Chapter 6

The night has been shocking to me, well in fact, I shouldn't be. Habang pinapapanood ang bawat performers sa stage ay hindi ko masikmurang gagawin ko ang mga bagay na 'yon. The performers are getting paid, slipping moneys on their underwear coming from the customers and most likely kapag nagustuhan ka, you'll be end up in a private room giving satisfaction to the customer who should you give equivalent to the payment he paid on you. MD makes me believe that this work are just pure business and all nothing goes afterwards. Wala nang pakelamanan kapag nasa labas ka na nang premises basta hanggat nasa loob ka ng club. Do you work as it is.

Bandang ala una ay lumapit sa akin si MD.

"Pu-pwede ka nang umuwi sa ngayon Dicky, at pumasok ka before nine as usual to prepare for your performance and of course be minded to what you will give to the customers. Are you ready for that job, Dicky?"

Tumango naman ako sa sinabi niya. Even if I had to decision to reject the offer, I still don't have the choice but to do it for the sake of my freedom in group of criminal syndicates. It is hard for me to do this kind of job wherein the first place, performing isn't my forte and showing my body isn't the kind of business I intend to do in my life. But then again, my life has been on the plate on this part and if I do my job perfectly, that would be the end of my miserable life.

"Thanks for guiding me, MD."

He smiles, patted my shoulder. "Of course, from now on, ikaw na ang newest baby ko! Don't think such thing about it, iyon lang talaga ang mga tawag ko sa alaga ko. Don't worry, you're in good hands."

I chuckles. "See 'ya later."

Nagpaalam na naman ako kay MD at magkikita na naman muli kaming mamayang gabi for my first ever performance. I still have the thought of backing out but that won't help me escaping the trouble my brother put me into. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako ang pinasok niya sa ganitong mission. He could easily put someone and give me an easy job so that would made me break the connection between me and them. He's really testing me. I know, he knows that I'm that active into the criminal lounge, I just came there for once in a month so that my presence would still impart to the allegiance I've been with.

It is hard that these past few years, I've been hiding this part of me and I won't run until I see the light of this busty-dirty road.

While I'm on my way, I've come to meet some performers with their clients. And I can totally see in the face of the customers that what happened there was successful and it really inherit good notes to the performers. Because good performances, a higher payment it is.

Heading out the club, I've come to see Norbert again.

"Am I gonna see you again later?" he asked.

I nodded to him, "absolutely, see you later."

"Galingan mo talaga mamaya." He said while sneaking laughs with it. Nagpaalam na rin naman ako sa kanya at naghintay ng masasakyan. The ride earlier wouldn't pick me up as it is one way trip, just to bring me on the location. I booked a car on my phone and waited for it to come. Habang naghihintay ako, napapansin ko naman ang ilang customer na lumalabas muula sa club at pumupunta sa mga naka-park na sasakyan. I can see in their faces that they are all satisfied and happy and I wonder what they do to make them happy at all?

When my ride already come to pick me up, I help myself to settle on the backseat and just happen that I closed my eyes and fall hard to sleep. The next thing happened when the driver wake me up that we're already at my drop off. I paid him and jumped out of the car and proceed to the gate of our house.

It is dead of the night, the maids and my parents I know were falling hard asleep and then I quietly move, not to make any sound coming inside the house and heading straight to my room. Luckily, I got to my room safe and sound. I know my parents would interrogate me first thing in the morning on where did I go and I wouldn't bother telling them the truth. I have been lying them since and I'm trying not to be caught.

But I'm still trying to be the good son at least. They already lost their other son and I wouldn't let it happen again.

Even if my body had no energy to move, I still remove my shirt and pants and left off with my boxers. I pull up the sheet and let it covered me until I get sleepy thinking too much in my head.

The next morning was nothing, like my usual routine of preparing for work. I picked up my robe and was about to enter the bathroom when my burner phone rings. Sinagot ko naman kaagad iyon and of course, it was just my brother.

His irritating voice greeted me, "you know what, Gio, it is rude to call someone first thing in the morning. You shouldn't do that again."

Instead of apologizing, he laughed on my rant. "Okay, okay, whatever. I would just like to know what happened last night? Did you already met Darcy?"

"Yeah," tipid kong sagot sa kanya.

"How was it?"

"Don't you ever ask that, Gio. I don't like it."

He smirked, "you have no other choice right there, brother. If you want to get out, you have to follow my rules and complete your mission. It is just a simple one. You aren't even in the dangerous field. I think you're in the least dangerous where happiness and heaven can be found."

"That's not funny." I gritted my teeth.

"But for me, it is." He said. "Let's move on, did you see our target?"

I shook my head, as if he saw me doing it. "No. She wasn't around, or so I think. I've never seen her face, so I have no idea who she was like. But Darcy told me that sometimes she's around the club and maybe I could get to her by that time."

"Okay, just don't fail on this, brother."

"I'm gonna make sure of that."

"Okay, gotta call once again soon." He hang up the call and just slid it back to the inside drawer.

I step inside the bathroom and open the shower. As the cold water starts to drop on me, I get shivers up to my spine and for a moment I was in silence. I'm just letting through the water falls down on my naked body. When I felt there's rush feeling in my chest and I don't where its coming from, I wanted to shout the anger caged in my chest. My eyes was watery and couldn't determine the tears because of the water. I felt the rage and that cause me to punch the wall. I didn't mind it until I saw the blood on my fist and touched it on the wall. I look at my hands and let the water rinse it and flow through my skin 'til it drains under.

I calmed myself down and finished my bathe and let all the bad things in my head let go, just for the mean time, I had to set something in myself that these bad things happening to me are mere precedent of what better future holds for me.

I'm still hoping that there will be better days ahead of my life.

When I come out of the bathroom, I saw my Mom sitting on the edge of my bed. Nagtaka naman ako. Mabilis naman akong lumapit sa closet at kumuha ng damit doon.

"Mom, what is it?" I asked her.

Tumayo naman ito, she's fidgeting her hand. "Nothing, for me... but you're father we're concerned on you. He's downstairs, on the dining table... he's actually waiting for you."

Naalis ang pagkakunot sa uno ko, "on what we're gonna talk about?"

"I have no idea, son..." she sighed, "I'll let you dress and we'll see on the dining, okay?"

Tumango na lamang ako at sinundan si Mama palabas ng kwarto at sinarado iyon. Isang malalim na hininga naman ang pinakawalan ko. I remove the robe and started to wear clothes for work. When I'm done grooming, I took a deep breath of courage leaving my room and headed to the dining where just like my mom said, my father was there, reading a daily newspaper and when he notices my presence. He put down the reading glasses and set it aside, seeing his serious, dominating face.

"Where did you go last night, Danford?" his tone were deep, endulging his arrogant face.

"Nothing..." I answered, not looking into his eyes. I sat on the chair, place the napkin on my lap and get the utensils and put some meals on my plate.

"Before we go to bed, we checked your room, Danford. You're not there. When did you get home?"

"And where's the privacy with that, dad, huh? I'm no longer your fucking baby. You don't have to check me all the time. I can take care of my own. I don't know why I keep staying here, when I could already left and stay somewhere. I'm already sick of this life."

"Danford... your language."

"No, hon, let him be." My father said. "If you wanna leave this house, we'll let you leave. Go pick up your things now and never come back home..."

"Hon..." My mom, she didn't expect that this will happen. "Danford, apologize to your father." She told me but I didn't. My pride was taking over me and I couldn't just let it go.

"Fine, I'm leaving." I stood up from the chair. My Mom was trying to call me but I didn't look back on her, when my father just watch me walking away. Mabilis naman akong bumalik sa kwarto. I grab my baggage and put all my clothes inside and when I'm done, I left my room.

Ang hindi ko pa inaasahan ay ang harangin ako ng mama ko palabas ng kwarto ko. She's trying to pull the baggage from my hand but I kept it tough.

"Mom, just get out of the way..."

"What's happening to you, Dan? If you could just talk to us, we would know. We wouldn't check on you day by day if your brother was here."

"Then it looks like I'm having the fault of my runaway brother. You should guys know what he has become and you don't know what he's capable of. I'm just at the lowest point wherein my life has been taking miserable where Giovanni has been in hell for a longest time. He can't be pulled out there. He's already lost. Don't talk to me because your losing, we're different but it looks like you're just making a version of him on me. I know this situation wouldn't last and everything will go back to normal. Just for now, I need to be away with everyone... even from you."

"Danfor—" her voice breaks, "son..."

Even if it is too hard hearing her pleading on me, I couldn't just held back and stay on a place where everything would set complications. I think it is good for me to be away from the people I cared about. It just a matter of time until I get to fixed everything and get back to what I lost.

When I reach the car, my father hold my mother's hand as she would try to stop me further. I put all the baggage inside my car and jumped inside. I didn't look back to them again and started the engine. I got out of the gate and premises. I could sense that my father were full of anger that time but this time, I think it's a good decision to run away from them.

It may look like what Gio did to them but I guess, what brother's does, the young one follows.