Chapter Two

Flashback one week ago<<

Lulu's P.O.V

When i arrive at the Philippines airport Dad and my stepmom carrying my younger sister (Claire) they fetch me and we all went home, i saw my older sister (Laiza) standing at the front door of the house with a banner says 'Welcome Home, Hulya', my nickname written on it, i smiled and hugs her, i found my step grandma in the kitchen preparing the food to celebrate, there's Spaghetti, pansit with shrimp, lumpia and cake, my favorites, i hand out my hand and she did too i put her front hand in my forehead to give her a Mano (polite/honoring gesture) "palit muna ako ng damit, pinagpawisan ako" (i'll change clothes first, I'm sweating) i said and go to my bedroom, i look everywhere and it looks the same as i left it, i change quickly cause i was starving to death, when I went down stair there's uninvited guest in the door "o, hello, nalate pala kame ng dating, nandito ka na,"(o, hello, we're late, you're here already) my aunt (on my father side) said, 'here is the crazy hag' i just smile a little and didn't bother to let out a sentence and went in the kitchen, while they're in the front door taking there shoes off i give everyone in the dining table a look saying 'why is she here?' mommy(step-mom) whispering answered me "gusto nyang pumunta, walang nag imbita sa kanya, pinilit nya din si Roella pumunta," (she wanted to come, no one invited her, she even drag Roella *my aunts younger daughter* with her,) i Irritatedly nodded and when they arrive in the table Roella sits next to me and aunt sit next to her 'i don't have a grudge against my cousin Roella but her mom or my aunt.. I have a big one' "kumusta ang bakasyon mo sa America?" (how was your vacation in America?) my aunt said i looked at her annoyed but stills smile "hindi po ako nag bakasyon, i worked there." (I didn't go on vacation, i worked there.) and immediately looked away and spin the turntable to get the spaghetti and place it on my plate, i eat a full fork on the spaghetti i could even hear my on chew cause everyone's being quiet after i finish eating my first bite i looked at everyone and they just started eating too, my stepmom was smiling so proudly but everyone is nervous, i continue eating like there's no tomorrow and this hag make a comment again "ang siba mo naman kumain, adeng," (you eat like a pig, Adeng *my old nickname*) and laughs, mommy and mamalang (step-grandma) glared at her, dad didn't care and just enjoy the foods my sister just smiling like saying 'you will be slap again' like usual, i swallow everything that's on my mouth and answers her stupid comment "kung nagtatrabaho ka lang sa ibang bansa na once a month lang and day off, imbes na mag 5/6 sa mga taong pumupunta ka pa sa bahay mo, malalaman mo ang nararamdaman ko." (if only you work at abroad with only rest once a month instead of doing 5/6, making people come to you at your house, you'll know how i feel) i glared at her for a sec and decided to eat my food, my sister just look at me agreeing to my answer and i just nodded, and she become quiet while Roella's just eating her food cause every time they're with us her mom always say stupid things, we get through it they do a little chitchat the elderly and we children just being behave and quiet only smiling to each other, after the dinner they go immediately cause she always gets blocked in the conversation, 'she always get that kind of treatment but she always came to make a stupid comment, she never gets tired.' after it i decided to help out in the kitchen "wag na, ipunin mo nalang yang lakas mo sa trabaho" (don't, save up your energy on work) she said i just nodded cause I'm really tired, working 3 jobs abroad is tiring, i went to my room and lay down in my bed and sighed loudly, my door is open and i saw a shadow in the door on side of my eyes i didn't really look but i could see it, i waited for them to speak but instead it walk inside and sit in my vanity (make-up table) chair and spoke "nabalitaan ko may tinutuluyan ka doon... kasama mo lalake?, boyfriend mo na ba yun?" (i heard you are staying with someone.. with a guy?, is he your boyfriend?) My sister said, i sighed, i close my eyes and cover my eyes with my arms, "I'm only using him, alam mo naman kailangan natin ng pera, gusto ko din mag collage noh... kapag gutso ni papa.. lalo na pangarap nya makatapos tayo, bakit hindi tuparin." (I'm only using him, you know we need money, I also want to go to college... when dad wants it... especially his dream is for us to graduate, why not make it come true.) i answered we both become quiet for a minute and she let out a sigh "sige, basta umuwi ka nalang agad pag ayaw mo na doon, ako naman magtatrabaho." (fine, just go home if you don't want to be there, I will work.) i response immediately before she could leave "hindi mo kaya." (you can't) she finally leave and closed the door i covered myself in my blanket and fall asleep.

End of Flashback>>

i woke up and saw my surrounding but 'it's so dark in here' i feel the place and I'm covered by a blanket so i take it off my body and walk a few steps, i saw a line of light on the ground it looks like it's the bottom of a door, my arms are swinging everywhere until i get to the door, i touch everything until i found the doorknob and when i opened it , a bright place is infront of me, a big chandelier, long stairs with red carpet are on there and a beautiful place like heaven is surrounding me, "I'm i dreaming?" i ask myself when someone answers with a tired voice and kind of deep "no. ... maybe you need more sleep. it's only 5 in the morning, signorina" i jump a little of shock and look at my back, there is a jack half naked Mr. Vitale, "do you- do you sleep like that?" i ask as soon as i saw him, he looked confused and looked at himself but doesn't look embarrassed or something "i don't have time to deal with your question, let's sleep. i pulled a full night work in here because of you, so please signorina let's sleep." he said and pull me inside and close the door, a side table lamp is on so i could see everything, he let go immediately after he closed the door and goes to bed and quickly fall asleep, i giggled "he really is sleepy, I'm sorry mister for keeping you awake last night," i said to myself and also goes back to bed, i hug something besides me without thinking thankfully it was a pillow, i looked at mister that's sound asleep and laughs a little again before closing my eyes. an hour later i woke up again and goes in the bathroom to brush my teeth thankfully there's an extra toothbrush that is still sealed, i opened it and starts to brush my teeth when i found the toothpaste and wash my face quickly, when i got out the bathroom i looked at the bed where mister is but his still sound asleep so i didn't bother waking him up and walk out the door and i saw the beautiful place again i walk around and saw maids everywhere, there's five in the stairs, four coming in and out of some room and maybe 10 or more maids cleaning everything in the place, 'this place is madness!' i thought, i walk to ask a maid to where the kitchen is when i suddenly saw a elevator just beside the room i was in, i looked everywhere even the maid in the stairs that is so far away from me, i hesitate to touch something in the place, seconds of panicking if i will press the elevator i decided to do it, as soon as i press it the sound of it makes most of the maid looked at me, the maid in the stairs is running with elegant towards me and the maid in down stair joined too so i panicked and press the elevator many times, when it opened it's already too late cause the maids lined up infront of me, "wha-what-wha-what- what's- what are- what is- I'M SORRY I TOUCHED IT!" i shout with panicked and placing my hands on each other for forgiveness while looking down, when i glance to see their reaction they look confused and some of them making a hand gesture saying 'don't' with both hands like shaking them, a kinda old lady with a maid uniform hold me in the shoulders and says "please don't, we're getting scold if you bowed at us, we don't want to loss our jobs, we're also new in here" she said with a smile, i feel relieve and smiles back at her "I'm really sorry, i got scared," i said and laughs she let go and lined up too besides the other maids "ahm, i just want to ask, where is the kitchen?" i asks, the old lady signaled them to go and they did, "I will accompany you there." she said and press the elevator cause it already closed earlier, when it opened she make way for me and she leads the way to the kitchen.