The sky was brilliant blue for today's Saturday morning. Everyone but one was busy doing their own stuffs. Kids were playing noisily around the house as usual; Mrs. Martinez was busy feeding their baby; on the other hand, Mr. Martinez was at the front yard feeding the chickens; Torrey's grandmother was listening to radio while her husband was reading newspaper; and Torrey ws preparing breakfast. Amber rolled over as she continued to sleep, clearly unconscious of her surroundings.

"Guys, breakfast is ready!" Torrey called her family.

At once, everyone quited on doing their businesses, washed their hands and sat at the dining table. Torrey lightly poked Amber and said: "Wake up sleepy head! Breakfast is ready!"

Amber clicked her tounge and ignored her.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up!" Torrey shaked Amber.
"All right.. All right.. " she sleepily answered.

Slowly and grudgingly, she went to bathroom, washed her face, brushed her teeth, and squeezed in at the already-cramped dining table.

"Let's pray first. Torrey, you lead the prayer" said Mrs. Martinez.

They all bowed their heads while Torrey led the prayer. After a minute, they started eating, talking and laughing.

Amber eyed Torrey's family enviously. She misses her own family...

"Something wrong?" Torrey asked.

She shrugged. "Nah, I just wonder how my family's doing." then smiled.
"I'm sure they're fine Amber, don't worry about them." answered Torrey. "What you should worry, however, is yourself." she added.

Amber's smile vanished instantly. All her yesterday's experience came back to her again. *What should I do now?* she asked herself. She knew that she can't stay here longer than necessary, although she was very grateful for Torrey's family for welcoming her in spite of limited space in their house. Lost in deep thought, she continued on eating.

After breakfast, Amber excused Torrey outside.

"Hey, Torrey. Can I have a minute?" she asked her.

Torrey followed her outside their house and looked inquiringly at her friend. Amber turned to look at her as well and took a deep breath.

"I'm not staying here for long.." she started.

Torrey smiled at her. "I know you wouldn't, and I understand. Actually, I feel really bad because there's not much space in the house, but you know, it doesn't really matter to us, you can still stay here."

"I appreciate your offer Torrey." Amber beamed at her. "but your help is too much. You know that I'm a tough "guy", I can handle this." she said confidently.
"Silly you." Torrey chuckled. "By the way, what's your plan?" she asked Amber.

Amber took out a small card from her pocket and gave it to Torrey.

"That's his calling card, I'll contact him later." she explained.
"And?"
"Uh, And what?" asked Amber, confused.
"How does this solve your problem? You still don't have any place to sleep." she said.
"Well..... since I'll be applying as his personal assisstant and maid, maybe I can ask for help.."
"SERIOUSLY? You really think he'll help you, after what you've done to his car?" asked Torrey skeptically.
 

Amber scratched her head. *I don't have any choice you dum-dum!*

"But I'll still give it a try" she answered.

Torrey rolled her eyes and shrugged. Then, she took a 1000 peso bill from her pocket and gave it to Amber.

"Here, take this." she reached for Amber's hand and put the peso bill in it. "It's not much, but I really want to help you Amber."
"What?! Hell no Torrey, this is yours." said Amber, giving the peso bill back to Torrey.
"NO." Torrey said firmly. She put the bill back to Amber's palm. "You need that money better than I do. I insist."
 

Since she can't do anything else, Amber reluctantly puts the peso bill on her pocket, but swore that she won't use it unless it's necessary.

"Let's go back inside. I'll help you pack your things."

They went back inside and started folding Amber's clothes. Torrey picked a large, blue shirt and stared at it with distaste.

"UGH. Your fashion taste is horrible." she commented. "Why do you keep on wearing these by the way?" she asked Amber.
"It's comfortable". she answered simply. "I don't like wearing cutesy dresses like that. It irks me." looking at Torrey's dress.
"Hah, funny. Your taste irritates me and my taste irritates you. We're so different and yet we clicked so much."
"That's the law of physics. Like sides repel, opposite sides attract." laughed Amber.
 

Torrey laughed as well.

"I guess you're right. But seriously, you've got to stop wearing these. This one of the reasons why people see you as a boy". 
"Don't tell me you give a to what people say? I don't care if they think that I'm a boy, but I won't change myself for them." answered Amber flatly. "In fact, because of this I found out who my true friends are - the ones who don't judge me because of what they see. And so far, it has been only you." she added, her ears went pink.

Torrey's expression softened. She smiled and they continue on packing Amber's things. After several minutes, Amber was outside their  front yard, waving back to Torrey and her family.

Amber dialed the number on Taec's calling card. Shortly, a man with a deep, y voice answered the phone.

"Who's this?" he asked.
 

Amber cleared . "It's me. Your Betty crasher." she answered. "Where and when can we meet?"

The man answered and hung up. *Huh. Talk about manners.*

After thirty minutes, Amber is standing in front of Beastly Men's Gym.
 

She inhaled and exhaled deeply first, then walked inside, waiting.

The doors were open and light breeze entered inside the gym every now and then, helping Amber to relax a bit. She looked at her right and received a slight shock.

A man in a mouth-watering godlike body was slowly approaching her, his shining eyes full of mystery. He wore his white sleeves while walking and ruffled his hair a bit. Amber's mouth fell wide open.

"Close your mouth and quit on drooling at me. It creeps me out." he said to Amber, full of distaste.

Amber snapped quickly out of her reverie and cleared many times, her ears were pink. 

"I'm not drooling.." she denied.
"Liar. Follow me." he gestured outside the gym and went to Starbucks, which is just across the road.
 

He went straight to the farthest table and settled himself comfortably. Amber was about to sit as well when...

"What do you think you're doing?" the man snapped at her.

She looked confusedly at him and answered: "I'm going to sit, isn't it obvious?"
"Don't talk back at me, I'm your boss from now on, remember?" he said. "Or do you need some reminding?"

*No. Your annoying face is more than enough*, but she did not say anything,

"Buy me a Caramel Macchiato. Grande." he ordered her. "And hurry up. " he added, giving her a 500 peso bill.

Amber clasped his money and gritted her teeth. Their deal was just starting and he's getting to her nerves already! *Douchebag!*

"One caramel macchiato, grande." she told at the counter and waited for his order. Shortly after that, she went back to his table and placed his coffee at the table. "Can I sit now sir?" she asked, stressing the last word.
"Yeah, sir's a nice idea..." he said slyly. "...and no, you can't sit. Remain standing."

Amber breathed a few times to calm down. Then she added. "About the car..."
 

"It costs 40,000 php." he interrupted. "therefore I think that your service per day will cost... uhh.." he counted mentally, "400php. So that would be 100 days of service for me." he sneered. 

*100 days with the devil!*

"I go to school of course, from 8AM-2PM, sometimes just 1PM. Then I'll go to gym everyday, for about 1-2 hours. I want a bottle of orange Gatorade everyday after working out." he continued. "What are you doing standing just like that? Write those down!" he ordered her.

Amber quickly searched for a piece of paper and a pen, and wrote all things he said earlier. 

"...I model as well, so I need you to carry all my stuffs back and forth. Then whenever my father asks me to, I do work for our company, and I need you to be around as well in case I need something in emergency." he said. "So, that's for the personal assisstant part. Follow me to my house so that I can show you your maid duty."

He stood from his seat and left his caramel macchiato untouched.

"ARRGGGH!! Patience Amber! Patience!" Amber told herself in great annoyance. She followed her new boss outside Starbucks and saw him walking towards his red Porsche, Betty. She was about to open the car door for herself when... yet again...
"Don't tell me you expect yourself to ride in this car?" he raised his eyebrow and smirked. "WELL YOU CAN'T. Go find a taxi yourself." he turned pokerface and drove.
"AAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHH!" Amber clutched on bits of her hair in frustration. "What a bastard!" she exclaimed. She called for a taxi and followed her boss.

They - which is to say, his boss's car and the taxi she's riding - arrived in front of an nth floor condominum building in Hottest Street, the Solar Homes.

"Whoah". Amber couldn't help hersef be amazed. The building is freakishly tall.

She paid the driver, got out from the cab, and followed Taec again. She looked around: Inside were elegant statues and marble steps, and a shining silver chandelier. The lobby room is a large circular area with a large, flat screen television at the center. They entered a golden door elevator and Taec punched on the number 13 button. They waited for a while until the golden doors opened once again. They turned left and stopped at a door with a #2 etched in front of the door.

Taec inserted a card and the door swung open. A breath-taking view welcomed them - a large window was at the center of his condo which lets them see the city lights. His condo was also large and spacious, with not much furniture inside, but a lot of his pictures were hanging on the wall. His motif was just metallic grey and white, but the effect was good. And yet she noticed something else...

"Are you obssessed with cats???" she asked him. She realized that from the curtains and throw pillows to the picture frames and figurines, all have designs of a cat.

Taec did not respond, but drank water instead. Then acting like Amber did not say anything, he continued speaking: 

"I eat breakfast and lunch, but not much at dinner. I don't like vegetables so don't give me that, you understand? I don't do laundry, the laundry shop did, but since you're my maid here, you will do the work." and he droned on and on.

"Uh, sir. If I may interrupt you," Amber said.

Taec stopped speaking and looked at Amber. "I don't usually let my workers interrupt me when I'm speaking." he said.

"Yeah, well, this is something important." Amber said.
"What is it?"

Amber fidgeted uncomfortably. She doesn't know where to start.

"Well, uh.. I got chucked out of my apartment..." she said
"So?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. "I don't care."
 

Amber gritted her teeth. *More patience. More patience.*

"Yeah, well. I'm just wondering." she gulped. *This is so humiliating for me!* "Since I'm your assisstant and maid, it would be most convenient for us if I'm near you, right? So... uhh..." she scratched her head. She doesn't know where to end her statement.
"Let me guess, you want some place to live and you're hoping that I'll help you, am I right?" Taec said straight forwardly.

Slowly, Amber nodded.

"In your dreams." he replied.

*I should've known!* she told herself. Her shoulders slumped.

"On second thought..." he said, and tapped his chin. Amber's head jerked hopefully. "The more I had my eyes on you the more you'll experience hell. So I think it might be a good idea after all..." 
 

*It doesn't matter, as long as I have some place to sleep!* she smiled, relief swam over her.

"What's your name by the way?" he asked her.
"Amber." she answered.
"Amber? So you really are a girl?" he looked at her from head to toe. "Huh. Too bad, I don't allow girls inside here. I take it back. You can't live here." he said.
"Wait, WHAT?!" Amber couldn't believe her ears. And here she was... thinking that she'll have some place to sleep now.
"I told you. I don't allow girls inside here." he repeated and looked at her expressionlessly. "Go sleep at the sidewalk instead."
"B-b-but---"
"Come here tomorrow morning and cook me some breakfast. You can leave." Taec said flatly.
"But why?"
"It's not your business on why. Go."
"But--" Amber is thinking hard and fast, "But I'M A BOY!" she shouted suddenly.
"I thought your name is Amber? Are boys being named as 'Amber' nowadays?" he asked skeptically.
"No... yes. I mean! Look." Amber took a deep breath, "I.. I was born to be a girl... But.. but I grew up as a boy... You, you know what I mean? My personal preference are......" Amber took another deep, calming breath and closed her eyes.. "girls". 

*I can't f*** believe on what I'm saying right now!!!!*

"My name is Amber Jay Mallari. But you can call me AJ." she ended.

Silence fell. Amber desperately hopes that Taec will bite her excuse, but he's expressionless than ever.

Finally, he spoke..

"If that's the case, welcome to hell." and he gestured around his condominium.