Prologue

The dining table was filled with warm delicious dishes made by her mother. But she had lost her appetite after coming from that brunch party.

Her father was invited by his colleague to a family get-together. So she naturally had to go. She could not refuse as she was the only unemployed in the house. And being a proud and stubborn person, the questions of those people about her life and career made her feel ashamed. She returned early from the party alone. And now her parents were also discussing this at the dinner. She felt nauseous and powerless.

"Sweetie, do you want to try dating? You won't have to even work. That Mrs. Davis' son is the same age as yours. He is an assistant fashion designer at Heiress. You can try it first..." Isa began as she put a large spoon of gravy on her eldest daughter's plate.

Her father nodded seriously as he put a spoonful of rice in his mouth. 

"Seriously Mom. For the fifty-sixth time, he is gay. Can you not understand the words in a common language?" Cyra, her younger sister interrupted with a scowl. Cyra and Mrs. Davis' younger daughter were in the same buddy group so she knew about this gossip a month ago. That young man came out of the closet after being caught by his mother with his boyfriend. But that lady refused to listen and sent him to the psychologist saying that he just had some mental illness. After a month she was roaming at social parties to look for an ideal daughter-in-law. She even being a teenager understood the scheme. How could her parents not understand and still want to give up their eldest daughter?

"Cyra. Tone down." Her father frowned as he uttered out.

"That is just some illness. How can you listen to the gossip and judge anyone? Look, Sylvia. The Davis family is very sincere and-" She interrupted her mother again before she could start her sincere rambling again.

"I have some savings. And I am doing freelance. Not something powerful. Just ordinary. But I can fill myself up. I have a friend who is looking for a roommate. So I have decided to move out." Her parents were stunned. 

"By tomorrow." She completed.

"What? Sylvia, are you out of your mind..." It was her mother who woke up first.

The next scene was full of anger, blame, and dissatisfaction. She was so tired of the words coming out of her mother's mouth. She was full of anger. At herself and her incompetence. She slammed the door and strode out of the house.

The summer had just started. The wind was cool at night. The neighborhood was serene with occasional laughter sounding in the distance because of some daily soap. The mango tree in the yard was blooming and the sweet smell wafted out which can be smelled by standing beside it. She walked on the street aimlessly. After some time her blood calmed down.

She was helpless. She had inherited her mother's aggressive nature. After so much deliberation and brainstorming, she had come up with the idea of being independent. She had nearly blinded herself by watching those online tutorials and studying color codes and fonts. The first earnings she made from her work had just been credited to her account and she couldn't feel any joy or share it with someone. How pathetic she had become. Oh. After so many years I have realized that I have no friends. Just acquaints. Anyway, those who were once had not even called for years. Haha. Who are you looking down on? Couldn't YOU initiate? You were so full of yourself that you felt being looked down on by initiating. What have you done with your life? She questioned herself as usual. And the answer was also the same. Nothing.

She was staggering by herself on the concrete road and full of negative thoughts. The neighborhood had passed long ago. The main road was empty and the occasional horn of fast-moving vehicles in the distance could be heard. She was still aware and walking on the hard tiled pavement. She had walked so much that her calves started hurting and trembling. As an otaku, she was not used to exercise. She sighed silently as she willed her tired body to walk back. All of a sudden a sharp screech sounded with the deafening sound of the horn. The slender body of the girl fell on the concrete road with a thud as the car slammed into the slightly high pavement. 

It hurts.

That was the first thought.

Her body was in pain and her consciousness was turbulent. She was full of thoughts about her life but they still ended with the wave of pain washing over her body. Her head had been slammed into the wall by the pavement as she fell by the impact of the car. The right leg was squished between the pavement and the car front. The other one was twisted and her hands grazed by the rough tiles were full of bruises. Her ears were ringing and her head hurt so much. She clutched her temples with dirty hands. Before she could feel the misery her brain started to shut down. If she was a soul she could see a dark crimson trail of blood flowing out from under her head.

The world turned into the darkness. She was like a fish yearning for water. Before she could take a gulp she felt a pinch on the forearm. Was it a dream? She looked at the perpetrator with a frown. Erika. Her seatmate was in primary school. Why was she here? Hadn't she already gone to her hometown in a different country for years? Wait. Why does she look so young and fat? She looked ahead. The room, no, the classroom was noisy. And it quietened down in a moment as the large footsteps were heard. The blackboard ahead was filled with math equations. The only sound coming out was the screeching of the ancient fan swirling at the speed of a merry-go-round up there. The math teacher knocked the back of the duster on the table. A small bulb of chalkdust floated in the air. Her attention returned to the blackboard as she saw the corner reserved to write down total attendance and date. It was XX/XX/XX13. What? XX13? She would be 13 years old. What is going on? Is this some joke or prank?