"Are you new here?" A tiny squeaky voice was heard from behind asking her, and Lingling turned to look and saw a girl with ponytails and thick-rimmed glasses.
She guessed that they were the same age, but the girl was so tall for her age that Lingling had to lift her gaze just to see the girl's face. The first thing she noticed was how bright and tawny those soulful orbs were, as delicate and sweet as swirling chocolate with a hint of caramel. When it met her obsidian eyes, Ling feel herself lost in it.
Ling nodded. Having grown up in Bangkok. She's the new kid on the block and is having a hard time understanding the thick Isaan accent but she somehow decipher what the girl was saying.
At her young age, all she understands is that they will be moving to a new house because of her dad's job, and she needs to bid farewell to her Kindergarten classmates. She doesn't have a best friend there, so it's fine. They were all loud, and Ling doesn't want loud people.
But this girl is also loud. Even louder even though she is all alone. It turns out their houses are right next to each other, and as quiet as Orm's parents are, she is just as noisy. Ling will wake up to the sound of Orm's laughter and will fall asleep with her loud voice being the last thing she hears.
She does want Orm's company though, no matter how loud she is. She cannot understand the Isaan accent very well, so kids from the neighborhood bullied her, but Orm is strong and was always protecting her. Orm was her constant companion, and the little girl who was missing her two front teeth that whole year when they were six was always threatening other kids not to touch her, or else they would feel the sting of her little fists.
She wants to be with Orm no matter how loud she is because the little kid knows she doesn't like spicy food and was always offering her the thigh part of her fried chicken because Orm knew it's her favorite just by simply observing her reaction. She wants to be with Orm even though she is noisy because although her parents were busy with their individual work, she was never alone since Orm is always there, by her side, a steady constant, a faithful companion.
