That evening, they had an unexpected visitor by the person of Troy Brady.

Jackie was already cramming with all the paper works, thanks to Dean for making her waste one whole afternoon, and now Troy was here, popping out of nowhere with a claim that he was trying to get away from a date.

“And that’s our problem?” Dannie asked. “What did you do, exactly?”

“Nothing,” Troy said in defense, walking over to the fridge. “You should get a bigger apartment, by the way.”

“Troy, we don’t have time for visitors right now,” Jackie said, her head bent on papers. Dean was sitting right beside her in his full ‘office Dean’ mode as he tried to correct the mistakes Jackie did with the previous ones.

“I won’t bother you, I promise. I just needed to make an excuse.”

“Then just go home,” Dannie snapped at him.

“Can’t. She knows where I live.”

“And what makes you so sure she’ll go over your place?”

“They always do,” Troy answered with a shrug before he drank a glass of water.

“Why did you even make us your excuse?” George asked dryly from the living room.

“Because you are the only friends I have that might intimidate any girls I date,” Troy answered with pride as he walked to where George was and dropped down beside her, grabbing a throw pillow along the way.

Dannie just shook her head and went to her room without a word.

“What’s her problem?” Troy asked.

“You,” answered George and Jackie.

  *****

“Shouldn’t you go home?” Jackie asked Dean when they were almost done.

Troy had fallen asleep in their living room.

George went out for a short drive with Toto.

Dean was frowning down at the last paper he was reading. “Will you drive me home?”

“You know George took Toto out.”

“Then that’s settled.” He looked up to meet her eyes. “I’ll be staying the night. I brought extra clothes for tomorrow.”

“You’ll have to sleep with that guy.” Jackie nodded her head toward Troy who was hugging one pillow as he slept.

He was about to say something when Jackie held up her hand and declared, “No, you cannot sleep with me. That’s against the rules.”

“Rules?”

She nodded. “We can’t have guys inside our rooms. And my mother will kill me if she found out.”

“We won’t do whatever you are thinking.”

Jackie gasped. “I’m not thinking of whatever you think I am thinking!”

Dean pretended to be deep in thought for a while. When he spoke, his eyes were full of mirth. “But then, you’re having your you-know-what so I think I’ll sleep with Troy.”

“Hey!”

He gave a short chuckle. He placed the last piece of paper back in the envelope and said, “It’s all good. We can give these to the clients tomorrow. We need to go to sleep.” He stood up, but not without leaving a kiss on top of her head. “’Night, Jackie.”

  *****

Later, in her bed, Jackie was wide awake.

She was looking at Dean’s fake Facebook account.

It would just take one click and everything would go away. He didn’t have to know, she thought.

She shook her head. She didn’t want to keep such secrets from him. He’d have to know.

Jackie took a deep breath and decided she’d take it down. Now.

Then she received a message. The fake Dean Gamboa received a message.

It was from Brian.

Jackie’s heart hammered against her chest.

It was the ‘Brian Alert’ blaring inside her once again. And it got stronger as she read the message:

You think you deserve her, don’t you?

You think you can make her happy as I can, don’t you?

Think twice, Mr. Dean Gamboa.

I KNOW YOUR SECRETS. And I know your kind.

You will make her fall in love with you and then you’ll break her heart.

Don’t think I am afraid of you.

I am not.

Watch your back because I am always watching.

Always.

Anger, fear and hate surged up inside Jackie like a ball of fire. It ate through every single cell in her body, rapidly consuming her.

Her hands shook as she threw her phone out of reach as if it was infected, about to cause an epidemic.

Dean was just a few steps away from her room.

Should she tell him?

But what if he would do something that Brian wouldn’t like?

And then he would be in danger.

Jackie couldn’t bring herself to climb out of her bed and knock on Dannie’s door. It would wake Dean and Troy.

George was not home yet.

What should she do?

  *****

Georgie had been driving me around Bacolod for a few hours now.

A big problem was obviously bothering her right now.

We were circling the empty Bacolod Lagoon Park when I noticed the black BMW parked outside Chowking. We passed by it and when we did, I saw Jordan Ledesma peer through the small opening of his window, his dark, hooded eyes following us intently.

The creep! He must be Brian’s twin brother from another life!

At that point, I was pretty sure, from the bottom of my trunk and all the pipes in my body, that Georgie was his target.

The question now was: Why?

  *****

The following day, I was cramped.

Tata wouldn’t start. She said she hated Troy right now for ditching her outside the apartment with her windows open.

Well, she had the right to be mad. The boys never did that to me before. Ever.

Oh well, I just hoped that she would like our neighborhood.

So I rode the main streets of Bacolod early in the morning with Jackie behind the wheel, Dean at the passenger seat; Troy, Dannie and Georgie at the back.

“You could have just taken a taxi!” Dannie was nagging at Troy the whole ride.

“Excuse me, I don’t remember you guys giving me that option earlier. You just ordered me to go climb inside Toto!”

“Hey! Stop it! My head is aching and you guys are not helping!” Jackie shouted as she turned me to the direction of the Red Cross Headquarters.

Everyone got out except Jackie to give way for Georgie when we stopped outside the HQ.

She had been silent the whole ride, even last night.

This girl was not helping me with my troubles! I had a lot in my mind as it was!

Troy and Dannie climbed back inside, nudging each other along the way, followed by Dean, after the passenger seat was straightened back in place.

When it was time for Dannie to get out, Troy said, “Can I come with you?”

“No!” she shouted and then walked off.

“She never changed. She still hates me.”

“Where to, Troy?” Jackie asked irritably.

Now, what the hell is wrong with you, Jackie girl? You’ve been irritable since you got in!

“Home,” Troy answered, clearing his throat. Dean looked over his shoulder at the man and gave a signal with his hand.

“What?” Troy mouthed, not understanding.

Dean pointed at his watch, then at Jackie, then made a motion with his finger, twirling it right beside his temple.

Troy opened his mouth in understanding, nodding his head. “I get it.”

I don’t know why, but I didn’t get it, dudes. Seriously, however did you manage to talk in secret codes like that and understand each other?

“You got what?” Jackie snapped.

“Nothing. Just calm down, Jackie. It’s not like you don’t go through it at all.”

Dean threw him a warning look.

“Go through what?” Jackie asked sharply.

“A bad morning. You should actually be jolly right now. I heard you guys are officially dating. Good for you.”

Dean didn’t say anything. He just focused his attention outside my window.

Jackie answered, “Let’s get you home. I am really starting to hate you right now, Troy.”

Troy was quiet. If there was something I liked about this guy, he knew when he should shut up. And he never slipped his tongue about the crazy things Jackie did. The subject of his photography project for Jackie was not even raised ever since I learned about it. They took Troy outside his home, which was pretty large, with a promise from him that he would send someone for Tata later.

“You okay?” Dean asked when they were finally alone inside me.

Correct question, Dean. Yeah, Jackie girl, what’s wrong?

I knew it was not about her period. She could get cranky, yes, but not like this.

For the love of God, what it is now? Please, don’t let this be another big problem!

“Nothing. I just--I just didn’t get enough sleep.”

Not good enough reason, you liar! I know you. I know you are hiding something. You better tell me later!

  *****

When we reached Collins Corporations, I saw a sight that I almost missed: Brian.

He was standing right where he used to stand since he activated his stalker mode. He was still lanky and unkempt. And the fire in his eyes was there. The eagerness and the restlessness in his features almost made me lock all my doors so Jackie couldn’t get out.

She gripped my steering wheel with a mixture of anxiety and fear. And hatred. So much hatred that she was almost shaking.

“What’s he doing here?” Dean asked.

Brian must have seen Dean as well, but unlike what any of us would have expected, he parted his legs, as if he was going to battle.

This is not a good sign, Jackie.

Wait, is this why you’ve been acting like a bitch? Did he bother you again?

I didn’t need an answer. I knew Brian was back in action.

Dean, deal with this for me, will you? I asked as they both climbed out of me.

I watched them walk to where Brian was, Jackie in an unsteady gait and Dean in his usual confident self.

  *****

“What?” Jackie asked, trying to sound irritated, when Brian blocked their path. Deep inside, she was nervous and afraid.

She didn’t know what Brian was doing here. He should be running away after seeing Dean like he used to before. But his message last night told her he had gathered up some nerves.

“I want to talk to Jackie.” He didn’t address her, he addressed Dean.

The two men stared at each other for a long time. Dean’s gaze never wavered. He held Brian’s like he would the people who worked for him. It was one of the rarest moments that Jackie was grateful for this side of Dean.

Brian’s gaze wavered, but Jackie noted the hatred in them as he forced himself to look back at Dean, expecting a round two. But Dean said in an icy tone, “No. She doesn’t want to talk to you.”

Dean took her hand and they started to walk away.

“Jackie, wait--”

She felt Dean’s grip tighten around her wrist as he stopped. He looked over his shoulder and said to Brian, “If you bother her again, I will report you to your superior. Go back to your work.”

Jackie couldn’t remember how they managed to get inside the building. She just found herself inside the elevator with Dean who was still looking furious.

“If he as much as shows himself through the corner of your eyes, you tell me,” he said through clenched teeth.

Jackie gulped. She no longer cared about her lies. They no longer mattered now that Brian seemed to be taking a different method. The way he looked at Dean earlier said it all: he was ready for battle whether or not he won. And Dean’s anger toward him was not making things easier. It could aggravate the situation. If she believed Brian was just some ordinary guy, she wouldn’t be bothered at all. But he had been acting crazy since day one and God knows what he could do.

“I need to talk to you later,” she said before the doors opened.

“About what?”

“Just…we just need to talk,” she repeated and then walked out the doors with determination. She’d tell him everything. She’d tell him about Brian’s threats.

  *****

Jackie found the Coke can on her table after her morning break with Karen. A small smile appeared on her lips as she took it.

“That’s from boss Dean, isn’t it?” Karen asked with a teasing look.

“Why would he give me a Coke?” Jackie huffed.

“Don’t deny it, girl. You two have been exchanging drinks. We all know that.”

She didn’t comment. She figured the rumors would eventually die down if she and Dean didn’t say anything. It was not against company policy to date a co-worker or a boss. It was just discouraged.

Yes, she knew that because she finally read the company manual a few nights ago.

  *****

Later that morning, she reached for her Coke with a sigh. She was tired after last night and this morning’s events.

“Why are you opening that?” Dean’s voice asked behind her just as when she popped the can.

She whirled her chair around in shock. “I can’t? Isn’t this for me?” she asked innocently. She could sense they had once again stolen everyone’s attention, especially Karen’s.

“You haven’t had your lunch yet.” He motioned with his head and added, “Come on.”

“Huh?”

Dean raised his eyebrow. His gaze swept the whole floor and everyone immediately returned to whatever they were doing. “It’s almost lunch time. Let’s go.”

“But--”

“We need to discuss something,” he said, waving the papers in his hand.

“Oh, okay.” Jackie stood up with her can of Coke and hastily said to Karen, “See you later.”

  *****

“What do you want to talk about?” they both asked in unison. They had ordered their food and were now sitting at Dean’s usual spot.

“No, you go ahead first,” Jackie said before he could.

Dean looked at her for a long time.

“I’m serious. Yours is obviously more important,” she lied.

He thought about it. “You’ll tell me later,” he reminded her.

“Yes, I will.”

“Okay, then, let’s talk about the event,” he said, giving her some papers. “This is the schedule we’ve made yesterday. The clients approved them. The event is by the end of this week. It’s time to take everything into action.”

Jackie took his last words seriously and in a different way. She nodded her head. “Yes, it’s time to take action.” But am I ready? She asked herself.

Dean frowned. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“It’s my time of the month, remember? I get weird, that’s all.”

Again, he stared at her with concern but didn’t ask further. “The party will be quite formal so ask people to dress in semi-formal to formal attire. What will you be wearing?”

Jackie smiled this time. “That is something I haven’t decided yet. That will need some careful planning.”

He smiled, shaking his head. “I’ll drive this time.”

She laughed. “Hey, this will not be a date. This will be work.”

He cleared his throat. “Right. Lets finish our food first and then talk about the rest of the detail in my office later.”

Jackie gulped. “In your office?”

He frowned. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“I kind of have a phobia when it comes to your office.”

“What?” he asked incredulously. “You’re not serious, are you?”

She nodded her head. “Especially with the blinds down.”

Dean chuckled. “Then it’s time to desensitize, Jackie.”

For the first time, Jackie felt excited to enter the Devil’s Room.

Or maybe not because Dean might not like what she was planning to tell him.