys, believe me. Nandito kami kasi yung barkada ng groom, may utang sa friend namin." Ronie tapped Leo's shoulder. "Hindi kami invited dito. They forced us to be here, and we needed to take my friend's money. Can you help us?"

I nodded again, but this time my heart was beating so fast.

Hindi sila invited. Ibig sabihin . . .

"We have no pen, pero matalas ba ang memory mo?" Ronie asked.

Well . . . I memorized all IATA airline and location codes?

Ronie almost bowed down to talk to me as quietly as he could. "We can't call the police right now kasi mare-raid 'tong lugar. Malalaman ng parents namin na nandito kami. Can you call our friend for us?"

Mabilis akong tumango sa kanya.

"Mas mabilis ba kung itsa-chat si Melanie?" tanong ni Ronie kay Calvin.