Dance For Me

"Crystal, your number is about to start in twenty minutes. Are you ready?" Farra, the club owner and served as her older sister was striding to the dressing room while talking again.

She was always like this. Especially when she was nervous or scared. But that night, she was only nervous. The number of customers in her famous nightclub doubled again.

Since Crystal joined her ship about five months ago, her profit skyrocketed like crazy. Now, aside from the other ten dancers, Crystal had become the apple of her eye.

Crystal glanced at her reflection on the full body-length mirror once again then smiled.

"I'm ready!" she told Farra who at that time was holding her breath while she clasped her hands.

"You are so beautiful. But hey, stick to your rules, okay? No touching and oh!"

She took a black party mask that covered her identity aside from her club name and reached it to her.

"Don't forget this!" she smilingly whispered.

"Thanks!" Crystal smiled back before they left the dressing room.

She was wearing a two-piece black sexy outfit. Mixed with lace and cotton to cover her sensitive parts and at the same time a very light fabric easy for her to move or to swing her body every time she would do an acrobat.

As they stepped backstage, they could hear the customers screaming a name and a piece of erotic music started playing.

"Alright, dear lovely guests. The one you've been waiting for!" the host said on a microphone.

"Good luck!" Farra uttered before Crystal took her post in the middle of the stage.

"The Moonlight Flower!" the host screamed as the spotlight flashed onto her while she was holding a pole in a sexy post.

Yes!

Crystal was the famous pole dancer in Moonlight Nightclub.

.

While erotic music was being played and a scream of the crowd shouted only one name, rock music and loud chats engulfed the garden in Newly villa.

"Yow! Our dear heartthrob at the university and our second most handsome man tonight, welcome back to earth!" Edward teased Allan who was sitting beside his friends and classmates in the university while holding a glass of brandy.

"Second most handsome?" Genie repeated in question.

Her face was red and her glassy eyes squinted at him asking what he meant.

"Yeah! Coz I am the first!" Edward proudly uttered as he stood straight and tapped his chest.

Their classmates booed on him and shook their heads while laughing. But Edward just shrugged his friends' tease off.

"Yow, Allan! For sure you are staying here for good, right? Unlike before, you said you would only have a summer vacation but you didn't come back!" Edward suddenly became serious as he sat opposite to him.

Allan who was sitting comfortably on the couch beside Genie and Melissa just gave him a light smile. He reached out for the bottle of brandy on the center table and pour himself a glass.

"Since I'm going to start leading dad's business, then I guess that's a yes!" he winked as he gave them a shallow smile.

The Newly garden had a lap pool and two gazebos. Some of his friends were grilling barbeques while drinking beers and wines.

Others were having a wild party in the water. The garden was illuminated with lamp posts beside its benches and lantern lights hanging over the pool

"Oh yeah! My bestfriend is back!" Edward exclaimed while he and Allan made a high five.

Allan just chuckled at Edward's reaction. When suddenly, his phone rang. He glanced at his friends for a while then got up. He excused himself while his friends nodded and followed him with their confused gaze.

"Hello, babe! You are at the gate? Okay, wait there. I'm coming!" his voice was gentle like speaking to a baby.

His strides were fast like he was running out of time. When he saw a beautiful woman in a sexy red one-piece with wavy blonde hair, he hugged her tight and gave her a throbbing kiss.

"Hmm, babe! Your place is a bit hard to find. Maybe next time just pick me up. Please!" the woman's surreal voice mixed with her hot hug was making Allan melt on his spot.

"Okay, next time I will just pick you up. Come here, I will introduce you to my friends!" Allan smiled.

His love and care towards the woman were head over heels. He wrapped his hand immediately around her shoulders shouting his ownership.

When his friends shifted their glances at them approaching towards their seats, they all gawked.

"Guys, I would like to introduce my babe to you. This is Sherry. Babe, they are my classmates and my fellow cheerleaders before!" Allan's face was blushing while Sherry gave them a light smile and a simple wave.

"Hi!"

But the three remained rooted in their spots. Till it was Edward who released a fake cough to nudge Genie and Melissa.

"Nice to meet you, Sherry!" Edward started as he also waved back.

"Hello!" both Genie and Melissa uttered while giving her a wry smile.

Allan stepped aside and held Sherry's waist as he gestured her to sit beside Genie before he sat beside her.

When they settled down to their seats, Edward started asking.

"So, how did you two meet?"

Both Melissa and Genie moved their heads closer. They were all agog to hear their answer. Sherry glanced sweetly at Allan first before she replied.

"Well, at the bar. He was drinking alone at the counter at that time and I was alone, too. We glanced at each other then that's it. We became this. Who would have thought our relationship would last for a year now!"

"A year?" both Genie and Melissa exclaimed.

Sherry glanced beside her and nodded at Genie and Melissa.

"Yes! Tonight!" she added.

"Tonight?" they again exclaimed.

When Edward noticed that Sherry's smile was turning to a baffled look, he immediately shut the two down.

"Forgive them. During our cheerleading days, they're the so-called twins. They rhymed when they spoke!"

"Ah! That's funny!" Sherry chuckled as she clasped Allan's hand tight.

Both Genie and Melissa frowned at him in an instant. Twins your a*s they thought.

"All right!" Allan who was just quietly listening sat straight and stared at Sherry who was becoming uncomfortable.

"Babe, do you wanna go for a swim?" he asked sweetly.

"I would love to but I didn't bring any swimsuit with me!" she replied in a kittenish voice.

It made Melissa coughed while Genie nudged her.

When Sherry gave them a puzzled look, Allan gently took her hand and guided her to get up.

"Don't worry! I bought you your swimsuit. Come. Your gift is in my room. Happy Anniversary, babe!" Allan uttered as he gave Sherry a deep kiss.

Before they could come back to their senses, the two already went inside the villa.

"I can't believe it. How could Allan do that?" Genie shook her head with annoyance.

"He met that woman~"

"Melissa, her name is Sherry!" Edward cut her out.

"Shut up!" Melissa scowled at him.

"What I'm saying is, he met that woman at the bar at this date?"

"So, what if he met her at this date?" Edward couldn't still get what the two meant.

"Edward, you are hopeless! Are you still our friend?" Genie was also getting annoyed at him as she splashed the remaining liquid of brandy to him.

Edward was too late to dodge it. His shirt was soaked and he smelled brandy all over. He had no choice but to take his shirt off while giving Genie a sharp stare.

"Why did you that?" he annoyingly asked.

"Coz you are forgetting what's the special date tonight, st*pid!" it was Melissa who replied.

"What?" Edward asked back.

The two took a deep sigh of frustration before they immediately dropped their shoulders and frowned at him more.

"Today is Crystal's birthday, id*ot!" Melissa roared.

Edward who was about to drink his beer halted and finally got their point.

"Freaking sh*t!"

"What's the matter?" when Allan's voice almost made them jump to their seats.

They had no idea that he was already behind them but where was his girlfriend?

"Ahm Allan, where is Sherry?" Genie anxiously asked as she glanced behind him. Hopefully, he didn't hear what they were talking about.

"Already in the pool!" Allan casually replied.

Edward who was always the brave and really chatty one couldn't control himself to ask.

"Yow, man! Why didn't you invite our cheer captain?"

"Who's cheer captain?" Allan's face turned dim like he suddenly remembered something.

"Crystal, man! Your ex-girlfriend?" Edward was now anxious and so were Genie and Melissa.

Allan didn't just give them a deep stare but also a glare.

"I don't know that woman. Don't ever mention her again!"

.

He had been in the pool kissing Sherry for quite a while but the three were still dumbstruck with his answer.

"Does he even know what Crystal's life these days?" Edward whispered and his annoyance towards the situation was screaming loud.

"Just remember what she told us when she attended our graduation. Don't ever mention anything to him!" Melissa also shook her head.

What a waste of relationship they had they thought.

"Crystal, your performance always gives our customers chills and goosebumps. The more you dance the more they crave for more!" Farra praised Crystal after performing three erotic and acrobat dances.

When her number was finished, she immediately went to the dressing room and changed her clothes. She was wiping her makeup and brushing her hair in front of her vanity mirror when Farra approached her.

"Thanks, Farra. I'm glad they like it!" Crystal who was hurrying simply told her while looking at her in the mirror.

Farra also smiled then her tired eyes glanced at her facial expression. She held both of her shoulders for a while then took some bills that were stuck in her brassiere and gave them to her.

"You always did well at my club. Here, your bonus. Take it. Don't worry, I already gave the other girls!" Farra uttered while giving her a shallow smile.

Upon fixing herself. She turned around and shyly took the money from her.

"Thanks, Farra! You've been so kind to me!" Crystal uttered.

"Don't mention it. Go now. Your aunt might be waiting. You can come back late here tonight. Take a lot of rest at home!" Farra left her a light chuckle before she opened the door.

Crystal hugged Farra tight as a sign of her gratitude before she went to the back door and sprinted secretly out of the club. She was thinking of what Farra said. Rest at home but she knew, she couldn't do that.

She walked about 50 meters away before she reached the bus stop. She glanced at the plastic watch that was wrapped around her wrist and sighed.

"It's five in the morning!" she thought.

She would have at least till noon to visit her mom then would go to the mall for her another job, a sales clerk at a perfume store.

After 15 minutes, the bus had arrived. It was a good thing the buses in the city started their routes really early if not she would just spend her earnings from taking the cab every morning.

"Good morning!" the bus driver greeted her.

She had always been his early riser passenger plus another working man who always took the backseat.

"Good morning, sir!" Crystal politely replied as she sat in front.

"The weather says it might rain today. You don't have an umbrella. I have an extra one here in case you need it!" the driver who had a beer belly and a middle-aged man, friendly offered.

"Thanks but I have an umbrella in my bag!" she casually replied rather while showing her fabric bag.

"That's good if you have. I'm wondering, you go the same route almost every morning. From that establishment near the club to the bus stop near the hospital. Do you work at the hospital?"

Since Crystal had always been his front seat passenger, he couldn't help but ask. But she who never liked to tell anyone about her life just gave the driver a simple smile. He completely understood what she meant and never bothered Crystal again.

When they reached the bus stop, Crystal held the strap of her eco bag and slightly bowed at the driver.

"Thanks!" she told him before she got off the bus.

While she was walking, she glanced at the time. It was 5:45 in the morning. There were already people at the pedestrian walking in a haste like her. Some establishments in front of the sidewalk started to open. Other people held a big size paper cup of Starbucks in their hands. Some wore corporate attire, some were in uniforms. While her, a simple long light pink shirt and skinny jeans. She paired her outfit with her favorite sneakers which she had been wearing for two years now. Her long brown hair draped all the way to her waist but had no intentions of cutting its length.

She walked past the passerby in the crossing when the light turned green. As she strode to the entrance of the hospital, she happened to look over her shoulder.

In a tinted black SUV, Allan was browsing early news in the backseat when he suddenly glanced around and saw a woman whose long straight hair was the same as the woman he abhorred in his heart.

He squinted his eyes upon seeing her and left a light chuckle.

"She will never be that b*tch!" he muttered thinking that woman was way too simple compared to the woman who left a scar in his heart five years ago.

His driver who just heard what he said, glanced at the rearview mirror and asked.

"Sir? Did you say something?"

"Keep on driving, Marlon. I just remembered something!" he sternly replied making Marlon zip his lips and just focused on the road.

Meanwhile, as Crystal arrived at the entrance, she greeted the usual nurses she always saw every morning at the information desk.

"Good morning, Miss Hills!" one of the nurses smiled at her.

"Good morning!" she also smiled back as she gave them a coupon for Starbucks coffee.

"You just gave us the other day!" the other nurse uttered.

"I have plenty of it and I don't really drink coffee!" she just responded.

Indeed, it was one of Farra's customers at the club who always gave them a supply of this brew. It's for the dancers he said, so they wouldn't sleep on the dance floor he even jokingly explained.

"Thanks, then Miss Hills!" the two nurses smiled at her before she went towards the lift.

She leaned on the wall as she shut her eyes and pondered how long had her mother been staying at the hospital. It had been almost a year.

She took a deep sigh and clung to the handrail of the elevator tight. She was hoping and praying, her mom would wake up now.

Mrs. Hills had a car accident about a year ago when she passed by the pedestrian lane not looking at the red light ahead of her. As the result, she was hit by a black Mercedes-Benz when she was already in the middle of the crossing.

Instead of admitting his mistake, the owner even yelled at the woman who was already drowning in her blood and unconscious. The impact of the car was so strong that her head hit the ground.

When some passersby saw what happened, they called 911 right away. All of Mrs. Hills' grocery scattered on the dirty lane. Fruits, veggies, and some toiletries were being picked up by the crowd but they didn't give them back to the owner. They took them in their households instead.

When the hospital called Crystal, she was working at the department store at that time. She immediately rushed to the hospital and saw her mom lying unconscious with a bandage wrapped around her head and some tubes injected into her skin.

She also saw the man who was responsible for her mom's accident while the cops were taking his side of the story. She dashed towards them and hit the man's chest out of fury.

"How dare you hit my mother?" she was screaming and yelling at him but the man was no conscience at all.

"It's not my fault if your mom was this st*pid to walk in the crossing under the red light. I will never pay for her hospital bills. She stained my new car with her blood. You should be the one paying me!" he even pointed his finger at Crystal.

"Engr. Smith, calm down. What you just said is inhuman. Even if she violated that road law, you are still responsible for her bills at the hospital. If not, you will be put behind bars!" one of the male cops explained siding on Crystal.

The owner had no choice but to pay for Mrs. Hills' hospital bills and medicine but he also stopped after six months.

Crystal was already exhausted fighting for their rights for it drained her energy a lot so instead of running after the man, she applied for a job at a nightclub.

While her mind was getting messed up recalling her reasons for coming to the hospital every day, she didn't realize, she already reached the 10th floor where her mom was in.

As the lift door swung open, she hastily strode towards the ward where another five patients were in. Each room was only covered with sliding curtains and because it was still early, all of the other patients might still be sleeping she thought.

When she slowly slid the curtain into her mom's bed, she saw her aunt still sleeping on the adjustable chair.

"Aunt Sally, I'm here!" she whispered.

"Oh! Crystal. Thank goodness!" Sally rubbed her eyes for a while and sat down as she moved aside giving Crystal a space to sit.

"How's mom?" she asked softly while staring at the sleeping woman in bed.

"Still the same. No improvement!" Sally whispered back.

"Take a rest. You still have at least five hours to snooze. I will just get something to drink!" Sally got up and fixed the pillow for her.

"I brought some sticks of coffee from the club a while ago. Farra told me, I can just get some if I want!" she told her before she lied down and curled herself up on the small adjustable chair.

"Okay, I got it!" Sally smiled at her niece.

She covered her duvet from the hospital while staring at her now-closed eyes. She couldn't help but bite her lower lip thinking how their life had turned upside down.

"Oh, gees! I slept a lot. Aunt Sally, what time is it?" Crystal immediately rose from the caregiver chair when she thought she was late from her next job.

"You have a watch. Don't tell me it's broken again!" Sally uttered rather giving her niece a pitying look.

Crystal glanced at her watch and saw that the hands were not really moving. She removed it right away and shook it if it's still working but her aunt was right~ it's broken again!

"I will just buy a new one later!" she hopelessly mumbled as she slid the curtain and checked at the clock nailed on the wall.

It's eleven. She had an hour left to prepare. She immediately took her uniform and a big towel out of the small closet by the patient's bed.

"The restroom here is empty. You can use it!" Sally uttered while folding the duvet she used.

The restroom in their ward had a shower so the patients' guardians could also take a bath without leaving their sick loved ones. This was already the bathroom Crystal always used for the past six months. Sometimes she used the other restroom located outside of their ward.

After about thirty minutes, she was ready to go. She took her eco bag and an umbrella she put at the umbrella stand near the ward sliding door and bade her Aunt Sally goodbye.

"Be careful huh?" Sally replied while cupping her niece's delicate face in her hands.

"Don't worry, Aunt!" Crystal simply smiled but it never reached her eyes and that expression never escaped in Sally's attentive gaze.

"Everything will be all right!" she whispered as she gave her niece a peck on her cheek before the latter left the hospital.

The Shopping Mall she was working was twenty minutes away by bus including traffic and stops. So when she arrived at her stall, she almost hit the starting time.

"Crystal, good thing you're here now!" Cindy, the sales clerk in the morning and would last at six, was in a frantic state.

"Sorry, I was almost late. I slept a lot this morning!" Crystal apologetically whispered.

"That's not the problem now. The thing is, there's a memo. The new CEO of Allure Cosmetics is coming to check today. I've heard he just arrived from the US the other day!" Cindy explained while arranging some bottles on the shelves.

"Really? Why so sudden? Good thing we updated the inventory the other day!" Crystal was also stunned.

Most of the time, the Allure high-level management would give them a week's notice before they would visit. But this time, it seemed there was new management that's going to change that rule.

"I can already smell, the new CEO is a tyrant. Good thing, YOU updated the inventory the other day. I wasn't even able to help you!" Cindy heaved a sigh of relief after browsing their saved files on excel.

"As long as we're both here, everything will be fine!" Crystal simply gave her a relief smile and sighed after waiting for this so-called 'Surprised Visit'

When suddenly, Amy, one of the sales clerks from another cosmetic company came towards them in a haste.

"Hey, your new boss is here. I accidentally saw him entering the mall. Gosh, he is so handsome and young!" she gasped in adulation while her hand was on her chest.

"Really? Is he not scary looking?" Cindy squinted her eyes on Amy and so was Crystal.

She couldn't believe their new boss was young and based on Amy, who liked hot guys, SO HANDSOME!

"Yes! Oh, that's him!" Amy whispered before she went back to her stall.

On the other hand, boasting a magnificent aura in a custom-tailored suit, standing tall in the middle of his assistant and the senior manager of the mall while their saunters signified authority, Allan whose head was looking ahead but orbs were glancing around, caught a glimpse of someone gawking at him from a distance.

He saw she moved back hiding her body beside her co-worker. She also looked down like she dropped something on the floor.

"Sir, that stall there is just one of Allure's stalls here in the mall. There's another one on the 3rd floor just beside a branded fabric store!" the senior manager of the mall started touring him around as he explained everything he needed to know.

"Benjie, check the sales in that store. If the profit doesn't reach the new standard in a day, get rid of one of the sales clerks!" Allan authoritatively uttered to his assistant.

"But sir, the new standard just came out the other day. Most of our stores don't know about it yet!" Benjie rebutted.

"Like you said, the other day which means they have since yesterday to prepare!" Allan insisted as his voice and his aura became stern.

Benjie had no choice but to nod and obey. Even Rick, the senior manager was flabbergasted.

"He is way more strict than his father!" they both thought.

Meanwhile, in the Allure stall...

Cindy was relieved when she saw their new boss and the senior manager turned left going to the escalator but was also baffled when his assistant was approaching in big strides.

Crystal who recognized Allan at first held the post of the shelf with her trembling hand while standing behind Cindy.

"Good afternoon, sir!" Cindy greeted Benjie but Crystal who was still in the state of shock for accidentally seeing her ex after years of no contact remained rooted on her spot.

"Good afternoon! Cindy and Crystal?" Benjie asked while reading their nameplates and staring at the woman whose head was looking down the floor.

"Hey! Lift your head!" Cindy nudged her to get her attention.

She slowly stood straight and bowed at Benjie when she saw that he was waiting for her reply.

"So, I hope you two had lunch!" he started with a smile.

"I had sir but Crystal doesn't have yet!" Cindy replied while her hands were clasped together.

"I see. Well, I have an announcement to make. It's a new policy made by our new CEO. Listen carefully!"

Benjie's words made the two more attentive than they already were. They glanced at each other first before they clasped their hands together.

"I need to check your sale yesterday!" he commanded.

Cindy who was confident that they reached the target, immediately showed Benjie the report. Crystal was just watching them behind Cindy.

"Hmm! You reached the target. Good work!"

"Thank you, sir!" both of them uttered with a smile.

"But this one is an old policy. Like I said a while ago, we have a new policy. The profit you accumulated yesterday didn't reach the new target!"

What Benjie said made them gape at him. Their eyes were asking questions.

"The new target was raised to 10% which means the profit in this stall yesterday wasn't good!"

"Ahm! We worked hard to reach the original target. We had no idea about the raise, sir. Please, give us a chance!" Cindy beseeched.

Since she worked at Allure longer than Crystal, she knew what Benjie meant. One of them would be fired...right away!

"I'm sorry! I'm just following CEO Newly's decision. Prepare. We'll call the person who will leave the company tomorrow!"

Benjie couldn't exactly tell them in nicer words for whatever terms he would use, it would still hurt one of them. So, better if he would be frank he thought.

After staring at their gloomy look, he left the stall with a heavy heart.

Crystal's face suddenly turned pale upon hearing the announcement. She knew well Allan did that to chase her away. She saw him notice her presence a while ago and what she witnessed in those eyes was rage.

She knew she would get fired!