Ping arrived at school like he always did.
He walked through the gate quietly,bag slung over his shoulder,already planning how the day would go — classes,notes,the familiar comfort of routine. He liked knowing what to expect. It made the world feel less overwhelming.
But the moment he stepped into the school's compound,he knew something was wrong. Students were gathering instead of heading straight to their classrooms. Teachers stood near the notice board, directing people towards the main hall . Rows of chairs were already being arranged , and excited voices filled the air .
Ping slowed down.
A school event?
Today? He thought to himself
No one had mentioned it to him.
A quiet sigh escaped his lips as he followed the flow of students toward the hall. There was no avoiding it now. He adjusted his glasses and reminded himself to stay calm. It was just an event it would end eventually.
The school hall was louder than expected, students from different classes and year levels filled the space,voices overlapping,laughter echoing off the walls. Ping tightened his grip on his bag strap as he searched for a seat .
Crowds made him uneasy,he chose a seat near the side — not too close to the front, not too far back , somewhere he could breathe. Sitting down,he let out a quiet sigh, fixing his gaze ahead and hoping the event would end soon even if it hasn't started.
Then someone stopped in front of him
"Can I sit here?"
Ping looked up.
It was keng.
For a moment, ping's mind went completely blank . Then it filled all at once.
Why here?
There are so many empty seat,why me??? He thought to himself his face slightly pale.
Keng was a final year student, popular, confident. The kind of person everyone noticed without trying. People were already looking — whispers spreading like ripples in water .
Ping swallowed and nodded quietly "Y-yes" .
Keng smiled . "Thanks".
He sat down beside ping, leaving just enough space to be polite,not too close,not too far ,still ping could feel his presence clearly,like the air around him had shifted .
Ping tried to focus forward,but his thoughts refused to settle .
Is he uncomfortable???
Did I look strange just now???
Everyone is starring.....
His heart beat faster,his shoulders stiffening without him realizing it.
Keng noticed.
Ping adjusted his glasses,eyes fixed ahead , fingers nervously fidgeting with the edge of his notebook. Crowds did that to people like ping. Keng had noticed it before — the way ping always chose quiet spaces , always stayed near windows. That was exactly why he chose this seat.
The hall was crowded , noisy, overwhelming. Sitting alone would only make ping stand out more . Sitting beside someone might help him feel steadier — even if ping didn't understand it yet
"You okay?" Keng asked quietly, keeping his voice low.
Ping startled slightly,then nodded "yes" .
The event began. Teachers spoke at the front, students slowly settled, and the noice softened into something manageable.
Ping's breathing eased . He didn't know why, but having someone beside him Someone calm and grounding made the crowd feel less suffocating.
He still didn't know why keng had chosen this seat.
But for the first time,that day the shock of the unexpected didn't feel so frightening.