MAXIE

THURSDAY, MARCH 26.

Today is my first day in my work as a room keeper in Lhorton Hotel. I'm so very happy because finally, I got my new job. I can now be able to pay my rent for my apartment. It's been five months since I didn't pay for it. Last but not least! I can now feed myself 3 times a day. Yes. I don't eat three meals a day if I'm out of work. I need to save as much as I can just to pay even a water bill. It's okay to run out of electricity, I can withstand the heat, but run out of water? That can't be. I don't want to die because of bacteria. I want to die being an old woman, instead.

I left my apartment to go to the Lhorton Hotel. Time check, it's 6 PM early in the morning. Actually, my work time starts at 8 PM but I'm going to go there early for the reason that, by 7 AM, the jeepneys, trains, and buses were full. I also don't want to come to work with my body smells disgusting. That's sucks!

In minutes, I arrived at Lhorton Hotel. From the outside image of this hotel, I was amazed at the magnificence, size, and height of this building. If I estimated the floors that contain this huge building, this will have up to the 15th floor. Like whoa! Really? In my whole fairytale life, I haven't seen a hotel like this, looks like a condominium. How lucky the owner is.

I enter the building with all my heart, wearing a bright smile. The guards greeted me as well as the other staff. If feels so good, I could feel their warm welcome to me. Not only that, but the female staff here are also very nice, beautiful and pleasant in their uniforms and the guards are very friendly and handsome. Customers won't have second thoughts to check in here. With that such a handsome and beautiful employee to serve them? Who wouldn't argue? No wonder, this hotel has the highest percent of being visited by the tourist people. All the needs of the customers who will dare to stay here are already here.

First, is the beautiful, clean, large and comfortable rooms for them. It contains a flat-screen TV, a refrigerator, a large bed, a bathtub, a large mirror, it has a lobby where you can see the whole veranda, and free of delicious foods containing 5 different types of specialties.

Second, it has a large pool for adults up to 8 feet deep and for kids up to 5 feet deep. The pool has slides. Also, there's a treehouse besides the pool area, in which customers can freely relax above there.

Third, there's a restaurant inside, where customers can order when they don't like hotel meals, also a coffee shop.

Like wow, right?

Last but not the least, it has a movie room. Where customers can lay and relax on the large couch while watching movies with their love ones.

Awesome right!

But the price is also, awesome! One night only costs Php.10,000 per room, and only millionaires and billionaires can afford it.

Anyways, we are gathered here today in a huge meeting room of this hotel, along with the new housekeepers who will also start their first day here at the hotel. I think, Miss Kyla, the HR Manager, will first introduce us to about the do's and don'ts here within the hotel.

While we were waiting for Miss Kyla, a colleague of mine approached me.

"Hi, I'm Kathy. You are?" She introduced herself to me. If I will going to judge this woman, she looks rich, wears beautiful clothes, has a big chest, and her makeup is modest. I think he's 20 years old young.

"H-Hi. I'm Max." I uttered and smile as I introduced myself to her. She just smiles back at me.

"Max. So, care to share with me about what went into your mind and you thought of applying here?" She asked me a flirty tone of her voice but the flow of being kind was still there.

Hmm. Is she really kind? Maybe it's just the beginning? Gosh. What was I thinking? I'm just too judgmental.

"Ahm. I just saw on social media that they were looking for a room keeper, that's why. You know, opportunity cost. How about you? Why did you think to apply here? Seems you're rich. I mean, it's because you're wearing it, fancy clothes." I honestly told her. She just laughs flirty.

"Actually, you're right. I'm rich. I just opposed this job because I wanted to see someone." She says, curling her lips on her flirty smile.

My mind wonder as what she said. "Who?" I can't stop myself to asks. I'm curious. When I am curious about something, I become restless until I didn't know it. I'm not a tale bearing-person, just natural.

"It's Andro---" She couldn't keep up with her words because Miss Kyla, the HR Manager, suddenly enters the place. Our seminar is about to start.

"Urgh." I heard Kathy murmurs bit I ignore her since Miss Kyla started talking in front of us to start shares the policies of what we shouldn't do and should do.

Two hours later, our seminar ended. Next thing we did, they gave us our uniform, only one pair, it's up to us if we will provide another one. Next, they gave us a radiotelephone for the purpose of clean calling. After that, we spend another two hours for training, about how to change and fold bedsheets perfectly, to clean the toilet and other things to do inside the room.

After our training, the manager assigned to us our respective floors. And, really! I was really lucky, I was assigned to the eleventh floor. I'm not used to riding with the elevator. I mean, I'm afraid. It makes me feel dizzy. Urgh. I guess I'm going to use the stairs.

After Miss Kyla signed us, we started our work, and luckily enough, I was immediately called on that 11th floor. My first day is happening!

Okay, Maxie. You can do it. For the sake of money. Let the work begin.

--

My first day has ended well. It wasn't easy for me, my body was feeling the weight of tiredness but I was happy and enjoying it.

I am currently walking, going to my apartment, holding a paper bag with has food. At last, I can freely eat now my favorite all-time food. I haven't eaten this in awhile.

When I got to my apartment. Just then, outside, my mouth parted in thickness when I saw all of my belongings were outside. It was a mess and put it in a large plastic bag Wait--wait. What's the meaning of this? What's happening?

The owner of the apartment got out from inside so I quickly run to her.

"Miss! Wait, why is all my stuff outside? What happened?" I ask nervously at the same time my tears began to well in my eyes.

She looked at me sharply and pushed me. The food I was carrying was immediately thrown away.

My eyes widened as I saw my food on the ground. I was struggling to buy that. I felt like I stabbed a hundred times, but, moreover, my world collapsed as what she said.

"Get out of here! There's someone is renting that apartment now!"

I face her with teary-eyed. "P-Pardon? Miss! No. Don't be like this. I'm going to pay you, I promise. In fact, I already have found a job and I will make sure I give you my first paycheck--"

"Crap! How many times have you told me that? Many times in five years! Here! In your apartment, there is a new tenant there. And I'm sure, they can pay me on time! I can have money, on time! How about you? No payment! You always promise me but it ends up nothing, zero, no payment! So get out of here before my guards will drag you out!" She pushed and turned away from me after she said that.

I left no choice to take my things in the ground while my tears are dripping down. I try not to cry, I try to make myself strong, but I realized that I can't. My heart melts in pain causing me to let out my tears in my eyes.

No, Maxie. You are not crying because you are weak, you are crying because you are strong. You're used to it. Okay. Just fight. Maxie. Just fight and endure the pain. You can do it.

I stood up, lifts my head confidently. Before I left this place, I had a word left.

"Do you think you will become rich for being so cruel to people who are needing your help! Remember this, the day we will meet again, I will never look pitiful to you! You'll be sorry for me, you will kneel down your knee on me! I'll make sure of that!" I shouted.

Deciding not to wait any longer, I picked up my things from the ground and started walking away.

Beneath the bright road taken by the stars in the sky and a cold wind blew into my skin, I can't stand not feeling hungry. I hadn't eaten yet, I could feel the bat swirling around my stomach, shouting out for food.

I've been walking for two hours like a beggar here in the middle of the road, trying to find a cheap restaurant yet I couldn't find anything. Urgh. I thought I'd be lucky today, but I end up with a piece of bad luck. I sigh.

Why does the world seem to curse me? What is my fault to punish me like this? In my whole life, I didn't remember that I did bad things into others. In fact, I was good at them even though I only received bad treatment from them.

I internally sigh out again.

They say, everything happens for a reason and I can't stop thinking everyday what was the reason for this bad thing that happened to me.

I stop walking in the middle of the road when I saw a small restaurant. At last! Thank you so much, world. So, I didn't hesitate to enter that restaurant.

As I was about to hold the knob of the door when a guard hit my hand.

What was that for?

I look at him. He shouted at me. "Beggars are not allowed here! Get lost!" He yelled out.

My mouth parted as what he said as well my eyes widened. What? A beggar? Me? Beggar?

"Wh-What? Beggar? Who? Me?" I ask with a trace of stuttered in my voice while pointing out myself. He's kidding me.

"Who else! Do you see someone else here? Shuu! Leave! Before I will drag you away." He said pushing me with the stick he was holding.

"Wa-Wait. Wait. Okay? Wait." I stop him from poking my back. "I'm not a beggar. It looks like my dress was a little bit worn out and dirty, but I'm not a beggar, okay? I'll eat inside, I won't beg any food, look here, I have money." I showed him the 500 pesos I had given my customer earlier. Good thing, that woman gave me a tip.

"Is that really so? You're not a beggar?"

"Uh-huh. I'm not a beggar." I repeated and lift my chin up.

"Ok. Get inside."

"Thank you." I bow my head to him and gave him my bright smile before I enter the restaurant.

He's stressing me. Do I really look so ugly and dirty for him to mistake me as a beggar? Ah, that's sucks!

I shake my head.

As soon as I got inside, everyone who was eating here suddenly turned their gaze at me. They look at me from head to toe.

I have no idea that this restaurant was full of rich people and it seems like they're having a meal meeting here.

Okay. Don't mind them, Maxie. You're a customer here, like them. Don't worry, you have money.

I took a deep breath before I searched for my seat. Good thing, there's a vacant table left. I seated at the table, in the corner of this restaurant, in front of the order line area. I put all my things under the floor and took a menu book that is placed on the table. But it seems that the judgment of the people for me is not yet over.

All around me, I could hear them talking about me. Okay fine. Fine. I really look like a beggar in this worn dress, but it will only happen once. I'm just being so unlucky today.

I ignored them. Their mouths will get tired. Trust me.

I opened the menu book and my eyeballs almost spit on the price of their food here. Is this really serious? 2,500 pesos is the cheapest? What kind of ingredients do they have? Is there a diamond? Urgh!

I heaved a sighed in no time and my stomach suddenly stops complaining. Their coffee was the only that's my budget can afford, it worth 499 pesos.

What now, Maxie? What am I supposed to do now?

Why their food here is are so expensive? Isn't there 10 pesos rice and 15 pesos dish? I'm crying.

The people around me talk more about me, not just that. They're also laughing at me, whispering that I'm trash, beggar, poor, whatever. But then, suddenly, they stopped mumbling when the door had sprung open.

"Shit! Is that Androus?"

"OMG girls! That's Androus! Wow! Look at his broad shoulders. It's so nice to lick."

"He's coming near us!"

I slowly dropped the menu book that I covering up my face because of curiosity. Just then, I saw a tall broad-shouldered man, in an expensive deep navy blue suit with a light red tie and dark-tinted glasses. He walks through the order line area with right of his hand on his pocket and his left hand gently brushes his perfect jaw. His red kissable lips curve up into a smile when he was met by a man downstairs, from the top of this restaurant. I just noticed that there is a staircase next to the order line.

Like him, the guy also shines with his own flaws of being handsome.

He removes his glasses but I couldn't get a chance to see his face because he turned his back on me and that guy invited him to go up the stairs.

Hmm. Who's that guy? He seems very popular here.

--