He Married the Stripper.

Meeting The Devil's Clan - Two.

---EMILY---
Si Lolo Al ang opisyal na nagpa-kilala sakin sa buong pamilya nila. Nang pinakilala niya ko sa mga anak niyang sina Alonso at Amelia, nag-panggap silang hindi pa kami nag-uusap o nag-kikita. Although they still said some mean things about how it's rude not to invite them to our wedding. Pero gaya ng mga eksena sa mga teleserye they said it as if they were joking and dahil hindi naman nag-sasalita sa tabi ko si Alex, ako yung humingi ng paumanhin.

Matapos ang ilang minutong pakikipag-plastikan sa tito at tita niya in-excuse ni Alex ang sarili niya kaya naman naiwan ako sa piling ng mga kamag-anak niyang halata namang walang pakialam sakin. They tried to make conversation with me at tama nga si Alex, pina-imbestigahan na nga nila ako, alam nila kung saan ako nakatira, about kay Lolo at sa mga magulang ko halos lahat pwera na lang sa pagiging stripper ko just a few months ago.

Mabait sila sakin at walang rude comments kapag wala si Alex at si Lolo Al lang yung kaharap namin pero as soon as he left too parang kasama ako ni Lolo Al na umalis dahil they completely stopped talking to me, para akong nag-lahong parang bula with the way they just completely ignored me. Pero okay lang coz at least hindi naman nila ko inaaway.

Tumalikod na ako at nag-decide na hanapin si Alex. Tinext ko siya pero as usual hindi naman siya sumasagot. Pumasok ako sa loob ng mansyon dahil sabi sakin nung isang maid nakita daw niyang pumasok si Alex sa loob, baka daw pumunta sa entertainment room or baka sa library. Binigyan niya ko ng direksyon kung san yun pero sa laki ng bahay na to. Hindi ko na alam kung nasan ako.

Lalabas na sana ulit ako ng garden ng makita kong pumasok si Maxine (only child ni Amelia), Harvey (panganay na anak ni Alicia), Ashton at Rico (anak ni Alonso). Unlike their parents they we're all nice to me. Nilapitan ko sila at tinanong kung nakita nila si Alex.

---NARRATOR---
Nang ipina-kilala ni Lolo Al si Emily sa mga pinsan ni Alex, maganda ang trato ng mga ito sa kanya. Mababait at welcoming silang lahat sa kaniya. Pwera na nga lang kina Riley at Lorraine, who left as soon as they met. It's understandable since they're still teenagers and talking to people older than them is boring. They said the party was boring and went inside to one of the rooms to hang-out away from the adults. With the way Alex's cousin treated her, she was relieved they weren't anything like their parents. That whatever problem they had with Alex didn't pass on to the children. 

However that turned out to be wishful thinking, dahil kagaya ng mga magulang ng mga ito. As soon as Lolo Al was not in sight, their true colors shone through. Nang lumapit sa kanila si Emily at tinanong kung nasaan si Alex, sumimangot silang lahat.

"Do we look like his yaya to you?" Iritang sabi ni Maxine. Nang mapansin nilang parang nagulat si Emily sa naging reaction ng dalaga tumawa silang apat.

"What? Don't tell me you expected us to be 'friends' or something." Sabi ni Harvey. 

"Girl, we are definitely not friends or even family. That 'niceness' we showed you earlier was just a facade coz Lolo Al was there." Pag-eexplain ni Ashton.

"Anyway, where did Alex even found you?" Sabi naman ni Rico as he circle Emily like a lion to it's prey. 

"Look... if you don't know where he is..."

"Aba! You have guts for an outsider. Mayabang ka akala mo ba hindi ka namin papatulan?" Ngisi ni Ashton, pinalibutan siya ng tatlong lalaki, habang naka-masid naman si Maxine sa kanila.

Nakaramdam ng kaba si Emily. Hindi niya kilala ang apat at sa totoo lang hindi niya alam kung anong kayang gawin ng mga to sa kanya. Kaya niyang tanggapin ang mga sinasabi nila sa kanya pero kung sakaling saktan siya ng mga ito. May magagawa ba siya? Kaya ba niyang labanan ang apat? Bakit ba walang tao sa paligid nila? Nasan yung mga kasam-bahay na kanina lang ay nag-lilinis sa may tabi nila? Iniisip niya kung anong dapat niyang gawin ng may nag-salita sa may likuran nila.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Napatingin silang lahat sa nag-salita.

"What are you doing here, F*g?" Tanong ni Maxine sa bagong dating.

"I was invited." Sagot naman ng lalaki.

"Tch, doesn't matter if you were. You're not welcome here." Sabi naman ni Rico.

"Oh really? Sorry. Didn't get the memo." Sarcastic na sagot niya.

"Tch, doesn't matter. Stop interfering." Inis na sabi ni Harvey.

"As per usual. Hindi ka na naman nakikinig, Harvey. Sinabi ko na diba. I wouldn't do that if I were you." 

"And why shouldn't we?" Tanong ni Ashton.

"Coz Lolo's coming." Ngisi niya. As soon as he said it nag-katinginan ang apat.

"He's lying." Sabi naman ni Maxine.

"Nope, not lying. I was in the entertainment room where he found me so I had to come out. He should be here any minute now." Sabi naman niya. 

"Whatever. We weren't gonna do anything anyway." Inis na sabi ni Ashton, sama-sama ang apat na umalis at iniwan si Emily at ang bagong dating.

Nang nawala na sa paningin nila ang apat. Tumawa ang lalaki.

"Thanks." Sabi ni Emily.

"I didn't do it for you." Sabi naman ng lalaki.

"Oh yeah. Bakit ka nag-sinungaling sa kanila?"

"I didn't, parating na nga si Lolo."

"No, he isn't. Nasa labas sya. I was with him earlier." 

"Tch. Whatever."

"You're Anthony. Aren't you?" Hindi sumagot ang lalaki.

"I'm..."

"Emily. I know you."

---ALEX---
"Have you seen, Emily?" I asked Tita Carol when I couldn't find her anywhere. Saan naman kaya nag-suot ang babaeng yun? Akala ko ba natatakot siya sa mga kamag-anak ko?

"She was looking for you." Sagot niya, she suggested I call her but I already did that and hindi naman siya sumasagot.

"Saw her inside with Ate Max and the others." Sabi ni Riley nang bigla siyang sumulpot sa tabi namin.

"What? Where?" Anong ginagawa niya kasama yun? She's more dangerous than her mom.

"Inside nga diba." Pilosopo niyang sagot. 

No use asking this spoiled brat anymore, I went inside and found Maxine with the three stooges (Ashton, Harvey and Rico),in the game room. Harvey saw me first and being the stupid brat and the youngest he puffed up his chest and tried to look menacing and blocked me from coming closer. I pushed him away easily and only when he protested did the others look up from their phones.

"Where's Emily?"

"Seriously what is with you and that bitch? We are not your fucking yaya's." Sagot ni Maxine. 

"You need to put her in a leash if you don't want to lose each other. Right, Kuya?" Rico said as he high-fived his stupid brother Ashton.

"Yeah, coz she's a bitch!" The three stooges laughed, while Maxine looked at them disgusted with their sexist behavior. 

"You're all useless."Aalis na dapat ako pero Ashton being the biggest douche said something I couldn't just let go. I turned to him, maybe I looked really scary coz he backed up a little bit.

"You're already a useless piece of shit in the company, do you wanna be a useless piece of shit in life too? Coz I can make you're life hell if I want to and you know it."

"B-bastard! I'm telling Dad."

"Yeah, you go and tell him. That's what all of you can do anyway. Run crying to your parents like the cowards you are." I left them, their useless threats behind me.

As I exited the room I saw Emily with Anthony. Emily saw me first and ran towards me.

"Kanina pa kitang hinahanap." She said to me, Anthony was right behind her.

"We're leaving." I said grabbing her arm.

"Ha? Ngayon na? Hindi man lang ba tayo mag-papaalam." She asked, I ignored her.

"Aren't you even gonna say hi to me?" I heard Anthony say. I looked at him and he shook his head.

"I'm gonna tell them you said goodbye."