The Chaos Theory

Chapter 1: I Keep Cruising. Can't Stop, Won't Stop Moving

Author's Note: The chapter titles are actually song lyrics. Can you identify the songs? (The songs will be revealed as video links in the next chapter.)

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Love thy neighbor.

It is a relatively common saying. But practically, it is rather challenging to apply. Especially, it becomes impossible when some people in the neighborhood make it their mission to contribute to your wretched day to make it even worse.

The external examiner for my last practical examination of this semester had put my mood in the slump with his perverted behavior. It had been hard to navigate around his innuendos without being insulting to him. I had reported him to my professors after the viva, but my mood for the day had been effectively ruined. It was with this sullen mood with which I had been driving to my new home.

After a swift shifting process, we had moved into our new house on the previous day. It was my first time driving back from the hospital, so I had switched on navigation for guidance. The upward sloping road to Golfer's Colony was the entrance I hadn't used before today. In hindsight, had I rerouted my path after seeing the slope I could have avoided the events that unfolded next.

Being a relatively new driver, I had occasions on which I goofed up. The speeding car coming from the opposite direction had made me halt promptly on the steeply sloping road. The halt wasn't the issue. I was glad that I had successfully evaded a collision. The problem arose when I couldn't manage to accelerate successfully up the slope.

This is why I dislike manual cars.

My clutch and accelerator coordination was never great once I entered panic mode. The honking car behind me was not of any help to ease out my growing anxiety. Every time I restarted the engine, my footing would be too fast on the clutch and it would make the car jerk. So far, after five tries, I had only managed to take the car further backward. If I tried another time, I would surely bump into the black Mercedes behind me.

The honking stopped and a few seconds later my heart went into overdrive because of the unexpected angry knocks on my window. Dazed because of the jump scare, I just looked out the window without thinking of rolling it down.

The man giving me the death glare appeared to be in his twenties. His brown eyes were a shade lighter than his wavy hair which had been pushed back in a suave manner. The light grey shirt paired with the black coat and pants bellowed panache and brought out his skin's porcelain color. There was light stubble on his angular jaw, adding to the debonair façade.

I snapped out of my anxiety when he knocked at the window again, looking at me dead in the eyes. I pressed the button to roll down the glass and gave him a nervous smile, "I am so sorry. I panicked."

"I wish I had more time but unfortunately I don't have all day to wait behind you. So can you please step out and let me drive?" his words were polite but his death glare was not.

"I'm so sorry. I'll be out of your way. Let me try again," I said with a nervous smile and started the car again. The man crossed his arms and waited with a blank expression.

I took a deep breath and prayed to the universe as I tried to maneuver the car again. I thought I was making progress because, at least, this time the car was on the same spot and not going backward. That gave me some ounce of courage so I stepped more on the accelerator. But the heavens were not in my favor today so I had to make a blunder. Leaving the clutch faster than needed, I sent the car into a jerk again. But this time, it went a little further backward on the slope and bumped into the black Mercedes.

It was a very light bump and I rammed on the breaks as soon as I touched his car. There wasn't even a thump felt on the contact. That was the intensity of the bare brush I had with the car behind.

I didn't need to look at the suited-up man to see his anger. I could feel it palpating in the air. Dropping the nervous smile, I opted for the natural defeated expression as I stepped out of the car. The brunette man was about half a foot taller than my petite frame, towering over me at about five feet nine inches.

"I'm sorry," I apologized but the apology was lost on him as he banged my car's door shut with rage after getting in.

He was swift in getting my car up the slope and onto level ground. When he came out of my car with the keys in his hand, I was looking at the front of his Mercedes. As I had suspected, there were neither any scratches nor any bumps. His car was unscathed.

"Once again, I am so sorry for the trouble. Luckily, your car is fine," I spoke. He examined the front of his car but did not look impressed. Turning towards me, he said, "Please do the world a favor and don't drive."

"Listen, I'm truly sorry about the hold-up. I'm new to driving and I just got nervous," I tried to explain. "The slope was steep and I was already agitated so this... Uh, I'm so sorry for the inconvenience."

"You shouldn't be driving if all you look for are excuses. You're the kind who upholds the stereotype that women can't drive," he rolled his eyes and opened his door to get inside the car.

I get it. He was annoyed at the amateur driver. If the places were swapped, I would be too. But I still despised his douchebag words. Before I could respond our conversation had been brought to an end as he shut his door. Huffing in annoyance, I walked back to my car only to realize I couldn't open the door because the jerk had taken the keys out with him.

Said jerk then had the audacity to honk at me in displeasure. He rolled down his windows and called out, "What is your problem? Have you forgotten how to open the door now?"

"You have my keys, mister," this time I returned his glare.

His eyebrows briefly rose with realization and he took out the keys from his suit's pocket. He held the keys in his hand, stretched out of his window.

What? He wanted me to walk over to him and get the keys? After his jerk comment, I wasn't going to bend.

I held his gaze as I stood my ground and tapped my feet against the road, waiting for him to bring me the keys. Our showdown could carry on only for a few seconds because of the car that had turned up behind the Mercedes. The newcomer honked once, prompting us to jump into action.

I started to walk towards the black car and at the same time the jerk came out of it. Meeting halfway, he handed me my keys while muttering, "Immature."

"Douche," I commented under my breath and walked back to my car. Getting in, I drove to my home which was towards the end of the lane from this gate (closer to the other gate with the simple path). I had seen the black car behind me but while parking, I had stopped paying attention to it and lost track of which house my exasperating neighbor went into.

When I rang the doorbell, it was my brother who greeted me inside. He and I shared the same curly brown hair that had been passed to us by our father. Our teal blue eyes and Roman noses were our maternal lineage. But while I was petite, he had a good few inches more in height even though he was the younger one by two years.

"How was the day?" he asked as I entered the house. I tossed the car keys towards him which he caught easily. Going to the recliner couch and slouch into it, I sighed, "It was a lousy day, Stefan."

He came to lie back on the seat next to mine and probed, "Why? Was the practical horrible? Got a bad case?"

"No. The external examiner was horrible," I told him. I narrated the events of the day and even told him about the jerk from the road. Although... I chose to leave out the details where I lightly dinged his Mercedes.

No harm, no foul. Right?

"And he was like 'you uphold the stereotype that women can't drive'. Douche," I finished with a scowl. Stefan shook his head and said, "Never mind. Just practice some more around the corner."

The doorbell rang and I went to answer the door. Opening the mahogany door, I beamed at the lanky blond who had just arrived.

"Finally, I'll hear something good for today!" I exclaimed. "Please say I left my apple pencil at your place."

Mason narrowed his deep blue eyes and scrunched his forehead before telling me, "It's not at my place. I think it's been misplaced in the move to the new house."

And the day just kept on getting better and better.