Chapter 1- One Month Ago

London

One month ago

In silence MJ bolted upward, her thoughts were uncertain when she realized that she was inside the bus. Nakatulog yata siya. 

She was tired and still sleepy from the night out friends' party. "Hays! naman oh! ang sakit ng ulo ko." Reklamo niya habang pababa ng bus. Hinding hindi na ako iinom, ang putik, ang sakit pala sa ulo magka hangover.Bakit naman kasi napadami ang inom niya. Hay! Kasalan ito ng kaibigan niyang bakla. Kung makabigay sa kanya ng alak, parang nagbigay lang ng tubig, siya namang tanga hala sige, uminom din naman ng marami. Ayan, napala niya.

Winter dito sa London ay talagang napakalamig, pati ngala ngala niya nanginginig, pero sabi nga nila it was by far the grandest on earth, some say the British love of flowers was on animated display throughout London in its charming flower shops and their enthusiastic exhibits, which spill out onto the pavements and street corners.

Iba't ibang klaseng bulaklak, rainbow shades of beautiful cut flowers in buckets, bouquets tied in bright ribbons and miniature house plants entice passersby to stop for a closer look.

At the same time last year, MJ went to work for the first time, excited and naive.Ngayon sa tuwing umaga na lang na ginawa ng Diyos was spent accomplishing the necessary preparation on autopilot, hay! buhay ang boring ng walang jowa.

Isip niya while her brain prepares for every plausible scenario it can, finding solutions to problems that don't yet exist - just in case her boss would kill her.

Hay naku! Boss na maraming pandesal. Ang napakasungit niyang boss na kung makaasta ay parang may ari ng buong planeta. Sus! Kung di lang talaga kagwapohan ang sarap kulamin, kung maka utos eh wagas.

However, she understands that this was the perfect day for her to enjoy one of London's many free museums, galleries, and have some serious soul inspiration for someone's winter days, or was it not? Despite the short days and miserable weather, Londoners have plenty of reasons to go outdoors this time of year. One of the coolest wintertime activities was to don some skates and hit one of the outdoor ice rinks around town.

But no, para kay MJ, that was impossible for someone like her who needs to work to pay the bills.

Buhay nga naman, she doesn't have the luxury to enjoy London winter as per tourist perspective,wala na nga siyang panahon magliwaliw, yun pa kayang mag picture picture. Kailangan niyang magsipag kung gusto niyang magkaipon. Maraming bibig ang umaasa sa sahod niya, lalo na't ngayon may sakit ang lolo niya sa pilipinas. Kailangang kumayod.

And as the wind blows in her face,naalala niya ang boss niyang nakakainis, her boss' angry handsome face, she guesses that this time he will fire her kung malalate na naman siya. Siguro sooner or maybe not today but someday. Isang late na lang tiyak maghahanap na siya ng ibang trabaho.

Siya si Mary Jane Austen, her close friends call her MJ, she had silky long blond hair and eyes so brown they sparkled like jewels,OA lang maka describe ang mama niya pero yun nga, brown ang mata niyang mala araw daw. Namana niya ata sa tatay niyang briton.

Standing five feet and five inches, yes, she was just the typical-looking girl in London, sentimental and vulnerable, half pinay and half british.

Ang ama niyang di niya alam kung saang lupalop na ng  demonyo dinala. 

Nagtratrabaho siya bilang personal assistant to the CEO of Murray Group Inc., Founded in 1991, her company was a custom software development company, spanning its presence across various global locations like the US, the UK, Australia, and India. Their team of two thousand plus IT professionals offers business growth with their knack for technology platforms and luckily she landed a job as a personal assistant two years ago to the CEO, Mr. Jude Murray.

Ang napakagwapong boss niya na hanggang ngayon di pa yata alam ang first name niya. Sa dalawang taon niyang bilang personal assistant nito never pa niyang narinig na tinawag ang una niyang pangalan. Miss Austen lagi ang naririnig niya, ang boring lang.

It was not the best as per se but who she was to disagree with?

Basta may sahod siya at may bayad ang pag oovertime niya okay na yun.

Even if it was the best on the planet, if your boss doesn't even know how to smile and often forgets her name then everyone would have the same opinion.

Bakit kaya ang sungit sungit nun, lagi namang may girlfriend.They called him the cold billionaire for a reason. Isang napaka cold at napaka hot na nilalang na nasalo na yata ang lahat nung nagpa ulan ng grasya ang Diyos. 

This early morning, the sky has an extraordinary dash of a little orange cast onto the otherwise pale grey cloud, the day promises to be like every other day, but now it was a different story. It was raining, reasonably cold, and chilling.

Hay naku kahit kailan talaga di pa rin siya sanay sa klima dito sa London, ang lamig. Parang nasa freezer siya lagi kahit nga tighiyawat niya noong una naging ice ba naman sa sobrang lamig.

However, she was wrong, it seems like the morning is yet to begin.

Ano na naman kayang ka istriktohang malalasap niya sa amo niyang ubod ng sungit na para bang kambing na di makaanak anak.

As she walks, pressing the folders and a little brown purse to her chest, and turning the corner to walk down the hall. She was wandering rather quickly and lost deep in thought, she didn't even seem to notice the people around her. She then looked up to see a man, at least one step in front of her, obscuring her path, eyes broadened as her feet stumbled over him and her staff fell on the floor in a clutter.

Naman oh, ang tanga tanga.

"Woah, sorry I-" the man rushed into an apology as his hand wrapped around her waist and held her there, safe from falling, their eyes met for a moment, and then she forced herself to look away as she flushed bright red. 

"I didn't see you miss."Sabi pa ng gwapong nilalang na amoy masarap.

"My papers. Dammit!" She shrieked in embarrassment.

Bakit ang bango naman nitong taong ito, bakla ba? Sayang naman ang pogi pa naman, ika niya as she smelled the expensive cologne the man used, yayamanin.

"What on earth are you doing here at this corner?" She asked, thinking that this man smells like fresh sandalwood.

Kahit kailan talaga di niya makokopya ang accent ng mga briton. Pinay na pinay ang accent niya na may kasama pang pagka ilokana. Bahala sila, sabi ng friend niyang briton ang exotic daw ng accent niya. Ha! Tang*na kung maka exotic.

"You mean, why this corner and not another corner?" He raised a question. Feeling amused by this sudden turn of his morning.

"Yes!"Ang gago may pangit ngiti pang nalalaman, ang sarap batukan.

"Lady you just ran into me, not paying attention and now you are mad at me being in the corner?"

Ay ang putik, so kasalanan ko pa ngayon.

"I think one could do it anywhere. Could be at a crosswalk, in the middle of the street, but you could have been paying attention" She answered back feeling embarrassed by the sudden outburst.

Gago ikaw lang ba kayang magreklamo. Kasalanan naman nito, tatanga tanga kung tumayo, anong akala niya siya si Elsa na papunta sa cold mountain at may pa swing swing pa siya ng kamay.

"But I chose this corner." The man sighed.

"Hey, I'm in a hurry okay? I'm so late and as I ran around this corner--"

"Stormed."

"Excuse me?" Ay ang kumag.

"As you stormed around the corner. You hit me," he said, then a clear frown followed.

Teacher ata itong mokong na ito kung maka correct sa english niya. "I'm aware of what happened, and I'm sorry, but my papers are wet and this was your fault. Do you think maybe you're to blame? A single apology will do, you know!" Mary Jane added in contempt.

Ang sarap batukan, kung di lang talaga ako nagmamadali, makakatikim ng ilokanong mura itong nilalang na ito.

"Me? Because of what? Because of the rain, blinding me? That makes it my responsibility, does it?" The man added.

"Sir, what I mean is you were swirling in circles right here at this corner. You were close to this building, there's no way I could have seen you when coming around. If you were further from the building, closer to the road, maybe--" Maryjane explained while picking up the remaining clutters.

If only lang tlaga na hindi siya nagmamadali makakatikim tong mokong na to sa kanya kung makaasta parang pinsan lang ang Reyna ng Englatera.

"Maybe you'd have just pushed me into the road?" 

"Yes! Well, no of course!" She countered and sighed, remembering that she was almost late "Dammit!" She grumbled while departing away from the guy.

Anong tingin niya sa kanya mamamatay tao, di naman siya ganun, slight lang naman ang murderous thoughts niya.

"Don't you storm off like that, you felonious little! Dammit. Get back here! I am not done with you yet! Bloody hell!" The man yelled in frustration.

Bahala ka sa buhay mo. Mabangga ka sana. She seemed breathless and stopped unexpectedly while catching her breath as she took glanced at the cobblestones after a moment away from the stranger. The pavement was wet with the night's rain and made slippery by the wintry temperature. Casting the water film into ice, and luckily, she was wearing boots. So as she walked on the streets near their building to the newly designed bus shelter she tried to think and visualize herself interacting with the director at important meetings. The problem was she'd always slip into "auto-pilot".

Even though she was walking, it feels more like the sidewalk was a conveyor belt; like she was a cow in the slaughterhouse heading toward the captive bolt. Her boss likes to make her life miserable while appearing to be professional. She knew there were always things to be nice and means to be nasty. He was a genius at the latter.

Ano kaya ang pinapakain ng mga girlfriend ng boss niya, bakit ang sungit sungit niya sa lahat, di ba ito nakakatikim ng gata ng babae, kung makaasta ay parang lantang gulay na hindi nadidiligan.

She rushed into her office building, avoiding the blistering London winter chill. When she stepped out of the elevator on the 30th floor, she placed her things on her desk, reached the little organizer in one grip and adjusted her coat with her free hand, drew a deep breath, and opened the cubicle door. 

Mary Jane peeled off her trench coat and gloves and was about to take a seat when she heard her boss barking her name.

Ayan na, nasobrahan ata ng dilig kung makasigaw.

Paano kaya nalaman nitong nasa cubicle na siya. Ang gago may sa demonyo pa ata, sighing, she reached his office.

"Good morning, Sir," she mumbled.

Hay, ang gwapo ng mokong parang ang sarap yakap yakapin.