It was a bright andbeautiful morning. Gina was sitting in the driver’s seat to my right, going at60 kilometres per hour. Our destination was Dr Love Café located in PetalingJaya

    I slowly flipped through the red journal I was holding in my hands, while I wastalking to Gina. I’ve spent the whole night writing in that journal. Itcontained everything that I’ve been through in the past five years. I wrote allof my sweet, painful, regrettable, and even tragic moments in that journal.

    Going through the pages helped me escape the confusion of the present realityand took me back to the past. I was in a dilemma, and I needed to make adecision. A strand of thought kept going through my mind that day, ‘Anythingthat happens in the future comes from what I decide today’. Someone once toldme that life is the greatest teacher for everyone. Armed with a journal thatwas full of memories, I had to look into the past to find my answer. I had tofind guidance from the teacher that has faithfully stood by me all these years.

    My watch showed that it was already five minutes after nine o’clock. Dr Lovewould normally be opened at nine-thirty in the morning, and Ally, the ownerwill come around an hour early to tidy up and open the cafe.

    I would always drop by Dr Love during my free time. I also happened to knowAlly quite well. The café owner would always welcome my friends and I there.Apart from supporting his quaint café, we preferred to hang around therebecause we loved the atmosphere that he had created. The interior design wascaptivating and most importantly, the daily menu suited our tastes. The pricewas also reasonable.

    Gina and I were planning to enjoy some tea and quiet that morning at Dr Love.However, our plan was disrupted when our mutual friend, Julia, arrived withshocking news.

“I’mdone for, Ally! I’m done for, Gina! I’m done for, Marina!” muttered Julia assoon as she sat at our table. She looked troubled.

“Why?What’s going on, Julia?” asked Ally. The three of us waited anxiously for Juliato give us her answer.

“Ally.Do you remember that time when I told you about Sam and his newly openedbusiness?” Julia asked.

“Yes...”Ally answered with a nod. “‘Why, Julia? Did something bad happen to thatbusiness?”

“Allright. You see, I loaned Sam some money…”

“Howmuch did you give him?” asked Ally.

“Notmuch... just a hundred thousand.”

“Wow!”Gina, Ally and I looked at each other in shock.

“That’sa lot of money you gave him, Julia...” said Gina.

Juliawas silent. She kept her head down but her face clearly showed herapprehension.

“Ijust wanted to help him, Gina. I believe in his ideas. I wanted to be Sam’sbusiness partner for both of our futures. That’s why I was willing to give himthat much.”

“DidSam personally ask you to loan him that amount?”

“No,Gina. When he first told me his business idea, I was the one who offered to behis business partner. He said that if I was interested, I could contribute 20%to the capital. But, I willingly offered him that amount because I truly believein his idea. I wanted to see that idea become a successful realization!”

    As I sat there and tried to process the situation, I wondered how Julia couldhave gotten involved in such a problem. Knowing her, I knew that she did whatshe did because she trusted and loved Sam. Throughout our friendship, I couldsee that Julia would sometimes put the need of other people first instead ofher own. Especially those who are special in her life. 

“Okay,but what happened? What has gotten you so upset like this, Julia?” I asked.

“Afew days ago, about a month after the opening of the store, I heard from afriend of his that the local authority is going to take action against him.”

“What?!Why would the authority wants to take actions against Sam?” I asked.

“Becausehe broke the law, but I’m not sure what and why. I have to ask him for anexplanation first,” Julia explained. She paused before continuing with herstory. “If what I’ve heard was right, there is a possibility that his storewill be closed, and he would be prosecuted. He might even be sued. When thathappens, I’m sure that Sam wouldn’t be able to pay me back any time soon. I’mdone for. I took out that money from my own business capital. I’m dead! Therest of the money would only be enough to cover my daily expenses…”

“Huh!”Ally sighed as he shook his head. He seemed unable to believe the things thathe had just heard.

“Haveyou discussed this with Sam?” Gina asked.

“Notyet. I’m waiting for him to come and tell me this himself” said Julia.

    I felt sorry for Julia. I understood her anxiety. Her presence that morningsomehow made me think of my own fate.

    So I picked up my journal and read the last sentences I wrote in my last entrybefore I made a new entry about Julia.

    If I had uncertainties about the concept of fate prior to this, looking backthrough my journal made me realised how fate goes around in our lives. Ourfates have been written, desires and expectations will be expressed, signs willbe given, and actions must be taken. Fate has many facets that allow us tochoose. We have always been given a choice, and every one of us is responsiblefor our own life in this mysterious reality that we live in.