Crazy For You ( All English Version)

CHAPTER 2 : "A CHANCE ENCOUNTER"

Elena just finished her take for the night. It was Wednesday.

Elena wasn't wearing anymore make up, she was just wearing a ponytail and an oversized bag where she carries her stuff.

She was just wearing a sleeveless white top and a black jeggings.

Elena was looking inside her bag trying to find her phone when she didn't see a man approaching.

They bumped into each other causing Elena to curse:

"Ouch, can you be a little careful Manong (tagalog word for older man) she said slightly glancing at the face of the man who she bumped with.

"Oooops, sorry Miss. Did I hurt you?" he asked and touched her forehead.

It was a little dark so they can't really see each other's face clearly.

Elena quickly pushed his hand away.

"Tsss it’s okay! Just go, okay? You look like you needed the bathroom so badly..!" and she giggled and continued going out the bar.

Alejandro just shook his head, the woman is funny. He is always a gentleman when it comes to women, he was just concerned he bumped into her hard enough to hurt her.

"What was she doing in the bar anyways?" he thought to himself.

Most of the customers at the bar are all men. The only women he saw were the dancers, waitresses or some who accompanied their boyfriends.

He didn't get a good look of the woman though, so he can't tell which group the woman belongs to. He quickly shrugged the thought off and went inside the men's room.

At least the woman was right- he really needed to go so badly. After five San Miguel light, that's what happens.

He just can't say no to his friend, he doesn't like going into bars like this. But the bar isn't that cheap like others. It was an exclusive bar where mostly rich men frequent.

Elena went out of the bar still holding her forehead, it was a little sore but she knows it was nothing.

"Arghhhh I think I might have had a bump  arghh this is not happening! That manong is so... stupid..! I better get home.. " she said.

"Taxi!!" she called at the one parked right outside the bar.

She got inside the taxi and told the driver where her address is.

She was done for the night. She was so tired she had to extend one hour because one of her fellow dancers was running late tonight. It was both a good thing and a bad thing. Good because she earned an extra one thousand, bad because she was so tired she didn't get enough sleep last night.

She has to have her beauty sleep so she can function normally tomorrow.

She can’t get sick, she can’t get wrinkles , that’s what she always thinks about.

With the kind of job she has- those two things are a must.

She got inside their apartment- her mother was waiting for her.

"Nay (short for nanay, a tagalog word for Mother) ..why are you still awake> You shouldn’t be up this late..That’s not good for you. Are they sleeping already?” referring to her siblings.

Aling Emmanuela smiled at her, she looks frail and tired.

“I can’t sleep until you are home anak (anak is a tagalog word for child). You know that I always worry about you, especially when you get home this late..”

“Nanay, I am already here..I’m safe..no need to worry..come one, let’s get you tucked in for bed..Did you drink your medicine?”  she asks her mother with concern.

 “Yes, I didn’t forget. It tastes really bad!”

Elena chuckles, “You’re so funny ‘Nay, that’s just the way it tastes, it’s for your own good, so you have to take it. There...go to sleep..I will sit by your side ok?”

Aling Emmanuela hugged Elena, teary eyed.

“Anak, thank you..I know you’re working hard for us, and yet you never complain..You can find a different job , I know you don’t really like to do that,” she said.

“Nay, I am okay. I am used to it now, and I am earning good money, if I try to find a regular job, I would only get a quarter of what I am earning now and it would be much harder,too. No thanks, at least here even for one night of dancing, I easily earn good amount of money,” she smiles sadly at her mother.

She knows her mother is suffering physically and emotionally. It pains her to see her do what she used to do.

"Don't worry Nay, when bunso finished high school and I have enough saved money, I will stop dancing, ok?”

Her mother smiled and kissed her forehead.

 “Ok, anak. Thank you, what are we going to do without you...” she tearfully added.

 “Nay that’s nothing, stop this drama okay? You have to rest, I am tired myself, goodnight Nay..I love you..” as she tucked her mother to bed.

She stayed with her mother until she fell asleep.

She checked on her siblings who are all snoring away.

Joanna is fifteen who is third year high school, Miguel who is fourteen, second year high school and bunso, Daniel who is eight years old, now grade four.

Elena shares room with Joanna while the two boys share a room.

She went to the kitchen and had water. She checked on her phone again, turned it off and charged it.

She was trying to find her phone a while ago when she bumped into that man. She wanted to call her mother to tell her not to wait for her but got sidetracked with her bumping into that man at the bar.

She didn't get a good look at him but he seem to be nice enough to ask if she was alright.

Most of the guys she encounters are either "rude" or "perverts".

The guy seem to be neither.

"Oh well, go to sleep  Elena. Don’t waste your time thinking of someone you don’t even know,” she said to herself.

She went inside their room and slept beside Joanna.

She thought of happy thoughts- thoughts that maybe one day, her prince will come- and get them out of this poverty they are in.

Soon- Elena is sound asleep, her mind wandering who knows where.

Alejandro said goodbye to his friends after his tenth beer. He was tipsy with a capital T.

He wants to go home before he gets really drunk, while he can still drive his car home.

It was almost twelve midnight and good thing no traffic on the way to his condo.

It was his own condo he uses whenever he is in Manila. It is a two-bedroom condo located in Salcedo Village,Makati.

He parked his car at the parking garage on the twelfth floor where his unit is.

He was tired and he has an early morning meeting tomorrow with his team. He is going to get killed if he can't sleep tonight.

He took a quick shower and took a pill for his splitting headache.

Next time, he will politely say no when someone asks for a night out in the middle of the week.

He can't afford any hang-overs during the week. His operations team rely on him, it is like his child- he is very protective of it. He doesn't want it to fail.