For Leonor, with Love.

Chapter 1

Leonor's parents was ecstatic to hear the good news by her, making them thrilled to see their Daughter's successful achievements coming along the way.

She really gave her best just so she can prove to them that she can always accomplish whatever she desires.

This is the first time she saw them being proud of her. Seeing their overjoyed faces made her feel uneasy as she hasn't seen them like this since she was in kindergarten.

Leonor is an only child, however she didn't really had their attention growing up which made her despise them like that. Then again, they are after all her parents and she can't do anything about it.

Growing up, she's always been known as the mischievous cousin and niece, not speaking to anyone she doesn't like or she'll just keep quiet.

—

"Mommy, Pasok na po ako sa work." Leonor informed her parents, putting her hand bag beside her seat as she entered the vehicle.

She drove for what felt like hours due to the traffic coming in, making her reach her destination a bit late from her usual time of attending work.

"Anong' nangyayari dito Ris?" She politely asked, placing her documents on her desk, wondering what is happening on a Thursday morning.

"Dumating kasi yung isa nating Boss galing sa  England kaya ayan pinagka-kaguluhan" she remarked looking at Leonor who was confused as to what is so special about him working on their company.

Risa took a deep breath as she asked "Bakit ka pala late, Leni?" looking at her in the same direction she is in, tilting her head while sitting beside her friend.

"Traffic eh" she replied being so pissed about the Traffic in Manila. "Lagi naman ganyan eh, ano pa bang expect natin" Risa laughed, still being annoyed by the nosy employees in front of them squealing and talking to their boss.

"Thank you everyone for welcoming me here, Nice to see our old employees still working here ah!" The boss spoke. The new employees not realizing he was so bossy as they just welcomed him back in their company, while the old employees were just looking at each other as they clasps their hands for their boss knowing what's gonna happen in a few days.

After chit chatting with his empoyees, He didn't realized it was already lunch time so he asked them to go back and continue what they were doing leaving them to go to his office as he quickly got tired talking to some of them.

"Couz!" Martin greeted Ferdinand causing him a fright. "Ano ka ba couz! Napano ka?" He asked irritably making him stand and gently hit him on the back of his head. "Aray! Ikaw ha!" Martin reacted showing him a picture of Louise, Ferdinand's friend who his family wants him to marry.

"Pwede bang tumigil ka na Mart? Nakakainis ka" Ferdinand scolded him rolling his eyes at the guy, exiting his office as to his cousin still following him.

"Nag lunch ka na ba, couz?" Martin asked feeling dumbfounded wondering what happened to him because when he usually do that, he would always respond with a laugh.

"Hindi pa nga eh." He replied, still no expressions on his face.

"Uy! Sina Loren babes oh!" Martin pointed in front of them, seeing his Girlfriend with her friends going out of the building. "Pare! Sundan natin! May re-reto kasi ako kay Trillanes diyan" he recalled pointing out to a girl he hasn't seen before.

—

"Aling Tessie, sarap ng Lugaw mo ah!" Grace complimented eating a spoonful of porridge. "Oo nga Aling Tess, sobra! Lalo na yung Menudo" Risa exclaimed looking at her friends.

"Ang pogi ni boss no!" Nancy blurted making Leni choke oh her water. "Ha? Hindi ko nakita kanina eh" she replied scratching her head.

"Banyo lang ako ha." Leni said rising for her seat, feeling relieved she won't join in their conversations about their boss, causing her friends to just laugh at her.

"Hi sir!" Nancy greeted Ferdinand who seems to be caught off guard following them along with Martin on his side. "H-hello, ladies... eto kasing si Martin gusto sundan si Loren" he hinted giving them a slight grin.

"Hi babes!" Martin waved at his girlfriend who was finishing her food. "Hello babes!" She replied wiping her face, putting the tissue on her empty plate. Loren stood up from her seat as Martin pulled her closer. "Excuse ko lang to si Loren ha, tapos narin naman siya kumain" Martin excused his Girlfriend, stepping out of the small restaurant with him.

"Sunod na ko' ladies ha" Ferdinand interrupted following his cousin. "Bye boss!" Nancy sighed as she admitted towards her friends that she has a crush on their boss.

"Tapos na kong' magretouch." Leni softly spoke as they all rise from their seats. "Tapos na din kami kumain, Lens" they replied addressing their boss who came there to pick up Loren with his cousin.

—

"Ate!" A boy shouted as Leonor recognized the voice. She turns to look at the kid. "Frank! Anong ginagawa mo dito?" She asked the kid, her voice still careless. "Ate need ko hiramin car mo, may gagawin kami sa school. Late na ko, please!" The boy begged pleasing her cousin who was about to go home. "Sige, magla-lakad nalang ako" she replied in a mean tone, giving him the keys to her car.

"Mag ingat ka." She softly spoke and headed out of the company by herself, not bothering to tell her friends about it as she didn't want to to distract them from their work.

Walking through the roads of Manila, she saw a lot of people walk pass by her, holding hands or with their own families. "Kailan kaya ako magka-karoon ng lalaking magma-mahal sakin at ako lang ang pipiliin" she asked herself waiting for the pedestrian signals to let her walk the other side of the road.

She stopped to take a break from walking and decided to sit in a bench inside the park of their subdivision. She took a deep breath and observe her surroundings, seeing a couple in front of her sitting in one of the picnic tables.

"Babe, I love you" - "I love you too Babe" she overheard them expressing their love for one another including their endearment for each other.

"Bitter na ba ako sa lagay na to o sadyang wala talagang lalaki para sa buhay ko?" She wondered giving a deep sigh.

"Ay, wait... Did I disturb you?" She asked the couple who was both looking at her. "Ay no, no It's okay... Di ka siguro sinipot ng boyfriend mo no?" The girl replied making her furious.

"Ha? First of all PO, wala akong Boyfriend, second po, goodbye! Uuwi na po ako, stay in love nalang!" She exclaimed leaving the place and started walking back home.

"Mommy?" She asked, her voice echoing through their walls with her wondering if her mother was home. No one responded, she just shrugged the feeling of alone as she's gotten used to it.

She went upstairs on her room, putting all her things on her small desk as she laid down her bed. She rested for ten minutes until she heard her phone ringing.

She sat down on her bed feeling so tired from all that happened in their company, her head still aching but she managed to answer the phone.

"Hello po, Ma'am Imee" She spoke attentively on the phone.

"Hello Leonor, Samanan mo bukas si Martin sa Tarlac. Bukas ha. 7:30 daw kayo aalis kaya agahan mo." Imee replied.

"Sige po, Ma'am. She assured as she ended the call. "Sa dinami-dami ng tao si Sir Martin pa pwede kong samahan... pwede naman siyang mag pasama kay Loren ha!" She thought, in spite of her obvious careless attitude she can handle him.

She proceeded to go take a shower as she was feeling sweaty. After taking a bath, she decided to watch some news as she thought she wasn't updated to whats happening in the world. Minutes after watching TV, she had the urge to close it and just sleep.