Chapter 6

Erille’s POV

“Where’s my phone?” I whisper and tried my best to stand up, even though my head is aching so bad because of this fever. I feel so weak and a heavyweight in my head keeps clicking.

I tried to find my phone on the side table of the bed but it seems like I forget my phone on the couch. I can’t help to bite my bottom lip as undying pain keeps aching on my head. I slowly stood up from the bed but I end up falling back again.

Instead of thinking of my fucking head, I’m so worried about Louen something might bad happen to her. I know how dangerous that club can be, but she kept on insisting to go there. Now, I can’t do anything about it because she’s already there. But I still feel uneasy, so I need to find my phone give a call to Ma’am Cherille. I need to remind her about our deal.

I don’t want anything bad to happen to Louen, I’ve understood her and right now she needs some like me and I’m willing to help her at all causes.

One week ago, after Louen’s audition

“You’re great Louen!” I said and follow Ma’am Cherille inside the staff room, “Let her start working tonight, she will be the one to dance on the main stage later. The first one.” She said while fixing some papers on her table here inside of the staff room.

“Mamo, I want to make a deal with you, Louen’s job here is just a dancer. I want you to promise me that you will not let anyone pay for her, to have sex with her.” She intently stared at me and frowned her brows, lean both of her hands on her table, and smile at me with disbelief.  

“That’s not right, you know how our club works, you girl is here to entertain man’s needs. You clearly know what is your role here in the club.” She said, crossing her arms above her chest and continuing what she’s trying to say. “I know that, I know because I grow up here, I grow up doing these dirty things, that’s why I’m telling you that that girl is my friend and I don’t want her to experience what I been through.”

“Then you shouldn’t have brought her here in the first place.” She said as she looks at me in the eyes.

“But Mamo, this is the first time I ask a favor to you, I have always been by your side when you almost lose everything. I still work with you even if no one believes you, I don’t want to sound like a bad person here, making you remember all my help, but please help me with this, just this time. I just don’t want to ruin her life; I can’t stop her from working here and this is all I can do to protect her.”

“I know what you’ve done for me Erille, I won’t forget it either. But you have to understand that this is what’s life inside this club, you shouldn’t have brought her here if don’t want to ruin her life you could have stopped her.” I rubbed my arms as I avoided her gaze.

“She wanted to earn by herself, she’s good at pole dancing and that’s all she can do right now. Please, Mamo let her dance but don’t let anyone buy her for sex” I begged.

“Fine, fine whatever you say,” she said as if she doesn’t have a choice anymore. And with that, I smile and jump into her, hugged so tight. “Thank you, Mamo” 

I push myself to my limit and tried my best to stand up even though my knees are wobbling. I step out of my room and seek for my phone outside and I was right, I saw it on the couch. I grabbed it and was about to dial Mamo’s number but suddenly someone knock on the door.

“Louen?” I ask as I attended to the door and open it with blurry vision. My eyes widened when I recognize this guy standing in front of the door.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?” I’m weak but I got the guts to shout at him because the question here is what is he doing here? Instead of answering my question, he steps inside the house without my permission.

“Louen begged me to go here and give you this fruit and medicine she bought for you before he went to work. My shift is done and I’m free so I decided to be a good person tonight check you out, I don’t want you to die that early maybe next week will be ok” he playfully said and smirked at me. I glared at him and close the door so loud.

“Really, what if I kill you?” I threaten him with a narrow glare. I watch him put the fruits and medicine on the table and grab some water from the refrigerator like this is his house. Asshole!

“You can’t kill me; I’m still going to shoot my shot with Louen. I’m gonna court her first before you can kill me.” He said with a bright smile all over his face. I stiffed and gaze at him. “You like Louen?” I ask. He glances at me and winks with a dazzling smile. I know him so well, he’s like this when he’s serious with that girl he’s talking about.

“I that the reason you give here chocolate last night?” his smile became brighter and more nodded as an answer to my question. So, I was right. He’s serious about this. “We look good together, right?” he said with a combination of that irritating smile, “Yes, a perfect example of the princess and the frog, she’s the princess and you’re the ugly frog,” I said and turn my back at him, I decided to go back to my room because his presence just makes my fever feels even worst.

“Yes, and you’re the crocodile in the movie, the one who plays guitar.” He said nut this time I chooses to ignore him and continue walking to my room. When I was close to the door of my room, I suddenly felt dizzy and my headaches caused me to lose my proper body balance.

“Opss…” but before my back touches the floor, Six catches me and carries me like in a bridal style. He opens the door of my room and brings me inside. “Why are you always catching fever, ahhhss!” he hazes in a whisper tone and covers me with my blanket.

He grabs some towel and bowl of lukewarm water from my closet like he clearly knows where to get those things and put them beside the side table. he soaked the towel in the water and squeeze it before he put it on my forehead. “You always make me feel responsible whenever you’re sick.” He whispers, I stop and stare at him, what does that mean?

My heart was ready to pound but then I remember that he likes Louen, and what he said doesn’t mean anything.

I look at him and then next glared at him, I remove his hands on my forehead and say, “Who tells you to look after me, I can do this on my own!” I’m not forcing anyone to take care of me, because I can do it myself, he can just leave me here.

“Louen said it,” he answered. “F.Y.I. Louen said bring the fruit and medicine to me and after that leave, you just have to hand me the fruits and meds then you should leave but look at you now, irritating me and just making my fever even worst.” I said, turning my back on him and closing my eyes.

“Do you think I would let you stay here alone if you’re that weak?” he asks, so I open my eyes but I didn’t face him. I hear his feet step out of my room, I thought he’s leaving but my eyes widened when he held my hand and say, “I know you’re still awake, drink this before you sleep.” he said and pull my shoulder to face him. But I kept my act and continue to fake my sleep.

“If you don’t open, you’re eyes Erille, I’ll kiss you!” he playfully said, “Can you, do it?” I challenge him, but he quickly laughs and says, “I can’t hahaha” that makes me smile bitterly and open my eyes, “After taking my meds, you can leave,” I said in a serious tone, I don’t want him around here anymore. 

“Fine, fine, just drink this so I can leave,” he said and help me drink the meds that Louen bought for me, he guides me on drinking the water and after that, he put it on the side table together with the bowl of water for my towel.

He help me to lay down again and soaked the towel again and put it on my forehead, “Rest well, so you’ll be back tomorrow” he said in a sincere tone.

I just nodded at him and watch him walk out of my room, when he finally closes the door and left my place, I close my eyes and whisper. “Why can’t you see me? I’m always here for you yet you still look for other women to fall in love with,”

I urge a bitter smile as I cover my eyes using my arms and fell asleep.  

Six’s POV

I didn’t leave Erille’s place just like he wanted, I waited here b outside and just watch videos on my phone for an hour and I come inside her room again to check her out. If her fever went down already.

As I stop beside her bed, I resoaked her towel and put it back on her forehead. She’s sleeping peacefully as I stared at her. I stiff when she suddenly moves, revealing her white legs.

I avoided looking at it and I heard her groan. “Ang init hmmm..” she whisper and when I look back at her, my eyes widened when she pull her bra off her shirt.

I could see her breast through her shirt, I instantly walk out of the room and seat on the couch with a heaving chest. “I didn’t see anything,” I whisper to myself.

“No, I didn’t see anything!”

Erille’s POV

I wake up in the morning feeling way better than last night, and I don’t have a fever anymore. I am seated on the side of the bed and gaze at the window before I reach for my phone to check the time on my phone.  

“I guess I wake up too early, it’s just 5:30 in the morning.” I talked to myself, stood up, and head to the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. I’m not wearing my bra right now. Maybe I remove it last night while I’m asleep.

I step out of my room and was about to go to the kitchen for a glass of water, but I stop and notice Six, he’s sleeping on the couch. I thought he left last night, don’t tell me he didn’t?!

I stand in front of him, watch him in his deep sleep, and can’t help to think that, ‘what did I like about this guy?’ he’s just handsome and talented, that all nothing more interesting things about him. 

I kneel beside him and fix some strands of his bangs and touch his long eyes lashes. “You have a better eyelash than me,”

Then I move my fingers down to the bridge of his nose and pointed the tip of it.

I've been friends with him for almost 5 years, and I've been hiding my feelings for him for almost 5 years. I always make sure that I always give him a hint about my feelings but I don’t know if he’s just too numb and dumb to understand it. He’s always looking from afar and falls in love with new girls.

“You’re a stupid guy,” I whisper and pinch his nose as I shiver. I smile as his nose turn red but I quickly move away when the door opens and Louen showed up. “Louen!” I uttered as I saw her in, she looks so pale and scared.

Six wakes up because of my voice, I glared at him and kick his legs. “Why are you still here?! Didn’t I tell you to leave last night?” I said, but I’ve noticed him immediately avoid looking at me and that when I realize that I’m not wearing my bra.

I gasp and cover my chest, and still act cool around him. He turns his back on me as his ears turn red and he talks to Louen instead. “Good morning Louen” he greets her with a bright smile, so I just head to the kitchen to get some water to drink.

“Thank you for checking her out while I’m away,” Louen said, Six smile at her and act like it’s nothing to him. I make face while watching him with his stupid lover boy act. Louen shouldn’t ask for his help from the very start, I can take care of myself!

“Louen why are you late? Should you be home before 1 am? What happen?” I ask. Louen glances at me with an uneasy look and Six instantly understands it so he stands up from the couch and fixes his shirt and hair.

“I have to go Louen, since Erille didn’t die last night my job here is complete,” he said and tease me with those playful smirks, I just bite my lips out of irritation and throw the tissue roll on him, but he catches it and put it on the table, then smile at us as he leaves.

“Tss..” I haze, then gaze at Louen, “So, tell me why are you late today?” I ask and seat with her here on the couch. She takes a deep breath before she brings out a ton of money from her bag. My eyes widened because I know that you can’t earn that much money from dancing one night.

“What is this?” I ask in fear, telling me my gust was wrong. She didn’t answer me, so I grabbed both of her arms and look at her in the eyes. “Where did you get this money Louen?”

“I went to the V-Vip room,” I gasp with disbelief as she speaks.

“WHAT!!!!” I shouted at her face; I knew it! Something is gonna happen while I’m not there for her. I already told her about this.  

“What happen inside the VIP room!?” I ask even though I know what fucking happens when a dancer enters a VIP room. I still want to hear it from her mouth. ”The customer just ask for my name,” she said and look at me in the eyes. 

I waited for her to continue but she didn’t say anything after it, that’s it? Does he just ask for her name? “That’s it?” I confusedly ask. That’s impossible.

She nodded as she answered, my jaw just drops because of that, it’s impossible that nothing happens inside the VIP room. “Then the money?” I ask pointing at this ton of money.

“This is his payment for knowing my name,” she said. “That’s impossible, but the point here Louen is you shouldn’t have gone there, It’s out of your limit!” I guess Mamo didn’t go with our deal.

Louen just shook her head down and say sorry. I can’t do anything about it now, since it already happens. I just need to avoid it and protect her even more.

We attended our classes after that and I quickly head to the club because I need a word with Mamo.

“Erille, calm down,” Louen said as she held my arms while entering the club. “No, I’m mad, I need to talk to her.” I said and open the door of the club. “Geez, you fuck the sheet out of me,” Six said and he grabbed Louen’s hands from me and bring her inside the staff room, leaving me here.

“Huh?” I whisper when I notice a lot of customers here in the front desk of the club. What’s with these commotions? I saw Mamo trying her best to calm the customer down.

“What’s happening?” I ask as I stood beside her.

“WHY CAN’T WE PAY FOR EL? WILL PAY BIG AMOUNT JUST TO BED HERE WHY CAN’T WE BUY HER FOR A NIGHT!!!” one of the customers said.

“WE HEARD THAT SHE WENT TO THE VIP ROOM LAST NIGHT!  THEN WHY CAN’T WE PAY FOR HER TOO?! I’M WILLING TO PAY FOR HER!!!”

“I’ll pay 30k for a night!!!” 

“What’s happening?” I uttered with confusion all over my head, “They all heard that I’ve bring El to the VIP room last night and now all of them are complaining why they can’t pay for her. I already said that El is just our dancer but they kept insisting on her.” I knew this is gonna happen.

“Wait sir, can we all calm down and settle this out with a----- ah!” I tried to stop them but one of them hit me accidentally with his elbow, the reason for me to fall on the floor.

But before my butt could touch the floor, Six showed up and catch me. “Be careful” he said and smile at me. I gaze at him before he helps me stand straight and “Thank you, next!” I haze at him, he chuckled and put me behind his back and talk to the customers. 

He explained everything to them and after that everyone calm down. I went to the staff room and talk to Mamo. “WHY THE HELL DID YOU BRING HER THERE?! WE’VE ALREADY TALK ABOUT HER CONDITIONS HERE AS YOUR WORKER! OUR DEAL SUPPOSED TO BE IN YOUR MIND THEN WHY DID YOU BRING HER UP THERE?!“ I burst out of my anger and blame this all to Mamo.

“The customer paid a big amount of money Erille---” I cut her off and said.

“That’s not the point, you didn’t go with our deal Mamo!” she nodded. “I know, I promise this won’t happen again,” she said.

“NEVER GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN!” I haze and face Louen.

”Are you ok?” she asks.

“I’ll just change my clothes” Louen went to the changing room, so I massage the bridge of my nose. This is stressing me out!

“Pineapple juice?” Six offer me a juice and seat beside me.

“You are scaring me when you’re mad, still didn’t change. To that guy who will ever try to love you, I’ll pray for him hahaha”

I seriously look at him through the mirror in front of us and our eyes met. “What if you are that guy? would you pray for yourself?” I ask.

He laughs harder and says, “That’s impossible.” He said and when he saw Louen step out of the changing room he instantly went to her. 

I smile bitterly and whisper. 

“Yeah, It’s impossible”