Chapter 1

ARA

I woke up in a loud alarm sound.  I stretched first and rubbed my eyes while my body was still on the bed. As I yawning to get up. I took my tie and tied my long hair. I get up early to help Mrs. Amalia to clean the whole mansion.  The Madrid couple told us that their children would be returning to the Philippines by next day. 

 At an early age I learned to stand on my own feet. My father has a heart disease so I wanted to help him to lessen his burden in life.  Since childhood I wasn't see my mother. My father told me that my mother died after giving birth to me. I live with my father and no other relatives near to us. 

 I fix my bed in our little house at the back of the mansion. I  took a bath and  immediately went the mansion to start my work. I saw Mrs. Amalia  was busy cooking for our breakfast. 

 "Good morning Mrs. Amalia," I happily greeted the old lady. 

 Mrs. Amalia immediately turned to me.  She stared at me from head to toe.  She smiled at me because she is glad to see that every morning I'm always happy. 

 "Oh you're here! Good morning to you too," she replied while her hand busy for picking up the things. 

 Mrs. Amalia has long served as a housemaid for the Madrid family. She has no longer a family so she also grew old here to serve in the mansion.

 I immediately started setting the table, so that after Mrs. Amalia cooked the food, we could have breakfast before starting our work.

 "Where is your father?" Mrs. Amalia asked.

 "He is still exercising," I replied.

 Every morning my father need to exercise to maintain his good health. Having a heart disease is not easy to deal with it. Anytime will take his breath away and losing his life. 

 "Okay, let's have breakfast first so we can start our work," Mrs. Amalia said. 

 "Wait! Where is Joy?" I suddenly asked when I remember my friend. 

 Joy is Mrs. Amalia's niece. When I entered as a housemaid at the mansion I became close to Joy. We both studied at the same school, and the Madrid couple pay for our school expenses for free. 

 The Madrid family is kind and helpful, they help people in need especially to their servants. 

 "I think she's in the garden, she's watering the plants," Mrs. Amalia replied. 

 I immediately headed to the garden on the side of the mansion. I walks slowly to startle my friend. Joy is easy get startled so I often jokes to her.

 I couldn’t help myself looking to the garden while my eyes stared to the beautiful flowers. The whole garden is like a paradise, there is a lot of different kind of flowers. At the center there is a beautiful fountain giving life to the whole area. Madam Lucia loves orchids and her friends often visits here. 

 I was about to startle Joy, who is busy watering the plants. But my pet dog suddenly barked. I immediately turned to my pet who was running towards me. My dog name Amber, she is a poodle. She jumped in front of me and wanted me to hug her. She is barking nonstop while her cute tail is swaying. 

 "Sshh ... Please be quite. You're so noisy Amber," I turned to warned my pets. 

 Amber is very cute, it is only medium in size and has a brown curly fur. I found Amber outside the mansion, and that day it was raining outside. I saw Amber who was very wet, and I took care of her until I finally fell in love with the dog.

 "Aha! You're planning to scare me again!"  Joy exclaimed.

 I just smiled as I faced my friend. Joy is used to being surprised always. Amber doesn't stop barking, and jumped here and there when I ignore her. 

 "Oh Amber your voice is so loud that's why Joy heard us," I said sullenly to the dog. 

 "Don't blame the dog," Joy replied.

 "My day would be happy if I surprise you," I tease her while I’m laughing. 

 "You are lucky that you are my friend if not I will always pinch you in the groin," Joy replied as she put down the water pipe she was holding.

 Joy and Ara are close friends.  They are the same age, but Joy is serious type of person so Ara often teases her.

 "Why are you up so early today?" Joy asked. 

 “Have you forgotten that we’re going to have a celebration.

 "Celebration? What kind of celebration? Auntie didn't mention anything to me!" 

 I laughed out loud when I saw my friend's shocked face. I knew she had fooled over and over again. 

 "Come on! Let's have breakfast!" I said once, dragging my friend who still didn't get my joke.

 In the kitchen we caught my father Arthuro and Mrs. Amalia who were starting to have breakfast.  The two immediately sat down and ate breakfast at the same time.

The next day the Madrid family arrived early.  They were immediately greeted with a warm greetings. But they noticed that Madam Lucia's youngest daughter was frowning. Something that she's not like to be with her family.

 “Is there something wrong with her?” I asked myself. 

  My eyes couldn't help but stare at Nathan, Madam Lucia's eldest son. He is tall and handsome, I felt a strange tremor in my chest when I saw Nathan, I silently smiled without my expectation. 

 I returned to reality when Joy poked my side. For the first time I had an interest in a man. At my age I know that I’m still young but I never intend to feel that way. 

 I knew vaguely would not happen because we lived in different worlds. And someone like Nathan didn’t fit in with a poor like me.

 Joy poked me in the side again because I was stunned again and again. Joy's forehead furrowed even more as she stared at me.

 "What are you thinking out there?" Joy asked.

 "Nothing, I was just amazed at Nathan, I didn't know he is handsome," I answered blankly. 

 "Hmm... What? Do you like him?" Joy teased.

 "Hey no!" I replied in defensive tone. .

 "Hmm... Liar, admit it," she teased me again.

 "Don't make any noise so nobody can hear us," I begged her to stop teasing me. 

The whole family is in the living room and Ara and Joy are just peeking out of the kitchen. Now that the whole Madrid family is here, they hope that their relationship with each other will be good.

 Ara is sure that she will be busy in the coming week because their school year has already started. She synchronizes the work in exchange for being educated by Sir Benedict and Madam Lucia.

NATHAN 

 I woke up so early because of the time and weather in the Philippines. The time is different from here and the U.S. I was brought to America at an early age by my acclaimed parents.

 I headed to the kitchen to get a drink from the fridge. I thought about drinking milk in case I could sleep again. I glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall.  It's only six in the morning and wanted to sleep again. 

 But as I entered the kitchen I saw a woman standing on a chair, she is reaching for something. As I looked at her she was wearing a pink uniform. Her hair are straight and long, her skin is white and smooth.

 I secretly smiled as I looked at her I didn't notice her yesterday when we arrived.  Whose daughter is this?

 "A-Ahmm .." I cleared my throat so she could notice that there is someone behind her. 

 But she was startled and with her sudden movement, she lost her balance. Her body was swaying over the chair, and her hands were searching to catch something to hold but unfortunately she started to fall. 

 "A-Ahhhh...” she shouted loudly.

 I hurried run over to her and caught her before she fall. With the force of the impact of her body I also lost my balance when I caught her. And then, we both fell in the floor.

 Her body is over me and what I didn’t expect was our lips touching each other. Her arms wrapped around my neck, and her eyes were closed. My heart raced rapidly when I saw her face nearly.

 She has angelic beauty even though she is a maid but she is uniquely beautiful. Her nose formed perfectly. I can even see our lips touching.

 Inexplicable feeling I felt. Her lips and body heat were like electricity running through my whole body. I grew up in the U.S. for almost twenty years.  At the age of 21 I could not learn to be liberated. My heart and my blood circulating is purely a Filipino. 

 "Oh, my God! I'm sorry Sir!"  she exclaimed.

She suddenly stood up and held out her hand to help me get up. She bent over and she almost didn’t want to look at me.

“Whoa! You are lucky to kiss me for the first time in my life,” I said jokingly. 

 "Sir Nathan sorry," she said and apologized to me but not looking into my eyes. 

 I smiled again without realizing it. Her beauty takes away the sanity of a man like me. I knew we were still young. But I couldn’t stop myself. 

 "It's okay."  I smiled at her once turned around and went to the fridge to get some drink.

 "Thank you Sir!" she said.

 "Drop that Sir! Call me Nathan," I said.

 “But you’re one of our bosses,” she refused.

 "No buts dear! I'm not one of your bosses, so you will follow what I want," I said emphatically.

 "N-Nathan ... Nathan," she repeated.

 “From now on your tongue will get used to calling my name,” I said with a smile.

 "Thank you Nathan.” 

 After I got a drink I immediately left the kitchen and planned to go back to my room to sleep again. But I suddenly stopped at my thought that I had not asked her name. 

 "Ah... Wait! What is your name?" I asked.

 "Ara... Ara Sandoval," she replied.

 "Okay, nice meeting you Ara."

 I immediately headed back to my room. But I'm not sleepy anymore because of what happened earlier. I laid the milk on the table and threw the body on the soft bed. I was staring at the ceiling and I could see Ara's face.

 For the first time there was a woman who troubled my mind. I closed my eyes so the darkness covered my vision and I could not see the image of Ara on the ceiling. But as I closed my eyes I could feel her lips and her natural scent filled into my nose.

 "Oh shit," I cursed. I threw a pillow on the wall of my room.  I'm losing my sanity.  I've only just seen her but why do I feel this way?"