"If you have chemistry, then you only need one other thing: perfect timing."

*

You know how people say that life is full of surprises?

It really is

Wendy never really believed in fate, destiny, soulmates--none of it. She guesses that she's not your typical girl who's a hopeless romantic. Never was, never will be. Wendy means, can you blame her? Her parents were separated, her sister's exes were all jerks, and then there she is. Wendy had never been in a relationship. She doubts if anyone has ever really looked at her with romantic interest before anyway. Not that it mattered.

She didn't believe in love. And no, she was not bitter. It's just her point of view. Wendy didn't see the reason in believing in love when everyone else around her complains about the pain associated with it. Why do people want to be in love when they know it eventually leads to pain?

She just didn't understand it---and she didn't want to.

But one night, her mom gave her a call and told her she's getting married again. It didn't sink in at first. I mean, get married again? Why? I thought our little family of three was enough, she thought.

Apparently not.

The night of the wedding, Wendy was so upset that she spent the entire reception sulking in the garden of the hotel they had chosen.

Wendy couldn't bear to be inside amongst the celebrants when she didn't feel like celebrating and she didn't want to be a burden to her mother either. This was her night after all. Tonight she was a fairytale heroine and she didn't want to be the villain and ruin her moment with Wendy's sneering discontent.

Wendy was sitting on a white wooden bench near the pond, her shoes tucked beneath it. She dipped her toes in the water, creating ripples and splashes with her movement. It was a chilly night, and she'd rather have been inside where it was warm, but the wedding to her was unacceptable and she didn't want to be a hypocrite and plaster a fake smile on her face when she didn't feel like smiling. Maybe it was because she was a daddy's girl and the idea of someone else trying to replace her annoyed her. She always was sort of biased in favor of her dad.

"You know, there is celebration inside," someone said from behind her.

She didn't recognize her voice but Wendy answered anyway. "There's no reason for me to celebrate," she replied.

"How come?" she asked, her voice louder now, closer to her. She stopped and stood beside the bench Wendy's was sitting on, but she still didn't look at her. "There's always a reason to celebrate," the woman told her.

Who was this stranger anyway? Why was she talking to her as if she knew everything? Wendy hated know-it-alls the most and the girl's presence irritated her. "You don't know how I feel," she snapped. "It's not your mom who just got married."

She laughed out loud, like Wendy had said something funny. She wasn't kidding around. Was she laughing at what Wendy said? She was about to ask her what she thought was amusing when the girl started talking again. "Funny you'd mention that," she said. "My mom just got remarried last year so I do really know how you feel."

Wendy turned to look at her. Knowing she had been in her position before comforted her somehow, and it made Wendy want to see the girl. She smiled at Wendy and she was pretty sure that smile had made everyone swoon. The girl looked nice. Really nice. Her dark hair luscious hair flowing down her shoulders. Her eyes resemble deep black orbs, and a cat like one.

"Happiness comes when you learn to accept the ability to love and be loved..." she told Wendy.

Wendy stared at her, thinking about her cliché words and how despite their triviality, they still had the power to make her heart twinge. "Well, that's something, isn't it?" She replied.

The woman grinned. "Actually, I got it from a fortune cookie," she confessed.

Wendy laughed.

She never found out i