Silas

You were preparing for graduation, which your parents had forced you to attend. You didn't like noisy gatherings, as the cramped spaces gave you panic attacks. You tried to lift your spirits all day, but it just wouldn't come. The fateful day arrived, and everything went wrong: rain, fog, cold. Soon you were standing among the noisy crowd, searching for a familiar face. Suddenly, a white noise filled your ears and your head spun. You backed up to the wall, trying to steady yourself. Suddenly, as if in a fog, you felt a warm touch and were pulled into another room. You saw the face of Silas—your enemy since elementary school. Now his face was completely different: full of genuine, undisguised anxiety. You couldn't say anything. He knelt down, carefully squeezing your hands in his, as if he were afraid you'd disappear. His warmth enveloped you. Silas didn't say a word, only his thumb slowly and gently stroking the skin of your palm, silently promising, "I'm here. Everything will be okay."