Mina K

Abstract Drama Tragedy

4.5  

Mina K

Abstract Drama Tragedy

Freakin' Luck

Freakin' Luck

19 mins
240


(A/n- The sentences in italics, are the thoughts of the character who is narrating, Catalina Roberts)

Bad Luck. That's the phrase that kept me going, even when everyone had given up. I wanted to prove that, my life wouldn't be destroyed just cause I had 'Bad Luck'. I studied hard, beyond hard, and ended up getting 1st rank nationally, and 12th internationally. You ask what I studied? Dance. Modern Dance. Then, people sneered at me, saying 'It was just a stroke of Luck.' 


It wasn't fair. It wasn't. It just wasn't, isn't and will not be fair. If there are situations which happened when I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, then I was said to have or more like BE 'Bad Luck'. If I had worked hard, fueled my talent with my life, and then achieved something, it happened by a stroke of luck. Why wasn't I recognized for the work I did? No, it isn't like that. I was known to be one of the youngest achievers in Modern dance. I was known for my so-said, beauty. 

My train of thoughts, on my past were brought to a halt, when I heard someone screaming. It sounded awfully familiar. Like Sia. Nah it can't be.I was listening to loud ass music with my headphones on right now. I was on my way back home from the super market. I had gone to get an instant meal, cause I was too lazy to make food. I know it's not healthy, but I don't do this everyday. Just, twice in a week. Yep. It was dark. Oh god, how I hate the dark. Sure, I mean I didn't have Nyctophobia, I have Thatanophobia, fear of losing loved ones.


Hmm, but Sia isn't someone I love. Wait why is Sia in my head right now? God I really must be going crazy. Then I heard the scream again. No, this isn't a mistake, I'm definitely hearing things right. I'm not imagining them. I turned towards the source of the sound. It did sound like Sia. It sure did. Sia, was this awfully beautiful and talented girl, in my academy, who was also very.... skilled in being a pain in the ass. Especially to me. Still, it might not be her. I went forward, still with headphones on, and blasting away the song.


I ran into the dark alley, it was really dark. I couldn't hear anything because of my headphones. The alley was very narrow and very dark, where even silhouettes will look non-existent. I mean you can play the game of Hide-and-seek, and even if the person is right beside you, you can't find them with your eyes wide open. So you've got to hear. Listen. I was about to take my headphones off, when my mouth was covered by a pair of strong arms. I elbowed him in the face, and turned around and kicked him in the crotch. I know, I'm sorry, it must have hurt, but I for first can't take that you were my long lost friend or anything cause I never went near any guys, and you can't be my father or brother, cause father's long gone, and brother's missing. Wait. this guy wasn't Daniel right? Oh, please, not Daniel. 


I was panicking, on the guy who was now on the ground, when I saw, Sia, there in front of my eyes. She was looking at me with fear written on her face. No, I couldn't see her face, only eyes and nose. I turned around to see if anyone was behind me, when I saw, something glint in the corner of my eye. Where Sia is right now. The glint was coming from where, Sia's neck should be. I slowly, started getting up. 

"I'm a world known Dancer, and you might not believe me, but I have a lot of strength, in my foot, that I can crack your neck in a single kick, from the position I'm standing in." I threatened, my voice seemingly lower than usual. 


"Oh baby, is that so? Then isn't this little lady over here one too? A world known dancer? How do you think I've got a knife against her pretty neck then?" He sneered.

Yeah, he made sense. I slowly started walking backwards, into the light I saw.

"Oh yeah? But I've had an accomplice of yours on ground. In less than 10 seconds. You're not all that great.Before I report you to the cops, you better leave her alone and scram."

"You think so? Well I'm not scramming. I have a missi-

By now I had reached into the light, and had taken my phone, and started dialing the emergency helpline. I removed my hood, and tied the bunch of my hair into a messy bun. I removed my headphones and kept the phone against me, as I stared into the dark alley, Sia's eyes, and the glint across her throat, the only thing I'm making out in the darkness. 


My mind went blank. The thought of losing someone whether or not I love them, was killing me 

I didn't realize the man saying, "Holy shit, you're her.", I didn't realize that Sia was no longer sitting there and the glint no longer seen. I didn't realize that the helpline asked what the problem was, and that the man came into light and said that it was all a sick joke and hung up. 

I realized that the man sat in front of me, right in front of my face. He looked into me, with brilliant hazel eyes which seemed undeniably familiar, and said," You're Lina right? Catalina?" I couldn't process anything. My mind was going blank. I started gasping for air. I couldn't breathe. I had to breathe. Breathe. I have to breathe. My legs buckled under me, as I started seeing stars. I clutched by throat, and started pressing it hard. Really hard. I could feel it sting and the coolness of blood dripping, but I couldn't breathe right now. I can't breathe. Air.

"Breathe. Breathe. Don't gasp. Take it slow."I heard a deep voice say. I felt someone's hand take me to their chest and keeping my ear against it. I could hear the soothing heartbeat.

"Align your breathing with it." It said. I slowly started doing so, and my head started paining.Though, I could breathe again.

But then I realized in the hands of a killer, or a possible killer, or a kidnapper, meh, a criminal. Panic again started to drop in.

"You're Lina right?"

I was surprised at the way he said Lina. No one called me Lina. Not anymore. I looked into the eyes of so called criminal. They held amusement. 

"You are. Seems I can still make you speechless."

I frowned and said, "I'm sorry, but I don't know the kidnapper of Sia."


"Aw, you don't remember me? And by the way, I am not kidnapping her. Or wait, technically I am, cause her father ordered me to bring her to her house, as he found out she was doing drugs, so she was not willing to come, so I had to threaten her, and that explains the knife, which was nothing but my vintage lighter, which is cool and smooth as a knife."

"Oh, Well, if you're telling the truth, then I don't care. You can go ahead, bye. It was a pleasure meeting you, not." As I turned to head, I remembered.

"Wait, that doesn't explain how you know me by that name." I scowled as I looked back at the so called criminal.

"Don't worry, we'll meet soon, as I saw you here now. Let me complete this annoying mission, then we'll speak."

And with that, he left with Sia, who was seemingly knocked out.

Sia does drugs? Woah, that's new. Wait, what if that guy is lying? He did not seem like, but you never know. But, what if? Oh shit, that means that, I just let Sia, to a complete, stranger, who apparently had a kni- vintage lighter. Argh, I'm so useless. 

And then I went home to sleep. I didn't eat cause I was feeling very nauseous after, a panic attack I think? Yeah, that's what it was, I thought as I looked at myself in the mirror. It had nail marks on it, dug into the tender skin of my neck. 

The next morning, when I went to the academy, okay, Arts School, as I was supposed to call it, I saw, Sia there. She was in her usual bratty mode, but the moment she saw me, a flash of panic passed her face, which was instantly replaced by the horrible scowl of hers as she turned back to her group. Well, I worried for nothing.


I went to my first class, boring theory and history of modern dance. I mean, who needs to know the theory of freaking dance? You don't preach it while dancing for all I know. I sat at my desk, and turned on my laptop, waiting for the teacher. I looked around the class, and saw that everyone were sitting with their friends. Huh, if only I had one. I switched on my phone and started browsing through social media, when the teacher came in. 

Some guy trailed behind him. He must be the other scholarship winner. I want to see him dance. Well whatever. I went back to browsing, 

"Good Morning, this is the other scholarship winner, alongside with Catalina Roberts, Brandon Stiles." He introduced the guy. He seemed familiar. Why does everything seem freaking familiar? Never mind, ditch it.


The teacher motioned Brandon to sit wherever, and he started teaching, while I started typing away. After what seemed like an uneventful eternity, the class got over. I was packin- Shoving my things into my backpack, and slid it over my shoulder.

"Hey, Catalina, remember me?" A freaking, familiar voice greeted me. I frowned and looked up at the guy who was addressing me,who definitely was gonna make it into the school's top three most popular, cause of his build, and his pretty little face, and Again, familiar hazel eyes. And why the heck does everyone ask me if I remember them? 

Wait, hazel freaking familiar eyes. Wasn't that the Vintage lighter guy?

"Yo-you're Vintage Lighter."

Everyone around me started laughing, but I couldn't care less. I was only looking at The Vintage Lighter guy, whose mouth was drawn into a smirk. 

"No baby, I'm Brandon Stiles, not Vintage Lighter. And it is quite a disappointment that you don't remember me..." he paused looking at me, with those amazing familiar hazel eyes, into my amber ones.

He continued,".......... Amber"


Amber, AMBER? Only one person used to call me that, and the last time he called me that was years ago. He was...

"Hazel?" I asked hesitantly, still unsure, but his eyes, were freaking same. No wonder they seemed familiar.

"Haah, kinda disappointing since you remember me with that girly name. But never mind, you remember me."

"Well, I'm not the only one who remembers people by their eye color, and refers to them with their eye color."

I threw my arms around him, with my bag still over my shoulder.

"Oh god, god, god, god, god, god. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. I can't believe it IS you. Dude, I-I don't know what to say. Hah, Shit. This is definitely not the way I imagined our reunion. Ugh, I still can't believe this. Oh lord. Why did you suddenly disappear? I mean yeah, you did say you wouldn't be there, but you just went away the next day. I mean how abrupt is that?" I said, snuggling further into his shoulder.

"Yeah, I wanted to surprise you. When I read your name on the scholarships winners, and you came 1st, I was like, Little Lina actually grew up to be a dancer."

"Right, that wasn't very obvious when we were young. I mean I used to shout lyrics out, which I used to call singing." I said, rolling my eyes and breaking the hug.

"Hey, you used to sing well. You used to hit all the notes right, in a different pitch. That was the only problem. By the way, you got really lucky, by beating me." He mumbled, as we were walking down the hallway. 

Lucky. Even him. Why the heck do they use lucky? I got first place by practicing hard. I beat him by practicing hard.Where the heck does luck come in from? I don't have bad luck, nor do I have good luck. Luck isn't anything. It's just me, my hard work, and my performance.

" I'm really excited to see you dance. I have practical in the 4th class today. You?"

" Oh well.. me too. Let's go together then? I'll see how you dance." I said, walking past him, clearly pissed.


"Hey, hey, what are you so pissed about? Did I say something wrong?" he asked.

"No, actu- wait, when we met yesterday, you recognized me?"

"Well yeah, how else do you think I knew your name? You were lucky it was me, or else what could have happened?" he smirked.

Luck. What's with luck? I hate luck. There's nothing called luck. Sorry, I mean there is something called luck, but luck ain't true.

I ignored that, and went back to walking and talking with Haz- Brandon. Heh, I don't remember the real name of Hazel up till now, isn't that great?

The day went on, I saw Brandon dance, and sure, he's good. I danced, and that's when something caught me off guard. A leg? What's a leg doing in the way of my path? Sia's leg. I fell down with great force, biting my lip in the process. Ow, now does that pain? Oh yes, It does like hell.

I swear to god, that girl will be the death of me, literally.

I went to the infirmary and asked the doc to give me an antiseptic. As I left the infirmary, I had this urge to go outside and feel the cold breeze against me. I went outside the building and sat at the bench. Brandon, or Hazel, looks the same. Well Almost. 

I walked through hallways, which seemed endless at the moment, to get to the lockers and take my bag, and departing from the Acad- school.  

While going past the huge notice board, I glanced at the newspaper piece stuck there. I walked past it, only to turn back and read it. My eyes widened when I saw what the article was about, and I tore it down. I went to the closest washroom and went into a cubicle and read it. It was dated 6 years back


~Beginning of The Article's content~

                                                      Murder of Renowned Architect

Yesterday afternoon, we lost one of our greatest architects to an inhumanly murder. Mr. William Roberts, had only lost his eldest daughter and son, 4 months back in a cruel car accident. He had lost his wife at the birth of his youngest child, Ms. Catalina Roberts. Mr. Roberts who had apparently just returned to his house, after work, had found his daughter, being pointed a gun at, by an unknown masked man, and had immediately pounced on him. Mr. Roberts was successful in diverting the masked man's attention, and the clever child, had gone into hiding with a phone, dialing the emergency number. It seems the man had no intention of killing 


Mr. Roberts, as told by the child, because she only said that she heard the gun shots, as soon as the police siren was heard. Sadly, Mr. Roberts couldn't be saved, as the bullets hit the vital organs of the body, and there was tremendous internal bleeding. He had however succeeded in saving his only family left, Ms. Roberts.The child will now be in the city's foster care, and will receive education funded by Mr. Roberts employers. The killer is taken into custody, and is duly going to be punished, but his identity is yet to be revealed. The investigation was carried by Detective Myra Sinclair and her team. 

                                                                                                             ~Credits, Reporter Lauren Mo 

                                                                                                         ~Ending of The Article's content~


How the heck did this get here? And why was it posted on the notice board? Though my heart ached for a nanosecond while reading the article, I had gotten far too used to it, and I've become a whole lot colder. I tore the paper into bits and bits, and threw it in the dustbin. I went to fetch my bag and trudged my way out of the campus. 

How did it get there? As far as I know, no one here, knows that I'm the Catalina Roberts. They just know me as the scholarship winner, Catalina Roberts. I was so indulged in my thoughts that I didn't know see how lost I was. Heh, this definitely isn't my alley. 

I reached for my phone and switched on the location. Great, I'm 4 miles away from the studio. I just had to get lost, didn't I?


I followed the directions, which was the map lady guiding me, and was going the the narrowest alleys possible. Why are these narrow alleys, even as a route? What if I was on a car, I thought, as I was being careful not to touch the flower-pot on one of the low balcony railings, and a exhauster, on the other side of the alley.

And that's when I heard a voice, at the far end of the narrow, dark alley. Seriously? Couldn't find a better and cozier place to have your little chit-chat? Well, thanks to your amazing decision of wanting to have a very not-so-private discussion, in a dark, narrow almost isolated, alley, your discussion will be interrupted by me, a poor user of maps, who was baited into this area, on the way of going home.

They didn't seem to notice me, even when I was about 12 feet away from them. Wow, either they must be having a very serious conversation, or their deaf. Let's go with latter. 

When I was about to move forward, I saw one of the men take a gun out. Gun, why a gun? I thought, starting to hyperventilate, when I realized that the man, who was being pointed at, was... Haze- Brandon. 


No no no no no no, I can't lose anyone else. I just met him today again, for god's sake. I was about to lift my phone up, and start dialing the emergency number, when the maps... directed me to go forward. 

Oh please god, let the man with the gun be deaf. But I knew my prayers would be left unheard, and the fact that the man with the gun turned towards me, confirmed it.

Shit, I'm done for. I abandoned by bag on the not-so-clean ground, and summersaulted my way through the 12 feet of distance, and kicked the gun off his hands. As cool as that sounds, it was no easy thing. The world goes round, and you've got to get the angle of your leg right, and the amount of force you put. The angle of the leg, since, you can't kick it out of his hand, only for it to fall at his feet, and the amount of force since, harder the force, more chances of failure, and lighter the force, more chances of more failure. And as complicated as that sounds, it isn't so complicated. If you've been in dancing or acrobatics for over 12 years.


After I kick the gun out of his hands, Brandon wastes no time getting him to ground, and I start gasping for air. The situation finally and clearly set in my head, and my brain calculates the fact that I have to start having panic, and I do.

Though after a couple of seconds, my brain again realizes that the situation, is back to not-so-normal, but normal enough for me to stop gasping for air, I start regaining my control over paced breathing. 

And when I look up again, I only find, Brandon again, being pointed the gun at. How in the world did that man get unhanded? 

Ugh, it's all back to the start.

The man with the gun starts talking.

"Look here girl, you're not supposed to be here. My business is with the man in front of me. So if you will go from here... I can get to my work." he said, pulling the trigger of the gun. Once I heard the trigger, my mind went blank. I went back to not breathing. I clutched my neck and started digging my nails into my neck again. Before I knew it, I heard a gun shout. Just as loud, just as bitter. 


I looked up at Hazel, who was now, on his knees, like me, wincing in pain. It looked like, his leg was shot. My mind was still blank, when I heard the trigger being pulled for the second time. And just before he shot Hazel, I jumped in front of him, and took the bullet.

I heard muffled swearing from the man with the gun, who just ran away in a very cliche way, and left me with Hazel. I was on the ground in front of hazel, who was looking at me with disbelief in his eyes, and still digesting what happened. 

I just scoffed, and tried to understand where I got shot, because right now, my body processing what happened, I only felt numb, of any possible pain, or emotion. It seemed like something cool was drooling out of my stomach, at a very high speed, and that's when I knew, that I had very less chances of living.


I, as a 20 year old girl, am dying, and no one will probably care. My vision started blurring, and I saw, whiffs of what seemed like Hazel's beautiful eyes. 

I heard him shouting his name for me, 'Amber' but soon, my hearing also started failing. 

My whole life of, wonderful 13 years and pathetic 7 years was coming to an end. Memories flashed, my older brother, sister and dad, waving at me, on my first dance performance. Them soothing me, when I got hurt. Them telling tales about how beautiful our mother was, and how much she loved me. All of us sitting together and eating food. Me as a 13 year old, bragging how my siblings never fight with me. How much my dad loved me. Then I see, my brother and sister, shielding me, when the accident took place, and them losing their life. How I was waiting for dad to come, so that I could show him me being enlisted for Nationals in modern dance in Solo and Duet category. But before him, a man, with a gun, started rambling about giving all the money at the house to him, and that's when dad came. Chucking his bag at the guy, he motioned me to run, and that I did, but by the time I called, and help arrived... I was too late.


Too late. After that, my neighbours, and all my relatives, started calling me the epitome of bad luck. I wanted to prove them wrong, I needed to. Slowly it started dying out, but again, my foster parents had died, in a car accident. The closer I got to people, the farther they went away. So far, that I could never see them again. The people at the foster care center, kept on taunting me about how I was bad luck. Before I knew it, I was diagnosed with Thatanophobia, and slowly, carefully, I distanced myself from people. Talking only when necessary, not indulging in gossip, turning down people's invitation. 

Soon after that, I started gaining recognition. I got into one of the most prestigious arts institutes in the country, with my effort and hard work. And again, people talked. Saying how I got in, only with a stroke of luck.

Why can't people shut their mouths, and keep their noses to themselves? I convinced myself that, there is nothing called luck. Luck is nothing but something people mention when they have nothing to do.

More than how I hated them, I hated myself, for getting swayed by their words. And deep inside I knew that luck existed. 

Like how, no matter what, no matter how hard you work, no matter how bad you do, there is the 1% in things, which can change. That 1%, where you don't know how things will turn out. That 1% known as Luck. 

I was just too egoistical. Too stubborn to believe that.


But that is what got me living. That urge, to prove them wrong, prove myself wrong, kept me living. And that 1% Luck will, know if I'll live or not. 

My eyes fluttered shut, and I knew that I would never open them again. I just knew. Maybe you just know when you're going to not live anymore.

The last thought I had was about luck, how luck killed me on the inside, and seemed as though I was living on the outside. I didn't see my father, my siblings smiling at me, but I saw how luck swayed my life, even in the very last moment. And I hated that. You can just screw yourself, but I'm also thankful for you to be the very source of driving me to live, 

Freakin' Luck.


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