438 With Her (1/2)

No visible symptoms.

No fever.

No fracture.

But still...

Feeling unstable.

Feeling disassociate.

Feeling like wanting to hide in a shell.

Feeling broke.

Feeling imperfect.

And just a head full of darkness which you're unable to explain to anyone.

Mental health is often taken lightly and in most cases, ignored until it's too late. Just because society considers it a stigma doesn't mean you should be ashamed of it.

For Xiu, it wasn't just a stigma. She had gone through the struggle of bad memories consuming her in her previous life and now, she was suffering and struggling all over again. She didn't just have to live through Destiny's pain, she was reminded of her own at every step of the way which was making it very difficult for her to stay strong or lucid.

When she felt Ying's hand patting her back gently and affectionately, she didn't know how but she felt really calm. Yes, she was the girl who struggled with mental health in her previous life and eventually let her thoughts consume her to the point of death. But that was the girl who was all alone.

Now, it was different.

She wasn't that girl anymore!

Even though she couldn't completely share everything with Ying, just knowing that she was here for her was enough for Xiu. In fact, it was more comforting than she could even describe in words.

”Kid, everything okay with you? Did that scare you?” Ying spoke in a soft voice. ”I'm really sorry.”

Xiu pulled away and frowned at her, ”Why are you sorry?”

Ying scratched her head awkwardly. She had been blaming herself for being careless and losing her focus. But it was also her grandma's fault for calling at the wrong time. If she hadn't been distracted because of her nagging, she wouldn't have let Xiu hurt even a little.

”Sorry for being late,” mumbled Ying in guilty.

Xiu's frown deepened, ”Being late? My question is what were you even doing there?”