CHAPTER 1

I had been waiting at this jeepney stop for what felt like an eternity, yet not a single ride seemed to be coming my way. Of all days, this had to happen. Today was my first day at work, and rumor had it my new boss was a veritable tyrant.

"Honestly, is anything even going to pass by?" I muttered to myself, frustration bubbling over. As if in response, the heavens themselves began to grumble. Thunder rolled, punctuated by flashes of lightning.

"Is it going to rain?" The question was so obvious, it felt ridiculous even to voice it. But my nerves were frayed, and I was arguing with myself. And then, the first drops fell, slowly escalating into a steady downpour.

Just when I was about to succumb to despair, a jeepney finally appeared in the distance. It screeched to a halt, disgorging a handful of passengers. I seized the opportunity, clambering aboard. My bag, which I had instinctively used as a pathetic shield against the rain, was already thoroughly soaked. I managed to squeeze into a seat, but the jeepney quickly filled to capacity. To make matters worse, the man beside me seemed to occupy the space of at least three people. We were packed in like sardines. I shifted slightly, attempting to create a modicum of personal space, but only succeeded in bumping into the man seated at the far end, near the exit.

"Sorry," I mumbled. He didn't even acknowledge me with a glance. He was rather handsome, though. I decided to let it go. A few moments later, I felt the unmistakable weight of a large woman's head settling onto my shoulder. Honestly, what was this? The sheer bulk of her head was surprisingly uncomfortable, so I shifted again, inadvertently nudging the handsome, yet undeniably snobbish, man beside me.

I offered him a strained smile, but he simply ignored me. Fine, be that way. Before I realized it, I had drifted off to sleep. I awoke with a start, feeling another head resting against my other shoulder. I opened my eyes to find the handsome snob slumped against me, fast asleep. Was I now a human headrest?

I was tempted to ignore it, but then I felt a distinct poke in my side. I glanced down to see the handsome snob's hand. He wasn't intentionally poking me; his hand was clenched into a fist as he slept soundly against my shoulder. However, when the jeepney lurched to a sudden halt, his hand instinctively gripped my side, causing my eyes to widen in alarm. I was wearing a relatively short t-shirt, and a slight adjustment in my posture would undoubtedly expose my midriff. Despite the internal protests of my entire being, I decided to endure it for the time being.

He finally stirred when the jeepney resumed its journey. He straightened up, offering no apology for having used me as a pillow. Fine.

I adjusted my own posture as the large woman on my other side also awoke. She mumbled an apology, and I simply offered a weary smile. "Your head weighs a ton," was what I wanted to say, but I bit back the words. I glanced at the handsome snob, and a small smile tugged at my lips. He looked utterly miserable, clearly struggling to fight off the lingering tendrils of sleep. His head lolled from side to side.

A few minutes passed, and I estimated that I was nearing my destination. Thankfully, the rain had lessened somewhat. Suddenly, the jeepney lurched forward, only to be brought to an abrupt halt as a van recklessly cut in front of us. The driver cursed under his breath, startled by the near collision. And me? Oh, I was beyond startled. My eyes nearly popped out of my head.

Because, of all things, the handsome snob had fallen on top of me, his face landing precariously close to… well, to my breasts! Crap!

This was really going too far. The other passengers were staring. Enough was enough. Fueled by a surge of indignation, I slapped him across the face, jolting him awake. And the nerve of him, he actually glared at me. Unbelievable!

"Pervert!" I gasped, my eyes blazing. He, in turn, subjected me to a slow, insolent appraisal, his gaze sweeping from my head to my toes as if to suggest that I had no right to call him out. My eyes widened in disbelief as his gaze lingered on my chest. The audacity! The sheer gall! Unforgivable!

He then met my gaze, his expression suggesting that I had nothing to boast about. This guy was insufferable!

"Manong!" I shouted, my furious gaze still fixed on him. "Manong, please! I need to get off!" I yelled, and the jeepney screeched to a halt. But when I peered outside, I almost reconsidered. The rain was coming down with renewed ferocity. What a disaster! If I got out, I would be completely drenched, but if I stayed, who knew what this creep beside me might do. Resigned, I reluctantly alighted.

I dashed across the street, using my bag as a makeshift shield against the downpour. I huddled near the entrance of a fast-food restaurant, shaking the water from my soaked bag. What a day! Utterly infuriating! And now I was late for work. With a sigh, I reached into my pants pocket. Wait.

I reached in again, but my wallet was definitely gone! Shit. Where could it be? Then, a chilling realization dawned on me. I should have known better. That handsome snob couldn't be trusted. So much for "Don't judge a book by its cover." I was certain he had stolen my wallet; he was the only one who had been in close proximity to me. What was I going to do now? I didn't have any money for the fare to the house where I was supposed to be working. What now?

Just then, my cellphone rang. It was my new boss, informing me that I was fired for being excessively late. The f*ck?

I massaged my temples in frustration. I was angry because I had lost my job, angry because I was soaked to the bone, angry because I had no money for the ride home, and, above all, angry because all of this misfortune was due to that one man.

Damn him!

It's a small world, and if I ever crossed paths with that man again, I would make him regret the day he was born. What a waste of good looks; a pervert and a thief.

The following morning, my cousin managed to secure an interview for me at the company where she worked.

I was halfway through devouring a waffle when my cousin called out to me. "Hey, Gianna! You're up next!" she yelled. I straightened myself and stood up. "Coming!" I shouted back, oblivious to the stares I was attracting.

As I approached her, she gave my backside a playful pat and grinned. "Do your best, okay?" she said with a mischievous glint in her eyes before releasing me. I simply nodded and entered the door in front of me. I was only inside for a few minutes before being ushered out. That was it? Okay. As I opened the door, my cousin's eager face came into view.

"So, how did it go?" she asked immediately.

"I don't know about that old woman who interviewed me. She was so grumpy," I replied. She fell into step beside me as we walked out.

"Sorry about Ms. Gada, that's just how she is. But she's actually quite kind once you get to know her," she explained. I simply nodded.

"Alright, I'll head back now. See you later," she said before leaving me alone. I sighed. I had a sinking feeling that I wouldn't be offered the job. The interviewer had seemed to take an instant dislike to me. I desperately needed a job; I was already several months behind on my rent, and my landlord was threatening to evict me.

Oh well, what will be, will be.

I had only taken a few steps when a white car pulled up beside me, capturing my attention. The guard immediately approached and opened the door. A man in a formal suit and sunglasses emerged. He glanced at me, then quickly looked away. The car drove off, leaving him standing alone. He adjusted his necktie. Then, he removed his sunglasses.

"Let's go, sir," the guard prompted. The man didn't even acknowledge him with a nod or a smile.

As his face finally registered in my mind, my eyes widened in shock. Wait a minute. I knew this guy! He was that perverted thief from yesterday!

"Hey, wait a minute!" I shouted, causing everyone to turn and stare, including the man in the formal suit. I knew it! It was him; I couldn't be mistaken. Wait just a moment.

I was about to charge forward when two guards suddenly blocked my path.

"Relax, officers, I just need to have a word with this scoundrel," I explained, attempting to push past them. But they remained firm, and the man in the formal suit simply ignored me. The nerve of him! After everything he had put me through, he was going to snub me now? As he turned to walk away, I struggled against the guards' grip. The shameless bastard was trying to escape!

"Hey! Wait!" I shouted. "Let me go! I just want to talk to him," I pleaded, but it was no use. They dragged me away as I continued to resist. They had a firm grip on my arms, making it difficult to move.

"Hey! You jerk, get back here!" I screamed. That wretched man. He owed me so much, and he was just going to run away.

"Please leave, Miss. You're causing a disturbance," one of the guards said. "But officer, that man owes me a lot," I protested. "Please leave," was his only response. They glared at me, forcing me to calm down. I took a few deep breaths before finally deciding to give up the fight.

"Okay, okay, I'm going, I'm going," I said, and they released my arms.

Before leaving, I cast one last, burning look at the door the man had disappeared through.

We'll meet again, remember that, I vowed silently.