"I am here"

Note: "...." Talking.

"(.....)" Thinking \ Talking in their head or themselves

"[....]" Flashback

.................................................

*Breathe in* *Breathe out*

" (Ning, it's okay. It's just a practice. No need to be nervous.)" Ning was talking to herself while looking around the field. It has been almost 10 minutes since Feng left.

"How much long is he going to take?" Ning muttered when she felt a tap on her shoulders.

"Finally Feng Did you---" Ning thought that tap was from Feng, but when she turned around, it turned out to be...

"Hello, little junior, remember me?"

"Se—Senior."

"By looking at your face, I guess you remember me. I feel so touched." He said as he took a few steps towards her whereas Ning took some steps back and looked around, but none of her friend was around and the ones that were, were unknown to her.

"Why are you looking elsewhere when I am looking at you?" He said in a little annoyed tone while getting his face close to hers and that gave Ning the horror of her life.

.

"[The senior must have taken a liking to our Ning.]"

"(No, stop stop...not again!)"

"Hey junior, are you listening to me?"

" [Ning, where are you? You know I won't hurt you right.]"

"(No! No! Stop!)"

"Hey!" That senior said as he came even closer to hers and what happened next was...

"STOP!" Ning shouted loudly as she pushed the senior hard, making him fall to the ground.

.

The senior was dumbfounded and embarrassed, and there was no way he would let her go. So, he stood up and was about to raise his hands, but before even his fingers could touch her skin. Ning slumped on the ground shivering, both of her hands on her ears.

Other students hearing her voice gathered around and even if they weren't aware of the whole situation, it was quite clear to them that the girl was crying, which clearly means that he must have troubled her.

"What did you do to her?" A girl questioned angrily,

"I did nothing! She is crying by herself!" The senior said in defense while glaring at Ning.

"You! Stop acting all pitiful and say something!" the senior said while he forwarded his hands to pull her up, but even before he could do that, someone pulled him back by his collar and made him fall to the ground again.

"Who the hell--"

"Fuck off!" Feng said as he punched him hard in his face. Everyone gasped while the senior lied on the ground in pain and Feng without giving a damm to them turned towards Ning.

.

"Ning...I am here." He said as he kneeled down to reach up to her position. Ning stopped shivering and looked at him. Her eyes were red, whereas her face was a total mess of tears and sweat. Her eyes then wandered around at the crowd of students looking so closely at them.

"....Please---Take me away from here---please" she said while clenching onto his uniform jacket.

Feng didn't think for another second and carefully made her stand. She kept holding his sleeves, and he walked past the crowd, followed by her. In normal cases, he would have carried her, but today that option didn't feel right, especially when it's Ning.

.

They reached the infirmary room, and as usual, the doctor was not there.

"The doctor must be in the field. Just lie on the bed for now." Feng said and Ning did as he said.

And as she lied down, Feng noticed a starch on the side of her forehead.

"Ning, there is a starch on your forehead. Did that senior do this to you?" Feng asked in a worried tone as he slowly approached her but stopped midway as he saw a uncomfortable frown forming on her face.

"---The senior didn't do this—he did nothing---but the way he spoke---" Ning said with tears forming in her eyes again.

"If it's hard to say then don't---" Feng said as he sat on the near the bed, "Because no matter what, I will stay here, for you. We have enough time to know each other."

Ning looked at Feng silently. If it was someone else, she would have freaked out but the tone, the look that Feng gave out made her feel something else...maybe that was something she felt very less...he made her feel secure.

.

"Ning!"

"NingNing!" Ling and Yuan shouted as they came to the infirmary running.

"Ling...Yuan? Why are you here?" Ning asked as she looked at them with a surprised face.

"Someone told us that the senior has troubled you and Feng has bought you to the infirmary, so we came here running." Yuan explained while Ling looked at Ning face gently.

"Did that bastard do--"

"No, he didn't." Ning said, and Ling hugged her tightly. Her body was shaking and her breath was unsteady.

"Thank god, you are safe or else...I might have never forgiven myself."

"Ling.."

"Ning, I am sorry, you had to go through all this because of my stupid reasonings ...I am so sorry, you can just quit the race! I will go and talk to the teacher! I can even treat our classmates by my saved pocket money--"

"LING! Breathe...Relax...I am fine and you have nothing to do with what happened today. Don't blame yourself."

"But Ning...:"

"Its true that you told me to give this a thought, but the decision of doing it or not was solely mine. So, how can I blame you?" Ning said as she smiled while placing her hands on ling's.

"But I was the one who insert that idea inside you---"

"It wasn't you but the teacher who inserted that idea in my head.:

"But.."

"No more but, no matter how it started, but now I really want to take part in the sports meet even if I play just one game." Ning said as she flicked Ling's forehead.

"Now that's the spirit, isn't it, Ling? " Yuan said as he placed a hand on Ling's shoulders.

Ling looked at Yuan and then again at Ning.

"Good luck," she said, while placing a hand on her head.

"And Feng, I am angry at you for leaving her alone despite of my warnings, but since you punched that senior pretty hard...I forgive you this time. But if this happens ever again, I am going to kill you."

"Don't worry Ling, I will never let this happen again. I promise."

"Wow! This feels like a romantic movie scene where the father is telling her daughter's boyfriend to take care of her." Yuan whispered to Ning, who let out a small laugh, but deep down, her heart surely skipped a bit.