First Encounter

Claire is about to arrive at Cubao Bus Station. She looked at the busy road of Metro Manila from her seat, where she was facing the bus window. 

She saw many bystanders—vendors, selling any food or anything they could sell on the side of the road.

Traffic enforcers are leading the traffic. People walking on the bridge. 

I don’t know what will happen to me here in Manila. I don’t know where to start, but I hope to get a job to help my family in Cebu.

Claire started looking for a  job after graduating from college, and she went to Manila to search for a job. 

She doesn’t know anyone in Manila, but still, she took the risk and started job hunting.

The bus operator announced that they had arrived at the bus station. 

In a minute, they will alight from the bus.

Before going to Manila, Claire asked her friend, who had been in Manila, to search for a bed space. It only cost her a little amount from her savings, so she took the offer.

While descending, she took her phone and dialled the number of the owner, but to no avail.

She walked towards the compartment of the bus to get her things while dialing the number of the owner, but still, no one answered.

The bus operator handed her small black luggage. “Here’s your things, Ma'am.” 

He thanked the bus operator and looked at her phone again.

Clair walked towards the waiting shed while texting the owner of the bed space and her friend.

She then started calling her friend but to no avail.

She called the owner once again. She was about to panic when the other line answered.

“Hello?” The woman on the phone said.

“Hi, this is Claire. I was the one who reserved the bed space from you a week ago, Ma’am,” Claire politely said.

“Oh. Are you here in Manila already? Where are you exactly?”

She told the owner that she was at the bus station.

“Oh. Okay. I will call my daughter to fetch you, okay? Just wait there and be careful of your belongings.”

“Okay, Ma’am, thank you very much,” Claire said, then hung up the call.

Claire had waited for almost half an hour when her phone suddenly vibrated. 

Someone is calling her.

She answered the call. “Hello?” Claire said.

“Hi. What is the color of your clothes?” The woman in the other line said.

“It’s a white v-neck t-shirt, faded denim pants, and I have black luggage.” Claire hesitantly said.

“Oh! There you are!” Then the other line hung up.

She looked around and saw a girl waving from a distance.

I think she's the daughter. Thank God she’s already here.

The woman walked towards her while waving.

“Hi! I'm Mia.” Then Mia helped her with her things. “I was at my friend’s house when my mom called. I’m sorry if you waited too long for me.” Mia said cutely.

“Hello! I'm Claire. It's fine. I didn't wait that long.” Claire said. 

“Follow me. I brought my motorcycle with me.” Mia said. She then smiled at her.

“Oh. Thank you so much.”

Claire didn’t stop looking for a job since she came to Manila two weeks ago. She was scrolling her phone when she received a message. She opened the message and read it.

She was shocked by the news. She passed the interview!

She passed the interview in a 5-star hotel! She will become a housekeeping attendant. Her orientation will be next week.

But can I do it? Will I be able to handle the job? It’s too —- Naah! I can do it! For my family.

"I'll try it! For experience. Six months is enough! I've experienced doing this for three months during my on-the-job training. Six months is just fast.” Claire assured herself. 

Four months later

“Claire. This room is too big to clean by yourself so I will help you but later let’s clean one room per person, okay? You clean the bed, and I’ll do the comfort room,” Gina said.

Gina was her trainer when she was just new. But, now they have become friends and helped each other out. 

She started removing the pillowcase, comforter, and sheet. 

Then, she got another clean sheet on her cart.

  

After cleaning the bed, she tidied the room and vacuumed the floor.

She was about to finish the whole room when Gina came out of the comfort room.

“I’m done with the——,woooow!” Gina exclaimed! “You’re getting better and better each day, Claire. It doesn’t look like you're new.” Gina said.

“It’s because my trainer was good.” And they both laugh at their jokes.

“Let’s go to our next room,” Gina said.

Gina looked at their tracking and looked at Claire.

“And, because I love you, I will give you that room. Room 1605.”

“Room 1605, ok-“ Claire gasped. “OhMG! Gina, I can’t, you know that.

“He’s not there, Claire.”

“Really?" Claire doubted Gina at first but she saw Gina's face wasn't lying, so she decided to agree. "Hmmm, okay,”

Room 1605. The room where his crush has been living. She told Gina that she doesn’t like cleaning his room because she can’t handle being with him in the same room.

She took her cart and knocked, and said, "housekeeping” three times.

She used her key card to enter the room.

She opened the door and was greeted with darkness.

Thank goodness he’s not inside!

She opened the lights and roamed her eyes to check the room.

The room is just so big! One of the biggest rooms in their hotel. Claire sighed and started making up the room. She went to the comfort room to empty the trash and refill the supplies. After that, she went to the first bedroom and tidied it up.

After vacuuming the first bedroom floor and cleaning the comfort room, she went to the big room.

She opened the door and was greeted with a very manly scent mixed with a strong smell of alcohol.

She coughed. Claire felt something move, so she stopped coughing and hurriedly opened the lights.

As soon as she opened the lights, she saw a half-naked man sitting on his bed drinking.

He was drinking alone.

I thought he wasn’t here!