'Serendipity'

A word that is used to describe 'discovering something happy without specifically looking for it' in its basic terms. To have a happy and unexpected event.

Perhaps like that time you accidentally found some extra cash in a drawer. Or maybe the time when you bumped into that cute coworker of yours that you wanted to talk to for a while and now you have an excuse to start a conversation.

Now it is not only limited to one event, but a chain of events that lead to a happy ending, at least that is what I was hoping for at first when they started to happen one after another in my life.

— That is, if you look at it in the opposite way.

Fate, one could assume.

There is a possibility that one is related to another however one is a force and another is an unexpected event in that force.

Something that happens in a beneficial way without you trying to look for it. If that is the case, then what is the opposite?

A chain of events that only causes pain, annoyance, and misery to someone without them looking for any trouble? As that is exactly what has been going on in my life since it all started.

Since she came here.

A chain of events that are the opposite of serendipity.

Remembering back, it was not that long ago now, and is, for the better or — probably worse, still happening without me yet knowing about it.

I have never looked for any trouble, I was just a bystander in most cases while watching the world around me change and shift. Yes a bystander, but from what happened, it looks like by just being a bystander you can get yourself into crazy situations you had never imagined yourself in.

"Please greet June, she will be joining you guys from today on."

The class welcomed the new student, June from the northern area of the country.

At the time, there were rumors about her and her family. That they were filthy rich and are always on the move throughout the country.

I always wondered how rumors like that start in the first place. Maybe a student overheard some teachers talking? Or the staff themselves started the rumors about new students about to join, or perhaps their relatives?

That is something we might never find the source of.

Despite all that, rumors are rumors and that — has already set an expectation for the others, being a fake one. This expectation that everyone has created in their heads, indeed—has been surpassed when she showed up for the first time.

Once one hears about someone being of high status, they already assume that the person they are talking about is most likely a very attractive one. And she was.

A beauty that can intimidate the most self-confident people. Dead cold eyes that seem to see straight through one's body and straight into their soul. A type of person who can see you coming a mile away.

Thinking back on that situation that might have been the trigger of my so-called, 'opposite serendipity'. The complete opposite of happy unexpected events.

"Now you can sit next to Oliver over there at the back."

She started to walk through the classroom, not making any eye contact with anyone except me. You could hear her shoes hitting the floor with each step she took towards me, together with small whispers in the classroom that were going around at the time.

The smell and the rain overwhelmed the whole building. The sound of her shoes, the whispers, and the rain — was the only thing that could be heard.

With each step she took, her eyes always looked at me, it felt like she was not looking at me, but into me.

She put her bag next to the table and sat—quietly, not making any conversation as I looked. Then proceeded to take out her notebook and the lesson continued, still in silence.

I didn't bother to talk either. I turned my head and looked away.

This seemed awkward yet somewhat natural for some reason. The perfume covered the air next to me, an aroma not too weak nor too strong resonating slowly from her, as to give me a warning.

'What have they gotten me into?' — I thought.

The whole class was staring, putting us into the center of attention.

I preferred being alone most of the time, I never had any issues with that nor did I like to talk much.

Simply put, I was in my own comfort zone that I never wanted to break. And I was in it most of my life since my parents divorced years ago. It was at that time, around ten years ago that I had arrived here with my father— that I became like that.

When it came to groups, most of the time others did all the talking and I would only join in when needed, which is why I mostly preferred being in a group of three or more, so that they can speak between themselves and I could just chill around so to speak.

Perhaps I am lazy?

Or just being in denial that somehow I was somehow sad?

Or maybe I wasn't — and it was just my personality in general.

Possibly that was the reason they made her sit next to me. People knew that I did not like talking to them which is why my group of friends is relatively small. Adding to that, I will be forced to communicate more due to her sitting close by.

So that I will be forced to give explanations to someone new about how things work here. Making small talk.

I looked, she kept on writing notes with a mechanical pencil in the literature book, marking certain paragraphs. This, this seemed ordinary.

The time passed, the clock kept on ticking and the rain kept on pouring. White chalk hitting the board, and the soft tone of voice of Ms. Anna was calm, relaxing, and soothing somewhat.

She didn't say anything as if it was natural for her not to. As if she said everything there was needed, just by being silent.

Yes, that was the last day I remember when I had a quiet average life. I liked that, having a non-eventful timeline. However, things have now changed.

***

Is that blood?

My blood — it was indeed, looking at my hand, covered in it while I lay on the cold floor.

Not knowing what was going on, getting a glimpse of her, looking down with those cold blue eyes in her black oversized jumper. Yes, that view did burn into my head quite a bit reflecting on it.

Thinking back at it, I may be just cursed.