It was a beautiful day outside, the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming...
No, scratch that.
It was an awful day. Full-blown storm outside, rain pouring down like crazy, and I was stuck at home. Definitely not beautiful at all.
Not that it made much of a difference for an introvert like me, though—I barely went out, anyway.
You might be wondering, what sort of super productive activity are you engaging in, Mrs. totally hardworking model student?
Prepare to be blown away, because it's...
Absolutely nothing.
Yup, you heard that right. I'm wasting away like some kind of NEET or a basement-dwelling unemployed shut-in, rotting in bed with my phone on one hand and a half-eaten bag of chips beside me.
Like every other Saturday, I was watching anime, switching between mobile games, and occasionally staring at the ceiling while contemplating my questionable life choices.
I was like an NPC. Black hair, brown eyes, your average ordinary, unremarkable high school girl. The kind you'd encounter on the streets and forget existed literally not even five seconds later.
Even worse, I was basically a sub-water-flea thanks to my crippling introversion. I couldn't seem to contribute much to society—or to my classmates in group projects, at least when it came to debating ideas. Ironically, I was usually the one who carried the assignment to victory, grinding away behind the scenes. But when it came to the actual presentation?
Total failure.
Seventeen. Barely seventeen, a senior practically, and I still had no idea what to do in the future for a living.
Maybe I'll chase gastronomy?
I may not look it, but I actually take turns with my mother to cook dinner, often trying out new recipes or adding my own twist to the usual meals. Perhaps some new spices, a new recipe I saw on YouTube or the internet itself.
Cooking was one of the things that made me feel productive, like I actually have some kind of purpose in this household outside of aimlessly scrolling through my phone.
Let's be real, though. I'd probably never manage to do it professionally.
I heard that chefs have it really freaking rough—long work hours, constant pressure from the amount of orders, the heat that is practically designed to cook you from the inside...
Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating. Kitchens surely aren't that hot, but there's other factors that are equally as draining.
Imagine the amount of grease, food scraps, and all the mess that builds up during your workshift. How often would you have to wash your hands? How many times would you cut yourself by accident with a knife or burn yourself on a hot surface?
I've also heard that seasoned chefs often have lots of scars on their hands and arms. Most likely due to the amount of stuff that they do. Peeling potatoes? One accidental slip and part of your finger is getting skinned right off, giving the potato a nice strawberry dye.
Ouch, right? Happened once or twice to me, and it's not pleasant. Imagine just how often it would happen if I did work as one, considering how clumsy and distracted I can be at times.
That's not even counting all the other wounds, like burns, boiling oil splatters, accidentally dropping something heavy on your foot, yikes.
Yeah, gastronomy is not looking very viable to me as a career option. I'd rather just stick to my YouTube recipes and cook from home.
I'll just leave that to the future me to decide. The future rules!
Looking back at my phone, I couldn't help but sigh.
"This anime is so bad. Who thought taking away Izuku's quirk was a good idea?" I muttered, tossing my phone aside onto the bed. The storm outside had calmed down ever so slightly, but the whole day was still looking bad.
I just wish I had some spice to my life. So damn boring, I thought, rolling over onto my stomach.
Why can't magic be real? I wanna shoot off fireballs, use energy waves, face really strong enemies.
Maybe if I start praying, it'll eventually happen? Like those weird fanfics I've recently gotten into.
'Oh, lord that is above, please give me the chance to live in a new world filled with extraordinary powers and fantasy elements!' I prayed to the ceiling, to no one in particular.
...
Nothing happened. What am I even expecting? I must look like such a weird person right now, having such ridiculous thoughts and pretending to summon some kind of divine force.
Ugh.
Not even a minute later, I heard a dreadfully cheerful voice come out from the kitchen.
"Marieee~! Be a sweetheart and run to the store for me? I need a couple of things for dinner."
It was my mother, goddamn it. Another interruption to this otherwise perfect Saturday of zero socialization.
"But moooom. The rain is so heavy today! Can't we just order something online?" Please, please don't make me, I thought as I groaned, not even bothering to move from my spot.
"Not in this economy, dear. It's much cheaper, not to mention tastier and fresher, if you just make it yourself. Do it for me, pretty please?" she called back, practically singing the last part.
"Are you seriously sending me out in this weather? I could potentially get sick or something."
"Listen, do you want to eat or not?" she shot back. "Just use the umbrella, it's just a quick trip to the store. It's not even that far."
What a prick.
"Fiiine. I'll do it!" I replied from my room, already getting my boots and jacket on. I grumbled, muttering random curses under my breath and other things that shouldn't be said because it'd get this story cancelled.
Wait, story? What am I even saying?
This is real life, not some weird-ass narrative I could break the fourth wall on.
Promptly, I took everything that was on the living room's table. The money, the list, the stupid umbrella, and then I got moving.
It was... strangely calm. Soothing, even. The sound of the rain was pleasant to the ears, and the atmosphere had just the right amount of cold.
Few people here and there, but the streets were mostly empty.
Makes one wonder how some people can work under such conditions. My dad is a hard worker, and provides for basically the entire family. Works every day except on Sundays, which is absolutely insane to me.
I feel nothing but respect for him.
A few moments later, I had finally gotten to the store and obtained everything I needed. Pasta, tomato puree, chicken bouillon cubes, that stuff. I think we were going to dine on Bolognese tonight.
Waiting for the lights to turn green so I could cross the street, I took out my phone, looking at the messages.
Heh, funny. I snickered at a meme my cousin Clara had sent me.
It read, 'im juicin' it!!' with a picture of the Earl from Adventure Time. You know, the lemon guy. Hilarious.
Tapping the letters on my phone, I replied with a simple 'LMFAO', before closing the app and checking something else.
I love pulling all-nighters and just gaming with my cousin. Not very productive, but it's fun. She's probably the only one I spend my time playing with, because the few friends I have actually have a life.
Sucks, I know. But what can I do? It's not my fault they had the willpower to hang out with other people, go to parties, and living life.
Finally, I tucked my phone into my pocket once again, and looked at the light, which was now green. Time to cross the street and go home.
I had barely taken a few steps, but then I heard the distant sound of a truck's horn. I didn't think much of it at first—until the sound grew louder.
Confused, I squinted my eyes to see what was coming, and sure enough, there was a speeding truck on the street.
Is this guy fucking insane? I took a few steps back, getting back on the curb.
Who the fuck drives at that speed? Aren't the cops supposed to do something about shit like this? Pull him over and give him a speeding ticket or some bullshit.
But then, I started hearing some really weird, bizarre music. It was so out of place I couldn't tell if I was losing my mind or if it was even coming from the truck itself. The horn got even louder, and—Oh my lord, IT'S COMING FOR ME?!
"COMIN' THROUGH, COMIN' THROUGH, COMIN' THROUGH NOW!"
Instinctively, I raised my arms in front of me in an attempt to defend myself, every single hair on my body spiking up in fear. What the absolute fuck is going on?!
"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING, OVERDRIVE!"
Then, it finally hit me.
It had knocked me away a few meters, and the impact was so devastating that not even a few seconds later, everything faded into black. I barely even registered the blood pooling around me, or the sharp pain that had shot through my entire body like a lightning strike.
Turns out that wasn't just any truck, and all those stories weren't fake.
I had been killed by Truck-kun himself.
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(A/N: First rewritten chapter, let's gooooo!!!!)