P  r  o  l  o  g  u  e 

If cynicism was a person, it would be her. And if regret was also a person, it would also be her. Truth to be told, the selfish and inconsiderate traits she possessed were the transport that lead her to her current life. However, expecting others to believe she had always been that way would be a foolish thing to do. Indeed, the tactless and self-centered woman she had become, wasn't her real self and she knew it, everyone who had known her during her youthful years knew it. And now, more than ever, as she observed her reflection in the mirror of her vanity table, she realized the kind of woman she had become.

When you are not happy on the inside, the displeasure is shown on the outside, and this was no exception for her. Looking at the fixated expression of unhappiness that her face had acquired was dreadful, and only she was the one at fault. The only thing that face had achieved throughout the years was to push long-term friendships away, intimidate others, and inevitably confine herself in solitude. At her thirty years of age, her life already seemed to be sentenced to be a lost cause. By now, she had surrendered. To her, there was nothing left but to live with the consequences of her actions.

An unpleasant beeping sound coming from her phone suddenly interrupted her from her personal scrutiny. She took the device in her hands and looked at the cause of her disruption, a remainder that announced“hair salon, 5:00 pm”. She sighed and discontentedly got up from her seat.

The loud noises of the blow driers, the music, and the mixture of voices speaking at the same time invaded her ears as she stepped inside of the beauty establishment. It was exasperating, but as she didn't have any other alternative, she sighed in resignation and kept walking deeper into the building, and further from the exit door.

As her heels made a loud clicking sound, unconsciously imposing its presence in the place, she could sense the non dissimulated stares of the other women on her. Intimidation, that's the effect she provoked on everyone, anywhere she went to.

Used to the distant and tense treatment, she took a seat in one of the empty styling chairs and watched how the petite hairdresser dyed her dark roots blonde. She had adopted this hair color ever since she was in college and never changed it back to her typical Asian dark tone of hair. She would like to believe that a simple hair color couldn't have much of a meaning or impact in her life, but sometimes, when she was alone and immersed in her thoughts, she questioned whether her external change also affected her on the inside.

College years were difficult, it took the worst out of her person to surface. It were also the years when she still had a back up, when she had that someone that was there for her, who was her protection. When she also had a feeling of certainty, of requited love. But eventually, everything fell out of her reach.

She kept staring at the hands of the woman working with her hair. Through her gloves, she could see an engagement ring on one of her slender fingers. Even without being able to contemplate it in its entirety, she knew it was magnificent. It reminded her of the ring that used to embrace her finger perfectly, as if it was made for her and only her. But now, only a mark that signaled where that ring used to be, remained.

Hold on to that ring, hold on to your partner, hold on to those who make you happy, and never underestimate their presence.

A/N: I would like to thank everyone who subscribed even when the first chapter was still not uploaded, you guys are awesome! :) This is not really considered a chapter, since it's a prologue, but it is needed in the story so I hope you still like it, thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed :)