He Married the Stripper.

Insecurities - Three.

RATED SPG!

---ALEX---

"You wanna sleep with me?" She stood up and pressed her body closer to mine. But before I can say anything she sat back down and started giggling.

"Tch. I'm getting you some water." I told her, she's more annoying when drunk.

"Wait, I'm sorry... but... if I do ask you, will you do it?" She asked before I can leave her room.

"I mean I know I'm not as tall as the models you date or as flawless as the actresses you bring home or hindi ako kasing ganda nung mga foreigners na dine-date mo... hindi ako kasing exotic nila... but I'm... I'm not that... ugly... or undesirable... right?" She asked me, I looked at her and now that I actually am, I can see her clearly. Her cheeks were red, her lips quivering and her eyes were brimming with tears. I looked back on what she said on her drunken tirade. How she listed the reasons she was left by her boyfriends. How she questioned and compared her appearance to others. She's insecure. Something I'd never ever thought she'd ever be. Since she was always holding her head high no matter her circumstance.

"You're not ugly." I told her.

"You're just saying that to be nice..." She answered. 

"I'm not." She gave me a soft smile and sniffed.

"So... let's do it, then." She said as she sat up.

"Emily..." She nodded disappointedly and wiped her eyes.

"Matulog ka na. Thanks for helping me." She said as she stood up and went to the door. I guess I got fed up with her whining because I grabbed her and before she could say anything I started kissing her.

She kissed me back as her hands went straight to my collar to pull me closer, this would be the fourth time I kissed her and just like before it feels like I cannot get enough of her. I mustered enough self control to not get addicted and do what I need to do. I guided her right hand down to my pants and made her touch me. I pulled away and looked her in the eye. Her hair was a mess, her lips red but her eyes seemed clearer now.

"You feel that? I want to take you right now, fuck I wanted to take you ever since that night, but I won't. Not when you're drunk and feeling insecure when you shouldn't even be, because you're right. You're definitely not like the girls I dated but fuck it, I still want you more than I want them. I'm gonna take you when your mind is clear so you'll know how I'm so much better than the failures you call your exes." 

She stared at me, unmoving. I don't know if she understood what I just said because I don't even know why I said all that. She moved off of me after a while and just sat beside me. I stood up and was about to leave but she grabbed my arm.

"...Thank you."

---EMILY---

Tiningnan ko ang cellphone ko para i-check ang oras, 8:38 am. Ganitong oras madalas umaalis si Alex pero hanggang ngayon naririnig ko parin siya sa kusina. Kanina pang 7:45 am ako nagising pero hindi parin ako lumalabas ng kwarto ko kahit na malapit nang sumabog ang pantog ko. Dahan-dahan akong nag-lakad papunta sa pinto, tahimik na nakikinig at nakikiramdam. Ihing-ihi na ako, wala ba talagang balak umalis ang lalaking to? 

Ilang minuto ko nang pinag-iisipan kung pano ko siya haharapin, with everything that happened last night, I don't know what to do, wala akong mukhang mai-haharap sa kanya. Bakit ba kasi ang tanga-tanga ko? Saan nang-galing yung landi ko kagabi? Yung confidence na akitin siya? Yung kaartehan ko? 

Tsaka bakit ba tandang-tanda ko lahat ng nangyari kagabi? Why did I have the presence of mind to remember but not enough to stop my stupid self to do all those things last night? Grabe, Emily, of all the stupid things you could have done, you decided to seduce him? Not that I regret it though. Napahawak ako sa labi ko. 

Kissing him was not a mistake. I wanted it, I liked it... but still... hindi ko alam kung anong sasabihin ko, kung anong gagawin ko. Ni-reject nya ko but at the same time he didn't. He said he wanted me and I know that I do too, coz why else would I let him kiss me so many times? I know for a fact that I like it when he touches me and the alcohol just gave me the confidence to act on it.

I just need to find that confidence again so I can face him. 

Narinig ko yung galaw nya sa kusina, maybe I can run to the washroom now? Pero pagkatapos kong umihi ano mangyayari? Sa banyo naman ako magtatago? Pwede akong mag-pretend na walang maalala, pero knowing me, malamang agad na magba-backfire yun. 

Ohmygod!!! Alex Altamerana, umalis ka na kasi. May trabaho ka pa diba???!!! And as soon as I thought that, narinig kong bumukas at sumara ang pintuan ng condo. 

Yes! 

He's gone! 

---ALEX---

I watched as she ran to the washroom, sa sobrang pag-mamadali niya she didn't even notice me standing in the hallway. I knew she was awake, so that means she remembers because why else would she be hiding out in her room if she didn't? I smiled and walked to the kitchen knowing she'd go there as soon as she's done. 

And of course I was right. I was sitting on the bar stool when she saw me. Her eyes went wide and her cheeks went red. 

"H-hi... Good morning... andito ka pa pala... a-akala ko naka-alis ka na." She stuttered as she headed to the fridge.

"Not yet. I wanted to see how you're feeling today."

"Ha? Ako? Bakit naman? Okay naman ako... haha..." She answered as she avoided my gaze.

"Lasing na lasing ka kagabi, thought you might have a hangover..."

"Ah... wala... bata pa ko, hindi pa ko tinatablan nang hangover..."

"Good for you." I said as I stood up, she's still not looking at me. I walked to where she's standing and pretended to get something, she's rooted to the spot her face is so red I can't help but tease her.

I leaned over her, my body purposely touching hers but instead of moving away she stood her ground and looked up at me.

"Seryoso ka ba kagabi?" She asked me. 

I was taken aback by her question because to be honest I thought she'd pretend to forget everything that happened last night, that she'd deny ever asking me to sleep with her. But here she was, her mind clear as water and her question boring into me.

"Yes."

"Okay. Seryoso din ako kagabi and hindi na ako lasing..."