Face Plant and Melted Plans
Chapter 1
You are reading The Misadventures of Endora Pan, a romantic comedy exploring the unpredictable nature of love and the chaos of everyday life. Set in the world of a young Taiwanese-American woman, this story delves into themes of self-discovery, cultural identity, and finding connection in unexpected places. Written in a witty, self-aware style, this novel is for readers looking for a light-hearted yet emotional read.
This can’t be happening, was her first thought, right after, I would end up with my face in some dude’s armpit.
Little did she know, this flattering first encounter was about to change her life forever.
Groaning, Endora pushed herself up on to her hands and tried to get to her feet, but her knees made contact with the someone’s stomach. Her unfortunate knee placement elicited a loud yelp from whoever’s armpit she had had the misfortune of burying her face in.
“Get off!” the dude said, pushing Endora away.
She rolled onto her back, and, dazed for a moment before her vision cleared, Endora found herself staring up at the sky, framed by the sloping gray roof of her parents’ house. The giggles and chatter of children at the nearby playground filtered through her consciousness. Oh, right. I was out on my run, almost home, and then…
"Are you okay?" A deep voice, tinged with concern and a hint of irritation, cut through her disorientation.
Endora blinked and turned her head to see a guy in a FedEx uniform pushing himself up to a sitting position. His cap and glasses were askew, revealing a mess of dark hair, and there was a scowl on his face.
"I'm fine," she muttered, sitting up and wincing. Her ankle throbbed, and she checked herself and noticed an angry red scrape on her elbow. "What happened?"
The FedEx guy raised an eyebrow. "You happened. You tripped over the curb and took me down with you. Nearly got us both run over."
Endora's eyes widened as the memory rushed back. She had been on the phone with her supplier, distracted by a last-minute order change, when—
"Oh no," she gasped, suddenly remembering. "The chocolate! Where's the package you were carrying?"
The guy's scowl deepened. He pointed to the street where, to Endora's horror, she saw a crushed box and what looked suspiciously like melting chocolate spreading across the hot asphalt.
“Are you kidding me?! That was a custom order of Valrhona single-origin, fair-trade French chocolate!" Endora cried, scrambling to her feet despite the pain in her ankle. Her voice rose to a louder and higher pitch. “Do you have any idea how much that cost?"
The Fedex guy stood up too, brushing off his uniform. "Probably not as much as the hospital bill if we'd been hit by that car!” he said.
Endora felt her face flush with a mix of embarrassment and frustration. This was the last thing she needed today. “Look," she said, trying to keep her voice level, "I'm really sorry about running into you, but I need that chocolate for my business. You have to replace it. Technically, you got in my way.”
The guy looked at her incredulously. “Are you serious? Replace it? Look, I just deliver the packages. I don't—" He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing as he took in Endora's desperate expression beneath the antagonism. Then his face hardened again. “No! You ran into me and almost killed me. Peace out.”
“Dude!” Endora yelled at his back as he walked away. Okay, calm down, Endora. Jesus would love His enemies. She took another deep breath before watching Fedex Guy disappear into his truck. “Well you know where I live if you ever want to be a good person!” That wasn’t that mean. It’s fine, she thought, grumbling as she limped into her house.