99: A Dangerous Game

A V E L I N A

At first, the day seemed so ordinary. Like every other day, we woke up, had breakfast, and the kids went to school. But, little did I know that a single encounter would change my life forever.

I was walking down the street, minding my own business. Then, suddenly, a car stopped right in front of me, scaring the shit out of me.

"Oh my God, are you okay?!" The driver yelled.

I was too stunned to speak.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!" He said, clearly distraught.

I finally found my voice and responded.

"It's alright, I'm okay," I reassured him.

"Are you sure?" He asked, concerned.

"Yes, I'm fine. Really," I said, calming down.

He sighed in relief and then asked me if I needed a ride. I was going to refuse, but then I realized that I was a bit far from home.

"Um, actually, if you're heading downtown, I would really appreciate it," I replied.

"Sure, no problem," he smiled.

He offered to drive me and we started chatting along the way. I got to know his name and I t