Chasing Pavements

prologue

prologue
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𝚅𝚎𝚛𝚗𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚊

Has there ever been a moment when the whole trajectory of your life flashes before your eyes?

Water mumbled my words as I tried to claw at the open ocean, desperately trying to swim up to get some air. My knees began buckling. I had been unable to flip my feet. I came to a halt in my quest for air. When did it get to this moment? When has my life been such a sweet delight one minute and then the opposite the next? It's the last time I'll ever live it, and it'll be the last time I'll ever live it. Oh, Goodness, I urge thee, why had it come to this? I close my eyes and think my final farewell in my heart. As I plunged into a deep abyss, I was surrounded by darkness.

"Vernamina!" quipped Cloira, my handmaiden, startles me up from my slumber.

The desire to crawl back into my blanket was intense as the sun shone through my window, but I knew Cloira. If I don't get up, I'll be drenched in cold water. As I extended my arms, I let out a yawn. "Good morning, Cloira,"

"Up, up, up! It's already 12 o'clock. Now rush to the toilet while I go get your clothes. You've already arrived late! When you're not on the clock, you know how your mother is."

As soon as she noticed my slow movements, she pushed me to the toilet. With my eyes fluttering, I knelt on the concrete. Oh, how I wish I could just sleep forever. I compelled myself to rise and face the steaming tub. I asked aloud, shampoo in my hair and soap drizzling down my face.

"What day is it, Cloira?"

"It's a Wednesday, my love!" she exclaimed immediately.

Oh my goodness!

I rinsed out the shampoo in my hair and scrubbed my body with soap until it became pink, cranked up the shower handle to the maximum. I didn't have much time to prepare, so I rapidly dried and wrapped myself in a towel. I flung open the door and stumbled on my way to my wardrobe. I was greeted by a dress hung on the stand. Cloira began to work on my hair as I slipped on the green velvet and mesh fabric. I sat in my vanity table chair. As soon as I sat down, the stinging feeling subsided. My makeup was strewn around the room.I tried not to dwell too much on the discomfort.

"How come no one told me it was Wednesday?" My cheeks were flushed as I scrubbed blush into them. Cloira swept her fingers through my mane, causing strands to fall to the carpet. "Oh! Please be gentle."

She dismissed my objections and continued to braid my hair. "Young lady, you should cut down on your reading time. You're running late for the ceremony, and "I'm sure your mother is fuming right now!"

"No one told me it was a Tuesday night!"

Wednesday is when all the family members gather in the banquet to celebrate the formation of an alliance with a new family, of which I am unaware and is honestly just a stupid celebration in which my mother forces me to mingle with people I don't know. The following are the three main components of the aforementioned stupid event:

1. A prayer ceremony. Which is ironic because of our way of living.

2. Family members are free to mingle amongst the crowd.

3. My favourite part. Eating. A whole buffet table is set.

My mouth waters just thinking about the delectable cuisines I'll be trying today. Every Wednesday, a different cuisine is served. I pondered what today's cuisine would be the last time it was French. Today, I'm hoping it'll be Filipino. Since yesterday, I've been craving fresh lumpia! fingers crossed.