He Married the Stripper.

The Third Wheel.

---EMILY---

Nakilala ko si Gigi sa club ng mag-simula akong pumasok doon almost two years ago. I didn't try to make any friends when I started and I only know most of my co-workers by name pero yun lang, I don't hang out with them and parati lang akong nasa isang sulok at nag-iisa. Gigi was the only one who actually tried to break down the walls and talk to me and because of her persistence I started opening up to her and she did the same. 

It didn't take long for us to be friends, we became closer and actually treated each other as sisters. She was the Ate I never had and I was another younger sibling she takes care of. She takes good care of me and I try hard to do the same for her pero dahil siguro sanay si Gigi na sya nag nag-aalaga at hindi ang ina-aalagan kahit na may problema sya hindi siya nagre-rely sakin she always tries to hide her problems. But after some time, I was able to tell when she needs me to help her, I can tell when she's lying and when she has any problems. The thing is, I missed this one because I was too far and too preoccupied to notice.

The next day nag-decide si Gigi na bumalik na sa apartment ni Charie and I told her that I'd come with her. Paalis na sana kami ng bigla siyang tinawagan ni Charie. 

"Gi! Nasan ka na?" 

"Pauwi na ko jan..."

"No! Gigi! Wag kang pupunta dito, kung nasan ka man mag-stay ka na lang jan!" Malakas na sabi ni Charie.

"Ha?! Bakit?"

"Si Accountant, nakita ko sa lobby kanina at tinawagan din ako nina Pia kanina, nakita din daw nila sa apartment nila itong stalker mo kagabi. Kahit daw sa boarding house nakita siya nina Ate Cora. I think hinahanap ka parin niya. So kung nasaan ka man, jan ka na lang muna."

After hearing her conversation with Charie I tried persuading her to go to the police again pero kahit na anong sabihin ko hindi parin siya pumayag. Nag-offer si Ed na siya ang magha-handle ng lahat pero kumbinsido siyang wala namang mangyayari kung magsa-sampa sya ng kaso, worst case scenario pa na mas lalong magalit at manggulo si 'Accountant'. 

Nag-stick parin siya sa plano na mag lay-low na lang at umasa na titigil din ang stalker niya. She even wanted to go back to work dahil banned na naman ang stalker niya sa club pero this time hindi na siya pinayagan ni Mother G. She told her that having her in the club would just put everyone on edge at baka mas lalo pang mang-gulo si 'Accountant' once he finds out she's there. 

"Okay lang po... Opo Ate Linda... Opo... Salamat po... Mamaya na lang po..." Pinindot ko ang end button at ipinatong ko sa lamesa ang cellphone ko. Napa-buntong hininga ako ng pumasok si Alex sa kitchen at kumuha ng tubig.

"What's wrong with you?" Tanong nya sakin as he sat down beside me. 

"Wala naman. Mag-o-off sana ako sa coffee shop today, kaso hindi daw pwede dahil tatanggap kami ng deliveries ngayon kaya kailangan nila ako."

"Why do you need to take the day off anyway?"

"Para samahan si Gigi. Sobrang nakakatakot yung nangyari sa kanya kagabi and I'm sure she doesn't want to be alone. Gusto kong mag-stay dito pero hindi naman pwedeng basta ko na lang iwan yung trabaho ko." Sabi ko sa kanya, hindi siya sumagot, he just took out his phone and started scrolling and typing in it. I don't even know why he bothered to ask e mukhang wala naman syang pakialam. Tumayo na ako at kinuha ko yung baso niya para hugasan.

"Anong oras ng shift mo?" Tanong nya sakin.

"1:30." Sagot ko.

"Okay, I'll be home before you leave."

"Ha? Bakit?"

"Because I don't have to be at the office. I just need to attend a meeting and then I can work here."

"You'll do that for Gigi?" Naka-ngiting tanong ko sa kanya.

"I'm not doing it for her. It's to give certain employees a hard time as punishment for making me wait for their reports last night." 

"Either way, salamat parin." Hindi siya sumagot as usual kaya naman sinimulan ko ng hugasan yung baso nya when I felt him come closer.

"Speaking of last night..." Sumandal sya sa counter sa tabi ko.

"You didn't get to see if the article was right." Nag-smirk siya and I felt myself blush as I remembered what happened last night. Ihinarap niya ako sa kanya our bodies close.

"I still couldn't figure out if you're really a Virgo or not." He whispered his lips almost touching my ear. I was about to say something pero bigla kong narinig ang boses ni Gigi.

"Oh... naabala ko ba kayo?" Tanong nya ng makita kaming dalawa. Mabilis akong lumayo kay Alex at lumapit sa kanya.

"W-wala... may kailangan ka ba?" Tanong ko sa kanya habang hinihigit ko siya palabas ng kitchen.

---NARRATOR---

Gaya nga ng ipinangako ni Alex, he got home before Emily left for work and he stayed home to keep Gigi company. When Emily left she told Gigi to call him if she needs anything and that he'll be upstairs to get some work done. After a few hours, umakyat si Gigi para yayain siyang mag-snack. Seeing as he was hungry and when Gigi told her Emily made bread pudding, he decided to take a break.

"Thank you nga pala sa pagpa-patuloy sakin dito." Sabi ni Gigi as they sat outside the balcony.

"You're welcome." Tipid na sagot ni Alex.

"Baka naman by tomorrow tumigil na yung... stalker ko, so..."

"I don't think he'll give up that easily and sinabi ko na din kanina. You can stay here as long as you need. Sigurado naman akong hindi papayag si Emily na umalis ka when that pervert is still looking for you, besides you're safer here."

"In that case, salamat ulit." 

"And you need to stop thanking me. I told you it's fine." 

After eating they relocated to the living room. Itinuloy ni Alex ang trabaho sa laptop niya at si Gigi naman nanonood ng T.V although every minute nililipat niya ang channel. Alex looked up as he heard the broadcast change for the nth time. Gigi looked bored as she looked through the shows on Netflix.

"You don't usually stay home, do you?" Biglang sabi ni Alex. Napatingin sa kanya si Gigi at umiling ito.

"Madalas kasi mga ganitong oras may rehearsals kami or minsan naman nasa labas ako gumagala or minsan nasa coffeeshop nina Ems. Nakapunta ka na ba don?" Umiling si Alex.

"Dapat isama ka dun ni Ems minsan, sarap ng kape nila don, lalo na ng cakes. The best cheesecake ni Ate Linda, although mas gusto ko yung kay Ems." 

"Marunong siyang gumawa ng cheesecake?" 

"Oo naman! Hindi mo pa natitikman cheesecake nya? Everyday may cheesecake sa coffeeshop, best seller nila yun." Tiningnan ni Alex ang relo niya, he closed his laptop and stood up.

"Get ready, we're going out."

"Ha? Saan tayo pupunta?"

"Sa coffeeshop."

Ngumiti si Gigi at mabilis na pumunta sa kwarto ni Emily para mag-bihis. Kanina pa talaga siyang nabobored at kating-kati na lumabas. Yun nga lang seeing as Emily had Alex stay with her at home alam niyang hindi siya pwedeng lumabas mag-isa dahil mag-aalala ang kaibigan niya something she doesn't want to happen seeing as how much she's helping her and who knew mentioning cheesecake and Emily in the same sentence can give her a little bit of freedom.

Alex and Gigi passed by the coffee shop Emily works at and parked a few blocks away, naunang bumaba ng kotse at nag-lakad papunta sa coffee shop si Gigi, excited to surprise her friend at pati narin si Ate Linda na matagal na nyang hindi nakikita. Alex had just got out of the car when he saw Gigi running back.

"He's here." Sabi ni Gigi her voice tinged with panic.