SERENDIPITY

PROLOGUE

[Car radio playing : Night Changes]

[Going out tonight
Changes into something red
Her mother doesn't like that kind of dress
Everything she never had
She's showing off.]

"Drivin' too fast, moon is breakin' through her hair. She's headin' for somethin' that she won't forget. Having no regrets is all that she really wants." Volume up. Volume up. "We're going older, baby. And I've been thinking about it lately. Does it ever drive you crazy. Just how fast the night cha—OH, HOLY—!!!"

I slammed the break as hard as I could and turned the wheel. Unfortunately, I didn't make it.

"What the fvcking fvck!"

Startled, I turned off the radio and breathed out nervously. Parang nabawasan ng 0.01 ang life span ko. Just like that certain song I was enjoying because it hits different, my wheels hit the same way. The only difference—my car could cause physical pain or worse could kill. It could kill someone that as stupid as the one I ran over. Damn. Glad I wore my seatbelt. It saved me again for the nth time.

I swallowed hard. Eyes wide open, head aching, heart pounding...I nervously removed my seatbelt without blinking and taking my eyes off away from the road where I think—no, I know I hit something—no, it's someone! I FVKIN' HIT A STUPID HUMAN.

This week couldn't get any worse!

I was running 60 to 80 mph which was my normal speed especially during this hour—2 A.M—where I wasn't expecting someone to sleep walk across the road. For Pete's sake, magpapakamatay na lang mandadamay pa ng iba! Umalis nga ako ng bahay para takasan ang mga tao roon tapos mas malalang problema pa pala ang kakaharapin ko bilang kapalit. Ugh. When will I be able to take a real break? Gusto ko lang naman magpalamig ng ulo at kumalma—which was overspeeding indeed; ganon ako magtanggal ng stress, at hindi ko naman alam na makakapatay pala ako today dahil doon.

"I should have seen that coming," I uttered, still feeling edgy and couldn't even move yet. "I should have really seen that coming." I'm not a soothsayer or anything, but I was well aware that this world was full of gullible, dense, ignorant, irresponsible, and reckless SOULS. I just know. Ako na sana ang nag-adjust. I'm not saying you're one of them or I'm not one of them because...hey, we all are. But at least, I'm just reckless. "Tch. Dapat kasi dumiretso na lang ako sa condo!"

Pumikit ako ng mariin at huminga ng malalim. Hindi ko magawang bumaba ng sasakyan. Kinakabahan ako. What if patay na? Anong gagawin ko? Wala pa man ay naiimagine ko na ang nakakasuklam na mukha ng step mother ko at ng dalawa niyang lalaking anak. May rason na sila para isumpa ako ng panghabang-buhay. May dahilan na sila para itakwil ako ng tuluyan. I can't wait. Mas gusto ko 'yon kasya nakatali ako sa kanila. Inilabas ko ang phone ko. Should I text my girls? Uh-uh. Not a good idea. Sumilip ako sa labas at tumingin-tingin sa paligid. Walang tao, at sa tingin ko'y wala ring nakakita sa nangyari. May mangilan-ngilang dumadaang sasakyan pero lahat ng mga iyon ay hindi nagbigay ng pakialam—or most probably had no idea what was going on here and didn't even notice. Kung umaga lang ito nangyari ay baka pinagkakaguluhan na kami rito at isang malaking issue ang kakaharapin ng ama ko dahil sa'kin. He's so damn scary. Lahat ay takot sa kanya kaya hindi niya pwedeng malaman 'to. Hindi ako papayag. Malilintikan ako. My pride could never.

Oh, please. Sana buhay pa.

Hindi siya pwedeng mamatay. I was able to hit the break before even my car bumped that idiot—and still did, but it wasn't too strong. Strong-strong, but not too strong.