The Wish You Left Behind

Prologue

YOKO

It is the night of her 19th birthday, everything is perfect. Yoko had the best party anyone can wish for. She even wore the gown her mom gifted to her. Yoko had the biggest and sweetest strawberry cake there is. Her feet, sore from hours of dancing.

She never thought being this happy was possible. Yoko will never forget how the plain hall of their residence turns into a ballroom; or how she received 19 roses and candles from the people close to her heart.

Just before the night ends, she dances with her father, leaning her head on his broad shoulder. As always, she found solace in his perfume; it was soothing.

"How's my princess?" he asks in a gentle voice.

A smile spread across her lips. "Your princess couldn't ask for anything else."

How can she? When they turned her in a modern day Cinderella?

He pulls out from my hug then. "Come on. I haven't given my gift yet."

"You already gifted me this party."

"Come on."

Who would have thought one can escape their own party? Apparently, you can do just that as her father guide her to their front yard. His hands covering her eyes.

"Ready?"

A soft chuckle escapes her lips as she tries to pry his hands, but he wouldn't budge.

"Don't tell me you don't want this?" he adds before removing his hands.

She might as well be dreaming, for there in front of her is a red Cadillac. This does not belong to him or her mom.

She gapes in awe. "Is this -?"

"It's yours."

"She got a smile that it seems to me. Reminds me of childhood memories -," Yoko can't help but laugh as they sing along with Guns N' Roses' Sweet Child of Mine. Axl Rose is hitting those high notes while Yoko and her father's voice are like cats out of breath. This song is one of their favorite.

"Does my princess like her new carriage?"

She bet even if she turned 30, he would still call her a princess. "You should have hired for me a coachman, old man," she teases, before sparing him a glance from the steering wheel. "I love it, Pa."

"So anymore wishes before your birthday ends?"

Yoko glances at the car's clock; 11:48 p.m.

"I don't have anymore wishes. I guess you've fulfilled it all."

When she thought his smile can't get any sweeter, he smiles even brighter. Her mother always said she got her father's smile; one that can light up even the darkest room and win the gloomiest of hearts. But it's impossible; that smile is perfect.

Everything feels perfect -until it isn't.

She's about to swerve into the left, when a blinding light flashes from the opposite side. A deafening sound of a horn follows. Before she can scream, a large truck collides into their car, sending it tumbling on the concrete floor.

Yoko's seatbelt tightened around her. Her body floats one second and come crushing down the next. The world spins around as her vision blurs and came out of focus. The airbags pop, things flew along with shards of broken glass that cuts on every part of her.

Yoko wants to scream. She wants to puke, but when the skidding car came to a halt, she barely feels anything anymore. She raised her head to see something sticking out of her leg. Blood oozes from her shin; she didn't dare move.

In her hazy vision, she turns to her father, her eyes burning while the rest of her feel cold. There's blood all over her father's face.

"Pa?"

She can't even recognize the throaty voice. Yoko tries to reach out, but her limbs won't obey.

"Pa!"

When he didn't respond, sobs escapes her bleeding lips. His words earlier play in her head, 'Any more wishes before your birthday ends?'

"Just -," she whispers as lights flashes thru the broken windows and sounds of shouts and footsteps echo from the outside. "Stay with me. Please."

But wishes are just that, wishes; plain, empty word.

No matter how hard you beg and cry, wishes don't come true.

And the girl she used to be -sworn to never believe in those meaningless words ever again.