PSLE: An accidental crash

You were in the canteen when someone ran and bumped into you.

Heavenly aroma of scrumptious food wafted in the air. It was recess time and cheerful chatter filled the zesty atmosphere. My stomach was rumbling like an African drum and I immediately marched to the canteen to buy my favourite food - a bowl of steaming hot prawn noodles. At the stall, the queue was long and I waited edgily for my turn. My eyes glittered with delight when the stall holder finally handed over my food.

Delighted, I ambled towards a long table, ready to devour my food like a hungry wolf.  "Elle! Elle!” I suddenly heard a familiar voice calling my name. It was my best friend, Ruby. She was running towards me like an Olympic athlete. However, in her haste, she did not notice the wet puddle of water on the floor and lost her balance, colliding into me like a heavy buffalo.

Crash!! The noodles flew into the air and scattered like confetti. Splash! A sharp pain shot through my body. “Ouch!” I let out a penetrating shriek that pierced through the air when the hot soup fell onto my forearm and turned bright red. The scalding heat was so intense that hapless tears kept rolling down my rosy cheeks. My scream created a ruckus and everyone was craning their necks like giraffes, staring on in bewilderment at the commotion.

Shivers ran down Ruby's spine and her eyes widened in horror. I clenched my fists tightly to bear with the pain. By this time, red blistered marks had appeared on my tender skin. Ruby was shaking like a leaf, stiffling tears of fear as well.

“What happened?” a nasal voice called out in a benevolent tone. It was Mrs Lee, the form teacher. A prefect had alerted her and then recounted the incident to her. She immediately brought both of us, filthy and bedraggled, to the first-aid room. She cleaned us up and washed my wound under running water and dried it with a clean towel. Then, she uncorked a bottle of yellow fluid. A pungent smell almost stung my nose. I tightened my grip of the chair while she applied the medicine gently.

“Everything will be fine,” she coaxed and a great sense of relief washed over me and the pain slipped away.

“I...I am sorry, Elle,” Ruby's eyes watered and she spoke in her tiniest voice, looking like she owed me a thousand apologies.

“Ruby, this is an accident. Look! I am alright now.” I smiled, my sparkling white teeth shining in the light.

Soon, we headed for the canteen, hands hooked over each other's, in girlish giggles that lingered in the air.