HT—Chapter 2: The Kitchen and Rachel

The party wasn't the same to what I've expected, but the look does to it's near perfection.

I was currently serving the guests by filling their cocktail glass with champagne. There are so many invited guests yet one thing I've found about this party, it has an uncomfortable atmosphere. It's probably nowhere to Isabelle's dictionary. Even me who is a mere house helper would not wish to be stuck inside their tension. Everyone here was all business matters. They could be the family's business alliance, the well-known celebrities and also guests from high paying professions.

My thoughts were cut out when somebody accidentally bumped into my back. It's a good thing that I have fast reflexes which save me from pouring the drinks to the face of the seated old man whose mask gave out a pedophilia energy. He has a mask of a grinning black pig.

"Sorry," the gentleman with a lion mask muttered. I got dumbfounded upon hearing his deep voice. He's the one that accidentally bumped me. I was not able to respond because he left immediately. I stared at him as he got mixed to the crowd.

'Those arms...' My eyes goes wide as I realized that those arms held my waist and touched the base of my breasts. Suddenly, my face heated up.

I mentally smacked myself. What now, Tessa? Come on, don't be so easy. Seriously?! I blink many times to straighten myself, to stop my flustered feelings.

I continue serving the guest until the bottle was on the verge of being empty. I went back to the kitchen to ask for another bottle of champagne. I waited for my coworker who was assigned to get the wine bottles that are stock in the basement.

Maggie made a dreamy sigh as she entered the kitchen doorway. "O... my... goddess such a blessings in the eyes! Daniel is even more handsome in person~" she turns clumsily then sits on dining chair in a funny way. She held her cheeks and stared at nowhere.

"Ahh, those seas of hunks," swooning Maggie muttered and slapped her blushing cheeks upon recalling those 6-feet gentlemen. I looked at her with funny furrowing brows.

"It's a shame that we can never be noticed by them whose life statuses are way beyond us. So annoying!" Maggie slouched her back then stretched her strained legs.

Everyone in the kitchen laughed at the truthfulness of her remarks.

"In short, heaven and earth, and we're the ones that rot in the earth. Just the best words to describe it," Rachel whose face rested in her hands added and everyone laughed because of the facts again.

Maggie stopped her dreamy state. She looked in my direction. The smile on my lips was still intact.

She heaved, "Maybe..." Everyone stopped smiling and paid their attention to Maggie's next remarks again.

"If only we are still young as Tessa... Maybe we would still have the chance of winning those gents." She smiled meaningfully.

"...and sexy ladies." Jefferson added and the men's eyes sparkled at the thought of it.

"Look at this lucky gal, she's already a graduating student!" Suddenly they cheered at me. My face heats up because of the attention. Ahh, I hate attention.

Thinking about graduation, I felt relieved knowing that I'll soon be leaving this work and work my best to attain a good performance for my future workplace. The better you work, the more the promotion will favor your career. My lips voluntarily draw a smile. I watched everyone as they glee for my hard work when my eyes glanced at Rachel whose eyes held indifferently. I stared at my shoes with tight lips.

Rachel.

I know her story.

I know how she felt like she was being treated unfairly because of me.

Rachel aspired to be an Industrial Engineer but has to stopped on her third year of college to save for her tuition and miscellaneous fee. She got exterminated by her government scholarship. She failed a major course because the instructor failed her thesis project. She applied to many company but since Heath's family offered free room to stay and free meal, all with no charges, she chose to work in here. When she heard the family offered me a scholarship to continue my nursing program, she felt hopeful. She went personally to Mr. Heath's study room to ask about the scholarship and I was there when it happened.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Heath!" Rachel greeted and Mr. Heath smiled at her.

"Oh yes, Miss Dela Cruz the cleaner, am I right?"

"Yes, sir!" Rachel replied enthusiastically when Mr. Heath recognized her.

"Right! So, what's the matter? Does the other employees bothered you? Have any concerns about your recent set up?" Mr. Heath's forehead wrinkled. Concerned, I furrowed my brows thinking that it's something to do with the woman cleaning set up since I'll be working in the mansion now.

"Mr. Heath, you are so kind but everything's very fine. I just have something to inquire."

"Let's hear it." He said and slouched on his chair. Rachel straightened her pose and smiled politely.

"I heard that you are offering scholarship to your house employees. Sir, I'll be on my third year if I'll enrolled this year."

"Hmm?"

"I guarantee you, sir. I am a very hard working student and I am confident with my intelligence. I got a very satisfying grades on my previous semester."

"Please be direct to your point miss Dela Cruz." Mr. Heath did not appreciate the chase. His face was full of authority and his gaze to Rachel while speaking made Rachel inferior to him. Because of this, Rachel bows in respect and replied, "I would like to ask if the Heath's family could also give me a scholarship to help me become an engineer."

"Oh, you must be an aspiring student." Mr. Heath remarked.

"Very much, sir!" She was so hopeful.

"I like ambitious student. The positive ones I must add." This made Rachel excited. I noticed Mr. Heath glanced at me and I meet his eyes intentionally. He knew she was going to asked for the scholarship, and I knew it too.

Yes, I received the scholarship aid but there's never been an application form being submitted. There's never a need for it because Mr. Heath felt responsible for me.

I avoided Mr. Heath's gaze and decided to stare on the scene outside his study room's window.

"What Engineering program are you again?"

"Industrial engineering, sir."

"Hmm... Industrial engineering." Mr. Heath fixed his posture and lean on the table.

"I'm sorry miss Dela Cruz but I can't provide you the scholarship but I am happy to see that I have a hard-working employee in my household. This lady here, her name is Tessa. She is a nursing student which is why we offered to shoulder her school expenses."

Rachel is smart to get Mr. Heath's point. Heath's family is a family of medicine.

"I understand Mr. Heath, but maybe you can consider me. I promise, I will not fail you if you consider me," she beg Mr. Heath but he only gave her a saddened smile.

I just can't stare at her distasteful eyes. I tried to cheer my face up.

"I mean, it's not too late for everyone," I said but they find it even funnier. Their browses creased up and their smiles held sarcasm. Rachel rolled her eyes and walked away. She goes to the kitchen's comfort room and slammed the door not too loudly but it disturbed me. The sound disturbed my system.

"Heh! Don't ridicule me with those words again, Tessa." It was May who finds my words ridiculous. Her eyes filled with no hope as she said those words. Suddenly, everything's no longer funny.

"For us who were given with no choice, but to strived real hard to earn enough money to provide for our children's needs, we can't just be feel comforted by those words. I hope they do, but nice try."