There will only be Good Days

By Genevieve Ang

Disillusioned by her first month as an adult, Gina Yang decides to take an impulsive getaway trip in hopes of finding the answers that she needs.

 

While on her journey to self-discovery, she meets Rafael Lee, an athlete who is down on luck and looking to make his own quick getaway. 

 

Of course, not all first meetings go smoothly. 

 

As the coincidental run-ins don't stop there, the two come to realize that they may be more alike than they think.

• Language: English
• Publisher: themagicalgene
• Release date: Dec 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223582236

Genevieve Ang

Hailing from the little red dot, Genevieve is an avid reader and writer. When not daydreaming about what she would like to write next, you can find her experimenting the best fruit combination to blend a smoothie. 

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Today was the best day.

For years, I've been wondering where my place was. Secondary school was a place that brewed inferiority and self-doubt. I had long come to accept that society was harsh - only the good-looking, smartest, or richest people were treated like royalty. The rest of us commoners like me were left scrambling for scraps, wondering when our potential would bloom and skyrocket into our aspirations that could finally turn into reality.

I hang up my shoes, much to the ire and disappointment of people around me. When I realized that I finally had the freedom to choose my path, I took it without batting an eyelid. It was time to carve out my road. It would be one with flowers, so bright that I would never get lost. I would be sure of every step because it was my decision and no one else. It was my way of petty revenge to prove that I could do it.

I looked at the email that contained my acceptance letter to the university. The girl who defied all odds! I do a mini fist bump and swirl my chair to face the window in my room. The afternoon sun was bright, heating my room and inevitably giving my plush penguin a much-needed sun tan.

There will only be good days. 

PART 1: THE CHANGE

CHAPTER 1

S hit.

I look at the torrential rain, unforgiving but accurate. The past month itself was far from nice and dry. It was wet.

Wet and ugly.

I enter the office, nose dripping. I quietly thank Lisa, the admin assistant for generously giving me a whole box of tissues as I suspect I would need a whole bunch of them if I wanted to survive the workday with my nose intact.

I pause my Muttons in the Morning podcast and I'm met with silence in the office. I'm not surprised. The day that I decided to call it quits, was the day that the team who I was supposed to be working with got wind of the news. I can just imagine the gossip that is going on behind my back. Not that I cared though.

I stopped caring the day when my family and friends convinced me that I deserved better. That was my problem, you know? Always giving others the benefit of the doubt even if it meant at the expense of questioning my worth.

Fresh out of university and eager to show everyone I was ready to be an adult, I grabbed the first and only company that responded to my job application.

Needless to say, I had no such ability.

Frustrated at cliquey colleagues and running around directionless like a headless chicken, everyone who had a pair of eyes convinced me that having several emotional breakdowns within a week wasn't going to be beneficial for my mental health in the long run.

So I did what the only power a poor working girl like me had.

Quit.

After a month.

Karl, the other social worker (and supposedly my mentor) doesn't acknowledge me when I enter. I remember Dad's words to hold my head up high and take a seat at my desk. Two could play that game. It's eight-thirty and I realize that occupying myself is going to be a challenge.

I try to boost my confidence and write down what I can do in bullet form.

1. Walk around home to meet residents

2. Confirm participation in the reading program

3. Arrange an appointment for job coaching

Okay, so the first point wasn't a task. I just didn't have anything to do and despite the residents having special needs, they were lovely to chat with. I couldn't entirely say the same for their caregivers.

As a kid, I always worked well seeing what was in front of me. The day after I submitted my resignation, I received a text message from a reading program that I used to volunteer with a few years back during the height of the pandemic, asking if I would like to volunteer again.

It was timely, as I was suffering from being disillusioned at the working environment and growing questions about my incompetence while others were blissfully unaware or simply refused to help. Thoughts about leaving the industry swarmed my head.

As for the last point - I never really considered job coaching. I heard of it but I thought my future was well planned out to need intervention. There was always a first time for everything. To be honest, I was apprehensive about having a stranger telling me what to do, but trying wouldn't hurt.

I hear the movement of slippers and I see Karl leaning against the partition of my desk. Gina. Do you have the residents' phones? I frown, making a show to check my drawers when I already know the answer. With the anxiety that was eating away at me, it resulted in me falling sick for the first time in a long while. As I was still under probation, any day off would mean a cut in my meagre salary. Eventually, my body won as it screamed for me to go home. That didn't mean I forgot my responsibilities.

No. I left it on the table last week for the program team to collect it. I thought they would have given it back to you.

Karl looks at me blankly and without another word, he retreats to his desk. So much for being civil at work.

Still, I shoot off a message to Brynn, a program staff who replies quickly that she has returned them to the office. Specifically, to Karl. It could be a case of forgetfulness, but with everything that happened? A fucking coincidence. I have no intention of approaching him so I wait until he leaves the office to check his table where the phones are, neatly stacked on his desk.

I prayed that the day would end.

Another day. Two more days till this horrible nightmare is over and the issue of being unemployed comes on the table again. I came into the office, setting up my laptop as usual.

Lisa enters, holding a stack of papers. Morning, Gina! Her chirpy attitude was one of the few reasons that made the month a little more bearable.

Morning, Lisa. I turn my attention back to the WhatsApp chat on my laptop, opening the new message on one of the many work groups. Before I can even sigh at the content of the new text, Lisa beats me to it first.

Karl's not coming in till Thursday. He's sick.

I leave on Wednesday.

Glad to know that his absence contributed to the lack of guidance extended to my last day. At least there won't be any need for fake niceties and how they valued me when I had three-quarters of my body out of the door.

When the clock hits six, I pack my stuff and take one last look at my desk which had been a source of comfort during my lonely battle as an employee. It's been a wild ride, I whisper before switching off the lights.

I typed a standard message to announce that I would be leaving the chat and thanked them for the time. Truth be told, I had no intention of seeing their responses so I exited the group chat at light speed, not caring about looking back. Just one last thing on my agenda before calling it quits.

I press on Karl's name and I'm given the option of blocking him. It's an easy decision. I deleted his contact right after walking to the bus stop.

No looking back.

Morning comes and the sun peeks through my curtains. A sign that I've slept in longer than usual. I relish the joy that I took for granted in university during the pandemic.

I check my phone to find a message from Nadiah who is enthused to see me reclaim a part of my personality.

Hey sis, blue beetle movie later!

See you!

I grin to myself as I start my first day unemployed.

The train is sparse with people as a mix of students and housewives are going along their day. I reached Suntec City, Nadiah, and my usual hangout spot during university days. Walking through the mall without bumping into a stroller or hyperactive kid was an ordinary but amazing feeling.

I reach the cinema and head to the ticketing counter, pulling out my student card to snag that discount. Hey, we've all done this before. Besides, living in an increasingly unliveable metropolitan city like Singapore can easily burn a hole in one's pocket. I'm just employing money-saving hacks where possible to still enjoy life.

Nadiah comes into the theatre as the movie starts playing, I tell her she didn't miss much. Okay, the part about Jamie Reyes graduating and trying to find his place in the unforgiving world as a fresh graduate? I felt that in my bones.

I consider myself a movie junkie. The thought of immersing yourself in two hours of movie magic? Laughing, raging, and crying at the story all at once to come out of the cinema and wishing that the hero's origin story would happen to you someday.

The end credits roll and we amble out of the theatre. As soon as I can see the outline of Nadiah's frizzy hair, I give her a bear hug.

First day of unemployment sister! She says in typical Nadiah fashion - unbothered and one hundred percent supportive of my choices. How does it feel?

I mull over this, wondering if I should give a diplomatic answer. Who was I kidding? This is Nadiah, my best friend of seven years. She has seen me at my best and worst - that was just two weeks ago as I was snot-faced with the idea of being incompetent and lost at work.

Honestly? I pull my lips into a fine line. It feels... liberating? We broke into giggles but I knew it was one hundred and ten percent accurate. When you're pushed out and suddenly you're responsible for making decisions that could seriously impact a client's well-being, you question yourself if you want that responsibility.

We make a right turn, walking past the colourful and noisy arcade, taking the escalator down to the Japanese budget-friendly restaurant that we wanted to try two weekends ago but gave up because of the snaking queues.

Opting for a kimchi gyudon, I slowly savoured the meat that was paired with the red vegetable, relishing in its crunchiness. It was a pleasant change, to not eat just for survival but to appreciate the mundane things around us.

So, tell me everything. What happened on your last day? Nadiah is persistent in getting details. I take another bite of kimchi. He didn't even come on my last day. I think we both had a mutual agreement that the best way to see me off was to not see each other at all.

What a jerk, Nadiah swallows her rice. Fuck him. She puts her spoon down. It's not like he did anything for you. To bring you to greater heights. No sister, all he did was bring you emotional damage.

I let out a loud laugh, immediately being conscious of my surroundings. Always so brutally honest, I say. Thank you for being here for me.

It was simple but we both knew there was a lot of meaning behind it. Nadiah's expression softens. Of course. We just get lost sometimes. It's scary but we just have to do it one at a time. Dip our feet into the sea, you know?

Not having to worry about getting to work the next day was satisfying. A one-for-one voucher led us to Starbucks, happily indulging in our sweet treats with minimal financial guilt.

I want to travel. Get out of Singapore. Nadiah muses while swirling her latte while I take a sip of my chocolate chip frappe. I know we just travelled to Korea and I did a family trip to Australia but it'll be nice to have a solo trip.

Nadiah sees my amused expression and quickly adds, Not that it was terrible! I loved our trip but just imagine doing whatever you want, without a care in the world. Eating, shopping, hell - even just walking down a foreign street would be nice!

I was about to point out to her that the small Lion City had a lot to offer too if one searched hard enough. Before my final exams, Mom and I had our day of being tourists at Chinatown where I was pleasantly surprised at what I failed to see previously. Still, being a person who greatly valued my alone time, I knew where Nadiah was coming from.

Hypothetical question. If you had all the time and money in the world, where would your dream destination be? Mine would be Japan. Nadiah goes first. Oh! And London. Well, Edinburgh would be a nice change. She has a faraway gaze and I have lost her to the beautiful European scenery.

The hypothetical but common question. Best for ice-breaking and this situation, letting our minds roam away from reality, even if it is just for a few seconds.

Korea and Thailand. The familiarity and the idea of discovering something new. I like that. Although I wished I could turn back time, I was grateful for the privilege to travel right after graduation, courtesy of Mom and Dad. I thought about my current situation and decided that Thailand seems to be the more feasible option of the two.

Did you know?

Know what?

Nadiah gives me a pointed look. You know what I'm talking about. I do know, but I want her to say it. She taps her feet impatiently at my quizzical expression. Get out of here. Fly. Do what you want to do.

The idea at face value sounded very appealing until I had to consider the dwindling funds left from my savings and one month's salary (emotional compensation actually). But maybe, Nadiah had a point. I just had to adapt my plans.

You have that thinking face again. What's in there? Nadiah brings me back to the cafe where the last few students started to pack up their laptops and the barista was starting to prepare for closing time. We take our leave, disposing of our cups at the return tray area. It was ten in the evening and the mall was almost empty by now. I enjoyed the serenity of strolling through the shops that were shuttered.

Just thinking about what you said, I respond truthfully. Nadiah grins. She quickens her pace and stops right in front of me. Adopting a serious expression, Nadiah puts both her hands on my shoulder, staring me down. What comes out of her mouth, kicks everything into motion.

Don't think. Just do it.

CHAPTER 2

Iclick on the button to pay and the hole in my wallet grows a little bigger. I managed to reduce some damage by booking a budget flight. The thing that I wasn't willing to compromise on was a decent hotel. No, I didn't need a fancy five-star hotel with a breakfast buffet. I just needed a place to sleep that wasn't located in some shoddy district. Thankfully, Mom and Dad were more than happy to help by giving me their to go to the hotel whenever they went to Bangkok. Located in the heart of Bangkok's city, the hotel was conveniently located near the train station and surrounded by countless restaurants and bars. Perfect.

I was prepared for the vehement disapproval from Mom and Dad when I came back from my day out with Nadiah. Or it was probably just the voice in my head telling me that I was trying to be a hippie, running away from my responsibilities and the inevitable transformation of becoming an adult. They always manage to surprise me, my parents. With both my grandfathers gone during my parents' formative years because they had the idea to drink themselves to death, one would think my parents could have easily gone astray. And then me and Gemma would have gone astray.

Instead, they did what they could. Working their hardest to bring me and Gemma up. It would be safe to say that my Dad, a tennis coach for thirty-odd years, considered his job done when we both got our degrees. My mother, a strong woman who could easily take on anything thrown at her, painstakingly made sure that we only got the best.

So I never expected that they wouldn't try to stop me from making a rash decision. Although Dad did say that as an adult, I would have to bear all expenses. Fair enough. I hear movement and see Mom standing at the door with a ladybug-patterned box. Medicine, she says. You'll never know what will happen. I accepted it gratefully, putting it along with my clothes that were already packed in my suitcase. You know, I'm only gone for five days. I teased.

And I'm glad you are, Mom says. Her response throws me off and it shows as she takes a seat beside my bed. You are young. You don't have to rush. I hope you can take this time to recover.

Yet again, I am reminded how truly blessed I am despite facing my first stumble in adulthood. I give Mom a hug, tears forming. I left the organization four days ago but the scars still show. I don't think they will disappear anytime soon and that is the thing that scares me the most now.

I do another mental check, to make sure that I did not forget anything important on my way to the airport tomorrow. Satisfied that I bought enough, I lock my suitcase and prepare for bed, holding on to the last shred of hope.

A hope that I would find the answers that I desperately needed.

The train comes to a halt at the final station. Doors sliding open, a rush of cool air from the airport greets me along with the tourists and locals who had arrived in Singapore. I make my way upstairs to the departure hall and a rush of excitement fills