He Married the Stripper.

The Third Wheel - Two.

---NARRATOR---

"Hi. Welcome to Coffee, Cakes and Literature. Are you ready to order?" Tanong ni Emily sa customer na naka-upo malapit sa counter. 

"Actually hindi pa. First time ko dito and I have no idea what to order. Pwede mo ba kong tulungan?" Tanong ng lalaki.

"Sure. Ano bang preference mo hot or cold drinks?" 

"Hot drinks." Emily proceeded to make recommendations to the customer who listened attentively and after a while the man decided what to order.

"Thanks for your help." Ngiti ng lalaki.

"You're welcome. Tawagin mo na lang ako kapag may kailangan ka pa." The man looked at her name tag and read it.

"Sure, Emily. I like your name." 

"Salamat." Tatalikod na sana si Emily ng bigla ulit nag-salita ang customer.

"My name's Jason. Anong oras matatapos shift mo? Maybe I can take you out?" Naka-ngiting sabi ng lalaki. Emily gave him her best customer service smile and declined. The man was about to try and persuade her again ng narinig niyang mag-ring ang welcome bell sa pintuan so she immediately turned to greet the newcomer. However her greeting got caught in her throat when she saw who came in. 

Hindi alam ni Emily kung anong gagawin niya. Was she supposed to acknowledge him or pretend they don't know each other? She didn't know whether to greet him or not so she stayed rooted to the spot. Dumiretso si Alex sa counter at sinundan siya doon ni Emily. 

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" Bulong ni Emily.

"Gigi's with me." 

"Si Gigi? Nasaan siya?"

"She's waiting in the car." Napansin ni Emily na nag-mamasid si Alex at parang may hinahanap. Naka-lean ito sa counter at tinitingnan ang mga customer sa loob ng shop.

"Sinong hinahanap mo?"

"Gigi's stalker, she thinks he's here. She saw his car outside."

"Ha? Bakit?"

"Probably to stalk you too. You're his last chance. Napuntahan na niya lahat ng coworkers ni Gigi, you're his last resort. The question is how'd he find out you work here. When everything about your life as a stripper was supposed to be confidential." Napa-nganga si Emily at nakaramdam ng takot. Tama si Alex, walang nakaka-alam na nagta-trabaho sya sa club kundi ang mga ka-trabaho nya at ang pamilya ni Tita Aura. Sigurado namang hindi i-tsinismis ng Tita nya ang tungkol dito dahil ayon sa tiyahin nya, nakakahiya kapag nalamang ng ibang tao at baka pati ang mga anak niyang dalaga ay husgahan ng mga kapit-bahay.

"May napansin ka bang kakaibang customer? Anyone who's being creepy or too friendly?" Tanong ni Alex.

"W-wala naman. I mean normal lang naman sa mga lalaking customer ang maging super friendly especially if they're alone. Sigurado ka ba? Baka naman coincidence lang? Maybe it's not even his car."

"I don't know but she insisted it's his." Tiningnan ni Alex ang ilang lalaki sa loob ng coffee shop. Most of them were with other people and only two of them were alone. An old man reading a book and the guy Emily was just talking to. 

After a few more minutes natapos na ang shift ni Emily, nag-paalam siya sa mga kasama at lumabas na ng shop. Inilabas ni Emily ang earphones niya at isinaksak ito sa cellphone para makinig ng music. Tumayo malapit sa may kalsada para mag-hintay ng tricycle. 

Emily turned around and an unknown man came and suddenly talked to her. Ngumiti ang lalaki sa kanya.

"May kailangan ka?" Tanong ni Emily habang tinanggal nya ang isang earphones sa tenga niya.

"Ikaw si Emily, diba?" Napalunok si Emily at hindi nag-salita.

"Ahh... sorry... medyo creepy ata yung pag-kakasabi ko. Sorry, ako si Lawrence, customer mo ko kanina sa coffeeshop." Pag-papakilala ng lalaki.

"Oh... ahm... hi? May kailangan ka ba?" Tumawa ang lalaki.

"Well... I guess you can say that. I was just wondering if I can get your number?" 

"Excuse me?"

"Sorry... sorry, to be honest hindi ko to madalas gawin, it's just that... I find you really pretty and nice and I just want to get to know you better." Hindi pa nakakasagot si Emily ng may umakbay naman sa kanya.

"She's taken." Threatening na sabi ni Alex as he held Emily close to him, staring the guy down who was shorter than him.

"Oh... ahm... S-sorry. Hindi ko alam..."

"Well now you know, so you better leave her alone." Nag-apologise ulit ang lalaki at saka nag-madaling umalis. Naiwan si Emily at Alex sa tabi ng kalsada. 

"Was that him?" Tanong ni Emily kay Alex as they started walking towards his parked car.

"Yeah." Sumakay silang dalawa ng kotse. 

"Nasan si Gigi?" Tanong ni Emily.

"With Ed." Di-nial ni Alex ang number ng kaibigan at ibinigay kay Emily ang cellphone niya as he started driving. Ed picked up before the second ring was done. She put the phone on loud speaker.

"Ems, okay ka lang ba? May sinabi ba siyang weird sayo?" Tanong ni Gigi.

"Gi? Oo, okay lang ako. Ikaw? Siya ba talaga yun?"

"Oo, hindi ko makakalimutan mukha niya, pati yung ngiti niyang yun, siya yun. Sigurado ako."

"Ed, did you get a picture of him?" Tanong ni Alex.

"Yeah. Ako ng bahala sa lahat, bro. Isasama ko na muna si Gigi and you better not go home yet coz this psycho's following you."

"Already?"

"Yeah, mabilis siyang kumilos, he's probably desperate."

"Okay, are you sure you can handle this?"

"Ako pa ba? I am so ready to break this guy. You guy's be careful and take this opportunity to go on a date. Bye!!"

Nag-park si Alex sa parking lot ng isang kilalang mall, he nonchalantly looked around at agad niyang nakita ang kotse ng stalker ni Gigi. Hinawakan agad ni Alex ang kamay ni Emily at nag-simula na silang mag-lakad.

"Anong ginagawa mo?" Tanong ni Emily as she looked at their entwined hands.

"Holding your hand." 

"Bakit?"

"Because he's here and it'd be weird if we don't act like we're together." Nakaramdam ng takot si Emily dahil ayaw man niyang aminin ay medyo natatakot siya sa stalker ni Gigi. She met him a few minutes ago and just by talking to him for a short period of time she can tell he's a creep. Paano na lang kaya kung hindi dumating sina Alex, ano kayang gagawin ng lalaking yun sa kanya? 

Alex looked at Emily, sa expression ng mukha nito at sa higpit ng pagkaka-hawak nito sa kamay niya, he knows she's scared. He gave her hand a squeeze and she looked at him.

"Don't worry. He won't get to you." He assured her.

Emily felt safer with his words, with Alex with her. The stalker won't be able to do her any harm. She held his hand tighter and they walked onward like a real couple on a date. 

What they didn't know is that there were two pairs of eyes watching them.