Prologue

DAMN. I wanted to roll my eyes in disappointment as Marvin’s lips grazed my upper lip. He was such a lousy kisser. It was a bad decision to flirt with this asshole. It's like he has a PhD in the flirting department but in reality, he didn't know how to kiss. So disappointing. I felt like I'm just wasting my time with him. But even before I could entangle my arms on his nape, someone grabbed my hair making me pull myself from the guy I was kissing. 

“Fuck!” I winced in pain. 

“You whore!” screamed at me by the woman who was pulling my hair. She was looking at me like she was ready to eat me alive any minute from now. 

I grabbed her arm to stop her from what she's doing. "Let go of me." How dare this bitch touch me! “Who the fuck are you?”

She made a sharp glance at Marvin. “I'm just the girlfriend of Mark, that man you're kissing!" she squealed at me. 

Oh. So this guy's name was Mark, not Marvin. Well, I just met him thirty minutes ago. I was alone at the bar counter when he approached me and started to flirt with me. I turned to face Mark. I raised my brow at him. “You said your girlfriend doesn’t go here.”

I heard the woman beside me gasp in disbelief. “You knew he's taken already and yet… and yet you still flirted with him!" She accused me. 

She was about to slap me when I grabbed her wrist. No way, girl. You couldn't do that to me. 

A waiter passed in front of me. I grabbed a glass of alcohol from the tray he was holding and splashed it straight onto the woman's face.

“That’s what you get for touching my hair.” I smirked as I watched the liquid drip off her ugly face. 

I looked at her in the eye while still clasping her pulse. “Just to make it clear, Miss, it was your boyfriend who flirted with me first. If there's someone who deserves your slap, it was him and not me."

I gave her a leering smile as I finally let go of her filthy hand. “And don’t worry. I don't have plans to snatch him away from you. Your boyfriend’s not even a good kisser so why would I waste more of my time with him, right?”

I rolled my eyes and turned my back at them. I combed my hair with my hands as I made my way to the bar exit. I glanced at my wristwatch. Damn. It was still too early to go home. That girl and her boyfriend just ruined my night! I shouldn't have flirted with that loser in the first place. I couldn't believe how bad of a kisser he was.

“Happy anniversary, baby. Will you marry me?”

My eyes automatically squinted as I reached the parking lot. I saw a couple standing in front of my car. The guy was in a kneeling position and looked like he was proposing to the woman in front of him.

My eyes narrowed in annoyance when I noticed a bouquet sitting on top of my car hood. I stopped walking and watched the circus happening before me. 

"Yes, Arnold. Yes, I want to be your wife."

The guy stood up, held the girl's left hand and slid on a ring on her finger. 

I smirked. What a scene. Now it's my turn to ruin their moment. 

"Who give you the permission to do that stupid propasal here?" 

The couple turned to my direction. I took a step towards them. 

"Of all the places, you chose to do your stupid  proposal in a fucking parking lot?" I continued to mock them. "It’s disgusting. You're making me vomit."

The guy looked offended with what I've just said. "You don't own this place."

I smirked at him. "Oh, but I own this car." I looked at the girl who is currently wiping her tears. I can't believe she's crying over that corny proposal. How pathetic. “You know what? You should have said no!" I told her. "I'm sure that guy will just leave you in the end!" I laughed as I shrugged my shoulders. "He will promise you beautiful things at first, but in the end, he will just break your heart.”

The guy grabbed the flowers on top of my car. There was a murderous look on his eyes as he turned to me. 

If looks could kill, I was sure I'd be dead now by the looks these two were giving me. But I was not bothered at all. 

“Has some guy left you that you become so bitter?" The guy mocked me in return. 

I gave out an insulting laugh. “I’m just stating a fact. Besides, who proposes in a parking lot? That's just so fucking cheap. Next time, if you're gonna ask someone's hand for marriage, do it somewhere else."

"Let's just go." The guy grabbed his fiancee in the arm. “I hope karma finds you.” He gave me one final look before he pulled away his girlfriend to leave. 

“Well, sorry but I don’t believe in karma!” I shouted at them as I opened the front seat of my car. I continued to follow them from the side mirror before I finally started at my car's engine. As soon as I got out of the parking lot, I hit the gas pedal. “Forever my ass. Only fools believe in that!" I laughed sarcastically. 

In a span of twenty minutes, I was able to reach the parking area of my condominium tower. I entered the lift and pressed the 25th floor button. I rolled my eyes. Damn. It was too early to go home but my night was already ruined. 

Maybe it was better to just spend the rest of the night here in my condo. At least, I'm all alone there. 

As soon as I opened the door of my unit, I switched on the light and kicked off my heels. I went straight to the kitchen. I opened the fridge and looked for some alcohol. 

“Ah, fuck,” I muttered when I saw that my fridge was already empty. Fucker. I forgot to go to the grocery yesterday. 

Damn it. I needed alcohol to fall asleep tonight. 

I grabbed my purse and decided to go out of my unit. Now I have no other choice but to go down to the convenient store nearby. 

“I promise, babe. You won't get hurt.”

Two people lurking in the hallway grabbed my attention. I couldn’t see their faces but from the looks of it, they're both drunk. Why do stupid people are scattered everywhere?

“I’ll be gentle with you… I promise. Just trust me, okay?”

My eyebrows raised in curiosity. It looked like the guy was convincing the girl to have sex with him. Tsk. It's obvious that the guy was just fooling her. I was used to this kind of conversation. Men, they will say anything you want to hear just to get under your pants. Out of curiosity, I glanced at the girl the guy was talking to. I couldn't see her face but she was wearing a school uniform. My forehead slightly creased. Her white blouse and plaid blue skirt looked very familiar to me. 

“You shouldn't trust anyone with a penis.”

I wanted to tell the girl but then I stopped myself. Why would I bother myself with these kids? Why would I give a damn about them?  I just rolled my eyes as I continued to walk down the hallway. Thank heavens I was all alone when I entered the elevator. 

I pressed the ground floor button and leaned on the wall. I looked at my reflection from the elevator wall. My make up was still intact. I smirked at myself. Of course, I always made sure to wear kiss proof lipstick every time I go out. 

"Fuck!" I muttered when the lights suddenly went off. Now I'm convinced this day is really cursed. I was trying to look for the emergency button when the lights turned on again. The elevator stopped on the 12th floor. It opened and I was greeted by an old lady waiting outside. 

Our eyes met. She smiled at me as she entered the lift. I silently examined her look. She was wearing an old rag looking dress. There was a plastic bag hanging on her left arm. She smelled awful. I just rolled my eyes in disgust. I thought this building doesn't allow beggars.

"Good evening." She greeted me. 

I ignored her and just rolled my eyes. There's nothing good in my evening. 

From the corner of my eyes, I saw her press the button to the 2nd floor. I really couldn't stand her smell. 

Then I felt something in my left foot. I looked down and saw some tomatoes scattered on the floor. Looked like she accidently dropped the plastic bag she's holding and now all the insides of it were scattered on the floor. 

I saw her glancing at me as she was picking those tomatoes on the floor. I raised my eyebrows. What? Did she honestly expect that I would help her? Well, dream on, old lady. 

“What?” I snapped at her when I noticed she was now staring at me. 

“You must take care,” she mysteriously said as the elevator stopped at the lobby. My forehead creased. Now, I'm convinced that this old woman was not in her right mind.  

I nearly stumbled as I went outside the lift. I didn't notice a fucking tomato in front of me.

“Fuck! Worst fucking day ever,” I mumbled to myself as I was crossing the street. The nearest convenience store was just two blocks away across the condo building. 

"Good evening, Ma'am," the lady guard greeted me and opened the door for me. 

I went straight to the fridge, grabbed my favorite vodka and went to the counter. 

My eyes rolled automatically when I noticed a heart-shaped chocolate displayed on the counter. I grabbed it and tossed it in the trash bin beside me. The crew looked dumbfounded with what I did. 

“Ma’am...” 

I shut her mouth by placing a one-thousand-peso bill on the counter. “I'll pay for it. Sounds good?” 

She just nodded and took the bill I placed on the counter. "A-anything else, ma'am?"

I roamed my eyes. I reached out and picked up all the heart-shaped lollipops displayed beside the boxes of condoms. I threw them in the bin just like what I did with the chocolate earlier. Then I looked at the cashier and smirked. "One box of Marlboro."

The cashier looked at me weirdly as she handed me the pack of my favorite brand of cigarette. 

I grabbed the bottle of vodka and headed to the exit of the store. I pulled out an empty chair outside the store and decided to sit there. As soon as I opened the bottle of vodka, I brought it straight to my mouth. 

I lit up my cigarette and stared at the city lights in front of me. I didn't know why but  the blaring noise of the metro brings comfort to me. 

“Excuse me, Ma’am…” 

“What?” I turned to the lady guard behind me.

“Ma'am, I believe you're already drunk.” She glanced at the bottle of vodka on my table. 

My eyebrows crossed. “I'm not!" I took one last puff on my cigarette before I threw it on the ground. I stepped on it with my left foot. 

But her facial expression told me she doesn't believe me. Now, I'm offended. "Do I look drunk?" I asked her. "I’m not yet drunk, okay?!" 

“M-ma’am...” She took a step away from me. 

I squinted my eyes at her. “Besides, If I’m drunk, I wouldn’t find you ugly anymore.” I laughed. "But too bad, I still do."

The security guard's face turned red in shame and annoyance. “Miss, if you won't get out of our premises, I'll be forced to call the police." Her tone was now full of warning. But I'm not scared of her. Just annoyed.

I rolled my eyes. Fuck. How many times do I have to tell this woman that I was not drunk. Well, at least, not yet. 

“Fine!” I grabbed the bottle of vodka from the table and stood up. I faced her. But before I walked away, I poured the remaining alcohol on the bottle on her head. Just like what I did to the annoying woman at the bar earlier. 

I smiled in triumph when I saw the shock register on her ugly face. "Oh I'm sorry." I faked an apology. "Well, I guess I'm really drunk." I tossed the empty bottle on the trash can and left her dumbfounded. 

“You're bad!” 

I stopped myself from walking. The voice came from a boy standing a few meters away from me. He looked dirty and unkempt. Like he hasn't taken a bath for days. I'm sure he was one of those children who lived in the streets. 

“When you die, you'll never be able to enter heaven.” He grinned at me as if he's scaring me. 

“So? Do you think I care?" I laughed at him. “I don't fucking care even if I rot in hell. Besides, there's no such thing as heaven and hell, okay? Only fools like you believe in that." I laughed as I continued to walk. "What a stupid night." I whispered to myself. 

I reached the pedestrian but I stopped to wait for the lights to turn green.

I glanced at my watch. It was already midnight. My eyes went back to the streets. That's when I noticed a little girl on the other end of the pedestrian lane. 

My eyes squinted as I continued to look at her. I knew this was the first time I saw her, but I don't know why that girl looked uncannily familiar to me. Her face, her nose, her lips, her eyes… that pair of familiar eyes. My chest tightened as I continued to stare at those deep eyes of hers. 

The girl looked in my direction. Our eyes met. I saw how her facial expression changed. Her eyes widened in disbelief. 

And then suddenly, she was crossing the street. She was running towards me.

A blaring sound filled my ears. It came from an approaching SUV. 

My eyes went back to the little girl across the street. Her face... I don't know but as I kept on looking at her, a familiar face of a man entered my mind. 

I didn't know what happened to me, I just found myself running to her direction. 

The next thing I knew, I was lying on the ground…barely breathing.