7 Out of place?

The high-pitched discussions, buzzing, enthusiastic and active crowd swallowed Crey amidst without any warning. Crey felt lost just by walking along with such an energetic crowd as he came to his senses only after reaching in front of the big entrance gateway.

"Oh...damn! Are youngsters nowadays so energetic?"

He sighed in grief as he realized that maybe he shouldn't have accepted the request of his uncle so easily. Looking around in the youthful, enthusiastic, and active crowd his lone tepid, lazy, and pessimistic figure seemed far far away despite standing amongst them. He was in the same age group and had the same general appearance as them but he didn't know why he felt out of touch with this reality like he wasn't meant to be here.

Crey has no idea that it isn't them who are super vigorous or are having out of normal enthusiasm. But it is him who is the odd one out of the same age group having such a lazy and lethargic attitude. Maybe he knows but doesn't want to admit it….. or maybe he doesn't want to remember why and when he had gone awry from how a normal young man should be. He was an oddball here, and unfortunately in his heart, he knows it.

Just as he thought about it, the existential crisis spurred in his mind without any warning. At that moment standing amongst the vibrant crowd all around himself, he found himself totally misfit here. Like a man trapped in the personal glass cage, he felt the time slowed down as he watched those young blurred faces walk by him and he was unable to reach out to them no matter he tried.

The world passed by, moving away, conversing within themselves, and he despite trying to tag along, despite trying his best to match the pace was left behind himself to see the world from far away. He couldn't be them, he couldn't reach them…..he was meant to remain in silhouettes always watching the unattainable life from far.

'I have to try. Yes! That's why I wish for an uneventful life, that's why I crave ordinary existence because I want to be like them. I want to be lost among the crowd, to be unnoticeable and very very normal.'

As thoughts began to pour uncontrolled in his mind. Crey felt the stiff and constrained feeling in his heart. His breathing suddenly turned short with his mind screaming fear to him. He couldn't understand what was happening but one thing was certain that this place was not good for him and he needed to leave it right now.

"I….I need to….I need to leave, ...no…"

Crey gripped his chest as he lowered his head, for a brief moment veins and nerves began to protrude over his whole body as he felt himself losing control over himself and his emotions under panic attack. He stumbled as he tried to leave but accidentally ran into a group who tried to push him away.

"Hey watch...out?."

"Where... are you going?"

Crey ignored the shouts as he pushed himself away from that crowded place. If he stays any longer there maybe he would end up doing something he shouldn't do in any case. He couldn't….fall here. He couldn't…..

And while he was struggling with these thoughts suddenly Crey felt a hand on his shoulder but before he could register it, his body acted first in self-driven mode. His hand totally by an instinctive reaction shot up backward as he grabbed the wrist of the person who had clutched his shoulder. His strong fingers locked around the person's wrist as he turned around and looked up and their eyes met.

The assailant was a large bald man with a tense look in his eyes who definitely was a strong 'Evolved' evident just from the ambiance and confidence he was radiating.

But right at this moment, he was alarmed by the momentary dreadful look in the eyes of Crey who finally snapped out of his confusion as he felt the steel-like unbreakable response back from the wrist of this man. Despite his full force, the wrist he was crushing was showing no signs of budging.

Crey came to his senses as his eyes met with the large man. He hurriedly loosened his grip from the wrist of Man and quickly apologized for his actions. He discovered that his face had beads of cold sweat due to a panic attack moments ago. If this man had not grabbed him, he would have…..

The ever-shifting group of teenagers had given an opening to both of them as the crowd had stopped to take pictures and videos of both of them. Suddenly Crey felt the awkwardness and embarrassment dawning over him as he realized that he had made a fool of himself. He could even hear some vague discussions around him which further made him ashamed.

"He is…. attacking…. "

"Scuffle…... on the entrance…"

"Is he trying to act cool….picking fight…."

"Show off…..clout chaser…."

With every effort he managed to keep his face stoic, not getting red with embarrassment, and was about to ask for forgiveness before walking away as he had decided this place was not looking good for him especially right after making a fool of himself in public. But the bald man didn't loosen the grip on his shoulder rather tightened it as he commented in a stern voice,

"Come with me. We need to talk inside."

"Lol, ...there goes the over-smart man. "

"Yea serves right ... .this is a military institute…"

"He is going to regret his decisions…."

"You saw right? He was looking like a very senior officer with crowns on his shoulder..…"

Discussions broke out again among the enthusiastic youth crowd, once both of them had disappeared in the office building nearby, which was away from registration and exam block. Thinking that the Crey had been summoned for punishment or worse, a penalty for acting weird out in public. As well as lifting hand against a senior officer.