Rey Jhon shook Gabriella’s shoulder many times and continued trying to wake her up. He wanted to pour cold water on her face to wake her up but how could he do that when they were inside the car?

He still couldn’t understand why he was in this kind of situation. He kept asking himself but he got no answer. At this hour, he should be sleeping peacefully, but instead he had become a driver for a drunk teenage girl.

He tried again to wake her up, but she only groaned and didn’t even bother to open her eyes. Her snore was even louder than his father. It was like her soul was still lost in dreamland, maybe dreaming about a prince charming. He couldn’t help but smirk. If this shameless girl wasn’t asleep, he would have already pulled her hair and poured liquor directly on her face.

After giving him her address earlier, she suddenly passed out. Her sharp words were replaced by tiny snores. She thought he was planning to do something bad to her. What the heck? With his face? She thought he was a rapist?

What a pretty rapist I would be! He mumbled.

Here he was helping, and yet she was angry at him. She even hit him with a thick book. But what surprised him more was, why on earth was she carrying a book? He couldn’t believe she actually studied. And when he read the title of the book, he even smirked more. It was an erotic book. What a shame!

As he drove her car, he scolded himself in silence. Why was he even helping her? He couldn’t figure it out. He was looking for a reason yet he couldn't find one.

Here I am again, creating another mess, he whispered.

He almost forgot, this girl he saved and promised to take home safely was the same girl who had drained his friend Carlo’s GCash account. That was money he worked so hard for! The money he needed to pay his own tuition. If there was only a bottle inside the car, he might have hit her with it already.

Dios mio, Marimar! he thought. I should’ve just let you crash. Why would I even care if you die?

He tapped her face. No doubt, she was rich. Her skin was flawless like porcelain. Maybe she was raised on milk baths.

Envy crept in his heart. He didn’t want to feel it, but he actually did. Sure, he was beautiful too.

But not as beautiful as her.

He had money, at least a little.

But not as rich as her.

He was smart.

Yes, that was the only thing he could be proud of.

“Excuse me, Ma’am Gab?”

He snapped back from his thoughts when a voice came from the car window. Someone had noticed their arrival. Of course, she was a Señorita, the daughter of Don Franco, the owner of the biggest sugar plantation in town. Again, envy stirred inside him.

Why was life so unfair? Why were some so rich, and others so poor? Why couldn’t everyone be equal?

“Ma’am Gab? Don Franco has been looking for you.”

Rey Jhon rolled down the window and was greeted by a uniformed security guard. His smile faded quickly when he realized it wasn’t Gabriella inside.

Surprised, huh? Rey Jhon thought.

“Who are you?” the guard asked.

Instead of answering, Rey Jhon stared at the mansion in front of him. Even if you multiplied his house ten times, it would never match this one.

So rich, yet she still stole from Carlo’s GCash. Ugh!

“Where’s Ma’am Gab?” the guard asked him again.

Rey Jhon forced a smile. He still remembered how to act, after all. Back in school, he was always the lead in plays.

“She’s inside the car. Didn’t you see?”

The guard ignored him and went straight to open the car door for Gabriella, who was dead drunk. Why even drink when you clearly couldn’t handle it?

Minutes passed, he followed them out of the car, already sick from the smell of her vomit. Gabriella threw up, and he almost did too.

“Who are you?”

A cold voice froze his whole body. He didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. His heart pounded hard.

“Are you my daughter’s boyfriend?”

Boyfriend? With my beauty? I am more gorgeous than your daughter, he thought.

Quickly, he shook his head and faced Don Franco. Just by looking at him, you’d know this man was powerful and rich. His clothes alone screamed money.

Life is so unfair.

“She’s not your girlfriend? Then why are you the one bringing her home?”

Why am I here again? he thought. I only wanted to help.

“Your daughter was very drunk, Don Franco,” he said, bowing his head. “I didn’t want her to drive—”

“What’s your name?”

“Rey Jhon Zialcita.”

The Don handed him a check. Rey Jhon froze. Was he paying him for helping his daughter?

“No need, sir,” he said, shaking his head quickly. “I only wanted to make sure she got home safe. I don’t need money for that.”

“I’m not giving this to you as payment.”

Rey Jhon’s face burned with shame. Why did I even assume that?

The Don’s next words stunned him.

“This will be your salary for the month. From now on, your job is to watch over my daughter.”

~

The loud alarm from his phone cut off his dream. It had been the best dream of his life, he was rich, married to Carlo, and loved by him. But his mother’s shouting, louder than the alarm, forced him out of bed.

Dios mio, Marimar! I was about to eat a hotdog in my dream, and it turned into stone!

Opening the door, he was greeted by more of his mother’s yelling, followed by banging sounds.

Papa didn’t come home again, he thought, rubbing his eyes.

He wanted to go back to sleep, but his mother’s nagging wouldn’t let him.

“What’s the problem now? Did Papa not come home again?” he asked with his eyes still closed.

But when he opened them, his father was right in front of him, glaring like a dragon ready to breathe fire. Before he could speak, a plate went flying, straight onto his father’s bald head. Now they were minus one plate at home.

“Where’s the money, Donald? Where’s yesterday’s earnings from the barbershop?” his mother yelled.

No rice again, Rey Jhon thought, scratching his head. He went back to his room.

He had spent Carlo’s payment on school fees and supplies. If he had known they’d run out of rice, he would have saved some.

“Kuya, do you have money? There’s no rice,” his sister Y’da Mae asked as she entered his room.

Of course, he had none. Every time this happened, his family turned to him. He sighed, wondering which store he would borrow from this time.

When he sat on the bed, he felt his wallet. Empty, as expected. Still, he opened it, just in case a miracle had happened.

And there it was, a piece of paper he didn’t remember picking up. He unfolded it and saw the name of Don Franco written on it, along with an amount: twenty thousand pesos.

It slipped from his hands as realization struck.

“A check,” he whispered.

“A check. So, it wasn’t a dream after all!”

Rey Jhon covered his mouth with his hand every time a tricycle passed by. The dust flew around like snow and landed on his school uniform creating an abstract design. He thought, maybe tomorrow or the next day, new pimples would appear on his face. Two pairs were not enough, his pimples wanted to have a whole barangay. Complete and nonstop.

It was already past nine in the morning when he reached their university. His money was not enough, so he just walked several kilometers to get there. What a pity!

He felt like he had been robbed when he left their house. His siblings took all the money he had left. Even the coin that slipped from his pocket, they grabbed it. He just kept quiet because at least the money would go to their breakfast.

The only thing left with him now was the check. He still didn’t know what to do with it. Should he return it to Don Franco or will he use it? Just the thought of always being around that young lady made his pink blood boil. His blood burned and bubbled continuously. He couldn’t erase from memory everything that girl had done to him.

She was rich already, yet she still took his hard-earned money.

“Hey, Jhon!”

He saw his classmate crossing the street and waving at him with a big smile.

“Did you bring what I asked you to do? I need to pass it now, or my grade will be cut big time,” his classmate said when he got closer.

He was talking about the narrative report. Yesterday, his classmate had asked him to write it because he missed the deadline. Rey Jhon agreed to do it, not just because of the payment but also because he liked looking at his classmate’s abs.

His classmates often ran to him whenever they were in a rush. It was like he had unlimited time to do their schoolwork. But when it came to money, he never knew how to say no.

His classmate put an arm around his shoulder, and once again, Rey Jhon felt weak inside. The perfume from his classmate’s body made him dizzy.

“Of course, I didn’t forget. You know I’m payment first,” he laughed, pulling out a flash drive. “Your file is saved there, Harold. Same filename.”

“Very good!” Harold gave him a thumbs up before leaving.

That was his life, people got what they wanted from him and then left. He stared at Harold’s back until the crowd of students swallowed him from his sight.

He was about to walk forward when his phone rang. It was just a number, no name. But he still answered it anyway.

“Hello? Good morning.”

“Good morning, Rey Jhon. It’s me, Don Franco. When will you start?”

~

Rey Jhon watched Gabriella as she walked out the big doors of the mansion. Every step looked like a model walking on the runway, showing off new clothes. Her skin was so white like Snow White. She looked even more radiant when she stood in the brown doorway.

She didn’t even smile when the maid handed her bag, which made Rey Jhon raise his eyebrow. No doubt about it she acted like a true rich girl.

Spoiled brat, he thought, forcing himself not to smirk.

How was he supposed to deal with her? This was the same girl who used to be the girlfriend of his crush. He wasn’t even sure if they had really broken up. She had even attended his crush’s birthday party. Maybe the two were still together. He can’t erase the jealousy in his heart.

When Gabriella walked past him, he instinctively bowed his head. He didn’t know why. This wasn’t Korea, after all. She didn’t seem to notice him at first, but then she stopped, turned around, and looked back.

Her raised eyebrow asked the question for her. What was he doing here? Even himself didn’t know why he was here.

Maybe he just really needed the money.

That’s all. That’s the reason.

“Who are you? Are you my new driver?” she asked, scanning him from head to toe before looking back at his face.

Wow. Me? A driver?

His hands itched to pull her rebonded hair. If only this weren’t her territory, he would have done it already. His own hair was probably even nicer than hers, natural and unbothered.

He caught her rolling her eyes before she went inside the car. But she glanced back at him again.

“I don’t like you,” she said coldly, tossing a folded paper at him. “You may leave now. I’ll just tell Daddy. This will be your first and last day. Thank you for your service.”

His jaw dropped. She said it like it was nothing, it feels like dismissing someone was part of her daily routine. After all, he was right that this girl in front of him had a nasty attitude. No wonder why they broke up. His crush deserved better.

He bent down and picked up the paper. It was money. She had thrown money at him. What a bitch! He didn’t bother counting. His steps grew heavy as he followed the car toward the gate.

“Hey!” he shouted, hitting the car window where the witch sat. “I don’t need your money!”

The window slowly rolled down, and Gabriella glared at him. His jaw clenched harder seeing her calm face, as if nothing had happened.

“Did I give you too little?” she smirked. “How much do you really need? I don’t have time for this.”

“I told you! I don’t need your money!”

She just stared at him without emotion. No reaction at all. She should be the one ashamed! She was the one looking down on him and mistaking him for a driver.

“I guess,” she said, finally looking away. “Daddy must have given you a bigger amount. Do whatever you want with it.”

He stood frozen, mouth open, as the window closed again. Her words felt like sharp needles. For her, money was nothing, something to throw away.

That’s what happens when you have too much.

He stepped back as the car drove past him. When the sound faded, he looked down at the money in his hand.

Should he be thankful she mistook him for a driver? Or should he feel insulted because that’s all she thought he was?

Rey Jhon slammed the bathroom door shut. He was trying his best not to breathe in the awful smell that seemed to crawl deep into his system. The stink was so strong and it was getting into his nerves, it felt like it was punching his nose again and again. He pinched his nose while grabbing the most expensive alcohol from his bag and he sprayed it all over the bathroom. He would rather waste his alcohol than to smell that disgusting odor.

Good thing he wasn’t late for class today. While riding the tricycle earlier, he really thought he wouldn’t make it to his first class. If that happened, he was ready to buy a Barbie doll and put a curse on that rich brat. Even a stray dog wouldn’t be able to stand her attitude, he’s worse than the devil’s first lady.

After his class, he went straight to the bathroom. His head still boiled whenever he remembered the money Gabriella threw away like he was some beggar. That image wouldn’t leave his mind. That’s how the rich where they treated people like trash.

“Ugh, annoying!” he muttered as he angrily turned on the faucet. “I’ll curse you, you demon girl! I’ll buy a Barbie later and stab its face until you get pimples all over! Annoying!”

Water poured over his hands as he faced the mirror, trying to calm himself. Maybe that’s just how rich people were. After all, she was the daughter of a Don. What chance did he have? He was just an ordinary guy, reaching for things he could never afford.

But if it was only about brains, he could beat her anytime, he’s very sure about that. That was the only thing he could contribute to this world, his intelligence, nothing more and nothing less. He’d gladly shove it in Gabriella’s face that even if he was poor, he was smarter than her.

And prettier.

Yes. Gabriella was only fair-skinned and rich. If she didn’t have looks or money, she’d be nothing. She had nothing on him.

Just then, the bathroom door opened and a girl in a skirt walked in. His jaw dropped when he saw her staring back in shock. She stepped back awkwardly, glanced up at the sign, then looked back at him.

He swallowed hard. Was he in the wrong bathroom?

Another door opened behind him, and his sister came out. Her eyes widened even more than the other girls, but she quickly hid it and walked up to him.

“Kuya,” his sister said, holding his arm. “Didn’t I tell you to wait outside? Where’s the napkin I asked you to buy?”

Oh no. He really was in the girls’ bathroom. All thanks to Gabriella! Just another streak of bad luck brought by that girl.

The rest happened so fast. All he remembered was his sister, Y’da Mae, pulling him out of the girls’ bathroom, dragging him outside the building, and pinching his side.

Hands on her hips, she gave him a look. No one would believe he entered the wrong bathroom by mistake, but in his mind, it was all Gabriella’s fault. She was the reason for all the bad things happening to him.

“What kind of drama are you living in?” Y’da Mae asked, raising one eyebrow. “Be thankful I was there. If not, people would’ve thought you were a pervert.”

He didn’t bother answering. He really had no intention of going in there it just happened because his mind was too distracted.

“How much are you going to pay me?”

He blinked, meeting his sister’s eyes.

“Pay you?”

“I saved you from embarrassment earlier. Pay up! Nothing’s free now, kuya.”

He just scoffed and left her there, money-hungry as always.

~

Rey Jhon went back to his classroom after escaping the shame he thought he couldn’t avoid. Sometimes, his sister was useful after all, though most of the time, her only talent was scamming money out of him. He often found his wallet empty without even knowing how.

Y’da Mae was only two years younger than him. The moment she was born, his days as the baby of the family ended, just like that old commercial jingle:

“I was only two, then my sibling came.”

He really related to that song. But at least he was thankful their parents didn’t add any more kids after her.

Without thinking, he pulled out a chair to sit, but someone grabbed his arm.

“Do you wanna join us?” a girl classmate asked.

That’s when he remembered, it was Wednesday. She was wearing a short skirt that barely had enough cloth. He sometimes wondered why the school guard even allowed students like her inside when they couldn’t even respect themselves.

He sighed and looked away, holding back from raising an eyebrow. His classmates didn’t know he had “mermaid blood,” as he jokingly called it.

“Why? Where are you guys going?”

Before she could answer, Carlo slung an arm over his shoulder. Rey Jhon knew it was him because of the perfume he himself had given Carlo on his birthday.

“It’s my birthday today. Did you forget?” the girl said.

He couldn’t even remember the girl’s name, how much more her birthday?

He scratched his head, searching for an excuse. The girl had been courting him for almost three months now. Carlo would even tease him, saying he was lucky to have a girl chasing him. But honestly? He didn’t care. He was a girl at heart, and he wanted a guy.

“Janine, He almost forgot my birthday too, and now you expect him to remember yours?” Carlo teased.

Ah Janine. That was her name.

He hadn’t forgotten Carlo’s birthday, of course. It wasn’t until later, but he already had a gift ready. He could forget his own sister’s birthday but never Carlo’s.

“So, it’s your birthday today, Jan?” he said, still scratching his head, his hand sliding down to his neck. “Happy birthday.”

“I don’t need your greetings, Jhon,” Janine snapped, brushing Carlo’s arm off her shoulder.

What? She was making drama now? Carlo hardly came close to him, and when he did, she had to butt in?

“I just need your love. Is it really that hard for you to love me?” she continued.

The whole class started teasing loudly. Only then did he notice how many classmates were already inside, along with their instructor, who also happened to be Janine’s sister. Now he didn’t even know how to escape this conversation.

It’s not hard to love you, Janine. It’s just that I’m looking for hotdogs, not buns, he thought.

“You’re not gay, right? I’m not wasting my time on a gay guy, am I?”

He swallowed hard, again and again. He just wanted to shut his eyes and wish everyone would disappear when he opened them. Did she already notice he was gay?

Suddenly, his phone rang. It felt like cold water was poured on him. The sound echoed even louder in the silence of the classroom. Everyone turned to look at him.

He quickly grabbed it from his pocket, desperate to thank whoever was calling. But it was just a number, no name saved.

Still, it saved him from the hot seat. Good God!

“Good morning, Rey Jhon.”

He didn’t need to guess. The voice belonged to Don Franco. His nervousness doubled.

What does this Don want now? he thought.

Without a word, he left the classroom. Finally, a way to escape Janine’s drama. The very thought of her being his girlfriend gave him goosebumps. He still wasn’t into “buns.”

“Did you get my text?” Don Franco asked.

“Text, sir?” He pulled the phone away from his ear to check, but no message was there.

“Maybe you didn’t receive it. I’ll resend it. It’s Gabriella’s phone number and her schedule. I’ll also send you her adviser’s name.”

A slow smile spread across Rey Jhon’s face. Luck was finally on his side.

This was his chance!