A Second Chance with You

KC was standing in the middle of the forest. It was dark and silent except for the rush of water somewhere nearby. She turned wildly around barely able to see anything apart from the towering trees surrounding her. Claustrophobia settled in the pit of her stomach, the forest closing in around her. The woods felt oppressive and cold.  “I need to get out of here.” She murmured in despair as she ran blindly forward. There is a pull, some kind of force that propels her to keep going. Something or someone is waiting for her just ahead, she was sure of it. She paused to catch her breath, resting a hand on the trunk of a huge tree. Her knees trembling, legs burning from the effort. She looked around, surprised to find herself in a clearing. Somethings glistens just ahead, what is that? Then she heard the rush of water and realized it was a river. Oddly, the oppressive feeling dissipated. This place feels familiar, comforting. Has she been here before? A movement in her peripheral made her turn, eyes squinting in the darkness. With a jolt, she recognized a form of a man kneeling in terrible pain, his hand braced on a trunk for support. He looked up at her and even from where she stood, she saw the glazed look in his eyes. It was too dark to see his features but she had no trouble recognizing him. It was Steven. “I need you KC.” He begged, his hand outstretched towards her. “Please.” KC woke up with a start, her heart beating fast. She looked around hopelessly in her darkened room expecting to see the agonized expression of the man she was just staring at moments before. It had felt so real. She placed a hand on her heart, bothered by the memory of his pain-stricken face. Is Steven in trouble? No, she doesn’t care. Don’t think about him, she told herself. It was just a dream. “What the hell?” She muttered. Why did she have to dream of that man? She hasn’t thought about him for ages, she taught herself to not think about him. Besides, wasn’t he the one who caused her too much pain she thought she’d never go on? Why on earth would she dream he was asking for her help as though his life depended on it? Why tonight of all nights? It’s morning, she corrected herself glancing at the wall clock opposite her bed. It’s past four in the morning. She picked up one of her pillows with a groan and covered her face with it as she laid back on her bed. I should still be sleeping! But it was hopeless to go back to sleep. Not with her mind buzzing with images of that man. Steven. “Well, better get up then and start early.” She decided after several minutes. Her alarm is about to go off in over half an hour anyway. There’s no point trying to sleep again. She stood up and stretched. Shaking her head slightly in the hopes of clearing her mind. This is a very important day, she has no room for distractions. No time to dwell on the past. Three minutes later, she stood in her small kitchen stirring her coffee. Nothing like the aroma of her favorite drink to get her going. She stared into the dark contents of her mug trying to decide whether she should prepare breakfast or just get something to eat on the way. Practicality won, as she made to fry some eggs and toast bread. She needed the energy to survive the day. What a weird dream, she mused, eyes staring blankly at the wall. The image of Steven’s silent plea stuck on her mind. It’s not as if she hurt him, he was the one who ended the relationship after all. If anything, the dream should be in reverse. She used to be the one in pain, the one who had to pick up pieces of herself. I had to leave my job. I had to move to a different apartment. I had to learn how to live again. Resentment boiled in her stomach, making her hand tremble. It took a lot to get to where she is now. To go back to some semblance of her old self. How dare he bother her again after all that? Steven. Just thinking about him makes her want to throw all her worldly possessions in a fit. There was a time in her life when hearing that name would cause her to run to the nearest corner to hide and wallow in self-pity. But what if he’s in trouble? She thought. What if his life is in danger? She jumped at the sound of her alarm going off, she rushed to turn it off cursing herself. “Oh no!” KC gasped as she smelled something burning. She rushed towards her stove to see two blobs of charcoal instead of eggs. "Urgh, definitely not edible anymore." She fried another batch, scolding herself. “This is your fault, Steven! Why do you have to bother me today of all days?” KC slammed the plate on the table in her annoyance and regretted it instantly. She can’t afford to break it, she only had two. Especially now that she no longer has a regular job. Replacing broken things is not a luxury she can afford for the next four years. After all, her part-time work can only cover rent and daily necessities. She frowned, maybe she returned to school too early. It might have been wiser to wait another year and save more. No, she thought. If I waited tuition may still increase anytime regardless. I just need to work harder so I can add to my savings. I would still get a final pay, I have to save that too. Lost in worries about her financial situation, she sat to eat breakfast. KC knew it would take a lot of adjustment, she just hoped her preparation was enough. The last thing she wanted was to quit school again, that would be an utter failure on her part What if I don’t fit in? She thought to herself, gazing at her reflection in her bathroom mirror. What if I’m too old for this?  A feeling of unease settled in her stomach. Trying to dispel the images of the looks she feared she would get at the university, she took a shower. Letting the water calm her nerves. There’s no point worrying about it, it will just ruin her day. She prepared for this, that should be good enough. KC spent eight years to save enough money to continue her education. Countless nights of working for BPO companies while working online jobs during the day, hours upon hours of overtime, depriving herself of anything she deemed unnecessary, and saving every penny. Only allowing herself of few comforts and rewards a few times. And now, she’s finally done it! Today is the first day of the semester. And at thirty-two years old, she is an incoming freshman. Again. Her first attempt at college was cut short due to circumstances that were out of her control. The accident her father had was straight out of the Final Destination movie. It was the harvest season and he was working on the farm when his sleeve got caught in the harvesting machine. They feared he would lose his whole arm, thanking the stars that the doctors were able to save it. Even now, years later, she still feels cold at the thought of what might’ve happened if help didn’t come at the time it did. Her father could’ve died. The recovery had been slow and painful for her father. It was also expensive. Their resources were stretched thin, even with the help of their relatives. They had to take out a loan and use their farm as collateral. Their livestock was sold at a low price in the hopes of getting enough funds to pay for the mounting bills. But their efforts weren’t enough to keep them afloat. KC had to help. “I want to work in Manila, Ma, Pa.” She told her parents one night. “I’m quitting school.” It broke her parents’ hearts. Her father became quieter than usual and preferred to be left alone for hours at a time. KC knew he blamed himself that she had to turn her back on her dreams. Dreams he swore he’d do anything for her to achieve and there she was begging him to allow her to live with her Aunt Ella in Manila so she could find a job. It took weeks of convincing, reasoning, and pleading. In the end, they knew she was right.    After three years of their combined efforts, they were able to pay the loan in full and save the farm. Eric insisted that she should continue her studies. Her mother, Elena called daily to convince her but she was adamant to continue working. Even as an only child, she couldn’t let her parents keep supporting her. They were getting along in years, her father was a few years shy of becoming a senior citizen while her mother just turned fifty at the time. KC didn’t want to be a burden to her parents. And she didn’t want to return to their province. KC just love the city life with its huge buildings, bustling shopping malls, and where everything is within reach. Everything is convenient. Things like traffic, noise, and air pollution became bearable. Though Eric and Elena respected her decision to continue living and working in Manila, they were constantly begging her to return home for good. Luckily, her cousin Emmanuel was more than happy to help out. Her father allowed him to build a small house beside theirs and he now lives there with his wife and two adorable children. And though she would never tell her parents, she was glad he was there to take her place and hoped he would continue to manage the farm in her stead. She smiled to herself, glad that she has a cousin to distract her parents from traveling to Manila and drag her home. She shook herself from these thoughts and stepped out of the shower. Having painstakingly ironed her uniform last night, she took great care in putting it on. The white blouse fit her perfectly, accentuating her slim figure. She touched the university’s logo, a proud smile on her lips. The navy blue skirt is also fitted, pencil cut, and is two inches below the knee in length as required. It has a two-inch slit in the back. It wouldn’t do her any favor during the rainy season though. KC slipped her black shoes on, grateful that it’s not high heeled. At five foot four, she figured she didn’t need them. Then she combed her hips length hair, her crowning glory. She was blessed with naturally straight and silky hair. At times, it can be cumbersome but she cannot bear to have it cut nor taint it with chemicals other than shampoo and conditioner. She came close though. Inspired by one of her favorite Game of Thrones characters, she went to a salon to have it dyed red. She almost choked when she was told it would cost her two thousand pesos. She examined herself in the mirror, deciding to use lipgloss and powder instead of her usual makeup. After a swift check of her apartment, she picked up her backpack and headed for the door. She locked it behind her, checking twice that it was done properly. Her watch says it’s a quarter past six in the morning, her first class starts at seven. This didn’t worry her though as it would only take five minutes to walk to the train station. Even with the rush of early morning commuters, she can still get on a train and be in class in another twenty-five minutes. She also made it a point to visit the classrooms of all her subjects a few days ago. The last thing she wanted was to be lost during her first day back in school. With a self-congratulatory smile for her preparedness, she started her brisk walk. Thinking of grabbing a coffee on the way. She read somewhere that you can have two cups of coffee daily and being a coffee lover, she took this advice to heart. Every thought of energy inducing coffee vanished instantly when she saw the long line of passengers waiting to board a train. It’s not always this long, is it? “Why do they always have a problem with their trains?” KC heard a man groan in frustration. Oh no, not today, please. It’s the first day of class. She begged silently. She tapped the woman in front of her. “Excuse me? Is there a problem with the train?” The woman took out her earpiece and nodded. “Yes. Something about electrical problems. I heard someone said they’ve already fixed it though.” She replied with a shrug. Crap. It took fifteen minutes before she got on. With ten minutes to spare, she stepped out of the packed train and hurried to the exit. By the time she reached the university entrance, a short line of students are waiting to pass the security check. She didn’t account for this too. So much for preparedness, she scolded herself. Glancing at her watch again noting she has three minutes to get to her class and craning her neck to see how far she was from getting in. She was too busy consulting the schedule she taped at the back of her planner to notice the curious glances from the students around her. Just as well, because she might’ve turned around and headed back to the train station if she did. Years of toil and preparation be damned.