Delectable Men 2: Brentford Montgomery

Chapter 3

Nang mag park na si Charmel sa specific na lokasyon kung saan nga siya magpe-perform ngayong gabi ay bigla siyang napalaglag ng balikat. The job had been booked last-minute they'd contacted her. Hindi niya kasi napagtanto kung anong klaseng pagsasayaw ang gagawin niya. Not exactly ideal, pero desperada na talaga siya na makakita ng trabaho. Limang bar kasi ang inaplayan niyang trabaho sa Subic noong nakaraang lingo, at ang pupuntahan niya ngayon ay ang tanging bar na tumanggap at nag-alok sa kanya ng matutuluyan. So she'd accepted the offer kahit sa online lang siya nag-apply sa naturang bar, pormal kasing nag email sa kanya ang may-ari na tanggap na siya, at pinadalhan agad siya ng contract.

Kaya lang mukhang hindi eleganteng bar ang pagtatrabahuan niya. The sign was neon red, for starters, and there were several rough-looking men hanging out at the front, smoking and drinking. Napakagat ng labi si Charmel. Everything in her gut told her to turn around and head home. Ngunit hindi na siya pwedeng umatras pa dahil baka makasuhan pa siya ng may-ari.

Sighing, she straightened her shoulders. Wag ka na lang mag-inarte pa, Charmel. Hindi naman siguro mga kriminal ang mga lalaki na iyan.

But the feeling of dismay grew stronger with each step she took towards the entrance. She hitched her bag higher on her shoulder and fought back the wave of negativity. She had to take this job. Wala na kasi siyang pagpipilian pa. Kailangan talaga niyang makapagtrabaho para lang matustusan ang pangangailangan niya araw-araw, at para may maipadala rin siyang pera sa kanyang ina sa probinsya.

One of the men hanging out at the front of the bar leered at her as she hurried past, and Charmel wished she'd thrown on a pair of tracksuit pants over her dancing shorts. The sun was setting in the distance but the air was still heavy and warm. Inignora rin niya ang mga lalaking sumisipol sa kanya at nagpatuloy lang siya sa paglalakad ng diretso.

The stench of cheap alcohol hit her first, forcing her stomach to dip and dive. A stage sat in the middle of a room and three men in all-black outfits fiddled with the sound equipment. Iginala naman ni Charmel ang paningin sa paligid, at inaanalisa niya ang kapaligiran. The soles of her sneakers sucked with each step along the tattered, faded carpet - as if years of dust had left behind an adhesive layer. Isa pa, medyo nahihilo na rin siya sa usok ng sigarilyo subalit kailangan niyang sanayin ang sarili sa mga ganoong bagay simula sa araw na iyon.

She approached the bar, mustering a smile as she tried to catch the attention of the older man drying wineglasses and hanging them in a rack above his head. "Excuse me, I'm here--"

"Kung dancer ka pumunta ka sa taas," sabi nito, na hindi man lang tumitingin sa kanya.

"Thanks," she muttered, turning on her heel and making her way towards the stairs at the end of the bar.

Juicecolored! Mukhang mas malala yata ang nasa itaas na bahagi ng bar. O baka para lang talaga sa mga banda ang nasa ibaba. Maybe the dancers' section would be a little more...hygienic?

Nag-aalangan naman si Charmel na humakbang pa ng ilang steps, at pinilit niya talaga maging positive. Pero mukhang taliwas yata ang inaasahan niya pagkarating niya sa taas.

"Oh crap."

The stage in the middle of the room sported a large silver pole. The stage itself was round with seats encircling it; a faded red curtain hung at the back, parted only where the dancers would enter and exit from. For heaven's sake, it was a bloody strip club!

"Charmel?"

Isang boses ng lalaki ang nakakuha sa kanyang atensyon. Ayaw niya sana itong lingunin, pero nandoon na kasi siya kaya matapang niyang hinarap ito.

"Hi." Bati niya agad dito.

"I've got your room key, but I don't have time to show you where it is now. " Pinasadahan siya nito ng tingin mula ulo hanggang paa. "Just head out back and get ready with the other girls."

"Uh...I think there's been some kind of mistake. I'm not a stripper."

"Sure you're not, darling," he said with a raspy chuckle. "I get it--you're a pole dancer."

"I'm serious. I don't take my clothes off." Mariin siyang napapailing dito, at tinatagan na lamang niya ang kanyang loob.

"And we're not technically a strip club. Think of it more as...burlesque." Juiceko! Naloko na. Katulad din 'yon eh.

Ibinigay na ng lalaki ang susi niya sa kanyang magiging silid. "You'll fit right in."

Napakagat ng labi niya si Charmel. At naisip niya na wala naman siguro siyang gagawin na kalaswaan.

But, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself, her gut told her to leave.

"I really don't think this is going to work," aniya at ibinalik niya ang susi sa lalaki.

"You really should have thought of that before signing our contract." Matalim na nakatitig sa kanya ang lalaki. "But I can have our lawyer settle this, if you still think isn't going to work."

Bumibilis naman ang pintig ng puso ni Charmel sa banta sa kanya ng lalaki. Ano na ang mangyari sa kanya? Ni hindi nga siya maka-afford ng pambayad sa lawyer. Naloko na talaga, paano ba siya nasangkot sa ganitong sitwasyon?

Her head pounded hard, signalling a migraine. Ngunit kailangan niyang magpakatatag dahil walang ibang makakatulong sa kanya kundi sarili niya.

"Fine." She dropped her hand by her side and forced away the desire to slap the guy in front of her.

She was a big girl now - she could handle this. Besides, naranasan na niya noon ang maging promo girl ng isang energy drink noong high school pa lamang siya. Napakaikli ng shorts nila no'n at nasa kalsada pa sila nagbebenta. Hindi naman siguro magkalayo ang trabaho niya noon sa ngayon...di ba?

Sighing, she made her way to the change room where the other dancers were getting ready. She still had that funny, niggling feeling that something wasn't quite right.

She just concentrated for a moment, analysing the feeling. Then she unpacked her make-up and get a face wipe from her bag. Tas ipinahid na niya ang face wipe sa kanyang mukha. Napaisip naman siya sa lalaki kanina, tila yata pamilyar kasi sa kanya ang mukha nito.

A memory crashed into her with such force that she stopped her hand in midair. At naalala na nga niya ang lalaki. Siya pala 'yong kaibigan na ipinakilala sa kanya ng naging boyfriend niyang dayuhan, at batid niyang hindi ito nagkataon lang.

Rage surged through her. Her hands trembling. Tas ibinalik na niya ang kanyang make-up foundation sa loob ng kanyang bag. Mukhang may sabotahe kasing nagaganap sa pagitan ng mga ito.

Mga bwisit! Akala niyo ba na mauuto niyo ako? Humanda talaga sa'kin ang talipandas na 'yon kapag mag krus ulit ang mga landas nila.

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Makalipas ang isang oras ay nakahanda na si Charmel na tumuntong sa stage. Napatitig siya sa repleksyon niya sa salamin, hoping that it was the flourescent lightning which made her look white as a ghost. But the alarming contrast against her dark eye make-up ang glossed lips would look great under the stage lightning. She'd seem alluring and mysterious. Pero mukhang hindi naman yata interesado ang mga tao sa bar sa mga misteryoso ang dating, dahil ang gusto ng mga manonood ay 'yong mga babaeng walang hiya sa katawan.

She sighed, smoothing her hair out of her face and adding a touch of hairspray to the front so it didn't fall into her eyes. Nakilala na niya 'yong ibang dancers at mukhang friendly naman ang mga ito. There were actually two burlesque queens, at siya naman 'yong nag-iisang pole dancer.

Well, she wouldn't be taking off her clothes - though her outfit wasn't exactly covering much of her body anyway. She looked down at the top which wrapped around her bust and rib cage in thick black strips, and at the matching shorts that barely came down to her thighs. Pakiramdam niya na tila hubad pa rin siya sa kanyang suot.

It wasn't normal for her to be so filled with nerves before going onstage. But butterflies warmed her stomach and her every breath was more ragged than the last. She pressed her fingertips to her temples and shut her eyes, concentrating on relaxing her breathing. After a few attempts her heart rate slowed, and the air was coming more easily into her lungs.

Ang sayaw na gagawin niya ay hindi para sa mga taong nanonood sa bar sa gabing iyon, kundi para sa sarili niya. Humugot muna siya ng isang malalim na hininga, bago siya humakbang papunta sa b****a ng stage, saka hinintay muna niyang matapos ang naunang nag perform na mga dancer. Dahil kung hindi siya maglakas-loob na gawin ito, kailan pa?

It was now or never.

*****