1.The Encounter

"Maria, run!"

I wake up heavily breathing from my nightmare again. My mother, who had passed away in an unfortunate car accident uttered those sad last two words the minutes, before she was burnt to ashes. She is the reason why I am still alive today, wish it was me who died instead. This nightmare wouldn't leave me alone and it keeps haunting me. I can still remember her face vividly where she desperately uttered those words. I just can't seem to forget it. She was a single mom and raised me alone full-heartedly. I had no father, I don't even know who is my father,I never bothered to ask my mom and she was also the same, she never mentioned him to me. I didn't mind not having a father, after all I had her, and she was my life. Losing her was my worst nightmare, I always cried alone, and asked myself desperately why it had to happened to her. It was definitely my darkest moments.

After funeral, my mom's relatives took me in, and they knew I was not happy living with them, neither they were too. They only took me in so that they could seize my mom property which was passed to her by my grandfather on his deathbed. They thought I had no knowledge about it, and they did seized it. I could have fought for it, but during that time I was not myself since I lost my favourite person in the world and having her back was my only happiness which is impossible.

Anyways, seven years later nothing had changed except that I live alone in my mom's house. My relatives were nowhere to be seen because they decided to throw me out with the little amount of money after getting what they wanted. It was true people show true colors when they are greedy. I managed to survive doing part time jobs in every place as much as I could. Now I am only seventeen years old,who is independently surviving alone in this cruel world. I also managed to get through with my brainy brains to the best high school where only rich and top students were admitted.

Life goes and and the day after tomorrow is the starting of our school and I am excited but at the same time,I am not expecting too much because as usual,I would be friendless and alone. I do like being alone but it would be pretty much cool to have a good friend too,whether it's a boy or girl. My mom also tells me I should be the one to make friends instead and not the other way around. If she was alive today, I wouldn't care less about having friends or not because now I would not look forward to coming back home after school as she is no more.

Since, class is starting tomorrow,I decided to take a quick walk from my home till the park where it only takes around 10 minutes to reach there. It was only around 7pm when I decided to go out for a walk, the neighbourhood here was chilly and quiet and people were friendly too. I also like being here because it reminds me of my childhood days where my mom and I used to roam around a lot when she comes to pick me up after school. Anyways,I was wearing a mint hoodie and a track pants with my headphones on. Few minutes later, I reached my destination, then took a rest for two minutes on the bench and then decided to head home. But as I stood up to go ahead, I slipped as there was a twist in my ankle,luckily a guy from nowhere caught me by his macular hands. He was wearing a black hoodie, with his headphones too, quite similar like me.

"Maria, you alright?" he asked worried.

"I'm okay, thank you" I assured him slighty embarrassed.

"Sure" he smirked while replying and went off his way.

"By the way, how did you-"

I assured myself on the way home that maybe he was mistaken. I mean my name is so common "Kang Maria".