Tap. Tap. Tap.
Footsteps could be heard everywhere. It was loud, and the crowds of people were all pushing in one direction.
She stood right in the middle of it. Her gaze nervous, searching.
With every step, her stomach twisted more and more. She focused only on staying upright while her whole body trembled.
She could no longer sort her feelings. The light from the display boards blinded her like the sun.
Everything was too much.
She felt dizzy.
Her thoughts became more chaotic with every second.
People were still walking past her. Voices, footsteps, noises, everything crashed down on her.
One more second and she would throw up, she thought, trying to push herself out of the crowd.
“Watch it!” someone shouted.
But she didn’t even notice him.
It was already dark, and Tokyo was as alive as ever.
Finally, she sank down at the edge of a building. Her thoughts were still disordered.
She looked up at the sky. Her gaze was empty.
Clouds.
In the next moment, she felt the first drops.
Rain.
At first light.
Then stronger.
Cold.
The drops hit her face, ran down her skin, and mixed with something she could no longer quite identify.
She breathed faster.
Far too fast.
A spasm ran through her body, and she flinched slightly.
“I feel sick...” she said, barely audible.
But no one paid attention to her. Why would they?
She pulled her knees closer to her and pressed her forehead against them, almost like in a bad drama. Her body trembled more. Everything blurred even further.
Footsteps became faster.
Umbrellas opened everywhere.
The drops grew stronger.
Now audible.
Still, no one paid attention to her.
Her clothes became wetter and wetter.
The trembling grew worse, and with every second she felt colder.
She wanted to stand up.
But she lacked the strength and balance.
A quiet groan escaped her.
“How ironic...” she whispered weakly.
If only this rain would stop.
Her whole body trembled.
The noises blurred.
The lights blurred.
Everything blurred.
Rain...
Rain...
Rain...
...no rain.
“Hey... are you okay? Are you fine?”
An unfamiliar voice.
Close.
A shadow fell over her.
The rain suddenly no longer hit her.
Slowly, she lifted her gaze.
A boy. Blurred face. Light brown-blonde hair. An umbrella.
English...?
She formed her lips. Wanted to speak.
No sound.
Nothing. Not even a peep.
“Do you speak English?”
Her head grew heavier.
Far too heavy.
Why is he... helping me...?
Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer.
No, too close, too unfamiliar, a boy.
A short thought shot through her like a warning signal.
What if he?
Her body tensed briefly and a shiver ran down her spine.
No...
Or maybe?
Her heartbeat sped up.
Too fast.
She wanted to move.
Just get away from here.
But her body didn’t respond.
In the next moment, her body tilted to the side.
And everything went quiet.
“Wow...!”
The boy acted without thinking and caught the girl before she hit the wet ground.
“Man, shit...”
She was lighter than he had expected, and her body was still trembling far too much, and her eyes were closed.
The umbrella lay on the rain soaked ground, and rain now dripped onto his face.
His grip became tighter and more uncertain.
“Hey, can you hear me...? Hello?”
The only thing that could be heard was a fast, shallow, quiet breath.
He looked around, glanced at the people, hoping someone would help, come over but the people kept walking.
No one stopped.
For God's sake... why always me.
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Thanks for reading my story. If you made it this far, you must like it :)
What do you think happens next?