A FATEFUL CHANCE

The next day, I woke up the next day feeling tired and yet I should really get going. I have to go to work and do the usual routine
that is expected of me.
If I won't work, we will not have any money to buy essential things needed in our house.
I saw my siblings chasing each other while I got up from bed. I shook my head because they're supposed to be sleeping
because they stayed up late the other night.
"I guess I could handle it this time. Please go back to bed, my dearest sisters. I know you still need some sleep."
They both look at me at the same time as they grin from ear to ear.
"We will help you, dear sister! We really set our alarm clocks to wake up early to help you prepare!" Dina exclaimed in an
excited, hyperactive manner.
"We're fine. As long as we could help you with anything." Dee said as she stood up as if pretending to be some kind of superhero
as she grins.
"Well, I hope all your cuteness will be converted to cash so that we'll not have bills anymore."
"I'd gladly do it for our dear Deandra." Dahlia said as her head appeared from their backs. They chuckled altogether.
Dee and Dina were preparing the table, while Dahlia got some glasses of water from the cupboard to the table.
We had fried eggs with corned beef and rice. We're all good at eating food. I am so lucky that my sisters are just content to
whatever food they'll have on our table. I am thankful that the training paid off for a long time. They even remember it one by
one. They usually move without being told. They have reminded themselves without waiting for me to do it for their self-
improvement.
"I will go to work now. Please behave. The three of you. I will go back as soon as possible." I stood up and Dina told me that
she'll be the one to wash the dishes. I nodded and rushed with a clean uniform as I held my bag.
I entered the newspaper shop and as usual, they asked me to deliver the newspaper door to door which I gladly did. I am
earning one hundred pesos per hour for this one. I did my job and when I logged out, I noticed that I already had more than four
hours of duty. When I came back, they gave me four-hundred and fifty pesos as my earnings for that day. I took a deep breath as

I secretly gave my paper bills a smooch. Thinking of the things I could buy for my family through this money will be a great
feeling for me.
I happily smiled as I tried going home now. I inserted the money in my pocket. I also went to the supermarket to buy groceries
and meat for my sisters. I know they are waiting for me like how they wait for our mother. But of course, our difference is, she
would never come back again. Sometimes, it made my sisters really hungry.
My money was four hundred bills and another fifty-peso bill. I went to the fruits section to buy some fruits. When I attempted to
put my hands in my pocket, I could only find two-hundred and fifty.
I looked around in confusion. Something is odd and wrong. How can it be only two-hundred fifty when I checked my four hundred
fifty pesos? When I spotted a guy running away, that's the time I realized that he's the one who indeed snatched my money. My
heart started to race. This can't be!
"Hey, you moron! Come back!" I stopped myself from crying while chasing after him. I am already very tired and it is almost lunch
time. I won't accept it when somebody will easily get the money he didn't work hard for.
I am somehow lucky because I knew the narrow road where he's heading to. I guess this thief is a stranger to our place. He's
just running without any direction at all.
"Soon, he'll be in a dead end." I murmured to myself as I grinned.
He stopped running when he saw a tall wall in front of him. As I look at the wall, it is double his height and it won't be possible for
him to escape, unless he's good at parkour. He slowly turned his back and he saw me right away. I am holding a piece of wood
and I even tapped it to my palms. I gripped it like I am gripping on my dear life. I gripped it like my life depends on it.
"Bring back my two hundred pesos." I firmly said. I saw him swallowed and gave me an icy stare. He's also standing as if he'll
accept my challenge of beating him to death, well, the slightest version I knew of.
"What if I don't?"
"I'll kill you."
"For two hundred pesos? You can't be too serious, miss. Are you sure you will do that to other people?"
"Wow, did you think of that first before you get my money? Did you know what I did just to earn that?"

"Get out of my way because you're wasting my time." He warned, but I don't care about it. I am more than determined to get
back the money that he stole from me. It was all the money I have hardly earned for this whole morning alone.
I pointed my palms to him and showed it to him openly as I moved four of my fingers back and forth as if inviting him for a
challenge made of real weapons.
"I will give you a last chance. Give my money back to me or I will kill you first before you even lay a finger on my skin? You
choose."
The guy looked at me, very amused of her reasons. He sighed and pulled something in his pocket. When I followed my gaze to
what he's been pulling, my eyes almost widened with shock. It was a five-hundred peso bill!
"I don't know how to solve math. I was born not knowing numbers that much. However, I can feel that you need this more than I
do."
I could feel the sarcasm to his tone. He gave it to me as I directly looked into his eyes.
I was left speechless and dumbfounded.
"Can I go now? You're blocking the way." I supposed to hold him for a while, right? I can see him sigh as he chucked while he
went away.
I sighed and I even slapped one of my cheeks because of what happened. I supposed to punish the guy but instead, he gave me
what?
I slowly put the five hundred peso bill on the left pocket of my pants. I went back to the store that I bought fruits with.
"Ma'am, here's my--"
I widened my eyes when I found my two hundred peso bills on the right hand of my pants. I even rushed as I slid my hand inside
my left pocket and I got another seven hundred fifty pesos. I looked at the fruit vendor as she also looked at me directly into my
eyes...
Oh shit! The man didn't steal anything from me in the first place!