This short story was written for the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals “Good People, Good Deeds: English Writing Competition 2023-24. This year’s theme was “Good People, Good Deeds”. Students wrote stories about kindness, helping strangers and/or friends.

Hikari looked around the classroom. It was so dark, she sat in a remote corner of the classroom looking at the window. It was raining heavily, everyone avoided her like a parasite. Why? She didn’t know, it was just her life.

Hikari grabbed her usual empty seat by the window, and she started to devour her lunch. Today’s menu was fried rice with scrambled eggs, but no matter how delicious her mother’s cooking was, nothing seemed to cheer her up. She looked at the girls chittering and chattering at the opposing table, wistful for their stop in gossiping. One of the girls turned and saw Hikari, she started snickering, and said something to her friends, which started hollering the moment they heard it. It may seem hurtful, but Hikari was used to it, she had to go through it every day anyway.

Oh, let me guess. They're probably talking about how ‘emo’ I am, or my baggy clothes and pale face.

”Hey… are you alright?” A girl looked at Hikari, holding her lunch tray.

’Hmm? Why would you care anyway?” Hikari looked suspicious of the strange girl, she wore a rainbow sweater with bright blue jeans and she had peachy pink hair, Hikari didn’t know how a person was able to bear the amount of colours on her. Quite a contrast to her own black hoodie and trousers.

”Hey! Why are you like that? I care about whoever I want! The girls over there were making fun of you, and I thought it was unfair!” Yelled the girl.

Hikari rolled her eyes, and she glared at the girl, who had stubbornly sat next to her and started her lunch.

”My name is Ana and by the way, has anyone ever told you that you look really pretty?” Asked Ana.

”Wait, really?’ Hikari whispered.

”Yes! Why?” asked Ana.

”Nothing, it’s just……” Hikari smiled for the first time in a long period of time, she felt truly happy.

Kindness (TWGH 2023-24)