UNDER PRESSURE || HUENING KAI

02. Friends

HUENING KAI—

At first, I thought it was an accident that someone left their drink on the table, and I would've been dumb not to take advantage of the $1.75 drink that was calling out to me. It lifted my spirits a lot the first day I drank what the heavens seemingly blessed me with, and I thought it was perhaps because they had been seeing me struggle so much for these past few months as a new trainee. I often came to cry at this spot, but I remembered this day I just sat and sipped this left behind drink, lost in my own thoughts.

But then, each day from then on there way that same drink at that table. There was no possible way some person was just leaving them there everyday by accident right? I mean, they were wasting money and never even came back for it. I began to become suspicious of where these drinks were coming from. Was someone leaving them there for me? Or someone else and I'd been taking another persons secret-admirer gift? It was more likely that they were for me, especially because I do believe people have seen me crying in this corner in the mornings and that is why they choose to go to the vending machine on the other side of the floor.

For some reason, it made my preadolescent self's heart flutter thinking about it. It made my face heat up and my heart beat a little faster, thinking that someone was watching over me and caring for me. I was already so shy, so when people spoke to me I automatically grew red out of anxiety, but this kind gesture made me feel even more anxious.

I would've let it just continue on, but I was curious. I wanted to meet this person, maybe just peek at them and not say anything. I decided to come in extra extra early, before my drink would be on the table, and waited.

And there they were. There she was. I wasn't sure at first, because I still hadn't seen what drink she was getting from the vending machine, but as soon as I saw her press the button for the yogurt drink, I knew it.

I think my brain stopped working when I saw her. As I said before, I already turned red when just about anyone spoke to me, but a girl that looked about my age? I think if I approached her first I may explode from embarrassment. Especially because now I confirmed that she had been the one watching me and buying me these drinks.

I need to hide! I thought, but before I could even move an inch she whipped around, activating my fight or flight instincts and causing me to leap behind the corner. In my mind I was internally screaming, my palms were beginning to sweat, and my heart pounded quicker. She was a pretty girl. Incredibly pretty! Breathtakingly pretty!

I began hearing footsteps, and took off into a run, knowing that she'd reach the corner in approximately two more seconds and notice me, therefore I switched my approach and slowed down to a fast walk, hoping that I was far enough for her to not recognize my back and just think I was another person passing by.

"You! Stop right there!"

Now, I don't curse. My parents just raised me that way, so even when all my friends in middle school cursed, I never did it, ever. But in my mind, I was naming about every curse word out there and felt guilty as if others could hear them. I wasn't sure how long I stood there before reluctantly turning around, suddenly feeling incredibly small and awkward under her gaze.

She looked around my age, maybe a few years older because an amount of maturity surrounded her presence. Maybe it was her confident body language, cheerful smile, or unwavering gaze too, but it definitely made me retreat into my shell like a turtle.

"I'm sorry. You caught me." The girl began, pursing her lips together. Her voice was pretty and gentle, her tone friendly. "I know this looks pretty weird. My intention wasn't to make you uncomfortable at all." She spoke in a very proper way, adding more to her maturity level.