As I was walking around humming the iconic baseball song (while drawing weird looks from the surrounding students).
"I don't think I can do this. I don't think I can do this."
"Hm?"
I faintly heard a crying voice. It was to my left near the folded bleachers. More specifically, it sounded like it was coming from behind the bleachers.
Quite the isolated place if I say so myself.
Feeling curious as to who it was crying, I quietly and carefully walked over to the bleachers. I don't want them to snap on me if I approach them all willy nilly.
When I looked behind the bleachers, although a little crowded, it had enough space to fit one person in there.
And in that space.
"I'm scared...I-I don't want to see those things."
Was a light purple haired girl hugging her knees with her back turned towards me. She was bawling her eyes out.
"Uh, excuse me? You okay?"
I asked a little awkwardly. I'm not used to girls crying like this. Which in my opinion, can't be helped since all the girls I've encountered so far were both strong willed and tough.
As for who these girls are they're Mom, Sara, and Big Sis. Those three can even put men to shame.
"...Who are you? *Sniff* *Sniff*"
The girl hesitantly said with her back still turned. It's truly a pitiful sight.
"I'm Desmond. You okay?"
I asked again after introducing myself.
"Does it look like I'm okay!?"
The girl angrily snapped as she turned her body my way. Her brown eyes were all red and puffy and her cheeks showed tear streaks from where she was crying at.
"Sorry, I was just trying to help, damn."
...Is what wanted to say but I managed to hold it down. It wouldn't do good to piss her off at the moment. She's like a powder keg, one little spark from me could cause a huge explosion!
Therefore, I said this instead.
"My bad. My bad. I didn't mean to make you angry. I just wanted to know why you're crying over here behind the bleachers. It's about time to leave."
"I know that! But I don't want to leave! There are zombies out there. Who knows when I'll become the next one to turn into them."
"Okay, first, they're not zombies since they aren't dead. And secondly, don't you want to see your family? Don't you miss them?"
"Of course I want to see them. You think I want to be stuck here? I want to go home. I miss my mom! I miss Trina! I miss...I miss…"
She couldn't finish saying who she missed before started crying again.
...What should I do? Should I hold and pat her while saying everything's alright?
Ah, f*ck! I wish I'd bought and read a few romance novels! Then I'd be able to solve this with ease.
Flying blind, I lean the bat on the wall and crouch down to her level and said gently.
"If you miss them so much then isn't it better to be out there instead of hiding back here, hmm?"
"But those zombies out there killed my friends! What if they got me too? I don't want to be eaten!"
The girl starts to breathe frantically. Sh*t, if this keeps up she might have a panic attack!
Aggressively gripping the girl shoulders, I said to her.
"Listen to me! Take deep breaths. Hee...hee... hoo. Hee...hee...hoo."
"Hee...hee...hoo. Hee...hee...hoo."
After repeating the same breathes I was doing for a couple of minutes , the girl finally calms down.
"Feeling better now?"
I softly said.
"I-I'm fine."
"Really?"
"R-really."
"Let's stand then shall we?
Saying this, I stand up and stretch out my right hand.
"Mn. *Sniff*."
Using my hand, I pull her to her feet and out from behind the bleachers.
"You sure you're alright?"
I cautiously asked just in case. Within a few minutes of encountering her, I experienced the moods of crying, sadness, anger, and panic.
Does this girl got Bipolar Disorder?
"...Yeah."
The girl said calmly.
"Uh, you might want to clean your face a little bit."
Pointing towards my own eyes, I tell about her puffy red ones.
"Ah, G-give me a sec."
Embarrassed, the girl took a handkerchief from her pocket and patted her eyes. When she was done patting they weren't as red but they were still puffy.
"...You saw something embarrassing. I'm sorry."
The girl said apologetically. Shaking my head from side to side, I reply.
"It's no biggie. Don't worry about it. If it makes you feel any better. I'll act like nothing happened."
"Please do. Hey, you look familiar. Ah, your that boy with the tattoos on his arms!"
The girl said surprised.
"Is that what I'm known for?"
"Your the only with tattoos on them after all."
"Horse sh*t, go search everyone out here and I bet at least ten of them have tattoos on them."
And here I thought that me beating that grass haired little shit was the reason for people being wary of me.
Turns out it was because of my tattoos!
"Okay, you don't need to make that hurt puppy face. By the way, my name is Faith."
"Faith. Got it."
"Well, I guess I should be heading back. Thanks for the little pep talk."
"I'm sure you'll see your family again. All you need to do is make it out of here."
I give Faith some words of encouragement.
"I understand. Well, see ya."
With that, Faith and her still puffy red eyes walks away. And as she did, a realization popped into my head.
"Did I just calm down a person using childbirth breathing…? I'm a goddamn genius!"
Puffing my chest out with pride, I said to myself. If we overlook the fact that she wasn't in her right mind then yes.
I'm a goddamn gen-
"Oh, I forgot. Next time you want to calm someone down, please don't use lamaze breathing. They're not giving birth after all."
"...You didn't have to come and sh*t on my parade like that y'know?"
I place my attention on Faith who came back and crushed my pride. Talk about a killjoy.
Wanting to gloss over what I just did in case she heard (which I'm sure she did), I said.
"What did you forget?"
"We're waiting on you. Everyone's ready and were wondering where you was at."
"Well, thanks to a certain person, it couldn't be helped, I'm a little late."
Picking up the bat I leaned up the wall, I walked towards where the large crowd of people were.
Sigh, almost out.