Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Suspended
It was a beautiful day, and I was on my way to school when I realized I had forgotten something in my condo. I hurriedly returned to retrieve it, not realizing how much time it would take. Now, I find myself running late.
I'm Gaia (Gaya) Tan, 25 years old, and I'm a teacher. I've been teaching for a year, and I absolutely love my job. Being a teacher has always been my dream, and I wouldn't want anything else.
"Good morning, Teacher Gaia," my students greeted me as I entered the classroom. I teach high school students, and as an English major, I have a great passion for my subject and my students.
"Get one and pass," I instructed, handing out the test papers to the students in front of me. I'm quite strict when it comes to exams and discussions. I want my students to pay attention and learn from me. I want to share my knowledge with them.
An hour had already passed, and all but one student had completed the exam.
"What are you doing? Please hand me your test paper," I said, yawning, feeling the fatigue from my earlier rush.
The boy moved closer to me, and as I waited for him to finish, I stood up and reached out my hand to collect his paper. But he abruptly pulled back.
"Richie, what are you doing?" I asked, but he didn't respond. Suddenly, he tried to kiss me, and in shock, I instinctively slapped him.
"Pervert! What do you think you're doing?" I exclaimed, my heart racing.
"Ma'am, I need you. Can I just kiss you once? Please?" Richie's words surprised me. What was he thinking? Why did he want to kiss me? I took a step back, but he followed, cornering me. He had a firm grip on my wrist, trapping me.
"Richie, let me go. I'll go and tell the principal what you're doing," I threatened, but he just smirked.
He laughed. "Really? Did you forget? This school is owned by my father. Do you think they'll believe you? Because I am his son, he will believe whatever I say," he threatened. It was then that I remembered he was the son of the school's owner.
"Please, Richie, stop this," I pleaded, my voice trembling as he moved closer. He began kissing my neck, and I felt helpless, unable to defend myself as he continued. His grip on my wrist made it impossible for me to break free. He started undoing the buttons on my shirt. Suddenly, I saw an opportunity and swiftly kicked him, targeting his private area.
"Ugh!" he exclaimed, collapsing to the ground. As I walked out of the room, my legs were shaking, and I had to stop to catch my breath. Tears streamed down my face as I tried to compose myself.
As I continued walking, I accidentally bumped into someone.
I fell to the ground. "Watch where you're going, miss," the man said as he turned to face me. Still shaken by what had happened earlier, I looked up and saw Richie's face.
"Ahhh!" I screamed and immediately started running.
"What was that?" the man asked, bewildered, as he watched me running away.
I had to stop running eventually, as I was out of breath. I looked back, relieved that no one was following me. I was still startled by the encounter and found a place to sit and calm down. "What a jerk!" I muttered, wiping away my tears and trying to compose myself.
"Be prepared to face the consequences of your actions tomorrow!" I shouted as I made my way home.
When I looked at myself in the mirror, I wondered, "Did my choice of clothing provoke him? Why did he do that to me?" I examined my attire, realizing that I wasn't wearing anything inappropriate. I couldn't understand why my student would treat me in such a disrespectful manner. Why did he have the audacity to harass me? Tears welled up in my eyes once again.
With a heavy sigh, I collapsed onto my bed. I didn't know if anyone would believe me tomorrow, but I had to try my best. Richie needed to be held accountable for his actions. I was now a victim, and I couldn't let this go.
The next day was cloudy and rainy. It seemed like the weather was reflecting my mood. I sighed, opened my umbrella, and boarded the bus to school. As I walked down the hallway, I noticed students staring at me strangely, their eyes fixed on their phones instead of greeting me. They whispered and giggled, and it made me uneasy.
"What's going on? Why are they staring at me like that?" I wondered, feeling completely clueless. I was about to head to the principal's office to figure out what was happening when I noticed Richie leaving the office. He looked at me and smiled.
"You'll pay for what you did to me," he said as he passed by. A chill ran down my spine, and I felt a deep sense of fear. What if...?
"Paging Ms. Tan. Please report to the principal's office immediately," a voice blared through the intercom. I was taken aback. No way. That jerk! I hurriedly made my way to the principal's office.
"Sir? Why are you looking for me?" I asked, my voice filled with concern.
"You act all nice when I'm around, but when I'm not looking, you go around hitting students? Unbelievable! You've only just started working here, and your attitude is already this bad?" The principal's words hit me like a punch to the gut. Everything I heard was untrue. I clenched my fists, trying to remain calm as he accused me without knowing the full story of what had transpired.
"Sir, what are you talking about? I don't understand," I pleaded, and he handed me his phone. I watched the video and saw a clip of me slapping Richie.
I laughed. "That punk!" I exclaimed.
"What did you just say? Don't you realize that his parents pay your salary? How could you slap him?" the principal scolded. I couldn't believe it. He was completely biased. He was making judgments without knowing the full truth of what had happened between us.
"Principal, don't let money cloud the truth. You don't know everything that happened. He was harassing me! He was threatening me!" I tried to explain, but before I could finish, the door swung open.
"What happened to that teacher? Is that you?" I saw Richie entering the room with his mother. I laughed.
"How dare you?" she shouted and slapped me so hard that I felt the pain. But I couldn't help but smirk at Richie.
"Alright, I understand now. This is just like in the movies. Rich people use their money to cover up their bad behavior, while those without money and power, like myself, remain silent and abused. Richie, you can never make up for what you've done," I said.
"How dare you threaten my son?" his mother exclaimed.
"No, I'm not threatening him. I'm just stating the obvious," I replied.
"That's enough! Ms. Tan, you've had enough!" the principal yelled at me.
"But, Principal, I was only..."
"You're suspended. Once everything is resolved, you won't be allowed to return here. You can consider this your farewell," the principal declared, causing my world to crumble.
This couldn't be happening. How could I lose my dream job like this? I can't accept it.
"No! You can't suspend me like this. I'm not at fault. The video doesn't show the whole story," I protested.
"That's enough. Ms. Tan, you've had your chance. You may leave now. The door is right there," the principal said firmly.
I nodded and walked away. As I walked, I noticed the students staring at me, and it unsettled me. I couldn't believe that this was how my life was turning out. Just as I was about to leave, someone called out my name. I turned around.
"Ms. Tan, wait!" It was Alice, one of my favorite students. I smiled as I looked at her, feeling a glimmer of hope. She ran up to me, and we embraced tightly. I stroked her hair as we held each other.
"I know you didn't do anything wrong, and I'll take care of Richie. I'll find out everything that happened back there," she assured me. I gave her a grateful smile and then continued walking slowly towards the exit, leaving the school behind. "I'll miss this school, but I'll come back stronger than ever."
Earlier...
"This is my phone. Please make a video of us," Richie said, handing his phone to one of his friends. The friend started recording as Richie approached Gaia, and the camera captured Richie harassing his teacher.
The person holding the phone was trembling as they filmed the scene unfolding before them. They wished they could tell Gaia what Richie had done, but it was too late. Gaia walked out of the school.
"You're trying to say something to her, aren't you? Well, let me warn you. If you dare to speak up, you'll regret it. I suggest you keep quiet and forget about what happened there."
To be continued...
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Chapter 2: Chapter 2: New Job
"I know you did nothing wrong, I'll look after Richie," she said.
"There's no need to do that. I'm fine, I'll be back soon. Focus on your studies, okay?" I nodded and hugged her as tears fell.
"I will miss you, Ms. Tan. Promise me you will be back." I nodded and waved my hand as I carried my stuff.
I was at the bus stop when I started to sob. "Why can the world be so mean to me? Huh? Did I do something wrong that makes everyone angry at me?" I asked and looked up above. Tears flowed from my eyes as I couldn't understand why I was going through this.
I heard a man chuckle from behind me. I looked around and saw the man from yesterday. I frowned, raising my eyebrows as I looked at him.
"Are you following me?" I suddenly asked. He chuckled.
"What? Me? Not a chance," he answered.
"Then why are you here?" I asked him again, crossing my arms.
"This is a bus stop, right?" he asked.
"Yes, what about it?"
"I'm waiting for the bus," I suddenly realized he was right. I rolled my eyes and he continued smiling. I felt so embarrassed to face him.
"Aren't you coming?" he asked as he got on the bus. I looked at him and nodded, then went inside.
I sighed as I opened the window to get some fresh air. I was worried about what might happen tomorrow. How would I pay for my rent? How could I live jobless? This was so annoying. I wished I could disappear from this world, to leave without worries and problems.
The bus stopped as a man boarded. I looked at him and felt nervous, remembering what Richie had done to me. I closed my eyes, but when I opened them, the man was standing in front of me. I suddenly stood up.
"Stop right there! What are you doing?" I shouted and pointed at him.
"What do you mean, Miss?" the man asked.
"Stop the bus, Mister, please stop the bus!" I shouted.
"What's wrong with her?"
"I don't know, she's weird," people murmured.
I quickly got off the bus and ran away.
I ran and didn't even take a look at the bus I had boarded. I was panting when I sat down on a bench nearby. I didn't realize the man from yesterday was standing in front of me.
"Are you okay, Miss?" he asked me. Did he just run to ask me that?
"Yes, I am. By the way, are you..."
"No, this is the area where I live. I forgot to press the bell. Thanks to you, I'm awake," he chuckled. I felt so embarrassed right now. How could this be happening to me?
"By the way," he got closer to me and I took a step back. He frowned.
"Something wrong, Miss?" he asked. I didn't know what to say, but I wanted to share my troubles. He was a stranger after all, and after this day, we wouldn't be able to see each other again.
I sighed and looked at him. "I got suspended from my job, and I don't know what to do now. I didn't do anything wrong, but..." My tears began to fall. I couldn't go home to my mom; I hadn't gone home for years and I couldn't face them like this.
"I might know of a job, but I don't think you'll want it," he said.
"What is it?"
"Being a maid," he said. My heart skipped a beat. I couldn't be a maid, and I would never be one. I shook my head.
"I can't. I had a decent job; I'll get my job back instead of being a maid," I said confidently, crossing my arms.
He chuckled. "Are you sure? A hundred thousand a week would do?" My eyes widened as he mentioned that huge amount of money. One hundred thousand a week? That's a great deal after all.
I still had my dignity, but I really needed money right now. He was staring at me. "What do you think?" he asked while smiling slyly.
If I had enough money in my pocket right now, I could just reject and decline his offer, but I was in need. This was giving me a headache.
"Deal," I said.
"Okay, let me take you to your boss," he said. I frowned. I thought he was my boss, but I was wrong.
"I thought..."
"Let's go," he said and gestured for me to follow him to the car. I put my seatbelt on, and he started driving.
"Can I trust you, huh?" I suddenly asked.
He looked at me with innocent eyes and smiled. "I'm not asking you to trust me. I'm just helping you get a job. When you get your job back, you can resign. It's as easy as that," he said. I kind of liked him, not in a romantic way, but I liked his attitude.
He stopped at a huge black gate. I looked around in amazement. "This house is really big," I uttered.
"Yes, it is, but the owner of this house is alone. It might be big, but you won't find happiness inside," he sadly uttered, making me wonder who my boss really was. Was he a weirdo? Or maybe a psychopath? A rapist? No way! I shook my head, not paying attention, and bumped into his back.
"I'm sorry," I said, but he just ignored me and looked around.
"Kev? Kevin?" he shouted.
An old woman approached us. "Is Kevin home?" he asked.
"There was an emergency in the company, and he had to take care of it. He'll be back soon, Sir," she said and left.
"Let's wait for him here," he said and sat down on the sofa. Silence surrounded us. I rolled my eyes in the place. It was luxurious, huge, and fancy.
"By the way, what's your name?" he asked, and I looked at him. I swallowed.
"This is it; boys usually ask for a girl's name, get her number, court her, and then hurt her, dumping her like trash. I know that move, Mister. You better not do that," I said.
He just laughed. "Did you just laugh at me?" I asked him, but he continued to laugh.
"I was asking your name because I need it for your bio-data," he said. I avoided looking at him. It was so embarrassing, Gaia.
"So, can I ask your name again?" he said. I nodded, covering my face. I was so ashamed of myself that I couldn't even look at him.
"It's Gaia Tan. My name is Gaia Tan," I spoke. I heard the sound of a keyboard as he typed it down.
"How old are you?"
"25."
"Can you cook?" Was he going to interview me now? I thought he wasn't my boss. Why was he acting like one?
"Wait, hold on a sec," I said, and he stopped typing, looking at me coldly.
"Is there a problem?"
"Yes, there is."
"What is it?"
"I thought you weren't my boss, but why are you the one interviewing me?" I asked.
"Actually... Your boss is my best friend, and he doesn't interview employees. He let me do it, and if you pass with me, then you'll pass with him," he said. I nodded. So, my boss must be a shy person?
"Can we proceed?" I asked, and he resumed asking me questions until we were done.
"It's all done," he said. I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Did I meet your standards?" I asked, and he looked at me. Then he smiled, and it made me smile too.
"You're fine," he answered. What kind of answer was that?
"Aunt Vaness, this is the new maid. Please inform Mr. Kevin about this and give him her resume," he said, handing it to the woman from earlier.
"By the way, Mrs. Vaness Frowler, this is Ms. Gaia Tan. Gaia, this is Mrs. Vaness," he introduced us.
"Nice to meet you, ma'am," I said.
"Just call me Aunt Vaness," she uttered, smiling. I nodded.
"I'll show you to your room, Gaia," she said and started walking. I was about to take a step when I looked back at the man who brought me here.
"Mister? By the way, what's your name?" I asked. He smiled and spoke. "Dexter. My name is Dexter." I smiled at him and started to walk.
"Gaia, is this your first time being a maid?" she suddenly asked.
"Yes, Auntie. This is my first time. Why do you ask?" She looked at me and tapped my shoulder.
"I have to teach you so many things before I leave," she said, and it made me sad. I thought I had someone to talk to here. I was alone again.
"Why are you leaving?"
"I think at this very moment, no one wants me. No one wants to be with me. I'm all alone again."
To be continued...
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