Chapter 1: Hana's luck
“Tell me you’re kidding Hana,” Sally said with a grin. I wish I could. Instead of pushing on the conversation I sighed and let out the words I no longer could hold back.
“I get to decide with who I want to spend the rest of my life. Not with someone I don’t love but with someone whom I’m destined to be with.”
I think I’m hyperventilating. Only if my mouth could’ve spilled those words out in front of my family I would be more than relieved. I practiced this exact line for years but didn’t expect to suddenly say it all in front of Sally.
“How long are you gonna go on being like this? Seriously Hana? there are tons of good fish in the sea that you’ve missed. No one gets to be that lucky you know.” I don’t know if those words are supposed to make me understand or agree.
“CHEMISTRY! that’s the word my brain has been looking for. I need to feel a connection of some sort or else-” no wonder she cut me off from letting me finish my last few words
“Then go and tell your parents the exact words you’ve said a minute ago. You either do it or agree to marry the guy your mum will be setting you up with tonight on your date.”
I’m not letting my parents win today’s battle and by “battle” I mean I don’t want tonight’s date to go smooth and fine, I have to find a way to ruin it and you’ll probably be surprised when I say I’ve ruined 19 dates! This is my date number 20th, and if Hana Wang can ruin 19 dates in her 27 years of living she can obviously ruin her 20th.
I’m dreading tonight. I’ve never dreaded any of the date days before. It’s not because I’m nervous, but because I’m out of ideas or excuses to ruin this date.
Finally, an interminable minute of silence was broken by Hana’s words.
“Hana-”
“Okay so listen up. I need to take someone with me, he is not going to go with me together with his one hand draped all over my shoulder and the other in his pocket, nothing like that. It will be a coincidence, like him coming up to our booth and-” no wonder why Sally cut me off again.
“That’s going to be disastrous, you can-” this time I didn’t cut her off. My phone started to ring so I took it out of my jeans pocket and saw it was my mother.
Mum’s voice fills up the silence first. She went off apologizing which caught me off guard because she never does that unless she has done something wrong. The next words of hers amuse me so much that I’m completely incredulous.
She told me that she canceled my date tonight and neither did she say anything about postponing it as she has always done if I was sick or there were other emergencies.
I was emerged in whatever she had just said that it was Hana’s voice that snapped me up from my thoughts.
“Is everything okay?” Hana asked, eyes filled with concern. I showed her my widest grin ever, and then I went off explaining that Grandma Jolly got very sick suddenly so they had to rush her to the hospital, and how it lead her to cancel my date without the mention of postponing it.
Part of me felt sad, obviously not because the date has been canceled but because of grandma Jolly. I hope she’s fine, and I wish I could visit her. She’s one of the most empathetic people I’ve come across.
However, the good is part is I no longer need to dread tonight. I felt so relieved knowing I don’t have to think about this anymore.
“Wait what! Are you sure it was Mrs. Wang, who called you?” Sally’s eyes grew wide with wonderment. I know it’s hard to believe, however, it is true.
“Duh I’ve lived 19 years of my life with her dummy” I laughed out aloud. Sometimes Sally acts so silly.
“That’s a piece of luck you got there! however, your 20th number date is still reserved.”
I grabbed the pillow beside and threw it at her, only for making my 20th date reserved.
“Anyways I hope your grandma’s fine,” Sally said while giving my hands a sympathetic squeeze.
“Yeah me too.”
