Unexpected turn of events…

(Zack's POV)

The first semester of my first year went by quickly and the exams were easier than I expected. I had also gotten the top position in school when the examination results were released. An award ceremony was held but I didn't attend because I didn't want to be in such a crowded place. I was afraid. The school was already difficult enough. I didn't want to have to face so many people. During the holidays, I decided to inquire about the company from my grandfather and see if there was anything I could learn. It was difficult asking him because I still felt a bit of fear, but I did it anyway. Instead of speaking to him, I wrote it down instead since it was better that way. He told me that he was happy I offered to help but he said I wouldn't understand the problems that he had at the moment. I sat by his side all day in his study for the first week of the holiday. 

The next week, he decided to go to the company but before he left, he asked if I wanted to come along. I didn't give him a reply, so he told me not to bother. I didn't want to disappoint him so I told him that I would go, even though I knew I couldn't handle it. We got to the company and passed the back door that only the CEO had access to. My grandfather was considerate of me, and it made me happy. I sat in his office while he had to attend all sorts of meetings. I looked around if there was any book I could read and I saw a few books that were probably very advanced for someone like me. I decided to go through it even though I couldn't understand most of it. I just needed to keep myself busy till my grandfather was done. It was already getting late, and Grandfather hadn't shown up. I was getting bored, so I decided to look for him, forgetting that I was in a place with countless numbers of people. 

I regretted my actions quite quickly when I saw the crowd of people in the hallway. I couldn't even find my way back. I just stood there staring because I didn't know what else to do. Someone then walked up to me and tapped me. I was frightened when I felt the person's touch. I reacted quickly and turned around to see who it was, but I couldn't recognize the person. I panicked and ran away and as I ran, it got more crowded, and I got anxious. The rest was a blur. I just kept screaming and running. I don't know how but I ended up outside the company on the road. It was then that I had come back to my senses. I was in the middle of the road, and I stood there frozen. I couldn't move my body and I got more scared. I looked around to see if maybe I could find my grandfather, but I couldn't. The next thing I saw was a truck speeding towards me and it was honking loudly, but I couldn't move. I began screaming again and I could hear people's voices, but I didn't know what they were saying. I don't know what happened, but I lost consciousness. It was an unexpected turn of events. I wasn't expecting that I would experience something like this because I decided to step out into the world.

When I opened my eyes, I was in an unfamiliar room. It looked like a hospital. I saw someone sitting beside me. I didn't recognize the person. It was a kid, a girl about my age. When she saw that I had woken up, she started saying something, but I couldn't hear a word. I couldn't even react to her. Then the door opened, and my grandfather ran in with the doctor behind him. The moment I saw him, I broke down into tears and all I could say were the words "I'm scared". I kept repeating those words while I cried. My grandfather embraced me and told me to calm down. I couldn't hear anything or anyone except him. I just kept crying. After a while, I calmed down, but I didn't leave his embrace and he didn't mind that I did. While all this happened, that kid was still her. Then my grandfather spoke to her "Thank you for saving my child. He's all I have left. I don't know what I would do without him. What can I do to repay you?" She had saved me from being hit. It was then I noticed the bruises on her face and hand. I felt warm inside and I faced her and told her thank you. It was the first time my grandfather had seen me speak to anyone outside him and those Who take care of me at home. He was moved to tears and asked her again if she wanted anything as a reward. To his surprise, she shook her head implying that she didn't want anything. Then she looked at me and asked for my name. I could finally hear her voice. Her voice was feminine and gentle. I told her my name and she nodded. Then she continued speaking. "When I brought you to the hospital, the doctor recognised you and brought you to this big room. I overheard them saying that you are autistic, is that true?". This was what I had feared. Besides my family and doctor, I didn't want anyone else to know about my condition. But I guess it was inevitable after what happened today. I didn't reply to her and turned my face away from hers. She immediately left where she was climbed the bed and made me face her. "Since you aren't denying it, then I guess it's true. My dad happens to be autistic but his is probably much worse than yours because he locks himself up at home all day. He only ever speaks to my mom. He doesn't speak to me, but he doesn't mind my existence. Seeing as you were out on the road then it mustn't be that bad." She said these worse with an expression that I saw on my grandfather's face when he stared at my father's picture. She was sad. Her dad was even worse than me, I wondered how her mom could manage that. She looked at my grandfather and asked for permission to become my friend. She also asked if she could visit me. My grandfather looked at me expecting me to say something, but I didn't. He agreed to her request seeing that I didn't reject her offer. He probably thought that since she saved me, I would be comfortable around her, and he was right. I didn't feel any hostility towards her. Instead, I wanted to learn more about her and how she manages her father. I could probably find a way to help myself out.