Chapter Text
Well, this was just confusing.
A second ago, you were driving.
It was the middle of the night. The snow plows were on the road, and the temperature was well into the negative thirty or forties, but you didn’t care. You needed this. You needed to just take a moment for yourself, and though the streets could be icy this time of year, it’s not like many other people were out and about.
Your favourite song was blasting through the speakers of your car and, despite the possible opinions of you from the late night workers you’d passed, you were enjoying it. The volume was turned up so loud that you couldn’t hear your own voice, and you didn’t stop the small movements that came naturally as you lost yourself to the rhythm.
It was just you, your music, and a cold, empty road. A perfect combination, in your opinion.
Until suddenly, it wasn’t.
You barely got the chance to slam on the breaks when another car suddenly appeared. A lifted truck speeding onto the road you were on, the driver completely ignoring the red light they had. A common occurrence at such a late hour, unfortunately.
Maybe their breaks were broken, you rationalized. Maybe they hit a patch of ice, and instead of slowing down at all, they managed to speed up as they flew into the intersection. Surely, they would have stopped if they could. No one was in that big of a rush to get somewhere, especially so late in the night, that they would completely risk the lives of others.
Unless, maybe they were. Perhaps they had a person bleeding to death in their backseat, and they were simply trying to get them to the hospital. You hoped that if that were the case, then the ambulance and first responders at the scene after were able to help.
Maybe that was the reason you were here now. Your innate need to open your heart to everyone around you, constantly clinging to the belief that people were born to be good.
Maybe you had just been so good, that whatever higher power there was decided that you deserved a second chance.
Looking up into your mothers eyes, you wondered if maybe this was your reward for not being a total asshole in life.
You remembered those eyes, that face; it was your mother. A younger version, yes, but you still remembered her clearly. Next to her, you saw your father, a smile on his face and tears you’d only ever seen once or twice swelling in his (e/c) eyes.
Somehow, you were reborn. You understood that as you looked at your tiny hands, your mouth unable to form any recognizable words as you let out what could only be classified as a wail.
For a moment, you were scared; upset, even. Your life wasn’t amazing, but there were still things that you were looking forward to. Highlighted dates on your calendar with upcoming events, unread messages and texts you swore you’d reply to when you could. There were people that you loved and, though it was hard to accept it sometimes, there were people that loved you, too.
People who would soon be getting a call, or a text, or a post notification from a family members announcement.
You wondered what pictures everyone would use for their posts. You never were a fan of pictures of yourself, so you could only hope it wasn’t anything too unflattering.
Then, you realized, that maybe that wasn’t even happening right now.
Looking at you mother and father, you could see that they were right in front of you.
Could it be that you were just sent back in your own timeline? Were you mourning a life that no longer existed?
Once again, you cried out, unsure how to process whatever the hell was going on. Too much was going through your head, and you couldn’t even understand half of it.
Yes, you’d died, but you were clearly just given a second chance. Not even just a second chance at life, but a second chance at your life.
As you slowly came to terms with the fact that you weren’t just reincarnated, but instead somehow restarting your life from the very beginning, your fears began to lessen; and in turn, so did your cries.
The people you had grown to love and care for over the years weren’t gone. You would just have to meet them again. You were getting a second first impression with everyone, and you were going to make sure you made it worth it.
You knew what was ahead of you now. You knew what to expect, how to behave, and what to do to avoid all of the moments you regretted in life.
Every single instance that would haunt you at night, you now had the chance to fix.
At least, that’s what you thought.
You were just a baby after all, completely oblivious to the world outside of your parents and the little bubble they crafted for you.
How long would it be until that bubble gets popped?
When would you realize that, no matter what world you’re in, you’re never going to be the one in control?
This wasn’t your second chance.
No one cared about the mistakes you’ve made or the impact you had on others— nobody except for you.
You want the world to remember you as a hero? Someone who cared more about others than herself?
Prove it.