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𝒯𝓊𝓁𝒾𝓅𝓈
TW: Mentions of scars, social anxiety, noise.
"Lectures in the morning, waitering in the evening, studying at night. Lectures in the morning, waitering in the evening, studying at night... Lectures in the morn- ...Haa!"
Grey stretched their arms and let out a loud yawn. "Mm... Oh God, I'm tired."
They rubbed their eyes and downed a glass of milk before dashing to the shower.
Walking to the bus stop had always been the first peaceful moment of the day. The sun still rising lazily over the buildings; a scarce robin or two on a rarer treetop chirruping amid the fading city lights; yet another busy day dawned for the townspeople. Grey strolled down the sidewalk humming "Underneath the lovely London sky", kicking a stone or two in the path, skipping over muddy puddles from the rainy night.
Until they reached the bus stop.
A dozen people crowded together under one glass shelter, waiting for the late workers' bus.
Twelve hearts hammering from the exhaustion of walking through humid air... Twelve mouths panting, yawning, greeting, chattering...
Twenty-four eyes darting in every direction, looking out for the bus, checking new messages, eyeing the others...
A hundred and twenty fingers tapping away at screens or flipping through books and files...
Chaos. Cacophony. So much noise...
If there was one thing Grey Walliams hated, it was people. Or was it hatred? Perhaps... Perhaps it was fear. Dread.
The pitter-patter of feet as more people stepped into the area, stepping closer and closer to the limits of Grey's social bubble.
The chattering mouths deafening Grey's sensitive ears... likely complaining about their neck tattoo, jet-black outfit, unusual haircut.
The sharp eyes scrutinising Grey, maybe judging their sense of fashion. Most probably whispering "Kids these days, tut-tut"...
All at once, as they stood there waiting for the bus to arrive, Grey felt all the billion different sounds sink into their mind.
Talking... Tapping...
Vroom! BEEP-
The suffocation steadily grew: voices shouting, feet stomping, fingers scraping, cars blaring- They hugged their jacket tighter and leaned against a pole...
"Hey."
Grey could hear a faint voice in the distance. It seemed so far away... far from his dazed state.
Where was it? Who was it? Grey couldn't see a thing with the unwelcome fear drowning out his conscience, a gloomy black vision encasing him fast.
